An energy storage assembly includes an energy storage unit. A supervisor is operable to determine a power reference set point based upon a cost function. A storage unit controller is configured to control the energy storage unit to provide electric energy to at least one load based upon a power reference input that is based upon the power reference set point and at least one dynamically changing power profile from the at least one load.

Elevator groups are known have very high peak power demand. The peak power capacity of the power line can be reduced by using a power arrangement involving a battery. The battery can be discharged for operating elevators when the power demand exceeds the capacity of the power line. The battery may be further used for reducing power cost by charging the battery during lower cost time.

A regenerative elevator drive device, a method for buffering energy of a regenerative elevator drive device, and an elevator system are disclosed. The regenerative elevator drive device may include an inverter having a plurality of power components and a converter having a plurality of power components. The regenerative drive may further include a direct current (DC) link bridging the inverter and the converter, the DC link including a first capacitor bridging the inverter and the converter and a second capacitor in parallel with the first capacitor. The regenerative elevator drive device may be a multi-level regenerative drive device.

A lift system comprises a rail (1) and a carriage assembly (2) comprising a seat (21) or platform (21) for supporting a person to be conveyed along the rail (1), drive means arranged to engage the rail (1) and controllable to drive the carriage assembly (2) along the rail (1), energy storage means arranged to power the drive means, input means operable by a user to provide an input signal indicative of a desired movement of the carriage assembly (2) along the rail (1), and control means arranged to receive the input signal and control the drive means in response to the input signal. The system includes charging means arranged to charge the energy storage means when the carriage assembly (2) is at a first charging position on the rail (1). The control means is arranged to monitor at least one voltage (VI, V2) characteristic of the energy storage means and/or at least one operational characteristic of the stair lift, and generate an alert signal in response to one or more of those characteristics, or a difference between one or more of those characteristics, fulfilling a defined criterion, criteria, condition, or conditions.

An illustrative example embodiment of an elevator system includes: a plurality of elevator cars; a plurality of elevator machines, respectively associated with the elevator cars to selectively cause movement of the associated elevator car, at least some of the elevator machines respectively operating in a first mode including consuming power and in a second mode including generating power; a power source having a power output threshold and a power intake threshold; and at least one controller that is configured to determine when the power source is providing power for the elevator system, and dynamically adjust how the plurality of machines move the elevator cars to maximize a number of the plurality cars being used to move passengers while keeping power consumption by the elevator system below the power output threshold and keeping power generation by the elevator system below the power intake threshold.

An elevator machine assembly includes a motor and an elevator drive configured to control power supply to the motor. The elevator drive includes at least a plurality of converter switches and an energy storage device that is situated to be charged in response to the motor generating a back emf as the motor rotates in response to a torque applied to the motor when the elevator drive is not providing power to the motor. A short-circuiting module that is selectively coupled with the energy storage device through the converter switches selectively discharges the energy storage device to limit the back emf of the motor and a corresponding speed at which the motor rotates.

An elevator system includes a primary source of electrical power; a power unit having a power supply, the power supply producing DC power from the primary source of electrical power. A rescue storage device provides power to the elevator system when the primary source of electrical power is unavailable. The rescue storage device is coupled to an output of the power supply to provide additional DC power with the DC power when the primary source of electrical power is available and an increased power requirement is present.

An electric boiler device based on utilization of residual energy of an elevator includes a heat storage module, an electric heating module and a control module. A heat storage water tank of the heat storage module is replenished with water from a tap water pipe network, and a preheating unit of the heat storage module converts the residual energy of the elevator into heat energy of the heat storage water tank by using an energy consumption resistor. The control module replenishes a heating water tank with water by delivering preheated water to the electric heating module according to a water level of the heating water tank, and controls a heating unit of the electric heat module to heat the heating water tank according to a user-set temperature, and heated hot water is provided through a user water supply pipe network.

A method of operating an elevator system is provided. The method comprising: detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied; selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.

A drive unit for an elevator system, the drive unit including a multilayer, power circuit board; a first DC link formed in a layer of the power circuit board; a second DC link formed in a layer of the power circuit board; a first switch having a first terminal, the first switch mounted to a surface of the power circuit board; a first via electrically coupling the first terminal to the first DC link; a second switch having a second terminal, the second switch mounted to the surface of the power circuit board; and a second via electrically coupling the second terminal to the second DC link; the first via conducting heat from the first switch to the first DC link; the second via conducting heat from the second switch to the second DC link.