Anatomy of a hydraulic elevator – Borehole elevator cylinder

We will have a series of posts for a few different elevator anatomies; first will be a borehole hydraulic elevator.  Hydraulic elevators thrive on installations that are 5 stories[40’] or less.  Anything above 40’ you run into a the graph of costs for installation exceeding a traction elevator.  The picture below shows a hydraulic elevator with a bore hole application.

Elevator controller – Most hydraulic elevator controllers will have the same functionality with slight differences based on if it is a borehole, single stage holeless, multi stage holeless or MRL.  See a picture of a basic hydraulic elevator controller.

[Brand new MCE 2000 hydraulic controller]

Motor starter – The motor starter is allows the elevator’s pump motor to run in the up direction.  There are a few different options.  In new installations you should have a solid state starter installed.  The motor starter is in the bottom right hand corner of the picture above. 

Elevator door operator – The door operator is what opens and closes the elevator car doors.  When the car door opens and closes it has a clutch that will pick up hatch door equipment and allow it the open and close.  If an automatic passenger elevator is not at the floor it is nearly impossible for the hatch doors to open by themselves.

[New GAL MOVFR II door operator]

Elevator power unit – The elevator power unit has a pump, motor, valve, muffler and hydraulic fluid.  There are two main types of power units;

Dry hydraulic power unit – Typically the pump motor and valve are under the tank.  Appropriate application is for higher capacity elevators, higher travel and anything above 40HP or where you have hydraulic noise concerns.

Submersible power unit – The pump and motor are submerged in oil and the valve is on top of the tank or in the tank above the oil. Appropriate application is for lower capacity elevators, lower travel and anything 40HP and below where you do not have hydraulic noise concerns.

Bore hole cylinder – A bore hole cylinder is the most basic hydraulic elevator on the market, and most popular.  The simplicity of the design is functional, reliable and easy for minor repair.  The cylinder goes in the ground as far as it goes up.

[Typical bore hole cylinder application]

            Positives

One hydraulic seal to maintain

Ease of installation and maintenance

Reliability

            Negatives

                        Potential for environmental issues to call cylinder to fail on older systems

                                    Newer cylinders should have PVC protection

Well drillers could run into issues with challenging drilling conditions during installation

                                    Water

                                    Rock

                                    Sand

                        Cylinder replacement can be expensive and full of unknowns

Take away - This is some information on a borehole hydraulic elevator with typical parts and components.  When choosing an elevator application it is best to consider how it is being used, environment, expectations, frequency of use, travel, what is being moved, etc.  At times we only consider design and price which can create an issue of how well the elevator services the building in the long run.

Credit - https://www.meiusa.com/ - we buy power units and elevator packages from MEI

As always feel free to contact us at www.colleyelevator.com, email Craigz@colleyelevator.com or call 630-766-7230.