Elevator Hoistway Wind Detection for Rope Sway Mitigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator systems, particularly in high-rise buildings, face significant challenges in mitigating rope sway caused by wind, which leads to vibrations and potential damage due to the lack of effective wind detection and response mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An elevator system monitoring assembly that includes an anemometer to detect wind speed and frequency, with a processor that provides indications for adjusting or shutting down the system based on predetermined wind speed and frequency thresholds to minimize rope sway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the elevator system operates continuously without wind detection, then productivity is maintained, but rope sway caused by wind can damage components and reduce reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The anemometer detects wind conditions before they cause harmful rope sway, allowing the control system to take preventive action by slowing down or shutting down the elevator system in advance, thus avoiding damage while minimizing operational disruption
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors wind speed and direction through the anemometer, providing real-time feedback to the control system which adjusts elevator operation accordingly - slowing down or shutting down when wind exceeds thresholds, and resuming when conditions improve
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the elevator system slows down or shuts down during high wind, then rope sway is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically changes operational parameters (speed, operation status) based on measured wind conditions, adjusting the elevator system's behavior to match the environmental conditions and minimize rope sway while maintaining productivity when safe
3Object-affected harmful factors
If wind detection and control mechanisms are added, then rope sway is mitigated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The anemometer serves as an intermediary device that measures wind conditions and translates them into signals for the control system, which then mediates the elevator's operational response, effectively isolating the complexity of wind detection from the elevator's core mechanical systems
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
Effectively reduces rope sway by allowing the elevator system to adjust operations in response to wind conditions, preventing damage and improving ride quality by temporarily slowing down or shutting down the system during high wind speeds.
Implementation Method 1
a wind detector (50) detects wind in a hoistway (22)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator system monitoring assembly includes a wind detector (50) configured to detect wind in a hoistway (22) and to provide a wind detector output regarding the detected wind. A processor (54) is configured to receive the wind detector output, determine whether at least one characteristic of the detected wind satisfies at least one predetermined criterion corresponding to an effect on the elevator system (20), and provide an indication of at least one of the satisfied criterion and the effect on the elevator system (20).