Gulf Construction Online - Moving innovations from elevator ace

Airport Construction

New boarding bridges designed for the Airbus A380.

Moving innovations from elevator ace

01 July 2005

Having recently clinched a $150 million contract to supply a host of passenger moving equipment for the Dubai International Airport expansion, ThyssenKrupp Elevator is eyeing the upcoming mega projects to secure a market leadership position in the Middle East.

Currently ranked as the world’s third largest elevator company, ThyssenKrupp claims to be the only producer offering the complete range of passenger moving equipment for airports including elevators, escalators and moving walkways, passenger boarding bridges, stair lifts and platform lifts.
“With innovative technologies such as special airbridges for Airbus A380, mobile escalators and accelerating moving walkways, the company is sure to achieve the status of market leader within five years in the region. We are not only looking forward to expand in terms of sales, we are enhancing our service capabilities by inducting technical staff,” says Dr Rembert Horstmann, company’s senior vice president corporate communication and marketing.
“The Gulf is booming and offers many opportunities. Hence, we are targeting this region very aggressively and are looking forward to be a part of mega projects like Jebel Ali Airport City and other airport expansions projects in the region,” he adds.
Last year, ThyssenKrupp claims to have won the biggest ever order in the history of the sector with the contract for Dubai International airport involving the supply of 368 elevators, 162 escalators, 128 moving walks and 123 passenger boarding bridges.
To enhance its visibility in the market, the Germany-based giant also participated at the recent Airport Build & Supply Exhibition at Airport Expo Dubai, where it unveiled details of the projects it is currently executing in the Gulf countries while showcasing its most innovative technical achievements such as accelerating moving walkways, mobile escalators and specially-developed passenger boarding bridges for the largest passenger aircraft in the world.

Boarding bridges
Keeping in mind the requirements of future generations of aircraft like the Airbus A380, ThyssenKrupp has developed special passenger boarding bridges with a 8-m elevation difference between the doors of the upper and lower decks of this massive aircraft.
By connecting the bridge to the upper deck, the company has managed to reduce the passenger embarkation and disembarkation time from 45 minutes to 38 minutes.
The higher lift required for this purpose was achieved on the basis of the proven ‘Apron Drive’ with its hydraulic lift system, allowing the use of tested and low-cost technology, according to the company.
“Right now, Zurich, and London Heathrow airports each have a passenger boarding bridge of this design. Two are being installed in Guangzhou/China and in the new terminal of Madrid-Barjas Airport,” Dr Horstmann points.
A total of 25 of these special passenger boarding bridges will be supplied by ThyssenKrupp for Dubai International Airport, making it the first airport in the world with the capacity to effectively service the world’s biggest passenger aircraft on a large scale.
“Depending on the number and type of bridges, time can be reduced even to 25 minutes – almost half the normal embarkation/disembarkation time. Reduction in boarding and disembarkation time means more efficient use of aircraft and more comfort for the passengers. ThyssenKrupp Elevator is the first and so far only manufacturer to have installed passenger boarding bridges for the A380. It’s no wonder that we are also handling requests for upgrading existing boarding bridges to accommodate the operations of this huge aircraft,” he adds.
Coincidentally, the first boarding bridges for the Royal Wing at Dubai Airport have just been installed (June),” he mentions.
Other major airports within ThyssenKrupp Elevator’s customer portfolio include those at Dallas and San Francisco in the US, Toronto in Canada, Paris in France and Frankfurt am Main in Germany. In the Middle East/Africa region, besides Dubai, the company is handling customers including Cairo, Dammam and Nairobi airports to name just a few.

Accelerating walkways
ThyssenKrupp’s accelerating moving walk ways – its newest and probably most innovative product – may seem just like any of its ordinary counterparts from the outside, but inside they house ingenious systems that have been developed over years of research.
“The new system allows passengers to step on and off in the low-speed sections separated by folding pallets. The central section accelerates to 2 m per second (m/sec), allowing longer distances – such as at airports or trade shows – to be covered more quickly and in greater comfort,” says Pedro Castanheira, COO Field, Business Unit Southern Europe/Africa/Middle East.
“In an ordinary walkway, the passengers move at an average speed of 0.5 m/sec but in the new system they would move forward at an average speed of 0.65 m/sec at the embarkation and disembarkation points. However, after traversing a distance of 2 m, the speed shifts and passengers move at 7 km per hour (2 m/sec) – which is twice the speed of the average human walk pace. As soon as the passenger reaches the disembarkation zone, the speed is again reduced to 0.65 m/sec and passengers can get off the walkway and comfortably shift to their normal walking pace on the floor.
“The handrail also moves in perfect synchronisation with the pallets on which the passengers stand. The key is a clever chain drive system that produces different speeds to provide a smooth and secure feeling while traveling on the accelerating moving walkway,” he explains.
Airports, exhibition venues, large malls and supermarkets are perfect applications where large crowds can easily be transported with this amazing technology, Castanheira adds.
Elaborating on the system, he says: “The sophisticated and innovative system of pallets is the basis behind the whole operation. The individual pallets are placed directly atop the guide pulleys. In the starting phase, pallets slide under each other but as the walkway attains full speed the pallets extend to their full width. The same principal is used when the passengers reach the disembarkation zone.”
“Already, the new system is receiving a lot of attention and the Madrid Exhibition is ready to order the first accelerating walkway.”
“Plenty more orders are expected once we officially launch the product at a German exhibition shortly. We are looking forward to install many of these in the Middle East and especially in the UAE,” he adds.

Passenger conveyors
ThyssenKrupp – in its quest to provide the best to its customers – has gone a step beyond and has developed special moving escalators that are currently serving the royal family of Saudi Arabia.
Now, royalty in Saudi Arabia don’t have to climb up to their aircraft - instead, one of seven specially-manufactured passenger conveyors brings them on board their plane, according to the company.
“The contract was a special assignment for ThyssenKrupp Fahrtreppen – a specialist in escalators and passenger conveyors – a part of ThyssenKrupp Elevator. The design and engineering team had to overcome countless challenges as the specifications were exceedingly ambitious with regard to the technological requirements,” Dr Horstmann explains. “The conveyors, each of which weighs 16 tonnes, were not torsionproof, which means that they cannot compensate for movement while making their way across the manoeuvring area. If the manoeuvring area is bumpy, the mobility of the entire equipment could be hampered.
“The designers came up with a sophisticated system that joins the conveyor to the chassis. In addition, they developed a completely new frame. To dampen the vibrations during the drive, special hydraulic cylinders were used that were mounted onto a specially-produced Mercedes-Benz chassis.
“Similarly, the engineers had to come up with a solution for the particularly tricky part of disembarking from the passenger conveyor at the upper end. To ensure that the passengers make their way comfortably and safely from the conveyor to the inside of the aircraft, a seamless transition was created at a height of nearly 5 m. The height of this equipment can be adjusted depending on h§ow much weight or fuel the aircraft is carrying, and the boarding level.
It has numerous other features such as an independent electricity generation unit, it functions smoothly and can tolerate high temperatures and other climatic conditions such as sand storms.