How are hydraulics capable to launch Xcelerator?

The system is very similar to the air system on hypersonic or a steam catapault on an aircraft carrier. But how is a hydraulic system capable of the speed required to launch Xcelerator at the huge speed it is launched?

I guess what I must be missing is are huge high pressure pumps used or is some kind of resevoir that quickly lets go used.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

Out on a limb here (with no real knowledge in the field...)

I think it has to do with the fact that coaster trains don't quite weigh as much as F-16s. That could be wrong (hell, it probably is), but it makes sense to me.

Let's just bump this one and wait for Dave. ;)

Actually, the launch system is similar to whats used on the Schwarztkopf flywheel shuttle loops. The system consists of a large winch powered by a series of hydraulic motors. The motors are fed fluid from a bank of hydraulic accumulators. These can be compared to air tanks. Several high pressure pumps charge the accumulators, then they are discharged into the motors driving the winch drum. The result is an almost instantanious launch, without the problems associated with the friction clutch used in the old shuttle loops.

Ok got it, so the fluid is all of a sudden just let go. Makes sense, thast what I wanted to know. I didn't see how pumps couuld be fast enough.

And I-Nar F-16's don't fly off of aircraft carriers. Now if ya would have said F-14's or F-18's you would have been safe. ;)

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

But hydraulic fluid (and water) are incompressible, aren't they? I mean air acts like a giant spring. Water acts like a block of concrete. Right?

Pretty much. Fluids like water and hydraulic fluid compress little if any.

The fluid is not compressed though. It is just "let go" at high pressure into the driving motor. At least this is how I understand Dutchman.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

Does Xcelerator have some sort of rollback mechanism? It looks like an incredible ride, but if the system is anything similar to Hypersonic it may experience rollbacks. And given Intamin's track record with prototype rides and crashes, i wonder how devastating a rollback would be. Just curious.

Jets are launched off a carrier at around 130mph, but along with the catapult, they also self powered, that is how they launch. so quickly.

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Veck
Adrenaline Coaster Design - http://pumpingrct.topcities.com/

*** This post was edited by CRVeck on 7/11/2002. ***

Jets use steam-powered catapults to get up to speed. There's no way they could do it in that short of space on their own.

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James Draeger
-Proud co-founder of the Coasterbuzz street team

Xcelerator has rolled back according to trip reports. Apparently a magnetic break is lowered out of the way during launch and rises back into position after the train passes.

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Off with the trims!
My fellow Americans; Let's Roll!
Woodencoaster.com

He means that along with the catapualt the jets own engines also help speed it up to the speed needed not to stall.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

Ahhh....confusing wording. I was going to say... :o)

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James Draeger
-Proud co-founder of the Coasterbuzz street team

Thank you magnum, sorry guys. I was thinking faster than I was typing. And I was rotflamo because someone actually said that f-16's launch off carriers even though they are Air Force planes.

GO NAVY!!!

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Veck
Adrenaline Coaster Design - http://pumpingrct.topcities.com/

Yes. In the twistedrails and coaster2k videos, you can see the brakes in action. I actually think they're the coolest looking part of the ride. As the train goes by, this cascade of metal fins pop up right behind the train. Almost like the trails of flames behind the Dolorean (sp?) in Back to the Future.

What do you mean, at high pressure? If it's incompressible, you can't put it at high pressure.

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A rollercoaster? What's that?

Paging RideMan...

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Tommy Penner - Variable X
"You laugh because I'm different. I laugh because you're all the same!"

You shoot it out at high pressure. Large Volume through a small hole equals high pressure. Or I guess higher force would be more accurate.

Take a garden hose vs a fire hose. With the same volume of whter coming out of both, the pressure out of the smaller garden hose is going to be greater then the pressure coming out of the large fire hose.

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The Beast and Night, They go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly

The magnetic brakes on Xcelerator arre so neat to watch. While loading, they are up. During pre launch, they quickly lower and the train rolls back a foot or so, stops, and then launches. The launch brakes are split up into around 5 sections and once the train passes a section they quickly ride to brake the train if it rolls back. The magnets are also the mechanism that causes most of the rollbacks LOL, when they engage too soon and the launching train is still on them. I don't know how failsafe they are, but i don't think they have yet to stay down after the train passes by.

The same rising and lowering mag brakes are found on most of the brake run as well to allow the train to continue at a slow speed or if they stay up to stop the train. watch an off ride video to get a beter idea.

doen anyone know how they account for the hydraulic fuel "heating up" (naturally producing a more powerful launch as it is used more and more in the day). how do they measure the hydraulic fuel's power?

Yes, you can not compress fluid. Hydraulic accumulators are like a large shock assorber. There is a piston that divides the interior, with a gas on one side, then the fluid is pumped into the other. So acutally it is the gas that is compressed, and what actually moves the piston, forcing the fluid out when the valves are opened.