The LEITNER
TECHINFO Drive System
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The LEITNER
Drive System
Behind every safe journey on a ropeway lies a reliable and powerful
THE LEITNER DRIVE SYSTEM
drive concept. That is why every LEITNER drive is CE-certified and
features a simple and clear design, a compact build, and a wide range
of configurations. The LEITNER drive can be positioned at the bottom
or top station, designed as an overhead or underfloor system, and
used as a drive system only or as a drive/tensioning station, depending
on the requirements of the project. LEITNER DirectDrive is unrivalled
anywhere in the world. It is designed without any gears at all, operates
virtually silently, and requires less maintenance than any other system.
The braking system in a LEITNER drive is designed for the greatest
possible safety.
For safety reasons, all LEITNER drives come fitted with a diesel-hydraulic
emergency drive system to ensure the availability of the ropeway and
the safety of passengers at all times, even in the event of a power failure.
Electro-hydraulic emergency drives and emergency drives with auxiliary
motors and separate gear inputs can also be included, depending on
the project.
LEITNER DirectDrive 04
The LEITNER Overhead Drive 06
TECHINFO
LeitDrive 08
LEITNER Drive Electronics 10
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THE LEITNER DRIVE SYSTEM
LEITNER DirectDrive combined with the redundant design of its control system and power electronics, guarantees
ultimate system availability. DirectDrive’s drive frame is movable and can quickly and easily
Unrivaled in the ropeway market compensate for stretching of the hauling rope.
LEITNER DirectDrive was developed in-house at LEITNER and is the only ropeway drive
system that does not need a gearbox. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Drive motor Low-rpm AC motor (externally cooled)
DirectDrive consists of a low-speed synchronous motor whose output shaft is connected 24 stator segments with a total of 48 windings (each segment consists
directly to the sheave. It has just three moving parts (a rotor and two bearings) which rotate of 2 windings)
at the same slow speed as the sheave.
Controller Up to 2, 4 or 8 frequency inverters running in parallel,
The electric motor offers full redundancy and availability. The rotor is fitted with permanent or more if more power is required
magnets. The stator is segmental and consists of a total of eight independent segments,
each with three winding units, and each of those can be replaced separately and very Service/safety brake Hydraulic, acting on drive sheave, maximum four brake calipers
quickly (two hours). The dimensions of the components are such that they can be trans-
ported to the ropeway without too much trouble and assembled without an external Gearing Not applicable
crane. The braking system comprises a service and a safety brake, each of which acts
directly on the drive sheave and is equipped with its own independent hydraulic system. Ø drive sheave 4.20 m to 5.30 m (five-part)
The drive sheave is connected to the output shaft by means of a quick-release radial tooth
coupling and can be disconnected from the drive chain in a few easy steps. A station Maximum rope tension at top station Up to 1,600 kN (sum of all ropes)
fitted with DirectDrive offers the quietest possible operation, minimal maintenance, and
TECHINFO
unbeatably low operating costs (no gearbox overhauls or oil changes), and it also takes up Emergency drive (standard) Diesel-hydraulic, driven via pinion and sprocket
to 5% less energy to run than a conventional drive system. The motor’s segmental build, on the drive sheave
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THE LEITNER DRIVE SYSTEM
The LEITNER Overhead Drive
Compact design, clearly placed
All of the LEITNER overhead drive’s braking and drive system components are clearly
arranged on a sliding drive frame, where they are easy to service.
The drive system consists of an electric motor, four-stage planetary gearing, two braking TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
systems and a diesel-hydraulic emergency drive. The electric motor can be either AC or Drive motor AC and DC options, up to two motors in series
DC. Two motors can also be arranged in series to achieve greater power; in an enhanced
version, these can be operated separately to increase system availability (single-motor Service brake Electromagnetic, acting on flywheel
operation). The braking system consists of a service and a safety brake. The electromag- Max. two brake calipers per flywheel
netic service brake acts on a flywheel on the transmission input side, whereas the hydraulic
safety brake acts directly on the drive sheave for optimum safety. The drive sheave is Safety brake Hydraulic, acting on drive sheave, max. three brake calipers
connected to the output shaft by means of a quick-release radial tooth coupling and can
be disconnected from the drive chain in a few easy steps. Gearing Four-stage planetary gearing, max. torque 440 kNm
Two independently acting braking systems working on different operating principles Ø drive sheave 4.20 m to 5.30 m (five-part)
guarantee maximum safety and system availability.
Maximum rope tension at top station Up to 1,600 kN (sum of all ropes)
The four-stage planetary gearing requires little maintenance and, with an efficiency of
TECHINFO
95%, causes very little power loss. The overhead drive’s frame is movable and can quickly Emergency drive Diesel-hydraulic, driven via pinion and sprocket
and easily compensate for compensate for stretching of the hauling rope. on the drive sheave
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THE LEITNER DRIVE SYSTEM
LeitDrive
The innovative frequency inverter from LEITNER
Perfect coordination between motor and frequency inverter guarantees high overall efficien-
cy and a drive motor that runs smoothly and efficiently in any load range. LeitDrive is ex-
LeitDrive is a 4Q frequency inverter designed and developed in-house by LEITNER. tremely quiet and eco-friendly, and offers ropeway operators a cost-effective and redundant
drive solution. Rated outputs ranging from 250 kW up to several MW can be configured on
Because details specific to LEITNER’s applications were incorporated into the product’s account of the modular design. Practical energy-saving synergies can be achieved using
development, interaction between the drive motor and inverter is perfectly balanced. The waste heat from the system’s liquid cooling for heating and hot water.
inverter is also extremely reliable and economical in daily operation. LeitDrive is modular
by design; its 250 kW basic units can be connected together to produce whatever power Easily accessible components simplify maintenance and servicing. The expert knowledge
level is required. acquired as a result of the company’s development work improves service quality, the
purchasing process, and overall customer care.
The power section is water-cooled, which enables an extremely compact design. Only
the latest generation of highly efficient IGBT modules, uncompromisingly matched to the
application, are used for the power section.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (each module)
The operator interacts with the inverter on a user-friendly integrated web server, which Rated power 250 kW (with 150% overload for 90 sec)
eliminates the need for additional, unwieldy software tools. The most common field buses
are supported via expansion cards. The control algorithms are specially optimized for Rated voltage Three-phase 400 V
ropeway systems and LEITNER’s own direct drives. This unprecedented degree of adap-
tation to the application ensures that the system is as efficient as it possibly can be. Rated current 370 A RMS (grid side) – 470 A RMS (generator side)
LeitDrive was developed specifically for ropeway systems and their requirements. It Dimensions (W x D x H) 400 x 800 x 2200 mm
TECHINFO
features a special filter design, reactive power control, and sensorless operation, and
therefore easily meets all the requirements of grid and system operators. Weight 260 kg
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LEITNER Drive Electronics
Intelligent solutions for ultimate comfort
Perfect interplay between motor, inverter, and mechanics is an essential element in
passenger comfort. Intelligent drive solutions are needed to ensure that the rope moves
smoothly and reliably in every operating and load scenario.
THE LEITNER DRIVE SYSTEM
LEITNER’s variable speed drives are based mainly on three-phase AC technology with
modern IGBT frequency inverters. Our classic DC drive is also used for certain projects.
Outputs ranging from a few kW to large drives in the 2-4 MW range are precisely and
powerfully harnessed by our control algorithms to meet the requirements of the mechani-
cal system. LEITNER’s exclusive DirectDrive is also powered using this frequency inverter
technology. This innovative concept, based on a permanently excited synchronous motor,
requires no gearing and is a ground-breaking approach to energy-efficient, low-mainte-
nance drives. The slow-running direct drive principle is used successfully in wind turbines
(LEITWIND) for generating alternative energy on the world market at outputs of up to 3 MW.
The precise control dynamics of the latest generation of inverters optimize the kinematics
of haul rope drives and station conveyors. Intelligent LEITNER software modules make
the ride more comfortable by starting and stopping the system gently and without jerking.
Frequency inverters featuring active infeed technology increase system availability. The
motor is decoupled from the supply grid, making the entire drive system less vulnerable
to voltage fluctuations and grid outages. When systems with active infeed are in braking
mode, there is no conducting-through at the inverter, even if the grid supply is interrupted
briefly, so there are none of the associated interruptions in operation. LEITNER drive elec-
tronics with AC technology are particularly energy-efficient and power-grid-compatible.
The harmonic load on transformers and cables is very low. The grid power factor is 1.0,
so only active power is taken from the grid and existing medium-voltage systems can be
better utilized.
AC motors are ideally suited to the changing load conditions and climatic constraints of
ropeways. An AC drive requires very little maintenance, and in this respect it is also eco-
nomically superior to a DC drive solution, considering costs over the entire life cycle.
TECHINFO
LEITNER AG
I-39049 Sterzing
Tel. +39 0472 722 111
info@[Link]
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