As skyscrapers continue to grow ever taller, fast moving elevators are increasingly important. In response to these demands Japanese conglomerate Hitachi has developed a new elevator system that can climb an astounding 1,200m per minute.
Prepped for installation in the 111-story tall CTF Financial Center in Guangzhou, Hitachi’s speedy lift is built around a thin and lightweight magnet-synchronous motor and a separate miniaturized tractions machine. Using both systems the new elevator will be able to spirit passengers from the ground level to the 95 th floor in a knee-buckling 43 seconds.
In an effort to control the speed of its ultra-fast lift, the machine will also come with a governor and braking system constructed from temperature resistant materials. Add to those systems a pressure control mechanism (to prevent ear blockage) and guide rails (to reduce terrifying vibrations) and Hitachi’s elevator seems more like a human-sized pneumatic tube than a conventional elevator.
While the CTF Financial Center will certainly be well served by it’s amazingly fast twin lifts, the building will also be home to 28 double decker elevators, 13 high-speed elevators and a mix of 52 low- and medium-speed models.
Given the number of elevators that will man the 530-meter (1739ft) tall CTF Center one can imagine that every floor will be well serviced. I just hope the architects planned enough floor space to accommodate tenants alongside the structure’s profusion of lifts.
Image Courtesy of Hitachi