The embodiments herein relate to the field of conveyance systems, and specifically to a method and apparatus for energy-aware dispatching for conveyance systems.
Conveyance systems, such as, for example, elevator systems, escalator systems, and moving walkways require electric power for operation. Travelling cables typically connect an elevator car of the elevator system to a stationary power source to provide power to the elevator car.
According to an embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes an energy storage device configured to provide electrical power to a conveyance apparatus of a conveyance system, a power management system configured to determine a charging schedule to recharge the energy storage device based at least in part on a status of the conveyance system, and a dispatching system configured to modify a dispatch schedule of the conveyance system based at least in part on the charging schedule.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where modification of the dispatch schedule adjusts one or more of: a charging time of the energy storage device, an arrival time of the conveyance apparatus, and a departure time of the conveyance apparatus.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where modification of the dispatch schedule is based on at least one of: a state of charge of the energy storage device, a state of health of the energy storage device, a temperature of the energy storage device, a current dispatching plan of the conveyance apparatus, a location of the conveyance apparatus, and a location of a recharging interface.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the charging schedule is adjusted to change a charging duty cycle of the energy storage device with respect to one or more other energy storage devices.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the charging schedule and the dispatch schedule are adjusted with respect to one or more expected usage patterns of a plurality of conveyance apparatuses including the one or more other energy storage devices.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the power management system is configured to wirelessly transmit electrical power to the energy storage device at one or more locations.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the conveyance system is an elevator system, and the conveyance apparatus is an elevator car.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the energy storage device is a battery system.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the energy storage device includes one or more of: fuel cells, flow batteries, capacitors, and/or potential energy storage devices.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include where the electrical power is provided to one or more of lights, heating, air conditioning, displays, panels, door motors, communication systems, sensor systems, and/or safety systems of the conveyance apparatus.
A method includes monitoring, by a power management system, an energy storage device of a conveyance apparatus of a conveyance system. The method includes determining, by the power management system, a charging schedule to recharge the energy storage device based at least in part on a status of the conveyance system. The method further includes modifying a dispatch schedule of the conveyance system based at least in part on the charging schedule.
Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include controlling conveyance system dispatching based on one or more conditions of at least one energy storage device of the conveyance system.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.
The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.
The tension member 107 engages the machine 111, which is part of an overhead structure of the elevator system 101. The machine 111 is configured to control movement between the elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105. The position reference system 113 may be mounted on a fixed part at the top of the elevator shaft 117, such as on a support or guide rail, and may be configured to provide position signals related to a position of the elevator car 103 within the elevator shaft 117. In other embodiments, the position reference system 113 may be directly mounted to a moving component of the machine 111, or may be located in other positions and/or configurations as known in the art. The position reference system 113 can be any device or mechanism for monitoring a position of an elevator car and/or counter weight, as known in the art. For example, without limitation, the position reference system 113 can be an encoder, sensor, or other system and can include velocity sensing, absolute position sensing, etc., as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
The controller 115 is located, as shown, in a controller room 121 of the elevator shaft 117 and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system 101, and particularly the elevator car 103. For example, the controller 115 may provide drive signals to the machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of the elevator car 103. The controller 115 may also be configured to receive position signals from the position reference system 113 or any other desired position reference device. When moving up or down within the elevator shaft 117 along guide rail 109, the elevator car 103 may stop at one or more landings 125 as controlled by the controller 115. Although shown in a controller room 121, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the controller 115 can be located and/or configured in other locations or positions within the elevator system 101. In one embodiment, the controller may be located remotely or in the cloud.
The machine 111 may include a motor or similar driving mechanism. In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, the machine 111 is configured to include an electrically driven motor. The power supply for the motor may be any power source, including a power grid, which, in combination with other components, is supplied to the motor. The machine 111 may include a traction sheave that imparts force to tension member 107 to move the elevator car 103 within elevator shaft 117.
Although shown and described with a roping system including tension member 107, elevator systems that employ other methods and mechanisms of moving an elevator car within an elevator shaft may employ embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, embodiments may be employed in ropeless elevator systems using a linear motor to impart motion to an elevator car. Embodiments may also be employed in ropeless elevator systems using a hydraulic lift to impart motion to an elevator car.
In other embodiments, the system comprises a conveyance system that moves passengers between floors and/or along a single floor. Such conveyance systems may include escalators, people movers, etc. Accordingly, embodiments described herein are not limited to elevator systems, such as that shown in
Referring now to
The power source 210 may be a stationary power source, such as an electrical grid, wind, solar, generator power, and/or other such source known in the art. The power source 210 may provide electrical power that can be further conditioned by power converter 220 for the power management system 230 and/or other electric loads.
The power management system 230 is electrically connected to the power converter 220 and may be hardwired. The power management system 230 operates as a power controller to supply the power needs of the elevator car 103 proximate one or more locations, such as a first location A1 and a second location A2. The power management system 230 can control switching, directing, or redirecting power to the elevator car 103 through one or more electrical power transmitters 240 as needed to satisfy the power requirements of the elevator car 103. Electrical power may be transmitted wirelessly or using one or more physical connections. Switching, directing, and redirecting may readily be accomplished employing a bus control switching device 232 of the power management system 230. The bus control switching device 232 may include, but not be limited to, electromechanical and solid-state semiconductor switching devices including relays, contactors, solid state contactors as well as semiconductor switching devices such as transistors, FETs, MOSFETS, IGBTs, thyristors, SCRs, and the like. In addition, to facilitate and implement the functionality of the power management system 230, the voltages and frequencies of the power supplied by the power source 210 may be adjusted by the bus control switching device 232. For example, the bus control switching device 232 may modify a frequency or duty cycle of the power provided from the power converter 220 to satisfy the needs of the elevator car 103.
The system 200 may include one or more electrical power transmitters 240, as shown in
The system 200 may include one or more electrical power receivers 250, as shown in
The electrical power receivers 250 may include a selected number of electrical coils configured to generate an electric power in response to the electromagnetic field 242 when the electrical power receiver 250 is within the transmission range of the electromagnetic field 242 generated by the electrical power transmitter 240. The electrical coils of the electrical power receiver 250 are not shown in
The electrical power receivers 250 can be electrically connected to the energy storage device management system 260. The electrical connection between the electrical power receiver 250 and the energy storage device management system 260 may be hardwired. The energy storage device management system 260 is configured to condition the electrical power received from the electrical power receivers 250 and transfer the electrical power to the energy storage device 270 as needed. The energy storage device management system 260 can also monitor data 450 (see
The dispatching system 280 can interface with power management system 230 to control dispatching of the elevator car 103 with respect to a charging schedule to recharge the energy storage device 270 based at least in part on a status of the elevator system 101. The dispatching system 280 may also use power management system 230 to exchange data with energy storage device management system 260, such as status information and a current dispatching plan of the elevator car 103. The dispatching system 280 may modify the dispatch schedule of the elevator car 103 based at least in part on the charging schedule, for instance, to ensure sufficient time is provided for charging of the energy storage device 270 at one or more of the locations A1, A2. Further, in determining when to dispatch the elevator car 103 to a particular landing 125 (
Referring now to
The power management system 230 can include, for example, an antenna 410, a transceiver 420, a processor 430, and a memory 440. The transceiver 420 is capable of transmitting and receiving data to and/or from the energy storage device management system 260 (e.g., including one-way and/or two-way communication). The transceiver 420 may, for instance, be a near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, infrared, ZigBee, ZWave, laser, infrared, or Wi-Fi transceiver, or another appropriate wireless transceiver. The antenna 410 can be any antenna appropriate to the transceiver 420. The processor 430 and memory 440 are, respectively, data processing, and storage devices. The memory 440 may be RAM, EEPROM, or other storage medium where the processor 430 can read and write data 450.
The energy storage device management system 260 can include an antenna 310, a transceiver 320, a processor 330, and a memory 340. The transceiver 320 is capable of transmitting and/or receiving data to and from the power management system 230 (e.g., including one-way and/or two-way communication). The transceiver 320 may, for instance, be a near field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, infrared, ZigBee, ZWave, laser, infrared, or Wi-Fi transceiver, or another appropriate wireless transceiver. The antenna 310 can be any antenna appropriate to the transceiver 320. The processor 330 and memory 340 are, respectively, data processing, and storage devices. The memory 340 may be RAM, EEPROM, or other storage medium where the processor 330 can read and write data 450.
The energy storage device management system 260 may transmit data 450 to the power management system 230 in an open or closed feedback loop. The data 450 may be transmitted periodically, intermittently, or in real time. The power management system 230 may adjust the transmission of electrical power from the electrical power transmitter 240 to the electrical power receiver 250 in response to the data 450. The data 450 may include performance and operation status of the elevator car 103 and the energy storage device 270 including but not limited to the state of charge of the energy storage device 270, a state of health of the energy storage device 270, a temperature of the energy storage device 270, dispatching of the elevator car 103, a location of the elevator car 103, and a location of the electrical power receiver 250 relative to the electrical power transmitter 240. The power management system 230 may adjust the power and voltage of electricity being induced through the coils of the electrical power transmitter 240 in response to the data 450. In one example, the power management system 230 may only induce an electrical current through the coils of the electrical power transmitter 240 when the electrical power receiver 250 is within a transmission range of the electrical power transmitter 240. In another example, the power management system 230 may increase the electrical current through the coils of the electrical power transmitter 240 when the energy storage device 270 is low on electrical power or otherwise scheduled for recharging.
Turning now to
By staggering the charging intervals of the elevator systems 101A-101D, transportation capacity can be maintained and charging power demands can be substantially normalized for the system 500. Further, if the energy storage devices 270 need to be charged for more than one of the elevator systems 101A-101D and scheduling demand is low, parallel charging may be performed using a lower charging duty cycle over an extended period of time (e.g., overnight). During a period of greater activity, the charging schedule can be adjusted to increase a charging rate. In embodiments, the charging schedule and the dispatch schedule can be adjusted with respect to one or more expected usage patterns of the elevator cars 103 of elevator systems 101A-101D. Expected usage patterns can be established by observing and tracking usage history or populated/augmented by an administrator.
Further, as depicted in the example of
Referring now to
At block 602, an energy storage device 270 of a conveyance system 101 can be monitored by a power management system 230. The power management system 230 can be configured to wirelessly transmit electrical power to the energy storage device 270 at one or more locations A1, A2. At block 604, the power management system 230 can determine a charging schedule to recharge the energy storage device 270 based at least in part on a status of the conveyance system 101.
At block 606, a dispatch schedule of the conveyance system 101 can be modified based at least in part on the charging schedule. The modification can be performed by the dispatching system 280. Modifying the dispatch schedule can adjust one or more of: a charging time of the energy storage device 270, an arrival time of the conveyance apparatus 103, and a departure time of the conveyance apparatus 103. Modifying the dispatch schedule may be based on at least one of: a state of charge of the energy storage device 270, a state of health of the energy storage device 270, a temperature of the energy storage device 270, a current dispatching plan of the conveyance apparatus 103, a location of the conveyance apparatus 103, and a location of a recharging interface.
Embodiments can adjust the charging schedule to change a charging duty cycle of the energy storage device 270 with respect to one or more other energy storage devices 270. The charging schedule and the dispatch schedule can be adjusted with respect to one or more expected usage patterns of a plurality of conveyance apparatuses 103 including the one or more other energy storage devices 270.
The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity and/or manufacturing tolerances based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in the particular embodiments, but the present disclosure is not thus limited. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/779,500 filed Dec. 14, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62779500 | Dec 2018 | US |