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In the field of industrial logistics, forklift is an important handling equipment, and the performance of its power source - lead-acid battery directly affects the work efficiency and operating costs of forklift. Forklift traction lead-acid batteries often face complex conditions, deep discharge often occurs, and whether the rapid recovery after deep discharge has become a key indicator to measure its performance, but also related to the normal production and operation of enterprises. It is of great practical significance to explore the mechanism and method of rapid recovery after deep discharge of lead-acid battery.

Analysis of deep discharge principle of lead-acid battery

The work of the lead-acid battery is based on the electrochemical principle, and the positive electrode is lead dioxide, the negative electrode is spongy lead, and the electrolyte is sulfuric acid solution. In the charging state, the positive lead dioxide reacts with sulfuric acid to form lead sulfate and water, and the negative lead reacts with sulfuric acid to form lead sulfate. When the operation of the forklift causes the battery to discharge, the chemical reaction is reversed, and the lead sulfate in the positive and negative poles is gradually converted back to their respective active substances, while the electric energy is released to drive the forklift.

Deep discharge means that the battery is discharging at or near its limit capacity. At this time, a large number of active substances on the electrode surface have been converted into lead sulfate, the concentration of sulfuric acid is significantly reduced, the internal resistance of the battery is increased, and the voltage is sharply decreased. If it continues to be in a deep discharge state, lead sulfate may crystallize and form irreversible sulfation, which not only seriously affects the subsequent charge acceptance capacity of the battery, but also greatly reduces the service life of the battery.

Multiple effects of deep discharge on batteries

Deep discharge damages lead-acid batteries in many ways. From the performance level, the capacity of the battery will decrease significantly after deep discharge. After multiple deep discharge cycles, the forklift can originally run for 8 hours on a single charge, which may be shortened to 4-5 hours, seriously affecting the working time. Moreover, the charging and discharging efficiency of the battery is also greatly reduced, the charging time is longer, and the output power is unstable when discharging, which leads to the strong and weak power of the forklift during operation, affecting the smoothness of cargo handling.

In terms of battery life, deep discharge is an important factor in accelerating battery aging. The irreversible sulfation reduces the active material of the electrode and destroys the internal structure of the battery. Originally designed to have a service life of 2-3 years, forklift traction lead-acid batteries, if frequent deep discharge, may have to be replaced in about 1 year, greatly increasing the cost of equipment maintenance.

Rapid recovery technical means of lead-acid battery

Pulse repair technology

Pulse repair technology is one of the effective methods used in the recovery of lead-acid battery after deep discharge in recent years. The principle is to apply a pulse current of a specific frequency and width to the battery, and use the instantaneous high voltage of the pulse to break the lead sulfate crystals on the surface of the electrode. When the pulse current acts, the crystal surface will produce an instantaneous high electric field intensity, so that the crystal structure of lead sulfate is destroyed and re-dissolved in the electrolyte, thus restoring the active substance of the electrode. The research shows that the capacity of the battery can be restored to 80%-90% of the initial capacity after deep discharge by setting pulse parameters properly and several pulse repair cycles.

Intelligent charging algorithm optimization

The traditional constant current and constant voltage charging method is not effective after deep discharge of the battery. The intelligent charging algorithm dynamically adjusts the charging current and voltage according to the real-time state of the battery. In the early stage of deep discharge, small current pre-activation charging is used to avoid further damage to the battery caused by large current, and gradually improve the activity of the battery. As the charging process progresses, the charging current is intelligently adjusted according to the battery voltage, temperature and other parameters to achieve fast and safe charging. For example, the smart charger using the fuzzy control algorithm can monitor the status of the battery in real time and adjust the charging strategy, which can shorten the full time of the battery after deep discharge by 20%-30% compared with the traditional charging method.

Electrolyte repair and supplement

In the process of deep discharge, the concentration of sulfuric acid in the electrolyte changes greatly, and there may be water evaporation. By detecting the density and level of the electrolyte, and timely adding an appropriate amount of distilled water or special electrolyte additives, the chemical composition of the electrolyte can be adjusted to restore its conductivity and ability to participate in electrochemical reactions. Some advanced electrolyte additives contain special chemical components that can inhibit the formation of lead sulfate crystals, while enhancing the chemical reaction activity between the electrode and the electrolyte, helping the battery to recover quickly after deep discharge. In practical applications, regular maintenance and repair of the electrolyte can keep the overall performance of the battery at a good level and extend the service life of the battery.

Maintenance and management strategies in forklift use scenarios

Reasonable planning of forklift operation process

The enterprise should properly plan the route and task amount of the forklift according to the cargo handling requirements to avoid excessive battery discharge caused by long-term continuous operation of the forklift. For example, the warehouse is divided into multiple areas in the zone operation mode. Each area is equipped with an appropriate amount of forklifts. After the forklifts finish the handling task in their respective areas, they return to the charging area in time to charge, preventing the occurrence of deep battery discharge. At the same time, the forklift operation schedule is developed, and the maximum continuous operation time of each forklift is specified to ensure that the battery is always in a reasonable discharge state.

Build battery monitoring system

A battery monitoring system can be installed to monitor the battery voltage, current, temperature, and remaining power in real time. Through the analysis of these parameters, the risk of deep discharge can be predicted in advance and measures can be taken in time. When the battery voltage is close to the deep discharge threshold, the system automatically alerts the forklift driver to stop the operation and charge. In addition, the monitoring system can also record the historical data of battery charge and discharge, which provides a basis for battery maintenance and replacement. For example, by analyzing the number of charge and discharge cycles and the number of deep discharge of the battery, the regular maintenance and advance replacement of the battery are reasonably arranged to avoid the normal use of the forklift due to the aging of the battery.

Regular maintenance

Regular comprehensive maintenance of lead-acid batteries for forklift trucks is very important. Maintenance includes cleaning the battery surface to prevent dust and electrolyte dirt buildup affecting heat dissipation and electrical performance; Check the connection line of the battery to ensure that the connection is firm, to avoid poor contact resulting in increased resistance, affecting the charge and discharge effect; Perform capacity tests on batteries to assess their health. It is generally recommended to carry out a comprehensive battery maintenance every quarter to discover and solve potential problems in time to ensure that the battery has good recovery ability after deep discharge.

After deep discharge, the lead-acid battery pulled by forklift can be recovered quickly and maintain good performance through advanced technical means and scientific maintenance management strategy. This not only helps to improve the work efficiency of forklifts, reduce the operating costs of enterprises, but also extends the service life of batteries, reduces the waste of resources, and provides strong support for the efficient and sustainable development of industrial logistics. With the continuous progress of technology, it is expected to make greater breakthroughs in the deep discharge recovery technology and application management of lead-acid batteries in the future, and further optimize the dynamic performance and operational reliability of forklifts.