CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

India is a developing county, from the last 15 years increase in population & change of
lifestyle, the demand of using electronic products is increased. In India e-waste generation is
growing at 15% & is expected to cross 800000 tones per year in 2017. A Central pollution
control board (cpcb) report said 65 cities in India generate more than 60-70% of the total e-
waste, which comes from 10 states, that’s are followed by Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab
in the list of e-waste generating states in India [1], [2]. This highlights the various sources of
e-waste , disposal methods and management strategies for e-waste management. Industrial
revolution followed by the advances in information technology during the last century has
radically changed people's lifestyle. Although this development has helped the human race,
mismanagement has led to new problems of contamination and pollution. The technical
prowess acquired during the last century has posed a new challenge in the management of
wastes. “Electronic waste” or “e- waste” consists of obsolete electronic devices. It is an
emerging problem as well as a business opportunity of increasing significance, given the
volumes of e-waste being generated and the content of both toxic and valuable materials in
them.

For example, personal computers (PCs) contain certain components, which are highly toxic,
such as chlorinated and brominated substances, toxic gases, toxic metals, biologically active
materials, acids, plastics and plastic additives. The fraction including iron, copper, aluminum,
gold and other metals in e-waste is over 60%, while plastic account for about 30% and the
hazardous pollutants comprise only about 2.70%[3].The hazardous content of these materials
pose an environmental and health threat. Thus proper management is necessary while
disposing or recycling e-wastes. These days computer has become most common and widely
used gadget in all kinds of activities ranging from schools, residences, offices to
manufacturing industries. E-toxic components in computers could be summarized as circuit
boards containing heavy metals like lead & cadmium; batteries containing cadmium; cathode
ray tubes with lead oxide & barium; brominated flame retardants used on printed circuit
boards, cables and plastic casing; poly vinyl chloride (PVC) coated copper cables and plastic

1
computer casings that release highly toxic dioxins & furans when burnt to recover valuable
metals; mercury switches; mercury in flat screens; poly chlorinated biphenyl's (PCB's)
present in older capacitors; transformers; etc. Basel Action Network (BAN) estimates that the
500 million computers in the world contain 2.87 billion kgs of plastics, 716.7 million kgs of
lead and 286,700 kgs of mercury. The average 14-inch monitor uses a tube that contains an
estimated 2.5 to 4 kgs of lead. The lead can seep into the ground water from landfills thereby
contaminating it. If the tube is crushed and burned, it emits toxic fumes into the air.

E-waste is the most rapidly growing waste problem in the world. It is a crisis of not quantity
alone but also a crisis born from toxics ingredients, posing a threat to the occupational health
as well as the environment. Rapid technology change, low initial cost, high obsolescence rate
have resulted in a fast growing problem around the globe. Legal framework, proper collection
system missing. Imports regularly coming to the recycling markets. In human working
conditions for recycling.

2
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Electronics industry is the world’s largest and fastest growing manufacturing industry. But
the increase in sales of electronic equipments and their rapid obsolescence such as
advancement in technology, change in fashion, style and status has resulted in generation of
electronic waste which is popularly known as E-waste. E-waste contains many hazardous
components that may negatively impact the environment and adversely affect human health if
not properly managed. E-waste problem is of global concern due to the production and
disposal of waste in a globalized world. In India, e-waste management has greater
significance not only due to the generation of its own e-waste but also because of the
dumping of e-waste from developed countries. This is coupled with India’s lack of
appropriate infrastructure and procedures for its disposal and recycling. The challenge is to
develop innovative and cost- effective solutions to decontaminate polluted environments due
to E-waste , to make them safe for human habitation and consumption, and to protect the
functioning of the ecosystems which support life. This paper discusses the different
categories of E-waste, categorization of different hazardous components present in e-waste,
methods of E-waste management and an innovative bioremediation technologies which have
become an eco-friendly and fruitful method to conventional clean up technologies to
decontaminate e-waste from the soil-water environment, the challenges in which India is
facing for the management of E-waste and suggestion for a formal method of E-waste
recycling in India.

Despite a wide range of environment legislation in India, there are no specific laws of
guidelines for electronic waste or computers waste. As per the hazardous waste rules (1989),
e-waste is not treated as hazardous unless proved to have higher concentration of certain
substances. Though pcbs and crts would always exceed these parameters, there are several
grey areas that need to be addressed. Basel convention has handling) rules, 1989 as amended
in 2000 & 2003. The import of this waste therefore requires specific permission of the
ministry of environment and forests. As the collection and re-cycling of electronic wastes is
being done by the informal sector in the country at present, the government has taken the
following action /steps to enhance awareness about environmentally sound management of

3
electronic waste (confederation of Indian Industry Cii- ,2006): several workshops of
electronic waste management was organized by the central pollution control board(cpcb) in
collaboration with toxic link, (cii )etc. Action has been initiated by Central pollution control
Board (cpcb) for rapid assessment of the e-waste generated in major cities of the country[7].

A national working group has been constituted for formulating a strategy for e-waste
management. A comprehensive technical guide on “environmental management for
information technology industry in India” has been published and circulated widely by the
department of information technology (DIT), ministry of communication and information
technology. Demonstration projects have also been set up by the DIT at the Indian telephone
industries for recovery of copper from printed circuit boards. Although awareness and
readiness for implementing improvements is increasing rapidly, the major obstacles to
manage the E-waste safely and effectively remain. These include - the lack of reliable data
that poses a challenge to policy makers wising to design an e-waste management strategy and
to an industry wishing to make rational investment decisions. Only a fraction of the e-waste
(estimated 10%) finds its way to recyclers due to absence of an efficient take back scheme for
consumers, The lack of a safe e-waste recycling infrastructure in the formal sector and thus
reliance on the capacities of the informal sector pose severe risks to the environmental and
human health. The existing e-waste recycling systems are purely businessdriven that have
come about without any government intervention. Any development in these e-waste sectors
will have to be built on the existing set-up as the waste collection and pre-processing can be
handled efficiently by the informal sector, at the same time offer numerous job
opportunities[8].

4
 CHAPTER 3

SYSTEM DESIGN

3.1 CONCEPT

What is E-Waste ?

Electronic waste (e-waste) comprises waste electronics/electrical goods that are not fit for
their originally intended use or have reached their end of life. This may include items such as
computers, servers, mainframes, monitors, CDs, printers, scanners, copiers, calculators, fax
machines, battery cells, cellular phones, transceivers, TVs, medical apparatus and electronic
components besides white goods such as refrigerators and airconditioners. E-waste contains
valuable materials such as copper, silver, gold and platinum which could be processed for
their recovery.

"Electronic waste" may be defined as all secondary computers, entertainment device

electronics, mobile phones, and other items such as television sets and refrigerators, whether
sold, donated, or discarded by their original owners. "E-waste" is a popular, informal name
for electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life."E-wastes are considered
dangerous, as certain components of some electronic products contain materials that are
hazardous, depending on their condition and density. The hazardous content of these
materials pose a threat to human health and environment. Discarded computers, televisions,
VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines, electric lamps, cell phones, audio equipment and
batteries if improperly disposed can leach lead and other substances into soil and
groundwater. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled in an
environmentally sound manner so that they are less harmful to the ecosystem. This paper
highlights the hazards of e-wastes, the need for its appropriate management and options that
can be implemented. This definition includes used electronics which are destined for reuse,
resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal. Others define there-usables (working and repairable
electronics) and secondary scrap (copper, steel, plastic, etc.) to be "commodities", and reserve
the term "waste" for residue or material which was represented as working or repairable but
which is dumped or disposed or discarded by the buyer rather than recycled, including
residue from reuse and recycling operations. "Electronic waste" may be defined as all
secondary computers, entertainment device electronics, mobile phones, and other items such

5
as television sets and refrigerators, whether sold, donated, or discarded by their original
owners. Electronic waste, popularly known as 'e-waste' can be defined as electronic
equipment / products connects with power plug, batteries which have become obsolete due to
advancement in technology changes in fashion, style and status nearing the end of their useful
life. E-Waste for short - or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) - is the term
used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded appliances using electricity. It includes
computers, consumer electronics, fridges etc which have been disposed of by their original
users.

Figure No.: 3.1 Concept

6
 3.2 Is e-Waste Hazardous?

E-waste is not hazardous waste in actual. However, the hazardous constituents present in the
e-waste render it hazardous when such wastes are dismantled and processed, since it is only
at this stage that they pose hazard to health and environment.However, classification of E-
Waste as hazardous or otherwise shall depend upon the extent of presence of hazardous
constituents in it. E-Waste contains several different substances and chemicals, many of
which are toxic and are likely to create adverse impact on environment and health, if not
handled properly.

Electronic waste falls into a special category of materials called “universal waste,” as
classified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This category is for
material that would normally be considered hazardous waste, but currently exists in a state
that reasonably contains the hazardous substances within. However, once disposed, universal
waste can be considered hazardous waste, especially if the final disposition of the waste is in
a landfill. When a lot of electronic devices sit in a landfill for an extended period of time,
they begin to transmit their dangerous chemicals into the surrounding ground and water
resources, eventually polluting nearby households and cause widespread health problems.

There are a number of chemicals in electronic waste that are dangerous for humans and the
environment:

1.1 Lead

Lead exists in significant quantities in cathode ray tubes (CRTs) – which means older
monitors and TV’s. Lead is carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and damages kidneys. There is
also a large cocktail of various chemicals and compounds found within typical consumer
electronics.

1.2 Mercury

A significant concern in newer technology is mercury, which can be found in batteries and
LCD screens. Mercury bio-accumulates in the body, which means it is never flushed out once
it enters. Mercury will keep building up in the body over the course of a life time and may
eventually cause brain and liver damage.

7
1.3 Dioxins

Another area of concern is a family of chemicals called dioxins. These are so toxic that
manufacturers do not deliberately add them to electronics – but they are often formed when
the electronic components are burned and melted. Ingesting dioxins results in impaired
immune system function, impaired growth, hampered development, and major birth defects.

This is why it is so important that electronic waste not be sent overseas where communities
burn e-waste or use acid baths to try to remove precious metals. The people, and their
environment, are exposed directly to these chemicals.

Brominated flame retardants, often used in circuit boards, turn into dioxins when burnt,
which is a primary reason why circuit board manufacturers are trying to substitute their use
with something safer. One issue is that the brominated flame retardants have a tendency to
evaporate out of the plastic of the boards and accumulate in indoor dust.

1.4 Other chemicals

Those are just a handful of nasty substances found in many common electronics. Other
troubling chemicals that are also found include cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, PCBs, and
selenium.

It is important to keep these hazardous substances properly contained and managed so they
do not pose any threat to communities and the workers involved in the disposition of the
electronics. Also, most of these substances can be reused if processed properly. Certifications
in the electronics recycling industry such as e-Stewards and R2/RIOS have numerous
requirements for health and safety controls in the workplace, along with monitoring and
maintaining employee health. If managed properly, e-waste can be safely broken down and
the hazardous components separated and sent to be re-processed. When electronics are
simply thrown in a landfill, the chemical cocktail inside begins the slow process of escaping
into the ground and water of the surrounding communities.

8
 3.2 Sources of E-waste

As of the definition of e-waste suggests that it comprises of electronic gadgets, its sources of
course ranges from the place of its production to the place of its disposal. So the very first
place where it is produced, it’s production unit to the place it is consumed- households,
industries and all the other possible places as this is a tech-savvy world to finally the place
where it goes after being discarded by the users. The place be the scrap grounds, the recycling
place or the disposable units.
Industrial revolution followed by the advances in information technology during the last
century has radically changed people's lifestyle. Although this development has helped the
human race, mismanagement has led to new problems of contamination and pollution. The
technical prowess acquired during the last century has posed a new challenge in the
management of wastes. For example, personal computers (PCs) contain certain components,
which are highly toxic, such as chlorinated and brominated substances, toxic gases, toxic
metals, biologically active materials, acids, plastics and plastic additives. The hazardous
content of these materials pose an environmental and health threat. Thus proper management
is necessary while disposing or recycling ewastes.
These days computer has become most common and widely used gadget in all kinds of
activities ranging from schools, residences, offices to manufacturing industries. E-toxic
components in computers could be summarized as circuit boards containing heavy metals like
lead & cadmium; batteries containing cadmium; cathode ray tubes with lead oxide & barium;
brominated flameretardants used on printed circuit boards, cables and plastic casing; poly
vinyl chloride (PVC) coated copper cables and plastic computer casings that release highly
toxic dioxins & furans when burnt to recover valuable metals; mercury switches; mercury in
flat screens; poly chlorinated biphenyl's (PCB's) present in older capacitors; transformers; etc.
Basel Action Network (BAN) estimates that the 500 million computers in the world contain
2.87 billion kgs of plastics, 716.7 million kgs of lead and 286,700 kgs of mercury. The
average 14-inch monitor uses a tube that contains an estimated 2.5 to 4 kgs of lead. The lead
can seep into the ground water from landfills thereby contaminating it. If the tube is crushed
and burned, it emits toxic fumes into the air.

9
3.2.1 E-WASTE IN INDIA

As there is no separate collection of e-waste in India, there is no clear data on the quantity
generated and disposed of each year and the resulting extent of environmental risk. The
preferred practice to get rid of obsolete electronic items in India is to get them in exchange
from retailers when purchasing a new item. The business sector is estimated to account for
78% of all installed computers in India (Toxics Link, 2003). Obsolete computers from the
business sector are sold by auctions. Sometimes educational institutes or charitable
institutions receive old computers for reuse. It is estimated that the total number of obsolete
personal computers emanating each year from business and individual households in India
will be around 1.38 million. According to a report of Confederation of Indian Industries, the
total waste generated by obsolete or broken down electronic and electrical equipment in India
has been estimated to be 1,46,000 tons per year (CII, 2006).
The results of a field survey conducted in the Chennai, a metroplolitan city of India to assess
the average usage and life of the personal computers (PCs), television (TV) and mobile phone
showed that the average household usage of the PC ranges from 0.39 to 1.70 depending on
the income class (Shobbana Ramesh and Kurian Joseph, 2006). In the case of TV it varied

10
from 1.07 to 1.78 and for mobile phones it varied from 0.88 to 1.70. The low-income
households use the PC for 5.94 years, TV for 8.16 years and the mobile phones for 2.34 years
while, the upper income class uses the PC for 3.21 years, TV for 5.13 years and mobile
phones for 1.63 years. Although the per-capita waste production in India is still relatively
small, the total absolute volume of wastes generated will be huge. Further, it is growing at a
faster rate. The growth rate of the mobile phones (80%) is very high compared to that of PC
(20%) and TV (18%). The public awareness on e-wastes and the willingness of the public to
pay for e-waste management as assessed during the study based on an organized
questionnaire revealed that about 50% of the public are aware of environmental and health
impacts of the electronic items. The willingness of public to pay for e-waste management
ranges from 3.57% to 5.92% of the product cost for PC 3.94 % to 5.95 % for TV and 3.4 % to
5 % for the mobile phones.
Additionally considerable quantities of e-waste are reported to be imported (Agarwal, 1998;
Toxics Link, 2004). However, no confirmed figures available on how substantial are these
transboundary e-waste streams, as most of such trade in e-waste is camouflaged and
conducted under the pretext of obtaining ‘reusable’ equipment or ‘donations’ from developed
nations. The government trade data does not distinguish between imports of new and old
computers and peripheral parts and so it is difficult to track what share of imports is used
electronic goods.

Effects on Human Health

Disposal of e-wastes is a particular problem faced in many regions across the globe.
Computer wastes that are landfilled produces contaminated leachates which eventually
pollute the groundwater. Acids and sludge obtained from melting computer chips, if disposed
on the ground causes acidification of soil. For example, Guiyu, Hong Kong a thriving area of
illegal e-waste recycling is facing acute water shortages due to the contamination of water
resources.
This is due to disposal of recycling wastes such as acids, sludges etc. in rivers. Now water is
being transported from faraway towns to cater to the demands of the population. Incineration
of e-wastes can emit toxic fumes and gases, thereby polluting the surrounding air. Improperly
monitored landfills can cause environmental hazards. Mercury will leach when certain
electronic devices, such as circuit breakers are destroyed. The same is true for
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from condensers. When brominated flame retardant plastic

11
or cadmium containing plastics are landfilled, both polybrominated dlphenyl ethers (PBDE)
and cadmium may leach into the soil and groundwater. It has been found that significant
amounts of lead ion are dissolved from broken lead containing glass, such as the cone glass
of cathode ray tubes, gets mixed with acid waters and are a common occurrence in landfills.
Not only does the leaching of mercury poses specific problems, the vaporization of metallic
mercury and dimethylene mercury, both part of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) is also of concern. In addition, uncontrolled fires may arise at landfills and this
could be a frequent occurrence in many countries. When exposed to fire, metals and other
chemical substances, such as the extremely toxic dioxins and furans (TCDD tetrachloro
dibenzo-dioxin, PCDDs-polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. PBDDs-polybrominated dibenzo-
dioxin and PCDFspoly chlorinated dibenzo furans) from halogenated flame retardant
products and PCB containing condensers can be emitted. The most dangerous form of
burning e-waste is the open-air burning of plastics in order to recover copper and other
metals. The toxic fall-out from open air burning affects both the local environment and
broader global air currents, depositing highly toxic by products in many places throughout the
world.
Table I summarizes the health effects of certain constituents in e-wastes. If these electronic
items are discarded with other household garbage, the toxics pose a threat to both health and
vital components of the ecosystem. In view of the ill-effects of hazardous wastes to both
environment and health, several countries exhorted the need for a global agreement to address
the problems and challenges posed by hazardous waste. Also, in the late 1980s, a tightening
of environmental regulations in industrialized countries led to a dramatic rise in the cost of
hazardous waste disposal. Searching for cheaper ways to get rid of the wastes, "toxic traders"
began shipping hazardous waste to developing countries. International outrage following
these irresponsible activities led to the drafting and adoption of strategic plans and
regulations at the Basel Convention. The Convention secretariat, in Geneva, Switzerland,
facilitates and implementation of the Convention and related agreements. It also provides
assistance and guidelines on legal and technical issues, gathers statistical data, and conducts
training on the proper management of hazardous waste.

12
 Source of e-
Constituent Health effects
wastes
Solder in printed
Damage to central and peripheral nervous
circuit boards, glass
Lead (PB) systems, blood systems and kidney damage.
panels and gaskets in
Affects brain development of children.
computer monitors
Toxic irreversible effects on human health.
Chip resistors and Accumulates in kidney and liver.
Cadmium (CD)
semiconductors Causes neural damage.
Teratogenic.
Chronic damage to the brain.
Relays and switches,
Mercury (Hg) Respiratory and skin disorders due to
printed circuit boards
bioaccumulation in fishes.
Corrosion protection
of untreated and
galvanized steel Hexavalent Asthmatic bronchitis.
plates, decorator or chromium (Cr) VI DNA damage.
hardner for steel
housings
Burning produces dioxin. It causes
Cabling and computer Plastics including Reproductive and developmental problems;
housing PVC Immune system damage;
Interfere with regulatory hormones
Plastic housing of
Brominated flame
electronic equipments Disrupts endocrine system functions
retardants (BFR)
and circuit boards.
Short term exposure causes:
Front panel of CRTs Barium (Ba) Muscle weakness;
Damage to heart, liver and spleen.
Carcinogenic (lung cancer)
Inhalation of fumes and dust. Causes chronic
Motherboard Beryllium (Be)
beryllium disease or beryllicosis.
Skin diseases such as warts.

A set. of interrelated and mutually supportive strategies are proposed to support the concrete
implementation of the activities as indicated in the website
(http://www.basel.int/DraftstrateKJcoian4Seot.pdF) is described below:
To involve experts in designing communication tools for creating awareness at the highest
level to promote the aims of the Basel Declaration on environmentally sound management
and the ratification and implementation of the Basel Convention, its amendments and
protocol with the emphasis on the short-term activities.

13
To engage and stimulate a group of interested parties to assist the secretariat in exploring
fund raising strategies including the preparation of projects and in making full use of
expertise in non-governmental organizations and other institutions in joint projects.
To motivate selective partners among various stakeholders to bring added value to making
progress in the short-term.
To disseminate and make information easily accessible through the internet and other
electronic and printed materials on the transfer of know-how, in particular through Basel
Convention Regional Centers (BCRCs).
To undertake periodic review of activities in relation to the agreed indicators;
To collaborate with existing institutions and programmes to promote better use of cleaner
technology and its transfer, methodology, economic instruments or policy to facilitate or
support capacity-building for the environmentally sound management of hazardous and other
wastes.
The Basel Convention brought about a respite to the transboundary movement of hazardous
waste. India and other countries have ratified the convention. However United States (US) is
not a party to the ban and is responsible for disposing hazardous waste, such as, e-waste to
Asian countries even today. Developed countries such as US should enforce stricter
legislations in their own country for the prevention of this horrifying act.
In the European Union where the annual quantity of electronic waste is likely to double in the
next 12 years, the European Parliament recently passed legislation that will require
manufacturers to take back their electronic products when consumers discard them. This is
called Extended Producer Responsibility. It also mandates a timetable for phasing out most
toxic substances in electronic products.

EconomicgrowthandDigitalrevolution:

The Indian economy has witnessed a significant growth over the last two decades. The
Information Technology (IT) sector has contributed significantly to this overall economic
growth and has been responsible for a major shift in the consumption patterns of the Indian
middle class, especially for consumer durables and household goods.
The digital revolution, which commenced in 1980, continues to the present day and has
transformed the way we live, work and communicate. There are a whole range of products,
which have become affordable and infiltrated homes and offices. There is also a change also

14
in the way these are utilized by consumers, as it is now easier and more convenient to replace
than to repair these products.
The increasing affordability and availability of these products means a gradual penetration
into smaller towns which are now recording impressive sales of consumer electronics. The
desktop PC and laptop/notebook sales have shown impressive growth in the smaller cities
and towns in the last five years, accounting to 68% and 75% of the total sales volume in
2015-16, compared to 45% and 25% in 2009-10. India, with around 500 million mobile users,
is now the second largest market in the world after China, and in 2008-09 rural India
outpaced urban India in mobile growth rate. According to data available with the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India, 48 million rural consumers took a new mobile connection in
the first six months of calendar 2009 compared with just 32 million in the cities, thus taking
the mobile penetration in rural India to around 17%.

.
MountingquantitiesofE-waste:
The unprecedented growth of the consumer electronics market is revolutionary, as it has
brought knowledge and information at every one’s doorstep. The electronics manufacturing
industry, one of the largest and fastest growing in the world is also one of the most
innovative, constantly creating and utilizing new technologies and thereby inbuilt product
obsolescence. The result is that an ever increasing quantity of electronics and electrical
appliances being discarded, as it is often cheaper to buy new than to repair or to upgrade a
broken or obsolete product. This has given rise to a new environmental challenge: Waste
from electrical and electronic equipment or "e-waste."
E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams today and is growing almost three times
the rate of municipal waste, globally. As per current estimates, the global e-waste market is
forecasted to reach ~63 million tonnes by 2015 from 42 million tonnes in 2008; thus growing
at a CAGR of 6 percent. India with population of over 1 billion, a growing economy and
increasing consumption is estimated to be generating approximately 4,00,000 tonnes of waste
annually (computers, mobile phone and television only) and is expected to grow at a much
higher rate of 20-25%. The main sources of electrical and electronic waste generation in India
are government institutions and business houses, accounting for around 70% of the total
waste, while contribution of individual household is relatively small. But with the growth of
middle class in the country and increasing disposable income, e-waste generation from

15
households is also set to increase. This huge generation of highly toxic waste poses serious
concerns as India is still struggling to find sustainable solution to this complex issue.

The illegal waste being dumped from developed countries further aggravates the E-waste
situation in the country. India happens to be at the receiving end of the international waste
and reports suggest that large volumes of this toxic waste are brought in illegally into the
country. These are primarily being dumped into India for profit due to availability of cheap
labour and weak environmental laws. Some of the Export Promotion Zones are also proving
to be lucrative destination/ centers for such waste trade.
This illegally dumped waste from developed nations adds to the already mounting waste pile
from domestic sources. The country does not possess appropriate technology, infrastructure
or a supporting legal framework to manage this waste, thus making it highly unsustainable
and unsafe.

CHAPTER 4

WORKING OF HYPERLOOP

4.1 THEORY AND OPERATION

16
Artist's impression of a hyperloop capsule: air compressor on the front, passenger
compartment in the middle, battery compartment at the back, and air caster skis at the bottom
a 3d sketch of the hyperloop infrastructure. The steel tubes are rendered transparent in this
image.
Developments in high-speed rail have historically been impeded by the difficulties in
managing friction and air resistance, both of which become substantial when vehicles
approach high speeds. The vactrain concept theoretically eliminates these obstacles by
employing magnetically levitating trains in evacuated (airless) or partly evacuated tubes,
allowing for speeds of thousands of miles per hour. However, the high cost of maglev and the
difficulty of maintaining a vacuum over large distances has prevented this type of system
from ever being built. The hyperloop resembles a vactrain system but operates at
approximately one millibar (100 pa) of pressure.

4.2 KEY FEATURES

The passenger capsules aren't propelled by air pressure like

in vacuum tubes, but by two electromagnetic motors. It is aimed to travel at a top speed of
760 miles per hour.

Figure No.: 4.1 Components

1. The tube tracks do have a vacuum, but not completely free of air. Instead, they have
low pressure air inside of them.

17
 Figure No.: 4.2 Air Pressure

Most things moving through air tubes will end up compressing the air in the front thus,
providing a cushion of air that slows the object down. But the hyperloop will feature a
compressor fan in the front of the capsule. The compressor fan can redirect air to the back of
the capsule, but mostly air will be sent to the air bearings.

2. Air bearings are ski like paddles that levitate the capsules above the surface of the

18
 Figure No.: 4.3 Air Bearings

3.The tube track is designed to be immune to weather and earthquakes. They are also
designed to be self-powering and non-obstructive. The pillars that rise the tube above the
ground have a small foot-print that can sway in the case of an earthquake. Each of the tube
sections can move around flexibly of the train ships because there isn't a constant track that
capsules rely on.

19
 Figure No.: 4.4 Solar Panels on the Top with the Track Supply Power to the Periodic
Motors.

Safety is paramount in modern society and the Hyperloop (for it to become a “5th mode of
transport”) must achieve high levels of safety to stand a chance with the American people.
Even if all the technical problems with the tube itself are solved, the safety issues the
Hyperloop faces are unprecedented.

The first problem comes from the vacuum inside the tube. If a person is exposed to an
atmosphere that is not breathable, then a respirator is usually sufficient to keep someone
alive. However, vacuums have a nasty habit of killing living organisms really fast (unless you
are a tardigrade, in which case you're fine). So, in the event of an emergency, passengers
cannot leave the pod until the tube itself is re-pressurized.

If a failure occurs on the Hyperloop and a section of the tube becomes exposed to the
atmosphere, then air from the outside will rush into the tube until the pressure is equalized.
However, the air will not move slowly into the system but instead create a powerful air front
whose pressure is equal to one atmosphere traveling close to the speed of sound (considering
that the average speed of molecules in the air travel at 500m/s). Such a front could devastate
any pods in the entire length of tube with each pod potentially creating more damage to the
tube in the form of debris (in a similar fashion to a cascade failure of satellites).

Cylinders are used to contain vacuums and high-pressure gasses/liquids because a cylinder is
one of the strongest structures known (next to the sphere). Corners and dents in a shape make
it impossible to uniformly distribute internal stresses and pressures. This is why submarines,
particle accelerators, and even spacecraft all use cylinder-like structures.

If the Hyperloop were to be dented (or, say, shot with a bullet), that cylindrical structure
would suddenly have new weak points. An event where the tube, itself, is not breached may
result in the tube collapsing under atmospheric pressure. An event resulting in a breach could
cause a tear and (as stated before), a pressure wave.

Musk has not yet ventured to say how 600km of tube could be adequately secured from either
naturally-caused or human-caused dents.

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4.3 THAT IF THE HYPERLOOP CAPSULE GETS STUCK HALF THE WAY?

There is more than one way to look at this, but one perspective. On most routes, there will
probably be more than one capsule in transit, which complicates things. There are various
ways to figure out the maximum number of capsules. If one capsule encounters some sort of
foreign object debris—perhaps something that fell off a previous capsule or a chunk of the
tube, it will likely cause additional debris due to damage. From a safety standpoint, you don’t
want this to cascade, which means that you want to be able to stop following capsules before
they reach the location of the debris field.

Some consequences for recovery:

 Rescue workers and their equipment will have to travel from the nearest access point to
any capsules stopped in the tub. Since people may be injured, this is severelytime
critical. Note also that tunnel rescue is not as easy as handling accidents on highways or
tracks because of that travel time and the limited space in which to work. Specialized
vehicles may be needed to travel quickly down the tube to the site of the accident. If this
is the case, it will raise costs substantially for:

1. Specialized equipment
2. Having people close by to run the rescue
3. Training required for the specialized equipment and the hyperloopcapsules and
environment.

 The portion of the tube with the disabled capsule will need to be shut down. The effect of
this disruption depends on the number of tubes and the ability to switch traffic from one
to another via crossovers. Two tubes would seem to be the minimum, more would
prevent having to change traffic direction when capsules in both directions are
interleaved in the remaining single tube section. Unless there are a lot of crossovers,
capsules between the disabled capsule and the previous crossover will need to be backed
up.

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  If the tube remains at low pressurize (not a vacuum), rescue workers will need pressure
suits. If not, pumping the tube pressure back down will add to the time required to
restore normal operation. From a safety standpoint, it would seem a really good idea to
provide a way to bring the tube pressure up to normal air pressure quickly, especially in
the case where the capsule cannot maintain required pressure.
 Once rescue work is complete, repair workers and their equipment will also need access
to the site of the accident. Presumably, undamaged capsules will be automated enough
that, once the passengers are rescued, they can be counted on to function normally.

4.4 HYPERLOOP’S PROTOTYPE AND TESTING

Hyperloop the supersonic transport system proposed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has taken
a tentative step towards reality with the first public test of a prototype propulsion system.
One of the companies vying to make the idea a reality, Hyperloop One, which changed its
name from Hyperloop Technologies to coincide with the open-air propulsion test in the
Nevada desert, has also closed an $80m series B funding round which includes investment
from the French national rail company SNCF.
The Nevada test represents a very early proof of concept.
When and very much if completed, the Hyperloop would work by propelling capsules at high
speeds through a tube, which in theory would be able to make the journey from San Francisco
to Los Angeles in just 30 minutes.
The Nevada test, in which a sled accelerated to 116 mph (187km/h) in 1.1 seconds, represents
a very early proof of concept; there are a vast number of hurdles that the developers of
Hyperloop still have to clear if the technology is to become a reality.
Hyperloop One also announced a series of other partnerships, including Deutsche Bahn
Engineering & Consulting and the British engineering consultancy group Arup, who are
currently working on London’s Cross rail.

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Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One, said in a statement: “We will work alongside these
world-class partners to redefine the future of transportation, providing a more immediate,
safe, efficient and sustainable high-speed backbone for the movement of people and things.”
“Hyperloop has the potential to solve many of today’s most complex long-distance transport
issues,” said Gregory Hodkinson, Arup Group chairman, also in a statement. “If railways
helped enable the first industrial revolution, Hyperloop has the potential to do the same for the
information economy, overcoming distances and creating connections between people, places,
ideas and opportunities.”

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Figure No.: 4.1 Nevada Testing Site Images

Figure No.: 4.2 Nevada Testing And Team

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 CHAPTER 5

MERITS AND DEMERITS OF HYPERLOOP

5.1 MERITS

1. It saves the travelling time.

The Hyperloop, a mode of transportation that shoots capsules filled with people
through vacuum sealed tubes, reaches speeds of more than 500 miles per hour. That
will take commuters from San Francisco to LA, or vice versa, in just 30 minutes.
2. There is no problem of traffic.
As it travels through loop it does not create problem with traffic.
3. It is powered by the solar panel.
Significant reduction in energy consumption, and also reduced pollution.
4. It can travel in any kind of weather.
As capsule is covered with tube it can travel in any kind of weather.
5. Cost of hyperloop is low.
A significant reduction in cost if the technology is adopted, especially when compared
with alternatives such as bullet trains.
6. More convenient.
As it reaches to destination quickly it is more convenient than other kind of
transportation systems.
7. Resistance to earthquake.
Pylons are so created that it will resist the vibrations due to earthquake.

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5.2 DEMERITS

1. Turning will be critical.

2. Less movable space for passenger.
3. High speed might cause dizziness in some passenger.

CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

1. A high speed transportation system known as Hyperloop has been developed in this
report.
2. Hyperloop transportation system can be used over the conventional modes of
transportation that are rail, road, water and air.
3. At very high speed it provides better comfort and cost is also low.
4. By reducing the pressure of the air in the tube which reduces simple air drag and enables
the capsule to move faster than through a tube at atmospheric pressure.
5. As there is less chance of accidents and there is no land problem we can call it
economical, fast easy and safe mode of transport as compare to other transports.

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 REFERENCES

1. Chin Jefrey C., Gray Justin S., Jones Scott M., Berton Jefrey J. “Open-Source
Conceptual Sizing Models For The Hyperloop Passenger Capsule” Nasa Glenn
Research Center, Cleveland OH
2. Kayela N., Editor Of Scientific And Technical Department, “Hyperloop: A Fifth
Mode Of Transportation, 2014
3. Mohammed Imran (May 2016)“Hyperloop Technology .The Passenger
Transport System”
4. Musk, Elon (August 12, 2013). "Hyperloop Alpha"(PDF). SpaceX. Retrieved
August 13, 2013.
5. Pandey Vinay (Feb-2017) “Hyperloop : Train Of Future”
6. Sakowski Mark, “The Next Contender in High Speed Transport Elon Musks
Hyperloop”, 2016.
7. "Hyperloop". SpaceX. Space Exploration Technologies. Retrieved June 15,
2015.
8. “Hyperloop One”. Hyperloop One. Retrieved November 25, 2016.

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