Elevator Destination Control Evacuation Mode
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator systems with destination control do not have an effective evacuation mode for emergencies, such as fires or hurricanes, which can lead to unsafe and inefficient evacuation of people, especially in tall buildings where stair evacuation is slow.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that activates an evacuation mode in the elevator system by changing destination calls to escape floors, optimizing elevator filling, and directing elevators based on real-time data from sensors and pre-defined evacuation models, ensuring safe and efficient evacuation by prioritizing evacuation zones and using reserve power sources when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If elevators are used for evacuation during fire emergencies, then evacuation time is substantially shortened, but the safety of the elevator system is compromised due to heat, smoke, and water damage risks
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting exceptional incidents through sensors (smoke, heat, water) before the fire reaches critical levels. The control system proactively switches to evacuation mode, forecasts elevator operating capability, and directs elevators to safe floors before the situation deteriorates, preventing the elevator from being trapped or damaged by the fire.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the elevator's operating capability through feedback from sensors detecting smoke, heat, and water conditions in the shaft and car. This real-time feedback allows the control system to adjust elevator operations dynamically, stopping elevators when conditions become unsafe and redirecting them when conditions improve, thereby maintaining safety while enabling evacuation.
2Reliability
If the elevator system switches to evacuation mode immediately upon detecting exceptional incidents, then safety is prioritized, but the operating capability forecast becomes less accurate due to rapid environmental changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary forecasting of operating capability using pre-stored temperature and smoke data before the fire significantly degrades air quality. This allows the system to make accurate safety assessments and switch to evacuation mode based on forecasts made when environmental conditions were still favorable, resolving the contradiction between early switching and forecast accuracy.
3Productivity
If multiple elevators are used simultaneously for evacuation, then evacuation capacity is increased, but the system complexity and coordination requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the evacuation task by dividing the building into multiple zones and assigning different elevators to serve different floors or zones. The control system independently manages each elevator's route and destination based on the exception type and location, simplifying coordination while maximizing overall evacuation capacity through parallel operations.
Data Source
AI summary
In the method of the present invention an evacuation mode is presented in an elevator system, which receives destination calls i.e. operates in accordance with so-called destination control. In the method the destination floor calls given on the evacuation floors of the building are changed in the event of an exceptional incident such that the destination floor becomes an exit floor of the building. In the method the elevator car is filled as flail as possible on one floor and the travel time to the exit floor is minimized by directing the elevator car to the escape floor without intermediate stops. The passengers to be evacuated are shown information relating to the evacuation on a display located on the destination call panel and/or inside the car of the evacuation elevator.