Development of BLDC Motor-Based Elevator System Suitable for DC Microgrid

In recent days, utilization of the renewable energy sources has been emphasized in high-rise buildings, where dc microgrid is established. It is known that the brushless direct current (BLDC) motors have smooth speed control, high-power density, and less complexities in power converter and controller when operated with dc supply as compared to other electrical motors. Hence, this paper enunciates the scope of using BLDC motors for elevator systems suitable for operating with a dc microgrid. For analyzing the proposed BLDC motor-based elevator system, a MATLAB mechatronic simulation model has been developed by inserting various electrical and mechanical components. Four quadrant operation of the proposed elevator system has also been indicated with the simulation results. To demonstrate the successful working of the proposal, a prototype elevator system has been designed and developed in the laboratory. The overall closed-loop controller has been implemented using a Xilinx Spartan-3E field programmable gate array (FPGA). Experiments have been conducted for the upward and downward movement of the elevator cabin with and without load and the findings are given in this paper. Regenerative braking is also possible for the proposed system by employing a suitable gear mechanism in place of worm gear.