Exploring the unprecedented potential of enabling horizontal mobility in the next generation of elevators.
Waiting for the elevator can be one of the most frustrating parts of the day, yet we have just accepted that long wait times are inevitable. So far, the only solution has been to construct more shafts at the cost of potential floor space. We need to stop treating the symptoms and truly target the root cause.
Elevators are inefficient because there can only be one car per shaft, meaning each car must be responsible for covering dozens of stories. They can’t keep up with passenger demand, consequently resulting in lengthy wait times.
With the traditional cable system, elevators are fixed to a single dimension. This limitation prevents multiple cars from sharing the same shaft since they would have conflicting paths and wouldn’t be able to move out of the way.
As buildings grow increasingly taller and narrower, problems will only continue to get worse. With less space to sacrifice for shafts and greater distances to travel, our current way of thinking will become obsolete.
Moving in all directions
In principle, enabling elevator cars to move sideways so they don’t interfere with other cars in the same shaft means that each shaft can hold more cars. This will increase frequency, cut wait times, and reduce shaft space.
Here are three methods that use this principle:
1 – Single-shaft method
Horizontal mobility allows elevator cars to tuck away into cutouts, allowing other cars to pass through, all while not sacrificing an entire shaft of potential floor space.
The simple-shaft method consists of one shaft that has cut-outs distributed every few floors for elevator cars to tuck into. By allowing cars to pass each other, this system enables multiple cars to share the same shaft.
This method is the most basic, and consequently is limited in its effectiveness. Rides may often be disrupted and be forced to move out of the way of coming cars. The timings would need to be optimized so that delays are mitigated.
Furthermore, the capacity of cars in the shaft would likely be no greater than two or three depending on the height of the building. Any more than that and the number of conflicts would increase, meaning cars would need to move over several times in a journey.
Overall, the single-shaft method is a starting point and proof of concept for testing the technology, but long term is not optimal.
2 – Double-shaft loop method
orizontal mobility enables a closed loop for elevator cars to circulate. Multiple cars can be mobilized at once, and riders will never experience sideways motion since these shifts occur underground or above the top floor.
Rather than relying on a single shaft, as per the name, the double-shaft loop method consists of two parallel shafts that are connected at the top and bottom to complete a loop for elevator cars to cycle through.
In this system, elevator cars travel in a uniform direction through each shaft, meaning they do not need to stop to move out of the way of others. For example, cars on the left would go up, while cars on the right travel down.
Since there would be no delays due to conflicts, there are virtually no limits to the frequency of cars in this system. The only delays would be caused by cars stopped to unload or pick up passengers, which would easily be considered when determining elevator frequency.
Furthermore, no passengers would be in the elevator while moving sideways, optimizing comfort and reducing delays. The only time cars would be moving sideways would be at the top of bottom of the track when the cars would have already delivered passengers.
With this system, the number of cars could multiply significantly, greatly reducing elevator wait times in high-rises.
3 – Fully integrated method
While the double-shaft loop method eliminates egregious wait times, there is still one irritant left unaddressed. Those times when your destination is near the top floor and everyone else sharing the car with you gets off before you can get extremely frustrating. The constant stop, go, stop, go. There needs to be a better way.
The fully integrated method enables a completely personalized rider experience, transporting riders directly to their final destination, with no other delays. Primarily for condo towers, this system would replace all hallways with elevator shafts and deliver residents to their suites.
While this luxurious option would be very costly, in the future, it has the potential to reshape how conveyance within condos operates. Not only will this system change how people move, but will reshape condo living.
For example, residents who order food delivery services must go down to the lobby to pick up their food, or the delivery person must go up to the room. Instead, this system would have a car specifically for deliveries that they can be put into and have sent directly to the resident, saving travel times.
Similarly, nasty garbage chutes that are impossible to keep clean can instead be replaced by an elevator car specifically for waste disposal that could be hailed to a resident’s door, increasing access for cleaning. The opportunities are simply endless.
Unfortunately though, these revolutionary ideas require massive advancements in elevator technologies. We need to break the one dimensional barrier of current realities and innovate for the future.
Reinventing the status quo
The future of elevators will see many changes, including the elimination of cables. Not only are cables fixed to one dimension, but if multiple cars share the same cable, they are unable to move independently from one another.
Leading the charge in this space is German company Thyssenkrupp, who has created the MULTI elevator system. They have created a linear induction rail system to mobilize elevators with exchangers to move elevators horizontally.
Propulsion
A rail system lines a wall of the shaft that drives the induction propulsion for the cars and guides the path. Each car is equipped with a permanent magnet with alternating polarities to complete the induction motor propulsion.
Within the rails, an induction unit is lined with coils that allow electricity to pass through. As the current changes direction, the magnetic field produced also changes. These changing magnetic fields interact with the permanent magnets on the car to propel the car up or down (or sideways).
Sideways Exchange
In order for the elevator cars to move sideways, they must move through exchange points that act similar to a railway turntable. When an elevator car needs to move sideways, the exchange point rotates the rail and the motor apparatus, ensuring the car remains upright. The elevator car can then proceed sideways, liberating the exchanger.
Safety
Ensuring safety is one of the greatest considerations when creating an elevator system. Traditional cable systems have two fail-safes to stop a car: the cable can stop moving, and safety pins can retract to stop the car with friction. However, the railed induction system only enables cars to stop themselves.
Leading edge safety systems have been in development to combat potential issues. Thyssenkrupp uses a truly innovative approach to recover energy from downwards moving elevators, both to conserve energy, but also act as an energy backup in the event of a power failure. On top of other advanced braking systems, the MULTI elevator is sure to be one of the safest out there.
Overall, the horrendous inconvenience of elevators, both for residents and developers, has a solution. With time and investment, the future of high-rise conveyance is a bright one.
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Source: médium.com
