Red mullet on a bed of asparagus with passionfruit chutney as a starter; a main course of Barbarie duck breast with orange and chicory garnish; and panna cotta coupled with marinated pepper strawberries for dessert.
This was the meal during which guests at the Günnewig Rheinturm Restaurant enjoyed views of Düsseldorf’s Media Harbor, the old town, the Hofgarten park, the Königsallee, and the Rhine’s many bridges while the bistro revolved smoothly on its axis.
Inspections once every two years
The Günnewig Rheinturm Restaurant takes cuisine to new heights – in the truest sense of the word, since it is located in the Düsseldorf TV Tower at a height of 172.5m. As Düsseldorf’s tallest building, the 240.5m Rhine Tower attracts around 270,000 visitors every year. And they all take the elevator, which shoots them to the top floor at a speed of 4 m/s.
Specialists from TÜV Rheinland ensure that the sightseers have a safe ride. At least once every two years, they perform a thorough inspection in accordance with the German industrial safety regulations.
No weight problems
Since these high-speed elevators cannot be monitored using electronic systems, they have to undergo a series of demanding endurance tests. The inspection engineers place weights in the lift cages to check whether the ropes slip over the traction sheaves when under heavy burden.
This test is important because elevators have to maintain their hold even when they are 25% overloaded. Using the wheel of the speed-limiting device, the TÜV Rheinland experts then simulate a fall to determine whether the lift’s safety catch is triggered reliably and evenly, as well as to measure how many metres the elevator plummets before coming to a standstill. To do this, they inspect the impressions left in the guiding rail by the safety catch’s bolts during the braking process.
The doors also require careful attention, because they are the cause of most elevator accidents. It is crucial that the doors cannot be pushed open by hand, so that unsuspecting users don’t risk plunging into an empty elevator shaft.
But visitors in Düsseldorf need not worry about such things: the Rhine Tower elevator has passed its latest inspection with flying colors, so they can simply sit back and enjoy their red mullet, Barbarie duck, and panna cotta while taking in the view at 172.5m.
Find out more about our Elevator Testing and Inspection services, or speak to one of our experts today: