Elevator technology has limited the architecture and shape of our buildings in 150 years of its existence. Although the design has seen remarkable changes over the years, the basic mechanism of its working remains the same. The cable, capsule, all are the same. The only significant change added was the addition of an another capsule. Now, there can be two in a single lift pathway. Apart from that, no major change has been observed. This new technology using magnets to drive the lifts aims to bring about a revolution in this field and building limitations on shapes and sizes will end.
The 762 feet tall building has been erected in Rottweil, Germany by ThyssenKrupp, and it will be the ground zero of the new elevator technology. The lifting force being used here is named Maglev or Magnetic Levitation. Just like Johnny Depp’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the elevators will move horizontally and vertically in the new building.
The tall tower was just finished within 245 days averaging 4 meters a day using Slip-foam technology for good effect. The building method involves extruding concrete instead of gluing piece after piece. The final height is expected to be around 807 feet if the glass-fenced viewing platform is to be installed at the top of the tower. The installation of the elevator system will be completed by March 2016 and tests will be carried out immediately. That will be interesting don’t you think?
Testing of prototypes has already started in Essen, and the Maglev phenomenon will be used in these lifts. The concept has amazing applications possible. It can speed up how people move inside buildings and waste much less space. The magnetize coils running across the whole elevator shaft will make the elevator levitate on top of it and create a guideway. Power can then be moved along the coils to make the cabin go up or down. Pretty slick, huh?
What might be frightening for the people at the start will be the floatation effect. The zero sliding friction will make this system much more energy efficient than its cable counterpart. According to the company, the ideal height for this system will be 985 feet but it can be redesigned for shorter buildings. The speed of these elevators is much faster than normal ones as it is going to be five meters per second so you will have to wait for these special elevators for a matter of seconds!