{"id":7898,"date":"2026-06-01T08:25:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T06:25:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demke-electronic.com\/applications\/gondolas-and-aerial-cableways\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T14:01:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:01:41","slug":"gondolas-and-aerial-cableways","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/demke-electronic.com\/en\/applications\/gondolas-and-aerial-cableways\/","title":{"rendered":"Gondolas and aerial cableways"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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We convert power for aerial cableways<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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DC\/DC converters for aerial cableways: combined with autonomous transport<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Cable cars operate independently from the power grid: their electrical systems are powered by batteries or supercapacitors, with no continuous connection to the grid. The DC\/DC converter therefore has to perform two tasks at the same time \u2013 supply the onboard loads with a stable voltage and charge the backup battery in a controlled way \u2013 across an input voltage range that changes by a factor of five during operation. A supercapacitor can provide less than 16 VDC when discharged and up to 100 VDC when fully charged. Our converters with ultra-wide input ranges are designed for exactly this: they keep the onboard voltage stable across the full range, from \u221240 \u00b0C to +85 \u00b0C without power derating and without moving parts. They are used at glacier installations above 3000 metres as well as in urban systems with connected autonomous passenger transport. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Challenge<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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More loads, fluctuating storage voltage, extreme climate<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With the electrification of cableway technology, the onboard power supply has evolved from a secondary consideration into safety-relevant infrastructure. Communication, emergency lighting, door controls and passenger information systems all depend on it \u2013 and so does operation in the event of a fault. If a cabin stops, the state of charge of the backup battery determines how long communication and lighting remain available. <\/p>

The technical challenge lies in the energy source. Batteries and supercapacitors do not provide a constant voltage: it decreases during discharge and rises again during charging. With supercapacitors, this range is extreme \u2013 from 20 VDC to 100 VDC, a ratio of 1:5. This requires a wide input range<\/strong>: the ability of a converter to provide the same stable output voltage across a wide input voltage range, without switching between ranges and without a drop in power at the limits. Many standard converters on the market cover input voltage ranges from 1:2 to 1:4. If the full range cannot be used, the energy storage system has to be treated as \u201cempty\u201d too early, leaving usable capacity \u2013 and therefore operating time \u2013 unused. <\/p>

In addition, there are the environmental conditions: Alpine systems operate in freezing temperatures and at high altitudes, while urban cableways operate continuously in warm and humid conditions. Vibration, condensation and temperature changes are common, while maintenance access and installation space are limited. This requires a converter that operates maintenance-free for years \u2013 without fans or moving parts. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Use case 1<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ultra-Wide Input Range from 16 to 100 VDC \u2013 3S Cable Car at the Glacier<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In a 3S cableway on a glacier in the Austrian Alps, our 145E-13.8-SD<\/strong> DC\/DC converter provides the complete onboard power supply: it supplies the secondary loads with a stable 13.8 VDC and simultaneously charges the backup battery safely.<\/p>

It is powered by supercapacitors whose voltage varies from below 20 VDC when discharged to 100 VDC when fully charged. This is where the ultra-wide input range provides a clear advantage: the converter operates across the entire 1:5 range \u2013 at 100 VDC as well as at 20 VDC, without switching between ranges, without interruptions and without a drop in power at the lower end. This allows the stored energy to be fully utilised. The output voltage remains constant at 13.8 VDC, regardless of the state of charge of the energy storage system. <\/p>

The second requirement is simultaneous battery charging. A converter without a defined charging profile either does not charge the battery properly or becomes overloaded when charging starts. The 145E-13.8-SD supplies the loads and provides controlled charging \u2013 all from a single device, without an additional charger in the already limited installation space of the cabin. And it does so at altitudes of over 3,000 metres and at temperatures where standard power supplies shut down. <\/p>

In another project, on the cableway at Switzerland\u2019s highest Alpine border crossing, our 154DH-27-ON <\/strong>regulates the onboard voltage from 48 VDC down to a stable 27 VDC.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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