Elevator Car Air Scoop Ventilation for Hoistway Energy Loss Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elevator ventilation systems result in significant energy losses due to conservatively designed ventilation openings, leading to heat and energy escape, which is a concern with increasing energy costs and global warming.
Innovation Solution
The elevator system incorporates a selectively or continuously sealed ventilation opening in the hoistway and optimized landing doors to control airflow, combined with air scoops mounted on the elevator car to manage air flow efficiently, reducing energy losses while maintaining compliance with ventilation requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ventilation openings are provided at the top of the hoistway and multiple openings are formed in car walls and door columns, then adequate ventilation is ensured for mechanic and passenger health and safety, but significant energy losses occur as conditioned air escapes through these openings resulting in heat and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilation system transitions from static openings to dynamic controllable elements. Landing doors with adjustable gaps and air scoops that can be positioned or retracted allow the system to adapt ventilation airflow dynamically, reducing energy loss while maintaining required ventilation levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of opening area from fixed to variable. By controlling the gap between landing doors and adjusting air scoop positions, the effective ventilation area is dynamically adjusted to match actual needs, preventing excessive energy loss through unnecessarily large openings.
2Reliability
If multiple openings are formed near the top and bottom of walls or door columns of the elevator car, then air flow through the car is adequate for ventilation, but the aesthetic appeal is reduced due to numerous ventilation holes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the ventilation function from multiple distributed openings in the car structure and consolidates it into dedicated air scoops mounted on the car exterior. This separates the aesthetic car body from the functional ventilation elements, maintaining appearance while ensuring adequate airflow.
Solution Approach 2:
Air scoops serve as intermediary elements that facilitate ventilation without requiring openings in the car walls or door columns. These external scoops capture and direct air flow into the car through controlled pathways, preserving the integrity and aesthetics of the car structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces energy losses by controlling air flow into and out of the hoistway and elevator car, enhancing energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal by minimizing ventilation holes, while ensuring adequate ventilation as per regulatory standards.
Implementation Method 1
at least one air scoop mounted on the elevator car to manage air flow between the hoistway and the elevator car
Implementation Method 2
conditioned air within the building may escape through the opening formed at the top of the hoistway resulting in a loss of heat and energy
Data Source
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AI summary
An elevator system (20) is provided including a hoistway (22) and an elevator car (24) movable within the hoistway (22) between a plurality of landings (26). The elevator car (24) includes at least one air scoop (70) configured to fluidly couple an interior of the elevator car (24) to the hoistway (22) such that a controlled fluid flow may pass there between. The hoistway (22) may or may not include a ventilation opening (50) configured to couple the hoistway (22) to an air source disposed outside of the hoistway (22).