What are high-speed elevators for and why are there few of them in Russia?

In modern cities there are already few 5-storey buildings, inwhich a ladder is enough to move. Most people live in tall buildings that are equipped with elevators - they are used almost every five minutes. As a rule, in houses with 15 floors or less, elevators are used, moving at a speed of up to 1.6 meters per second. The higher the building, the faster the passenger platform must move, so in 30-story and higher buildings, elevators already move at a speed of 3.5 meters per second. Skyscrapers use even more complex systems - they are called high-speed elevators and accelerate to 17 meters per second.Let's find out how they differ from ordinary elevators and who makes them? The topic today is more relevant than ever, because in Russia there is a shortage of them, and builders are looking for those who can solve this problem.

In Russia, a shortage of high-speed elevators has been noticed, but they are trying to correct the situation

Content

• 1 What is a high-speed elevator?
• 2 The fastest high-speed elevator
• 3 Features of high-speed elevators
  • 3.1 Comfort of high-speed elevators
  • 3.2 Safety of high-speed elevators
• 4 Shortage of high-speed elevators in Russia
• 5 How to replace elevators from Otis and other companies?

What is a high speed elevator?

High-speed elevators are platforms thatmove people between floors inside skyscrapers. Since high-rise buildings rise 100 meters or more, using ordinary elevators would take a lot of people's time. After all, even lifting to the 50th floor could take about 5 minutes! High-speed elevators, which cover from 5 to 17 meters in a second, completely solve this problem.

High-speed elevators are used only in skyscrapers

The fastest high speed elevator

It is believed that the fastest elevator is installed inChinese skyscraper Taipei 101. This building rises to 508 meters and includes many shops, restaurants, offices and other establishments. To enable visitors to quickly move between floors, the building is equipped with 61 elevators, each of which accommodates 24 passengers. It is believed that they can lift people up to the observation deck on the 89th floor in just 30 seconds.

Taipei 101 Tower in China

Do you know how many floors are in the tallest building in the world? Here's the answer.

Features of high-speed elevators

Since high-speed elevators have an increasedcapacity and move at great speed, they are very different from ordinary ones. To ensure maximum speed and safety, manufacturers think through everything from the shape of the cabin to various details.

Comfort of high-speed elevators

The first thing to note is the streamlined shape.cabins - aerodynamics is needed not only for the development of high speeds, but also to reduce noise when driving. To make it comfortable for people to ride, the cabins are sheathed with soundproof material, thanks to which the noise level inside does not exceed 45 decibels.

For the comfort of passengers, elevators are trying to be as silent as possible.

Another important element of high-speedelevators is a barometric air parameter control system. If it weren’t for it, while driving at high speed, people would have stuffy ears, high blood pressure and other problems. In addition to this, high-speed elevators have air conditioning, lighting and other details necessary for the comfort of passengers.

In addition to high speed, elevators must be comfortable and safe.

Safety of high-speed elevators

High-speed elevators move inside huge shafts,therefore, manufacturers need to take care of the safety of passengers - if the elevator falls from a great height, no one will survive. It is logical that they use reinforced cables, which must not only withstand the weight of a full cabin, but also cope with vibrations and other external influences.

High-speed elevators are equipped with the best brakes and electronics

The braking system in high-speed elevators is also notsimple. Typically, silicon-nitrogen brakes are used there, which provide smooth braking and are able to withstand heat generated by friction up to several thousand degrees.

Usually skyscrapers have several elevators.

The operation of elevators is carefully monitoredspecial sensors. If they detect even the slightest problem, the elevator stops at the nearest floor. Repair of high-speed elevators is carried out by specially trained masters.

Shortage of high-speed elevators in Russia

According to Forbes, every year Russia introducesoperation of up to 40,000 elevators. Approximately 75% of them are Russian-made, but there is one caveat. The fact is that a huge proportion of domestic elevators was actually produced by the American company Otis, which had localized production in the country. In February 2022, the American Otis announced the suspension of the production of elevators and escalators in Russia. But at the same time, it was noted that she would continue to provide maintenance of equipment. Finnish elevator manufacturer Kone has temporarily stopped deliveries due to changes in supply chains, but has decided to continue its business in the country "to the extent possible".

Otis is one of the largest elevator manufacturers in the world.

Elevators for ordinary houses in the required quantityproduced by Russian companies. But high-speed elevators designed for skyscrapers were the result of the work of foreign companies. Some construction companies managed to buy complex elevators before the manufacturers left Russia, and some hope for firms still cooperating with them - at least the Greek Kleemann did not announce the termination of supplies.

Recently, the world's narrowest skyscraper has appeared. Here are the photos.

How to replace elevators from Otis and other companies?

Russian manufacturers cannot right nowstart assembling high-speed elevators, because they do not have the necessary components for this. It is reported that some of the components were produced exclusively abroad. First of all, we are talking about winches that set the cabins in motion, as well as microelectronics, which is needed to control the movement of passenger cabins.

The process of assembling elevators in a factory

Developers are currently looking for supplierselevators in China and Turkey. According to the same Forbes, Russian companies are negotiating with Turkish Merih, Chinese Canny, Fuji HD and Xizi, and are also trying to negotiate with the Greek company Kleemann mentioned above. However, even if an agreement is established, there are several other problems. First, in the wake of increased demand, the cost of elevators increased by 30%. Secondly, the delivery of elevators to Russia can take a long time. When the devices were made in local factories, there was no such problem.

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