Design of Escalator:
Many factors influence escalator design, including physical requirements, location, traffic patterns, safety considerations, and aesthetic preferences. Most important, physical factors such as vertical and horizontal distances must be spanned.
This factor will determine the pitch of the Escalator & its actual length. The ability of a building’s infrastructure to support heavy components is also an important material concern. Location is important as escalators should be such that they can be easily seen by the general public. In a department store, the customer should be able to easily view the merchandise.
In addition, up and down escalator traffic should be physically separated and should not move in confined spaces. The traffic pattern should also be estimated in the escalator design. In some buildings, the purpose is simply to move people from one floor to another’s, but in others, there may be a more specific need, such as transporting visitors to the main exit or exhibition.
The number of passengers is important because the Escalator is designed to carry a certain maximums number of people. For example, single-width escalators traveling at about 1.5 feet (0.45 m) per second can move an estimated 170 persons per five-minutes period.
Wider models traveling up to 2 feet (0.6 m) per second can handle more than 450 people in the same time period. The carrying capacity of the Escalator should match the expected peak traffic demand. This is important for applications in which there is a sudden increase in the number of passengers. For example, escalators use in train stations must be designed to meet the peak traffic flow emanating from the train without excessive clumps at the entrance of the Escalator.
Of course, safety is also a majors concern in escalator design. Fire protection of an escalator floor opening can be provided by adding automatic sprinklers or fireproof shutters to the opening or by installing escalators in an enclosed fire-protected hall.
To limit the risk of overheating, adequate ventilation should be provided for motor and geared locations. It is preferred that a conventional stairway be located adjacent to the Escalator if the escalators are the primary mean of transport between floors.
It may also be necessary to provide lifts for wheelchairs and disabled persons adjacent to the escalators. Finally, the aesthetics of the Escalator must be considered. Architects & designers can choose from a wide range of styles and colors for handrails and tinted side panels.