Intelligent transport
VECTUS LTD. VECTUS PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) brings what has been a transportation solution of the future to a proven and safe solution of today. It is a viable option for urban transportation with potential for higher access and services at a lower cost than other common transport modes, while avoiding traffic problems such as congestion, accidents and pollution.
Company Overview
Vectus Ltd. Vectus offers a feasible solution for the environment that is not only efficient, but also flexible and comfortable. Vectus is dedicated to become a leading supplier of personal rapid transit systems in the global marketplace. At a time when environmentally-friendly means of transport are essential, Vectus offers a solution that provides not only efficient, but also flexible and comfortable urban transit.
World leader in providing PRT solutions
De-facto industrial standards
New paradigm for public transportation
To introduce this new and revolutionary concept of transportation world-wide, Vectus was first registered as a company in the UK with a branch office in Korea and one in Sweden. Vectus then formed strategic partnerships with the Posco group and began working with selected European companies that had extensive experience in the field of transport, advanced control systems, and safety and risk analysis.
Company Overview
Test Track
The verification and validation of the test track have been completed demonstrating that Vectus PRT is as safe or safer than current railways and metros.
To provide a verified and safe technology, Vectus has built and is operating a test track for Vectus PRT in Uppsala, Sweden. The test track has not only verified the Vectus technology solution itself, but has also enabled the completion of a comprehensive safety case including verification and validation. In the world of transportation, it is probably unique to have developed a full safety model of a transport system covering all aspects-both the passengers as well as third party. This model can be adapted to any particular application. The Vectus system is built to, and is in compliance with, European standards, and is being approved by the Swedish Railway Agency. The level of safety for passengers in the Vectus system will be as high as or higher than the current performance and safety levels of railways and metros in Western Europe.
Company Overview
History
Vectus has achieved much and has made great contributions in the PRT field in a short period of time.
2008 Sep.
2007
Full approval for operation of multiple vehicles with passengers
Dec.
Approval of Safety Case from Swedish Rail Agency
Mar.
Approval for test runs with passengers
2006 Dec. Test runs began on the Uppsala test track.
Apr. Construction of the Vectus test track began in Uppsala, Sweden
2005 Feb. Vectus Ltd. was founded and registered in the UK, to establish a global platform
2002 Apr. The basic concept for the Vectus PRT system was designed as a result of research and development.
Company Overview
Business
Vectus is a turn-key contractor for a complete transport solution - from the designing and building - to the commissioning of a total PRT system.
Growth Engine Core Competences
A turn-key PRT contractor
• Project Management • Procurement & Planning • System Engineering • Proprietary Control System • Safety & Overall Performance
(Design-Build-Commission)
VECTUS PRT Vectus engages in marketing, sales, consulting, planning and financial arrangements for a PRT supply chain. Because of its minimal environmental impact, Vectus PRT can offer an alternative transport solution for urban areas with limited land availability, which can be an obstacle for current transit system solutions. Vectus can also provide clients with better value for their money, especially when considering long-term factors such as lower life-cycle costs.
The main role of Vectus The main role of Vectus is to function as a turn key contractor for a total PRT system (design - build - commission), subcontracting manufacturing to specialist companies, while retaining key responsibilities and competencies. Cooperation with qualified local partners and even at times the franchising of the Vectus PRT system are part of the Vectus strategy.
• Global Network • Local Contents • Franchising
VECTUS PRT
PRT Features Personal Rapid Transit offers an innovative concept in public transport providing a service level similar to private taxis. Each trip is individually arranged for each passenger on-demand, without waiting for a vehicle and without stop during travel until the final destination is reached. Operating entirely on electricity, PRT eliminates the problems of pollution at point-of-use and offers the possibility of using alternative energy sources that are environmentally friendly. Fully automated operation On-demand service
Short headways (2-4 seconds)
VEC TUS PRT
No traffic congestion
Small vehicles
Non-stop travel
VECTUS PRT
Application Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) can be used in towns and cities in a variety of applications and can play a central role in developing an otherwise difficult-to-reach area into a thriving and vibrant location. Areas with high demand for local transit with irregular onand off-peak hours are ideal locations in which to install PRT systems. PRT can also be a complement to existing modes of public transportation. LOCAL CIRCULATOR for travel in and around an urban village example of applications - Airport - Shopping Mall - University Campus - Hospital
COLLECTOR/DISTRIBUTORS making it easier for people to and from a wide area to get to and from stations example of applications - Park and Ride - Extension of Existing Transport Modes
CITY-WIDE RAPID TRANSIT in which a number of local circulators are lined together to form a network example of applications - New Urban City Developments - Business Parks - Tourist Attractions
VECTUS System
Control Concept The full capacity of the system can be utilized without degradation in travel time or increase in waiting time even when the network is expanded.
The core of Vectus PRT is an ingenious control concept comprising vehicle speed, positioning, and route selection, while covering all safety aspects. The system is distributed and highly flexible in such a way that the network can be expanded over time and adapted to a specific application without impacting the safety systems. Maximum performance is retained even when the system is expanded. This is possible because the control system is asynchronous. Asynchronous control is an essential feature in managing optimal performance during high-load conditions.
VECTUS System
Safety
Safety considerations have been an integral part of the system development from the beginning.
The overall safety process of the Vectus PRT system follows the EU standard EN 50126/IEC62278 “Railway applications – specification and demonstration of Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS)”.
Safety work has involved various activities such as establishing safety plans and performing safety audits, including the performing of safety analysis, FMECA (Failure Mode Effect and Criticality Analysis), fault trees among others in order to establish a complete safety case. The overall safety targets have been verified for a large sample system by performing a QRA (Quantitative Risk Assessment). The QRA includes 78 different sensitivity calculations to verify the criticality of different input factors.
VECTUS System
Reliability The reliability of the vehicles is imperative in any transportation system. A complete RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety) analysis has been performed during the development of the test track system. Maintenance intervals are kept as long as possible, and there are very few components that need to be replaced on a regular basis. The tires used have been running in a test rig for several thousand kilometers without wearing out. Redundancies have been introduced wherever needed to avoid breakdowns on the track. Rescue and emergency handling have been an integral part of the design of the vehicle, the station, etc.
A life-cycle cost model has been developed for a generic system. Parameters can be chosen for system size, operational hours, mileage, cost of labor, energy, etc. It uses the RAM analysis combined with spare-part prices as input for all corrective maintenance.
VECTUS System
Performance Performance of the system can easily be modified and adjusted without affecting the safety control system.
Speed
12.5 m/s
Maximum Acceleration
>2.5 m/s2
Maximum Lateral Acceleration
1.5 m/s2
Emergency Braking (retardation)
-0.5 g
Jerk Limit
Âą2.5 m/s3
Capacity
Short term capacity close to 1200 vehicles per hour on a single track segment at 12.5 m/s.
Minimum Turning Radius
10 meters
Gradient
100 ‰
Speed in curves
Restricted by passenger comfort only. Track can be easily cambered to allow higher speed in curves
The data provided above should be considered as typical data, and not as a definite limit.
VECTUS System
Vehicle
The vehicle is built to suit the particular requirements of the client. A sample design has been made for the test track site with the following specifications: • • • • • • •
Length: 3,5m. Width: 1.9 m. Height: 2.2 m Heating and air-conditioning Individual and comfortable seats Dual display and individual reading lights Wheelchair accommodation Fire- and graffiti-resistant cabin made of lightweight, pre-preg phenolic GRP Laminated glazing, tinted with solar control interlayer
Example of individual comfortable seats
Basic
Luxurious
Modern
VECTUS System
Infrastructure System engineering is done for the guideway, the propulsion system and the station in order to meet all local conditions for each application.
Guideway Modular design – simple to install and to modify. Open steel or concrete beam with overhead rails (running + guide)
Propulsion Linear Induction Motors in track Conventional motor drive system (power collection or on-board power storage)
Station Small, flexible (modular) and stylish design. Wheelchair accessible and adapted for the visually impaired and the hearing impaired.