Professional English

Cambridge English for

Engineering

UNIT 1

CASE STUDY

Capsule pipelines

Capsule Pipelines Essential Facts

Capsule pipelines are underground pipes
designed to transport hollow cylindrical
containers (capsules). The function of the
capsules is to transport things from A to B.
Potential applications include carrying items
such as mail (letters and parcels), minerals,
for example coal, agricultural products, for
example wheat, packaged products (in boxes
or bags), and waste (household garbage or
industrial waste).
There are two main types of system:
pneumatic capsule pipelines (PCPs) and
hydraulic capsule pipelines (HCPs). In PCPs,
the capsules are propelled by air, which is
blown into the pipeline at one end and flows
along it, driving the capsule forward. In
order to limit friction between the outside
of the capsule and the inside of the pipeline,
capsules can be fitted with wheels (see
the picture). In HCPs the pipeline is filled
with water which is pumped along the pipeline. The capsules are watertight and are
immersed in the water. They are driven along the pipeline by the flow of water.

Small-diameter PCPs were popular in the second half of the 19th century and in the
first half of the 20th century, for carrying documents used mainly by government
departments and postal authorities in large cities. Such systems were used in Berlin,
Hamburg, London and Paris. A network in Prague is still in use today. A largediameter PCP was built in Russia, for carrying minerals. More recently, PCPs have
been used on a smaller scale to carry cash inside banks and large stores. Recent
feasibility studies have been carried out into the possibility of using capsule pipelines
for transporting waste out of New York City, and also for carrying mail between New
York and Washington DC.
According to Freight Pipeline Company, an American R&D organisation, a 900 mm
diameter PCP can carry approximately 25 tonnes of cargo at a speed of about 40
km/h. HCPs are much slower, able to travel at just 7 to 11 km/h, but have a greater
volume and weight capacity and are more energy-efficient.
By taking freight traffic off road-going trucks and running it underground, the
potential advantages of capsule pipelines are reduced traffic congestion, fewer
road accidents and less pollution. The main disadvantage is the high cost of laying
underground pipe networks, either by cut-and-cover for pipes relatively close to the
surface, or by tunnelling, where pipes are deeper underground.

Mark the following statements about capsule pipelines True (T) or False (F).
1 Capsule pipelines are situated below ground level.
2 The main potential use for capsule pipelines is for carrying passengers.
3 Capsules can be propelled along the pipeline by a flow of air, or by a flow of liquid.
4 Capsule pipelines are a new technological concept.
5 Capsules propelled by air can move faster than those propelled by water.
6 Capsules propelled by air can carry heavier loads than those propelled by water.
7 Capsule pipelines are relatively cheap to build.
Cambridge English for Engineering Cambridge University Press 2008
www.cambridge.org/elt/englishforengineering

Photocopiable

UNIT 1 Case study: Capsule pipelines

Unit 1 Case study: Capsule pipelines

You and your partner are engineers at a newly established consulting firm:
the Alternative Transportation Research and Advisory Centre (ALTRAC). The
organisation has been set up to advise governments around the world on
alternative solutions for transporting freight and people. You have been asked to
brief ALTRACs senior managers on the potential of using capsule pipelines for
freight transportation.

With your partner, use the information in the Essential Facts about capsule
pipelines to prepare and give a 10-minute presentation about the technology. You
should take it in turns to talk. Your presentation should be split into four main
parts:
1 Describe the functions and applications of the technology
2 Explain how the technology works
3 Emphasise the advantages of the technology, compared with road and rail
networks
4 Discuss the disadvantages of the technology.

Some of the managers attending your briefing are not technical experts.
Therefore, where necessary, you should simplify and illustrate your technical
explanations using everyday language and examples.

In your talk, the following language from Unit 1 of the book may be useful.

Describing technical functions and applications (pages 6 and 7)

used to (do), used for (doing), a use, useful, enable ... to, allow ... to, ensure that,
prevent ... from

Explaining how technology works (pages 8 and 9)

power, propel, propulsion, transport

Emphasising technical advantages (pages 10 and 11)

conventional, efficient, enhanced, eliminate, reduce, completely, totally, entirely,
significantly, considerably, highly, extremely, dramatically, exceptionally

Simplifying and illustrating technical explanations (pages 12 and

13)
basically, effectively, essentially, put simply, in simple terms, in other words, if you
imagine, if you picture
To illustrate your explanations, you may wish to use the following examples:
l

a peashooter (a children's toy where a short tube is used to fire a pea by blowing
down the tube)
l a water pipe (used to supply water to a tap water flows along it)
l a cola can (cylindrical and hollow, like a capsule)

Cambridge English for Engineering Cambridge University Press 2008

www.cambridge.org/elt/englishforengineering

Photocopiable

UNIT 1 Case study: Capsule pipelines

Unit 1 Case study: Capsule pipelines

Before you begin

Ask students what is meant by capsule and pipeline and then ask what they think
is meant by a capsule pipeline and what such a system might me used for.

Students read the text about capsule pipelines and, in pairs, briefly sum up the
following points.
their function
their applications
l how they work
l
l

You could look at the following terms.

hollow = opposite of solid
pneumatic = describes applications using air / compressed air, for example pneumatic
tyres and pneumatic drills which are driven by compressed air supplied by a
compressor
hydraulic = refers to applications using liquids often the term hydraulics is used to
describe high-pressure oil circuits, used to push pistons, called hydraulic rams, which
power machines such as excavators
friction = resistance caused by two surfaces rubbing against each other
pumped = driven by a pump
watertight = does not let water pass
immersed = inside a liquid
flow = movement of a liquid or liquid-like material
diameter = the width of a circle at its widest point
R&D = research and development
weight vs. volume
cut-and-cover = used for laying pipes or building tunnels close to the surface earth
is dug out [cut], then the pipes are laid / the tunnel is built, before being covered with
earth again
tunnelling = cutting a tunnel underground using a tunnelling machine

Students work in pairs to prepare their talk, discussing what they will say and
making notes. Allow 15 to 20 minutes preparation time. Students then give their
talks to the group.

Extension activity: capsule pipeline applications

Ask students to assess the potential applications of capsule pipelines in their own
country or region. Where could a capsule pipeline be used, and what for? How
feasible would this be, in terms of the cost of construction and the potential longterm benefits?

Answer key (page 1)

1 T 2 F 3 T 4 F 5 T 6 F 7 F

Cambridge English for Engineering Cambridge University Press 2008

www.cambridge.org/elt/englishforengineering

Photocopiable