Elevator & Escalator

TCI provides a variety of solutions to improve power quality, reduce energy costs, extend motor life and performance and protect sensitive equipment in elevator and escalator applications.  The company specializes in providing the right product for the right application and offers the following harmonic mitigation solutions:

Commercial and residential high rise buildings are filled with computerized equipment that is sensitive to power quality. Any modification to the system voltage can interfere with the operation of the equipment or cause damage.

Elevators driven by motor generator sets, common to older elevator systems, typically cause harmonic distortion. The harmonics are generated by the way the elevator drive uses power from the system supplying it. These can disrupt the operation of sensitive electronic equipment in a building and, if other motors are connected to the circuit, they also can suffer from overheating, leading to early failure.

Over the last 25 years variable-frequency drives (VFDs) have become the preferred way of controlling elevators. They provide increased system efficiency, simplified commissioning and improved ride quality. However, VFDs also are a source of harmonic distortion in elevator applications and pose a challenge in providing a clean, reliable power supply. Reducing harmonic levels can prevent potential damage to sensitive equipment residing on the same system.

Building design specifications often require compliance with IEEE 519 standards, which limit the amount of harmonic distortion allowed on the power system. The standard provides guideline limits on the amount of harmonic currents imposed on the utility at the point of common coupling as well as limits on the amount of voltage distortion the harmonic currents can produce. In addition, some utilities now impose penalties for introducing harmonics onto their grid, providing incentives for building owners to reduce harmonics.