Elevator Systems in Various Applications - Assignment Example

Elevator Systems in Various Applications Introduction In today’s world, elevator systems constitute a big percentage of systems of transportation that are extensively adopted. These systems are applied in the transportation of both people and goods from a singular location to another. Additionally, they are applied in numerous varying places. For instance, there are elevators used for solely transporting goods and they are mostly found in factories and generally in areas where there is extensive use of engines. On the other hand, there are other on-board elevator systems that are primarily for transporting people. They are instituted in almost every facility or place where an elevator is mandated, such as an office or a residential building. Elevators transport people and goods on a vertical trajectory via a structured shaft which is linked to building floors (Taylor 12). Since the 1850s, elevators have been a common feature and coincided with the extensive use of iron and steel structures. The use of steel and iron enabled the construction of taller buildings and thus necessitated the need for a means of transport that could facilitate the easy movement of not only people but also goods across different floors. Today, the use of elevators is extremely extensive, evidenced by the prevalent presence of elevators in almost every modern building with multiple floors. The presence of elevators enhances universal access. It is prudent to understand that even though elevator systems may differ in relation to volume/ load capacity, structure and size, they essentially perform the same task. This is especially true for personal elevators, meaning that their maintenance procedures, safety systems and tests are the same. However, elevators for transporting goods slightly differ from the personal elevators due to their greater size and volume or load capacity. The distinctions are responsible for the application of entirely different procedures for maintenance and different types of checks and tests, which are conducted on the systems to test for their optimal functionality levels (Taylor 25). Objectives of the report a. To understand and identify the safety components and systems applied in an elevator system. b. To identify the checks and tests carried out in an elevator system in order to test its functionality. Safety Systems Modern elevators are designed in such a way that they have numerous systems of safety. An elevator’s cable is constituted of different metal cables which are twisted together. This is meant to ensure that if a part of the cable experiences failure, the whole cable is not adversely affected and thus avoiding any major problems occurring at least in the initial phase. However, there are other elevator systems which have multiple cables to ensure that if one cable fails completely, the entire cable system is not compromised, thus ensuring that the other cables remain functional. In addition, elevators have braking systems which possess a strong similarity to the initial elevators. Modern/current versions of safety braking, also have arms with spring loads, which lock the elevator in place and also reduce the descent of the elevator to a minimum speed that is safe for transporting people across different floors. At the bottom of the elevator, an enormous buffer constituted of either a gas spring or a hydraulic system is fitted and it is used to cushion the elevator in case of an impact resulting from malfunctions such as the failure of the safety brake, or in cases where the cables are extremely malfunctioned. Safety Components 1) Car position correct (down/up) - It is used to adjust and control the level of the car stop. Generally it is used at terminal landings but can be applied when it’s necessary. 2) Levelling Stop Cancel switch- When the switch is activated, it deactivates the call at the landing button especially in specific areas of landing zone. 3) Slow down switch- It is used to slow down the speed of the elevator when it is activated. 4) Slow up/ down switch- It’s used to forcibly curtail the speed of the elevator at terminal landings. 5) Advance switch- It determines the elevator’s location when it is moving across floors and then relays the information to the controller. 6) Master call button- When pressed, it is used to halt and land the elevator at the specific location where the button is pressed and located. 7) Up level switch- In instances where the elevator is moving upwards, it is used to detect the level/position where the elevator is landing. 8) Down level switch- In instances where the elevator is moving downwards, it is used to detect the level/position where the elevator is landing. 9) Home landing switch- In instances where no additional calls are made regarding ineffective landings, the switch enables the car to be automatically returned to the ground floor (home landing). 10) Hull button switch- The switch is used to make calls for every instance that a landing is ineffective. 11) Door close slow/open limit switch- The switch is used for 2 purposes, to slow down the speed of closing the elevator door and for slowing down the speed of opening the elevator door. 12) Light break relay- It is used to detect the light of the elevator car. Additionally, when there is a black out, the relay is programmed to trigger an emergency light which turns ‘ON’. 13) Door speed –Activation of the relay has a consequential effect of minimizing the velocity of the door when it is closing or opening. 14) DC power check- The relay is used to stop the elevator car in instances such as the occurrence of a power black-out. 15) Door open relay- It initiates the motor door to open the elevator door when it is ‘ON’. 16) Governor switch- The switch initiates the halting of the elevator and counterweight if it is switched off. It is initiated when the speed of the elevator exceeds the optimum speed set for the elevator car. 17) Close open relay- Activating the relay triggers the motor of the elevator door to open. 18) Down direction relay- It initiates and facilitates the elevator to move downwards. 19) Acceleration relay- The relay is solely used for increasing the speed of the motor rotation. 20) Up direction relay- The relay is used to signal the elevator to move upwards. 21) Acceleration time relay- The relay is used for setting the motor’s acceleration time. 22) Down relay- The relay is used to drive the motor down when the relay is pressed ‘ON’. 23) Up relay- The relay is used to drive the motor up when the relay is pressed ‘ON’. 24) Running over relay- When it is pressed ‘ON’, it is used to prevent the motor from speeding by bringing the elevator to a standstill (Taylor 37). 25) Door Close Check- This relay is used to ensure that the landing doors and the elevator car are closed when the elevator is operational with the exception of when the elevator is being inspected. 26) Running over time- The relay is used to inhibit the elevator car from speeding and is therefore used when the drive of the motor goes beyond the set limit. Simply, it is the time set for the elevator car to move the entire distance (entire height). The running time is usually stipulated to be close to 10 seconds. 27) Safety edge switch- It is adopted for the purpose of reopening the elevator door in case the door is closing and a passenger wants to enter the elevator car. 28) Door motor thermal- The state of the switch affects the functionality of the elevator. When the thermal is switched off, the elevator becomes non-operational. 29) Manual drive relay- Switching on the relay triggers the elevator to be operational on maintenance drive mode. 30) Manual drive (up/down) - It is used to direct the movement of the elevator car when it is on maintenance operation state. The movement of the elevator can either be up or down. 31) Door close limit switch- The switch determines the elevator door’s closing terminal position. 32) Door open limit switch- It identifies the elevator door’s opening terminal position. 33) Door open/close switch- It is found on the operation panel of the elevator car. It is used to either open or close the elevator door when pressed. 34) Safety circuit relay- The relay is used to identify the status of the elevator. When every safety device is in optimal condition, it means that the elevator is useable. On the other hand, if the safety devices fail to meet the set standards of operation, then the elevator is not operational. 35) Door open button- By pressing on it, the elevator door is opened at the location/floor where the elevator car is located. 36) Door close button- Pressing this button enables the elevator door to be closed at the location/floor where the elevator car is located. 37) Level limit switch down- It is used to detect when the elevator car moves above the set landing level. In the event that the emergency brake is applied and the electric power is off, the switch identifies the lowest point of landing. 38) Level limit switch up- It is used to detect when the elevator car moves above the set landing level. It detects the highest landing level when the emergency brake is applied and the electric power is off. 39) Safety switch- It is used to stop the elevator car in instances such as during inspection. 40) Emergency button- When it is activated, it is used to halt the elevator car while also resetting any options that have been relayed or pressed on the control panel. 41) Emergency exit switch- It is located on the inside of the elevator car and deactivates the operations of the elevator when it is activated. 42) Over travel limit- The switch can either be pressed for up and down options. It is used to forcefully stop the elevator when it is moving below the least landing speed or above the highest speed of landing. 43) Interlock switch- It ensures that the landing door is shut. The switch curtails the elevator from moving till the elevator door is fully closed. 44) Gate switch- Since it is the elevator door switch, it’s used to ensure that the elevator door is closed before the elevator starts moving. 45) Overload switch- It identifies if the elevator car is carrying above the set capacity. In the event that the stipulated capacity is exceeded, the switch turns ‘ON’ and deactivates the movement of the elevator by ensuring that the elevator doors are open. 46) Manual drive switch- The switch is used to alter the elevator’s state. It alters the elevator’s state in order to maintenance operation mode. Checks and Tests Normal Operation test This test is used to investigate the functionality of all buttons on the control panel including the alarm bell. The test also reviews levelling of the elevator structure by ensuring that the levelling error is within the 30 mm margin when the elevator is at full capacity or when there is no load present. Governor Test The governor test is used for a number of functions which are conducted by the governor machine. It is achieved by Hoist way check The test is used to check the functionality of the indicator lamps, interlock buttons and switches in every deck. Brake test The test is used to check the functionality level of the elevator brakes and is conducted in the load test phase. Travel limit test This check is used to test the response time of the elevator. It investigates whether the elevator halts instantaneously when instructed to do so. The test is applied by opening the entire travel limit switch for both up and down choices through manual control. Insulation Test It is used to check whether the circuits are insulated appropriately by comparing the readings of the circuit with the optimum levels of electrical resistance. To accomplish the test, insulation investigations are conducted on the lamp circuit, indicator circuit, control circuit, brake circuit, door motor circuit, signal circuit and the main motor circuit (Taylor 58). Load test The test is carried out to investigate whether the elevator load carrying capacity is within the set regulations. It is achieved by following standardized procedures aimed at investigating the counter and cage weights as they pass through one another. Governor Test The test is used to investigate for any anomalies relating to the governor rope in relation to the elevator cage. It is achieved by investigating the catching device operations. Temperature rise test The test is conducted to ensure that every component of the elevator system is performing at specific optimal temperatures as indicated by the manual from the manufacturer. Areas that are investigated include-the machine room, the motor bearing, the controller, the traction’s machine pertaining to the gear oil casing, the bearing of the double thrust ball and the motor of the stator core. Works Cited Taylor, G. L. Construction Codes and Inspection Handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print. Read More