ARCH.CID ANTHONY A.

LAIGO,uap
Building Utilities 2
ESCALATORS:
An escalator is a conveyor type transport device that moves people. It is a moving
staircase with steps that move up or down using a conveyor belt and tracks keeping
each step horizontal for the passenger. However, the escalator began as an
amusement and not as a practical transport. The first patent relating to an
escalator-like machine was granted in 1859 to a Massachusetts man for a steam
driven unit. On March 15 1892, Jesse Reno patented his moving stairs or inclined
elevator as he called it. In 1895, Jesse Reno created a new novelty ride at Coney
Island from his patented design, a moving stairway that elevated passengers on a
conveyor belt at a 25 degree angle.
Escalator = Scala Elevator
The escalator as we know it was later re-designed by Charles Seeberger in 1897,
who created the name 'escalator' from the word 'scala', which is Latin for steps
and the word 'elevator', which had already been invented.
Charles Seeberger, together with the Otis Elevator Company produced the first
commercial escalator in 1899 at the Otis factory in Yonkers, N.Y. The SeebergerOtis wooden escalator won first prize at the Paris 1900 Exposition Universelle in
France. Jesse Reno's Coney Island ride success briefly made Jesse Reno into "the"
escalator designer and he founded the Reno Electric Stairways and Conveyors
company in 1902.
Charles Seeberger sold his patent rights for the escalator to the Otis Elevator
Company in 1910, who also bought Jesse Reno's escalator patent in 1911. Otis then
came to dominate escalator production, and combined and improved the various
designs of escalators.
An escalator is a moving staircase a conveyor transport device for carrying
people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of
individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to
remain horizontal.
Escalators are used around the world to move pedestrian traffic in places where
elevators would be impractical. Principal areas of usage include department stores,

shopping malls, airports, transit systems, convention centers, hotels, and public
buildings.
The benefits of escalators are many. They have the capacity to move large
numbers of people, and they can be placed in the same physical space as one might
install a staircase. They have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic),
they can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibits, and they
may be weatherproofed for outdoor use.
Operation and layout
Escalators, like moving walkways, are powered by constant-speed alternating
current motors and move at approximately 12 feet (0.300.61 m) per second. The
typical angle of inclination of an escalator to the horizontal floor level is 30
degrees with a standard rise up to about 60 feet (18 m). Modern escalators have
single piece aluminum or steel steps that move on a system of tracks in a
continuous loop.
Escalators have three typical configuration options: parallel (up and down
escalators "side by side or separated by a distance", seen often in metro stations
and multilevel motion picture theaters), crisscross (minimizes structural space
requirements by "stacking" escalators that go in one direction, frequently used in
department stores or shopping centers), and multiple parallel (two or more
escalators together that travel in one direction next to one or two escalators in
the same bank that travel in the other direction).[2]
Escalators are required to have moving handrails that keep pace with the
movement of the steps. The direction of movement (up or down) can be
permanently the same, or be controlled by personnel according to the time of day,
or automatically be controlled by whoever arrives first, whether at the bottom or
at the top (the system is programmed so that the direction is not reversed while a
passenger is on the escalator).
The number of passengers is important because escalators are designed to carry a
certain maximum number of people. For example, a single-width escalator traveling
at about 1.5 feet (0.46 m) per second can move an estimated 170 persons per five
minute period. The carrying capacity of an escalator system must match the
expected peak traffic demand, presuming that passengers ride single file. This is
crucial for applications in which there are sudden increases in the number of

riders. For example, escalators at stations must be designed to cater for the peak
traffic flow discharged from a train, without causing excessive bunching at the
escalator entrance.
Model sizes and other specifications
Escalator step widths and energy usage

Size

Width
(between
balustrade
panels)

Very
small

Small

Single-step
capacity

Applications

Energy
consumption

One passenger,
400 mm (16 in) with feet
together

A rare historic design

found mostly in older
department stores

3.7 kW
(5.0 hp)

600 mm (24 in) One passenger

Low-volume sites,
uppermost levels of
department stores,
when space is limited

3.7 kW
(5.0 hp)

Shopping malls,
department stores,
smaller airports

7.5 kW
(10.1 hp)

One passenger +
one package or
Medium 800 mm (31 in)
one piece of
luggage

Large

1,000 mm
(39 in)

Mainstay of metro
Two passengers
systems, larger airports, 7.5 kW
one may walk past
train stations, some
(10.1 hp)
another
retail usage

Travel speed f/p (m/s)

Escalators and moving walks can continuously move passengers. Consequently, their
transport capacity is much greater than that of elevators. Travel speed of
escalators is limited by code to 100 f/m (.5 m/s). For moving walks with 0-8 degree
inclination, the speed can be increased up to 180 f/m (0.9 m/s).The chart
illustrates the discrepancy between theory and practice: The theoretical transport
capacity is useful during the selection procedure. In practice, only approximately

80% of this figure is achieved. For example, passengers tend to be hesitant at

higher rises and higher speeds when stepping onto the step or pallet band. Even
with larger step or pallet widths, the possibility to pass is not always utilized. Even
so, higher speeds and wider steps or pallets, ensure travel comfort and a
considerable reduction of travel time.
Travel heights and inclinations=30
Escalators
With a rise of only 6'-0" (1829), an escalator can considerably improve access to
the building for the visitor. Furthermore, ThyssenKrupp Elevator has designed
escalators to reach a rise of 164'-0" (50 m). Code limits the inclination angle to
30in the US and Canada.
Moving Walks
Inclined moving walks typically used in shopping center and retail applications are
permitted a maximum angle of 12. For extended travel distances, e.g. trade fairs
and airports, horizontal moving walks which enable the use of wider pallets are the
most efficient option.
Step and pallet widths.
An optimum choice needs to be made here: Neither excessively wide or narrow
steps [or pallets] represent a balanced ratio between the space required and the
transport capacity, between travel comfort and cost .Based on the cross-sections,
you can see the required space of your escalators and moving walks. A clearance of
1 1/4" (30mm) for installation must be added to the dimensions on either side of
the escalator or movingwalk. The standard escalator step width for the North
American market is40" (1000 mm).

X: Height to next step (not greater than 0.24m); Y: Depth (at least 0.38m); Z:
Width (between 0.58 and 1.10m);
: Grooved step tread; : Cleated step riser.

Components of an Escalator
An escalator resembles a powered ramp in construction . The major difference is
that a powered ramp has a continuous treadway for carrying passengers, whereas
the treadway of an escalator consists of a series of moving steps. As for a
powered ramp, the installation of powered stairs should conform with the

requirements of the American National Standard Safety Code for Elevators,

Dumbwaiters, Escalators and Moving Walks, ANSI A17.1.
An escalator consists of articulated, grooved treads and risers attached to a
continuous chain moved by a driving machine and supported by a steel truss
framework . The installation also includes a handrail on each side of the steps that
moves at the same speed as the steps; balustrades, or guards, that enclose the
steps on each side and support the handrails; brakes; control devices; and
threshold plates at the entrance to and the exit from the treadway. The purpose
of the threshold plates is to facilitate smooth passage of passengers between the
treadway and landing.
The plates are equipped with a comb, or teeth, that mesh with and are set into
grooves in the treadway in the direction of travel, so as to provide firm footing and
to minimize the chance that items become trapped between treadway and the
landing.
Each step is formed by a grooved tread portion connected to a curved and grooved
riser. The tread and riser assembly is either a single die-cast piece or is assembled
to a frame. Both are suspended on resilient rollers whose axles are connected to
the step chain that moves the steps. The step rollers ride on a set of tracks
attached to the trussed framework. The tracks are shaped to allow the step tread
to remain horizontal throughout its exposed travel.
Dimensions for Escalators
ANSI A17.1 sets the following limitations on escalator steps
Minimum depth of tread in direction of travel1534 in
Maximum rise between treads812 in
Minimum width of tread24 in
Maximum width of tread40 in
Maximum clearance between tread and adjacent skirt panel38 in
Maximum distance between handrail centerlineswidth between balustrades plus 6
in with not more than 3 in on either side of the escalator

COMPONENTS :
Landing platforms
These two platforms house the curved sections of the tracks, as well as the gears
and motors that drive the stairs. The top platform contains the motor assembly
and the main drive gear, while the bottom platform holds the step return idler
sprockets. These sections also anchor the ends of the escalator truss. In addition,
the platforms contain a floor plate and a combplate. The floor plate provides a
place for the passengers to stand before they step onto the moving stairs. This
plate is flush with the finished floor and is either hinged or removable to allow
easy access to the machinery below. The combplate is the piece between the
stationary floor plate and the moving step. It is so named because its edge has a
series of cleats that resemble the teeth of a comb. These teeth mesh with
matching cleats on the edges of the steps. This design is necessary to minimize the
gap between the stair and the landing, which helps prevent objects from getting
caught in the gap.
Truss
The truss is a hollow metal structure that bridges the lower and upper landings. It
is composed of two side sections joined together with cross braces across the
bottom and just below the top. The ends of the truss are attached to the top and
bottom landing platforms via steel or concrete supports. The truss carries all the
straight track sections connecting the upper and lower sections.
Tracks
The track system is built into the truss to guide the step chain, which continuously
pulls the steps from the bottom platform and back to the top in an endless loop.
There are actually two tracks: one for the front wheels of the steps (called the
step-wheel track) and one for the back wheels of the steps (called the trailerwheel track). The relative positions of these tracks cause the steps to form a
staircase as they move out from under the combplate. Along the straight section
of the truss the tracks are at their maximum distance apart. This configuration
forces the back of one step to be at a 90-degree angle relative to the step behind
it. This right angle bends the steps into a shape resembling a staircase. At the top
and bottom of the escalator, the two tracks converge so that the front and back
wheels of the steps are almost in a straight line. This causes the stairs to lay in a
flat sheetlike arrangement, one after another, so they can easily travel around the
bend in the curved section of track. The tracks carry the steps down along the

underside of the truss until they reach the bottom landing, where they pass
through another curved section of track before exiting the bottom landing. At this
point the tracks separate and the steps once again assume a staircase
configuration. This cycle is repeated continually as the steps are pulled from
bottom to top and back to the bottom again.
Steps
The steps themselves are solid, one piece, die-cast aluminum or steel. Yellow
demarcation lines may be added to clearly indicate their edges. In most escalator
models manufactured after 1950, both the riser and the tread of each step is
cleated (given a ribbed appearance) with comblike protrusions that mesh with the
combplates on the top and bottom platforms and the succeeding steps in the chain.
Seeberger- or "step-type" escalators (see below) featured flat treads and smooth
risers; other escalator models have cleated treads and smooth risers. The steps
are linked by a continuous metal chain that forms a closed loop. The front and back
edges of the steps are each connected to two wheels. The rear wheels are set
further apart to fit into the back track and the front wheels have shorter axles to
fit into the narrower front track. As described above, the position of the tracks
controls the orientation of the steps.
Handrail
The handrail provides a convenient handhold for passengers while they are riding
the escalator. In an escalator, the handrail is pulled along its track by a chain that
is connected to the main drive gear by a series of pulleys. It is constructed of four
distinct sections. At the center of the handrail is a "slider", also known as a "glider
ply", which is a layer of a cotton or synthetic textile. The purpose of the slider
layer is to allow the handrail to move smoothly along its track. The next layer,
known as the "tension member", consists of either steel cable or flat steel tape,
and provides the handrail with tensile strength and flexibility. On top of tension
member are the inner construction components, which are made of chemically
treated rubber designed to prevent the layers from separating. Finally, the outer
layerthe only part that passengers actually seeis the cover, which is a blend of
synthetic polymers and rubber. This cover is designed to resist degradation from
environmental conditions, mechanical wear and tear, and human vandalism.
In the factory, handrails are constructed by feeding rubber through a computercontrolled extrusion machine to produce layers of the required size and type in
order to match specific orders. The component layers of fabric, rubber, and steel

are shaped by skilled workers before being fed into the presses, where they are
fused together.
In the mid-twentieth century, some handrail designs consisted of a rubber bellows,
with rings of smooth metal cladding called "bracelets" placed between each coil.
This gave the handrail a rigid yet flexible feel. Additionally, each bellows section
was no more than a few feet long, so if part of the handrail was damaged, only the
bad segment needed to be replaced. These forms of handrail have largely been
replaced with conventional fabric-and-rubber railings.

Key safety features developed over time

Safety implementations, as per ASME A17.1 code:

Anti-slide devices: Raised circular objects that often stud the escalator
balustrade. Sometimes informally called "hockey pucks" due to their
appearance, their purpose is to prevent objects (and people) from
precipitously sliding down the otherwise smooth metallic surface.

Combplate impact switches: Stop the escalator if a foreign object gets

caught between the steps and the combplate on either end.

Deflector brush: A long continuous brush made of stiff bristles running up

the sides of the escalator just above the step level. This helps deflect
garments, shoes, and other items away from the gap between the moving
steps and the skirt board.

Emergency stop button: At each end of the escalator (in some models, also
on the balustrade), a large red button can be pressed to stop the device in
the event of an emergency. Typically, an alarmed transparent plastic
guardplate covers the button; restarting requires turning a key.

Extended balustrades: Allows riders to grasp the handrail before setting

foot on an escalator, to ease customer comfort and stability/equilibrium.
(The effect is similar to the flat steps described below.)

Flat steps: Like a moving walkway, the first two or three steps at either end
of the escalator are flat. This gives the passenger extra time to orient
him/herself when boarding, and more time to maintain balance when exiting.
Longer escalators often have four or more flat steps.

Handrail inlet switches: . Sensors located at the bottom and top of the unit
that guard the handrail termini. If something gets caught in these locations,
a hard fault is generated in the controller, and the escalator shuts down
automatically.

Handrail speed sensors: These sensors are usually optical, and monitor how
fast the handrail moves. If the sensor notices a speed difference between
the handrail and the steps, it sounds an alarm, pauses, and then automatically
stops the escalator. In these situations, the escalator must be serviced by
authorized personnel before returning to an operable state.

Missing step detectors: Depending on the manufacturer and model, this

sensor is either optical or physical. When a missing step is detected, the
escalator automatically shuts down.

Raised step edges: In some models, a difference in tread height is utilized

to keep passengers' feet from the skirt board.

Safety instructions: A sign, typically posted on both escalator newels at the

entrance landing platform. In some situations, safety precautions are posted
on walls near the escalator, included on freestanding signs, oras in some
modelsprinted on the riser surface itself.

Sensor switch: In automatic-start/stop escalators, this sensor automatically

engages the escalator motion when a rider is detected on the first step of
the entrance landing platform, and stops the escalator when there are no
riders on the unit.

Step demarcation lights: Either fluorescent or LED lights (traditionally

green in color) located inside the truss. The illumination between the steps
improves the passengers' awareness of the step divisions.

Step demarcation lines: In order to clearly delineate the edges of each

individual step, manufacturers offer steps trimmed in yellow, either painted
or with plastic inserts.

The

Handrail

is

constructed of four distinct sections. At the center of the handrail is a

"slider. The next layer, known as the tension member consists of either

steel cable or flat steel tape. On top of the tension member are the inner
construction components. Finally, the outer layer, which is a blend of
synthetic polymers and rubber.

The
Handrail
is
constructed of four distinct sections. At the center of the handrail is a "slider. The next
layer, known as the tension member consists of either steel cable or flat steel tape. On
top of the tension member are the inner construction components. Finally, the outer
layer, which is a blend of synthetic polymers and rubber.

ELEVATORS :
According to Otis, "In the 1920s, Otis engineers, led by David Lindquist, combined and improved the
Jesse Reno and Charles Seeberger escalator designs, and created the cleated, level steps of the modern
escalator in use today. Over the years, Otis dominated the escalator business, but lost the product's
trademark. The word escalator lost its proprietary status and its capital "e" in 1950 when the U.S. Patent
Office ruled that the word "escalator" had become just a common descriptive term for moving
stairways."
An elevator by definition is a platform or an enclosure raised and lowered in a vertical shaft to transport
people and freight. The shaft contains the operating equipment, motor, cables, and accessories.
Primitive elevators were in use as early as the 3rd century BC, operated by human, animal, or water
wheel power. In 1743, a counter-weighted, man-powered, personal elevator was built for King Luis XV
connecting his apartment in Versailles with that of his mistress, Madame de Chateauroux, whose
quarters were one floor above King Luis.
19th Century Elevators
From about the middle of the 19th century, elevators were powered, often steam-operated, and were
used for conveying materials in factories, mines, and warehouses.
In 1823, two architects Burton and Hormer built an "ascending room" as they called it, this crude
elevator was used to lift paying tourists to a platform for a panorama view of London. In 1835, architects
Frost and Stutt built the "Teagle", a belt-driven, counter-weighted, and steam-driven lift was developed
in England.
Hydraulic Crane
In 1846, Sir William Armstrong introduced the hydraulic crane, and in the early 1870s, hydraulic
machines began to replace the steam-powered elevator. The hydraulic elevator is supported by a heavy
piston, moving in a cylinder, and operated by the water (or oil) pressure produced by pumps.
Elisha Otis
In 1853, American inventor Elisha Otis demonstrated a freight elevator equipped with a safety device to
prevent falling in case a supporting cable should break. This increased public confidence in such devices.
In 1853, Elisha Otis established a company for manufacturing elevators and patented (1861) a steam
elevator. While, Elisha Graves Otis did not actually invent the first elevator, he did invent the brake used
in modern elevators, and his brakes made skyscrapers a practical reality.
In 1857, Elisha Otis and the Otis Elevator Company began manufacturing passenger elevators. A steampowered passenger elevator was installed by the Otis Brothers in a five-story department store owned
by E.W Haughtwhat & Company of Manhattan. It was the first public elevator.
Electric Elevators
Electric elevators came into to use toward the end of the 19th century. The first one was built by the
German inventor Werner von Siemens in 1880.

TYPES OF ELEVATORS
The two main types of elevators are traction and hydraulic.
Selection of the best-suited type of elevator considers initial cost of the elevator plus the building
structure needed to house the lift, maintenance costs over the life of the building and running costs.
TRACTION ELEVATORS

Traction elevators are the most popular form of elevator designs used widely across the world. These
consist of the elevator car and a counterweight held together by steel ropes looped around the sheave.
The sheave is a pulley with grooves around its circumference. The sheave is driven by the AC or DC
motor. The sheave grips the hoist ropes so that when it rotates, the ropes move, too. This gripping is
due to traction.
Roping Arrangements
A roping system is used to attach the motor/gear reducer, the elevator car and the counterweight.
There are many different kinds of arrangements that can be used; the two most common are:
1. One to One roping (1:1) also called traction drum arrangement

2. Two to One Roping (2:1) also called lifting drum arrangement

One to One roping (1:1) or Traction Drum Arrangement

In a One to One roping (1:1) arrangement, the hoist ropes runs from the elevator car hitch over the
machine sheaves to the counterweight hitch. The elevator car and the counterweight each run in their
own sets of guide rails. A second governor cable runs from the car up to a governor pulley, then down to
a tension pulley at the bottom of the elevator shaft, and up to the car again. This cable rotates the
governor pulley at a speed directly proportional to the speed of the car. In the event of excessive car
speed, the governor uses another cable to activate the emergency brake jaws which grip the guide rails
and slow the car to a stop.
Two to One Roping (2:1) or Lifting Drum Arrangement
Arrangement of hoist ropes in which one end of each hoist rope passes from a dead-end hitch in the
overhead, under a car sheave, up over the drive sheave, down around a counterweight shave and up to
another dead-end hitch in the overhead. The car speed is one-half the rope speed.
Counterweight
When the traction drive is rotated, power is transferred from the traction drive to the elevator car and
counterweight. The counterweight adds accelerating force when the elevator car is ascending and
provides a retarding effort when the car is descending. The counterweight is normally sized equal to the

weight of the car plus approximately half its maximum rated capacity. It saves energy equivalent to the
unbalanced load between the elevator and the counterweight both when the car is travelling full and
empty. The counterweight also ensures that the elevator cannot fall out of control while the cable is
intact.
Hoist Mechanisms
An elevator's function is to convert the electrical power, which runs the motor, into mechanical power.
There are two types of hoisting mechanisms: Geared and Gearless types.
Geared type:
In a geared machine, the motor turns a gear train that rotates the sheave. Geared traction machines
are used for medium-speed applications and have effective speeds from 0.5 m/s (100 fpm) to 2.0 m/s
(400 fpm). The slower speeds are for freight operation, while the higher speeds are typically used for
passenger service in mid-rise buildings of ten stories or less.
The geared elevator system most commonly use a worm gear reducer, which is composed of a worm
gear, typically called the worm, and a larger round gear, typically called the worm gear. These two gears
which have rotational axes perpendicular to each other that not only decreases the rotational speed of
the traction pulley, but also change the plane of rotation. By decreasing the rotation speed, we are also
increasing the output torque, therefore, adding the ability to lift larger objects for a given pulley
diameter. A worm gear is chosen over other types of gearing possibilities because of its compactness,
precise speed control, quite operation and its ability to withstand higher shock loads. It can also be
easily attached to the motor shaft and has high resistance to reverse shaft rotation.
Geared Traction machines can be driven by AC or DC motors. The machines are normally located
overhead, directly over the hoistway but can be mounted to the side and below; and when this is done,
it is termed as "basement traction" application.
The disadvantage of geared hoisting is that the gear train will loose some energy due to friction and thus
the transmission efficiency of geared elevator is inferior to gearless machine.
Gearless type:
In gearless elevators the motor turns the sheave directly. A brake is mounted between the motor and
drive sheave to hold the elevator stationary at a floor. This brake is usually an external drum type, which
is actuated by spring force.
Gearless traction elevators are specified for high-speed applications having effective speeds varying
from 2.5 m/s (400 fpm) to 10.0 m/s (2000 fpm). These are generally used on taller structures with more
than 10 stories. In terms of energy performance, gearless drive has no gear transmission loss thus have a
transmission efficiency of 100%.
Gearless traction machines use low torque electric motors (generally DC motors) driven by motor
generator (MG) drive or silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR). Modern gearless traction machines use
variable-voltage; variable frequency (VVVF) drives systems.

HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS
Hydraulic elevator systems lift a car using a hydraulic ram, a fluid-driven piston mounted inside a
cylinder. All the weight of the elevator cab is supported on the piston.
The cylinder is connected to a fluid-pumping system (typically, hydraulic systems like this use oil, but
other incompressible fluids would also work). The hydraulic system has three parts:
A tank (the fluid reservoir)
A pump, powered by an electric motor
A valve between the cylinder and the reservoir
The pump forces fluid from the tank into a pipe leading to the cylinder. When the valve is opened, the
pressurized fluid will take the path of least resistance and return to the fluid reservoir. But when the
valve is closed, the pressurized fluid has nowhere to go except into the cylinder. As the fluid collects in
the cylinder, it pushes the piston up, lifting the elevator car.
When the car approaches the correct floor, the control system sends a signal to the electric motor to
gradually shut off the pump. With the pump off, there is no more fluid flowing into the cylinder, but the
fluid that is already in the cylinder cannot escape (it can't flow backward through the pump, and the
valve is still closed). The piston rests on the fluid, and the car stays where it is.
To lower the car, the elevator control system sends a signal to the valve. The valve is operated
electrically by a basic solenoid switch. When the solenoid opens the valve, the fluid that has collected in
the cylinder can flow out into the fluid reservoir. The weight of the car and the cargo pushes down on
the piston, which drives the fluid into the reservoir. The car gradually descends. To stop the car at a
lower floor, the control system closes the valve again. The electric motor is redundant during descend.
This system is incredibly simple and highly effective, but it does have some drawbacks.
Hydraulic elevators consume more energy. Considerable amount of energy is wasted in heating up the
hydraulic fluid when building up the hydraulic pressure; some installations may even need separate
coolers to cool down the fluid to avoid overheating.
Hydraulic elevators are usually not provided with a counterweight. Thus the lift motor has to be large
enough to raise the rated load plus the dead weight of the car cage. In traction lift, the maximum weight
to be raised under normal operation is only about half of its rated load.
Hydraulic elevators are used in buildings up to 5 floors (14 meters rise) and have rated speeds of 0.25
m/s (50 fpm) to 0.75 m/s (150 fpm).

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF THE HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR :

Types of hydraulic elevators :

Choice between Hydraulic and Traction Elevators

Hydraulic elevator
Hydraulic elevators operate at slower speeds and serve up to 14 meter of travel. These are
recommended for light usage low height installations.
Benefits
Lower ownership costs;
Quick installation;
Doesnt need a penthouse or overhead support to house the machinery;
Flexibility in the location of the motor room;
Upon power failure the lift lowers to the ground floor and releases the door.
Drawbacks
Noisy, slow and poor ride quality;
High on energy consumption;
May cause potential environmental damage from leaking hydraulic fluid.

Traction Elevator
Roped traction elevators are much more efficient and safer. Geared traction elevators typically serve
mid-rise buildings with speeds ranging 0.5 to 2.0 m/s and gearless traction elevators can serve buildings
of any height with speeds of 2.5 m/s and higher.
Benefits
Faster and smoother ride;
More energy efficient;
Cost little more to buy
Speed Comparison
The speed of the elevator shall be within the following ranges and chosen to suit the specific building
requirements as part of the elevator traffic analysis:
Hydraulic passenger elevators - 0.25 to 0.75 m/s;
Geared traction passenger elevators - 0.5 to 2.0 m/s;
Gearless traction passenger elevators - 2.5 m/s and greater.

Lift Comparison
The lift of the elevator shall be within the following ranges and chosen to suit the specific building
requirements as part of the elevator traffic analysis:
Hydraulic passenger elevators 15 meter rise up to 5 storeys;
Geared traction passenger elevators 30 meter rise up to 10 storeys;
Gearless traction passenger elevators above 10 storeys.