Pipelines

Pipelines characterize the fifth mode of transportation alongside the road, rail, airborne, and waterborne. Moving freight and people along tubes is environmentally friendly, and also permits lowering traffic congestion, while enhancing the security level. Thanks to electric propulsion technologies, the amount of emissions released in the atmosphere can be reduced as well as the dependency from fossil fuels. However, the lack of social acceptance and the shortage of adequate standards represent two barriers to the realization of an advanced pipeline network capable of pushing capsule vehicles at hypersonic speed. The available pipeline technologies are reviewed in this chapter highlighting the most recent advances and developments, and also the upcoming challenges and issues to be faced.