Energy consumption analysis for geared elevator modernization: upgrade from DC Ward Leonard system to AC vector controlled drive

The intermittent operating nature and varying load of elevators combined with different floor distances traveled makes the energy consumption analysis quite a challenge. This paper presents a novel method of evaluating the average energy consumption for geared elevators. The evaluation uses the elevator traffic data and the energy consumption data for different floor runs with various elevator loads. Field data from a hospital is presented in order to compare the predicted and actual energy savings with AC vector controlled variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) drive.