Elevator power system

A power system for operating a plurality of hoist motors, each hoist motor for controlling movement of one of a plurality of elevators, the power system comprising:

• a direct current (DC) power bus;
• a power source connected to the DC power bus;
• a plurality of inverters, each inverter connected between the DC power bus and one of the plurality of hoist motors;
• and
• a controller for operating each inverter to deliver electrical energy from the DC power bus to a hoist motor when the hoist motor is operating as a motor and to deliver regenerated electrical energy from the hoist motor to the DC power bus when the hoist motor is operating as a generator, wherein the controller staggers dispatching of the plurality of elevators to prevent overlapping current transients in the hoist motors which occur upon starting and accelerating an elevator.

A method for operating a plurality of hoist motors connected to a common power bus, each hoist motor for controlling movement of one of a plurality of elevators, the method comprising:

• delivering electrical energy generated by a generating hoist motor to the common power bus;
• delivering electrical energy from the common power bus to a motoring hoist motor;
• and
• staggering dispatching of the elevators to prevent overlapping current transients in the hoist motors which occur upon starting and accelerating an elevator.