Modelling the daily energy consumption of escalators with various passenger volumes

Abstract

This paper examines dynamics of escalator energy consumption in different passenger volumes with a simulation model of an existing escalator pair installation. The model segregates the energy consumption into components by operation mode and carried passenger mass. The simulation results emphasize the energy consumption of an intermittent escalator to depend highly on the passenger traffic volume. Changes in volume affect the share of energy consumption components and achievable savings by energy efficient features. In low traffic, equipped energy saving features drastically reduce energy consumption. Findings of this paper are applicable as supportive material in the selection process of escalators to assure cost-efficient and high-energy performance escalator systems.