ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SOLAR-POWERED ELEVATOR INSTALLATION

• US 20140008155A1
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Rossignol, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,440,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 187/290
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/302 for energy saving

Abstract

An energy management system for an elevator installation coupled to a source of alternative energy integrates various operational modes regarding optimization of energy usage. The energy management system selectively executes these modes depending on at least one predetermined parameter of a variety of parameters. The energy management system has a processor and a switch module coupled to the processor to receive a control signal from the processor. Upon processing of at least one of the parameters, the processor selects one of a plurality of operational modes of the elevator installation and generates the control signal as a function of the selected operational mode to cause via the switch module an energy flow from one of the inputs of the switch module to the output of the switch module.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. An energy management system for an elevator installation coupled to a source of alternative energy, comprising:

a processor having a first input for coupling to an electrical energy storage device to obtain a parameter indicative of a charge status of the electrical energy storage device, a second input for coupling to the source of alternative energy to obtain a parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy, a third input for coupling to an electrical power grid to obtain a parameter indicative of a status of the power grid, and a forth input for coupling to a controller of the elevator installation to obtain a parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation; and

a switch module coupled to the processor to receive a control signal from the processor, the switch module having a first port for coupling to the electrical energy storage device, a second port for coupling to the source of alternative energy, a third port for coupling to the electrical power grid and a fourth port for coupling a drive motor of the elevator installation to one of the electrical energy storage device, the source of alternative energy and the electrical power grid,

wherein the processor is configured to process at least one of the parameters to select one of a plurality of operational modes of the elevator installation and to generate the control signal as a function of the selected operational mode to cause an energy flow from one of the ports of the switch module to another port of the switch module.

15. The energy management system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to detect via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that a drive motor of the elevator installation is in a regenerative mode, and to control the switch module to allow energy flow from the forth port to one of the first port and the third port of the switch module.

16. The energy management system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to detect via at least the parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy that a surplus of alternative energy is available, and to control the switch module to allow energy flow from the second port to the third port of the switch module so that alternative energy is fed back to the power grid.

17. The energy management system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to detect via at least the parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy that a surplus of alternative energy is available, and to control the switch module to allow energy flow from the second port to the third port of the switch module so that alternative energy is fed back to the power grid.

18. The energy management system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to detect via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that the elevator installation is in a standby mode, and to control the switch module to supply energy from one of the first port and the second port of the switch module to the elevator controller.

19. A system comprising:

an elevator installation having a drive motor and an elevator controller;

a source of alternative energy coupled to an electrical energy storage device; and

an energy management system comprising a processor and a switch module coupled to the processor to receive a control signal from the processor,

wherein the processor has a first input for coupling to an electrical energy storage device to obtain a parameter indicative of a charge status of the electrical energy storage device, a second input for coupling to the source of alternative energy to obtain a parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy, a third input for coupling to an electrical power grid to obtain a parameter indicative of a status of the power grid, and a forth input for coupling to a controller of the elevator installation to obtain a parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation,

wherein the switch module has a first port for coupling to the electrical energy storage device, a second port for coupling to the source of alternative energy, a third port for coupling to the electrical power grid and a fourth port for coupling a drive motor of the elevator installation to one of the electrical energy storage device, the source of alternative energy and the electrical power grid, and

wherein the processor is configured to process at least one of the parameters to select one of a plurality of operational modes of the elevator installation and to generate the control signal as a function of the selected operational mode to cause an energy flow from one of the ports of the switch module to another port of the switch module.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a voltage converter coupled between the energy management system and the electrical energy storage device, wherein the voltage converter is configured to convert a predetermined voltage provided via a DC link to a voltage adapted to a predetermined voltage of the electrical energy storage device, and/or to convert the predetermined voltage of the electrical energy storage device to the predetermined voltage of the DC link.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a charge device coupled to the electrical energy storage device and the power grid to charge the electrical energy storage device with energy from the power grid, wherein the power grid is a one-phase power grid or a three-phase power grid.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the source of alternative energy, the voltage converter and the electrical energy storage device are positioned on a roof of a building.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the voltage converter and the electrical energy storage device are positioned in proximity of the source of alternative energy.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising a charge device coupled to the electrical energy storage device and the power grid to charge the electrical energy storage device with energy from the power grid, wherein the power grid is a one-phase power grid or a three-phase power grid.

25. A method of managing energy for an elevator installation, comprising:

processing at least one parameter of a group comprising a parameter indicative of a charge status of an electrical energy storage device, a parameter indicative of power available from a source of alternative energy, a parameter indicative of a status of a power grid, and a parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation, wherein the processing is performed by a processor having a first input for coupling to the electrical energy storage device, a second input for coupling to the source of alternative energy, a third input for coupling to the electrical power grid, and a forth input for coupling to a controller of the elevator installation to obtain the parameter indicative of the operation of the elevator installation;

selecting in response to the processing one of a plurality of operational modes of the elevator installation; and

generating a control signal for a switch module as a function of the selected operational mode, wherein the switch module has a first port for coupling to the electrical energy storage device, a second port for coupling to the source of alternative energy, a third port for coupling to the electrical power grid and a fourth port for coupling a drive motor of the elevator installation to one of the electrical energy storage device, the source of alternative energy and the electrical power grid, and wherein the control signal causes an energy flow from one of the ports of the switch module to another port of the switch module.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising detecting via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that a drive motor of the elevator installation is in a regenerative mode, and controlling the switch module to allow energy flow from the fourth port to one of the first port and the third port of the switch module.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising detecting via at least the parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy that a surplus of alternative energy is available, and controlling the switch module to allow energy flow from the second port to the third port of the switch module so that alternative energy is fed back to the power grid.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising detecting via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that the elevator installation is in a standby mode, and controlling the switch module to supply energy from one of the first port and the second port of the switch module to the elevator controller.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising detecting via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that the elevator installation is in a standby mode, and controlling the switch module to supply energy from one of the first port and the second port of the switch module to the elevator controller.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising detecting via at least the parameter indicative of power available from the source of alternative energy that a surplus of alternative energy is available, and controlling the switch module to allow energy flow from the second port to the third port of the switch module so that alternative energy is fed back to the power grid.

31. The method of one of claim 25, further comprising detecting via the parameter indicative of an operation of the elevator installation that the elevator installation is in a standby mode, and controlling the switch module to supply energy from one of the first port and the second port of the switch module to the elevator controller.