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Here you can learn about why out technology will give you real profits and how it all works
IN THE LONG RUN
In the long run, the li-ion technology gives you clear cost advantages.
But not only it's cost effective, it has many more benefits, that you can learn by reading this article.
Save money
and save planet
Being "eco"
doesn't always come at a cost
Our batteries last over 7000 cycles. In 1 shift work days, that's well over 10 years of day to day usage, with less costs, more efficiency and zero emissions.
Currently, more and more customers, especially in logistic centers, are completely switching to fork-lift trucks using lithium-ion batteries due to a whole range of new possibilities. One of the most important is the fact of increasing the efficiency of warehouse operations by not having to travel to the hold to replace the battery. With this operation you usually lose a dozen or so minutes to reach the battery hold and add a few minutes to replace the battery.
Counting the replacement time for an acid battery, for example, about 15 minutes for a cart / change, it does not seem like much, but with a fleet of 120pcs forklift trucks, it makes 90rbh a day x 356 days of logistic center = 32.040rbh, which gives 4000 changes. Now you can see how much time is saved per year.
Another argument is the reduction of accidents during the operation of trucks, since there is no battery replacement operation, we avoid accidents such as cutting fingers, running over the foot, and acid burns.
In addition, lithium batteries consume up to 20% less electricity, which gives further measurable benefits. Again, counting on the scale of the entire lifetime of 5-7-year-old trucks and the scale of the logistics center, it gives very large savings again.
One of the most important aspects when using lithium-ion batteries is the lack of the need to build / extend the holds, bearing the costs of its operation. If the number of forklifts is increased, it is often necessary to expand the holders of lead-acid batteries. In this case, the most-cost-effective solution is the use of lithium-ion batteries. In addition, the trucks can be loaded directly in the workplace because they are completely emission-free. This is particularly important in the logistics of food products and pharmaceuticals.
Due to the very large fluctuation of operators, their knowledge or willingness to properly operate the batteries are marginal, therefore acid batteries are usually destroyed and not used in a natural way during normal operation. Lithium-ion batteries are resistant to operators' actions, because they are protected by an internal controller that protects the battery against a whole range of events in this too deep discharging by the operator.
The lithium battery has a very desirable feature, namely the more often the battery recharges, the longer the battery life is obtained, in addition, the charging cycles can be freely chosen, which does not adversely affect its life. In the case of lead-acid batteries, the interruption of the charging cycles causes the battery to sulphate causing the battery capacity to drop and damage it.
Another of the significant advantages when working in freezing stores is the resistance of the battery to low temperatures. In the case of lead-acid batteries, we lose 0.7% of the battery capacity for each degree of Celsius. So the capacity measurement is carried out at a temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius, work at the cold store -25C, it gives a total difference of 55Cx0.7% = 38.5C. A drop close to 40% gives a very short time of work under freezing conditions, operators must often temporarily recharge an acid battery to complete loading, which again refines the sulfur and damages the battery by reducing its capacity causing chain reaction. The lithium-ion battery has several times less capacity drop than the lead-acid battery, which is why it is also suitable for freezing conditions. It should be added here that not all manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries are able to produce a lithium-ion battery for freezing conditions. In addition, it is possible to build larger capacities of lithium batteries than acid batteries. It should be remembered that all producers of acid batteries give capacity as 100% of its capacity, however, only 80% of its capacity can be used, otherwise the guarantee is lost. So for a capacity of 460Ah, in practice, we have only 368Ah available. In the case of a lithium battery, the forklift operator has 100% capacity. As I mentioned earlier, there is no danger of a deep discharging of the lithium battery by the operator, as it is protected by an internal battery controller.
The most important feature of lithium batteries is a several times longer life compared to an acid battery. Currently, we are able to provide a battery with a lifetime of 7,000 charging cycles, where the acid battery (ideally operated) only reaches 1,500 cycles and the gel batteries only 1,200 cycles. In practice, the lithium-ion battery is able to work up to four times longer than an acid battery.
Considering the total cost of using a lithium-ion battery it is definitely lower than a lead-acid battery. This is due to the fact that 3 shift work requires only 1 pcs of lithium battery, when its charging time is only 2 hours and in the case of a lead battery it is 7-8 hours. In addition, the natural way of operating the lithium-ion battery is recharging during breakfast breaks and during the transition of changes.
The safety of lithium batteries is definitely better than an acid battery.
In the case of an acid battery, there are numerous accidents and injuries such as tacks of injuries, cuts of the hands, fracture of the fingers, running over the leg during the replacement of lead batteries. In the case of a lithium battery, the batteries are not pulled out of the trolley but only attach the rectifier plug during breakfast breaks or work breaks.
At an acid battery, a battery explosion occurs due to an explosion of hydrogen released from the electrolyte during the collection of the battery that will not be allowed to degas or when the operator stops the charging cycle. The operator may be burned with acid. In addition, another problem is not adding or pouring distilled water. Then the acid is poured into the battery box, after some time causing its corrosion and acid leakage.
However, the lithium-ion battery is completely maintenance-free. The lithium battery in LFP technology does not ignite or explode even if the battery breaks down. It is necessary to distinguish lithium-type LFP technology, which is ideal for logistics and is used in aviation as opposed to NMC technology, which is used in motorization, eg by Tesla and in extreme cases it may ignite, e.g. during a collision.
A very large cost usually overlooked in the cost analysis of a logistics center or a fleet of trucks is the investment cost / expansion or maintenance of the hold. Costs such as calibration of hydrogen detectors, replacement of ventilators in anti-explosive performance, replacement of filters, water treatment, costs of repairs of tables for battery replacement, costs of repairs of devices for battery replacement. The cost of handling the hold, the cost of repairs of acid batteries - torn out plugs, replacement of battery boxes, etc.
Counting the real cost of a lithium battery is absolutely cheaper if we count the total cost of battery use. The relatively higher purchase price is quickly compensated by a few times longer lithium battery life, resistance to destruction by operators, lower power consumption, which in the current year has increased by 70% and no need to incur expenditures for the expansion or maintenance of battery holds.
In cases where lead battery charging takes place in the warehouse, in the case of a lithium battery, it is possible to transfer charging points to the place of direct work and thus to obtain a larger storage area or to recover and assign the holds to other purposes.
Currently, lithium batteries are used in Poland by large logistics centers and factories.
The use of lithium batteries resembles the history from about 10 years ago with led lighting, which is already standard. Lithium technology in the course of the following years will successfully replace leaded technology.