LIFT CONTROL SYSTEM

(CONTROLLER)
Lift Controller is the major and one of the part of an elevator, It has an
electric/electronic devices: such as the main control board, drive, different
types of controlling devices, and so on which takes/receive electric signals
one to other devices and outputs/drives to actuators or other
electric/electronic components

Types of Controller

Generally there are four main types of controllers. These are:

Hydraulic controllers

2-speed controllers

Dump waiter or Service lift controllers

VVVF controllers

Our focus will be on the forth controller type because it is the most
applicable controller type.

Hydraulic controllers

This type of controller uses relays to control the up, down

and high speed valves and uses contactor to supply the
motor from a direct supply.

Usually the high speed valve is bi-directional.

There are three contactors being used in this controller.

One for the line, one for star and another for delta
configuration. Star Delta configuration is used in order to
have a smooth start.
 2-speed controllers

This type of controller uses contactors to drive the motor

directly. The motor is driven by direct supply through three
contactors, one for up direction, one for down direction and
the other for high speed.

Dump waiter or Service lift controllers

Most of the time this type controller doesnt utilize the

main control board (motion controller). It uses contactor,
relays and sensors to control the lift.

Dumbwaiters are small freight elevators that are intended to carry food rather
than passengers. They often link kitchens with rooms on other floors.

VVVF controllers

VVVF controller is mostly used these days as it offers

smooth acceleration and deceleration and can vary its
speed depending on the length it is traveling.

VVVF stands for Variable Voltage Variable Frequency. As

the name indicates it controls the speed of a motor by
varying both voltage and frequency.

VVVF drives are used in various applications, one being

in elevators.
 The two components in an elevator that use this drive
are the main motor and the door motor.

Main parts /devices in Controller

1. Main Board ( Motion Control Board)

2. VVVF DRIVE
3. Transformer
4. Controlling device
5. Electrical Safety and protection device
6. Fuse Section

1. Main Board ( Motion Control Board)

Is microprocessor system designed and constructed for the Operation of lifts
Compact and versatile, it allows minimization of the external components
required on the control panel for the types of function and it is integrated in
the circuit board. Mostly the control board is suitable for both Hydraulic and
Traction drive system, with different types of driving (1 speed, 2 speed
and VVVF speed regulator) with manual or automatic door operator.

This card is the most important part of the controller which analyze and performs all the input data and
the output commands. This microprocessor based control board which helps to control

. Safety chains
. Lift movement and thermal states using the motor drive
. Controls the doors
.Controls relays and contactors
.Controls landing calls and car calls
.Controls photo cell
.Controls position indicator
.Direction of the elevator
.Fire man services, and so on

Main board Main Board Features: Features board Features:

 Ability to control all types of lifts :- 2-speed,hydraulic & VVVF systems
Full programmable & monitoring
Ability to simplex and Groups control
Most of the control board have a Serial communications for cabin and hall
stations
Compatible with all of high accuracy Encoders through the program menu
Ability to display Doors and locks status for each floor.

2. VVVF DRIVE

Drive (motor drive) is very important part of the elevator controller. It is

mostly known as an INVERTER, which is also called VVVF Drive [variable
voltage variable frequency] Drive because as we know voltage is inversely
proportion to frequency i.e. it controls the speed by changing voltage and
frequency at the same time.

Back in the old days when inverters where not invented motors where made
as two speed because there was nothing that can change the speed of the
motor so the only way to have different speed is making the motor two
speed.

VVVF drive is the one which controls the speed of the motor accordingly.
Most of the time the speed of the motor is given on the name plate and the
motor runs at that speed but the speed which is given on the name plate is
very high and difficult to use for elevator system. Motor drives resolve this
problem and help to manage the speed as we like using binary inputs.

VVVF drive is a field-oriented vector drive with excellent speed Control

properties and a high torque dedicated to elevator industry and in general to
hoisting application it can be applied to both geared and gearless Systems
CONTROL PANEL
The control panel is the interface between the AC drive and the user. With
the control panel,
You can control the speed of a motor and monitor the status of the AC drive.
You can also set
The parameters of the AC drive.
You can remove the control panel from the AC drive. The control panel is
isolated from the
Input line potential.

CONTROL UNIT
The control unit of the AC drive contains the control Card and additional
boards (Like:
Encoder card and other option card connected on the control board). The
control board is connected to the power unit through a connector or data bus
cable.

BRAKING RESISTOR
AC drives have terminals for the DC supply and an optional external
brake resistor. These terminals are identified with B, B+/R+ and R. The DC
bus connection
is made to terminals B and B+ and the brake resistor connection to R+ and
R.

3. Transformer

As it is known there are three types of transformer according to the jobs they
execute.

- Step up transformer
- Step down transformer
- Impendence matching transformer

In our controller we use step down transformer i.e. it accepts380 VAC three
phase input and it gives 110VAC single phase for safety chain, 60 VAC single
phase to rectifier i.e. For motor break and 19VAC single phase for BG 15 card
but first it has to pass through rectifier and converted to DC voltage, output.
 4. Controlling device
Most elevator controller uses different type of controlling devices like
contactor, relay, phase equence relay, and so on

Relay: - this device is used in some controller in order to interface the main
control board with the drive. And it controls the main contactor when to be
energized and de energized.

Contractor: - this device one of the controlling part and it is used in the
power input section of the drive and in between of the drive and motor
power section.

5. Electrical Safety and protection device

Phase sequence relay: - this relay is used to control phase sequence, phase
reverse, over voltage and under voltage. If one of the above listed problems
occur phase sequence relay will be deactivated and sends message to the
main control card through its either normally open contact or normally close
contact.

Circuit breaker: - this device an over current tripping device and it controls
the unnecessary over current flows in the safety circuit

6. Fuse Section

The fuse section is one of the part of the controller and its rating and usage
is depend on the electrical control circuit design.