Self-operable reserve power system for an elevator system

• US 7,540,355 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kone Corporation
• Inventors: Harkonen, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US12/078,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 187/290, 187/293, 187/295, 187/296, 187/313, 318/779, 318/781, 318/782, 318799-815, 307/64, 307/66
• US Class Current: 187/290
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/302 for energy saving

Abstract

A power control system is operable for controlling and balancing the generation and/or consumption of electrical power through an internal electricity distribution network connected with at least one electrically driven elevator system. The elevator system is connected to the internal electricity distribution network of a particular building, which can further be connected either to the external public electricity distribution network, or to a reserve power appliance. An elevator system includes at least one elevator, an elevator control system, an elevator motor, a frequency convertor fitted to supply the elevator motor which may be in operation when provided with electricity through an external public electricity distribution network, or during disruption of power. A reserve power appliance provides the required electricity to the elevator system, or the elevator system generates its own sustainable electricity, through active management of its power generation and consumption limits over the internal electricity distribution network.

Claims

1. Elevator system, which elevator system is connected to an internal electricity distribution network of the building, which selectively connects between a public electricity distribution network and a reserve power appliance, and which elevator system comprises:

at least one elevator;

an elevator control system;

an elevator motor;

a frequency converter fitted to supply the elevator motor;

an internal electricity distribution network to control the at least one elevator such that when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to the reserve power appliance;

wherein the elevator system can be used both when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to the public electricity distribution network and when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to a reserve power appliance and

wherein the frequency converter will operate to manage the power supplied by the elevator system towards the internal electricity distribution network in direct relation to the demand capacity for electric power consumption of the internal electricity distribution network, such that total power supply towards the internal electricity distribution network does not exceed the power limit P_a that can be set for the total power supply towards the internal electricity distribution network, and in order to avoid a rise in the voltage of the internal distribution network.

2. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprises the elevator system does not supply power to the internal electricity distribution network of the building.

3. Elevator system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprises a frequency converter to control at least one elevator motor of an elevator from the elevator system such that the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor is smaller than the power limit P_r that can be set for the generated electrical power of the internal electricity distribution network.

4. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprises the frequency converter fitted to supply the at least one elevator motor comprises two controllable rectifier units and a direct-voltage intermediate circuit between them, wherein the intermediate circuit does not consume the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor.

5. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprises the power limit P_a and/or P_r is set to correspond to the power consumption of any auxiliary devices that are connected through the internal electricity distribution network and operable by the control system.

6. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprises an internal electricity distribution network to monitor the status of the internal electricity distribution network of the building and for specifying the power limit P_a and/or P_r.

11. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising the frequency converter fitted to supply the at least one elevator motor, comprises two controllable rectifier units and a direct-voltage intermediate circuit, wherein the intermediate circuit does not store the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor.

12. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising the frequency converter fitted to supply the at least one elevator motor, comprises two controllable rectifier units and a direct-voltage intermediate circuit, wherein the intermediate circuit need not store the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor, since the frequency converter is operable to balance any production of electricity by the at least one elevator motor with the consumption of electricity by any other elevator motor, the control system, and auxiliary devices connected through the internal electricity distribution network.

13. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising the frequency converter fitted to supply the at least one elevator motor, comprises two controllable rectifier units and a direct-voltage intermediate circuit, wherein the intermediate circuit does not store the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor.

14. Elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor is functioning as a generator with the distribution of power connected to the internal electricity distribution network represented by P_m=P_e+P_l, where P_m equals mechanical power (relative to a shaft of the at least one elevator motor), P_e equals the generated electrical power, and P_l equals the lost electrical power.

15. Elevator system according to claim 3, further comprising the electrical power generated by the at least one elevator motor is functioning as a generator with the distribution of power connected to the internal electricity distribution network represented by P_m=P_e+P_l, where P_m equals mechanical power (relative to a shaft of the at least one elevator motor), P_e equals the generated electrical power, and P_l equals the lost electrical power;

and the power generated by the at least one elevator motor is limited based on the power limit P_r.

7. Method for controlling elevators in an elevator system, which elevator system is connected to an internal electricity distribution network of the building, which selectively connects between a public electricity distribution network and a reserve power appliance, and which elevator control system comprises:

providing at least one elevator operable with the control system;

providing an elevator motor operable with the control system;

providing a frequency converter fitted to supply the elevator motor operable with the control system;

providing an internal electricity distribution to control the at least one elevator such that when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to the reserve power appliance;

wherein the elevator control system can be used both when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to the public electricity distribution network and when the internal electricity distribution network of the building is connected to a reserve power appliance and

wherein the frequency converter will operate to manage the internal electricity distribution network of the building being connected to a reserve power system when the power supplied by the elevator system towards the internal electricity distribution network of the building is smaller than the power limit P_a that can be set for the internal electricity distribution network.

8. Method according to claim 7, further comprises the speed of at least one elevator motor is controlled so the electrical power generated by the elevator motor is smaller than the power limit P_r that can be set for the power generated for the internal electricity distribution network.

9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, further comprises the steps:

(a) providing the power for peak consumption required by the auxiliary devices of the elevator being specified; and

(b) providing the power for peak consumption required by the control system of the elevator being specified.

10. Method according to claim 9, further comprises the step:

(c) providing the power limit P_a and/or P_r is set to correspond to the power for peak consumption required by the auxiliary devices and the control system of the elevator.