Energy per Elevator Trip
Calculate the potential energy spent to raise a load, E = m·g·h, from the unbalanced mass m (net load after the counterweight, kg), gravity g and the lift height h (m). The result, in joules, is the minimum theoretical energy to hoist the load — a basis for estimating the elevator's electrical consumption and the energy-regeneration potential. Modern elevators with regenerative drives recover part of this energy on descent (when the counterweight descends with a light car), feeding it back to the grid. Actual consumption is higher, divided by the efficiency. Enter the unbalanced mass and the lift height.
Result
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Energy per elevator trip
How much energy does an elevator spend to lift a load? The theoretical minimum is the potential energy gained: E = m·g·h, where m is the unbalanced mass (the net load the motor actually raises, once the effect of the counterweight has been discounted), g the acceleration of gravity and h the travel height. The result, in joules, is the theoretical floor of consumption. The fascinating part of modern elevators is energy regeneration. By conservation of energy, the potential energy spent going up can be recovered on the way down — and elevators with a regenerative drive (VVVF drives that act as generators while braking) do exactly that: when the car descends loaded (or rises empty, with the heavier counterweight coming down), the motor works as a generator, turning potential energy back into electricity that is returned to the building supply (feeding the lighting, the air conditioning and so on) instead of being burned off as heat in braking resistors. In tall buildings with heavy traffic, regeneration can recover 20-40% of the energy consumed, a saving large enough to have made elevators far more efficient (energy rating schemes such as VDI 4707 and ISO 25745 grade elevators on exactly this). The counterweight is already an energy-saving mechanism in itself (it stores potential energy), and regeneration completes the picture by recovering the unbalanced share. The real consumption of a trip is higher than E (divide by the drive efficiency, add the losses, the standby draw, the car lighting), but the potential-energy calculation is the basis for estimating both consumption and regenerative potential. Enter the unbalanced mass and the travel height.
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The results provided by this tool are for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute professional, financial, medical, legal, tax or accounting advice. Always confirm important decisions with a qualified professional and official sources.