Reserve power system

• US 5,896,948 A
• Filed: 07/24/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kone Oyj
• Original Assignee: Kone Oyj
• Inventors: Lehtonen, Timo, Suur-Askola, Seppo, Ekholm, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US08/836,988
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 187/290, 187/391, 187/393
• US Class Current: 187/290
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/30 effective on driving gear , e.g. acting on power electronics, on inverter or rectifier controlled motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

A reserve power system includes a reserve power machine (2) for the generation of power. The reserve power machine (2) is connected via a distribution network (4) to consumers (10,12) and elevator drives (8). The elevator drives include an elevator hoisting motor (28) and a frequency converter (26) controlling it. The elevator drives are provided with regulating devices (26, 44, 46) by means of which the speed of the elevator motor (28) is so adjusted that the power taken by the elevator drive (8) from the distribution network (4) is lower than an adjustable power limit (P_A).

Claims

1. Reserve power system comprising:

a reserve power machine for the generation of reserve power;

a plurality of elevator drives each including an elevator hoisting motor controlled by a frequency converter; and

a distribution network connecting said reserve power machine and elevator drives, wherein at least one elevator drive is provided with a regulating device for adjusting the speed of the elevator motor so that power taken by the at least one elevator drive from the distribution network is lower than an adjustable power limit representing a share of the reserve power allocated to the at least one elevator drive.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein at least two elevators are combined into a group and speeds of said elevators are adjustable so that power taken by the group from the distribution network is lower than the adjustable power limit.

3. System according to claim 2, wherein at least one elevator drive can be controlled so that it will generate power for supply to other elevator drives in the same group.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein at least one elevator drive can be controlled so that it will generate power for supply to other elevator drives.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the power limit for each elevator drive can be adjusted separately.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein each elevator drive is provided with power monitoring devices used to determine the power requirement of each corresponding elevator and with power limit defining devices used to define the power limit, on the basis of which speed of the elevator is determined.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein elevator-specific power limits within an elevator group can be defined by a group controller.

8. System according to claim 1, wherein the power limit can be determined by means of an elevator-specific parameter.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises equipment used to determine the starting order of the elevator drives in accordance with power generating capability of each corresponding elevator.