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Introduction

In modern logistics and industrial production, forklifts, as key material handling equipment, the performance and reliability of their power sources play a crucial role in the entire operation process. Lead-acid batteries have long held an important position in the forklift power field due to their advantages such as safety and reliability, low cost, and high battery recycling value. However, with the development of the industry and the continuous improvement of equipment performance requirements, traditional lead-acid batteries have gradually exposed some limitations in forklift applications, such as short lifespan and long charging time. This has prompted continuous innovation in lead-acid battery technology to meet the growing demands in the forklift field.

The Current situation and challenges of lead-acid batteries in the forklift field

Widely applied and in an important position

Forklifts, as indispensable handling tools in ports, airports, logistics centers, industrial and mining enterprises and other places, have diverse power sources, and lead-acid batteries play a key role in them. In these application scenarios, forklifts need to frequently start, stop, accelerate and move heavy objects, which poses extremely high requirements for the stability and reliability of the power system. Lead-acid batteries have become the preferred power source for many forklift manufacturers and users due to their ability to provide a stable DC power supply and their obvious advantages in cost control.

The main challenges faced

The problem of life attenuation: The main life attenuation and failure modes of forklift batteries include deformation of the positive plate, lead paste mudding and shedding, and irreversible sulfation, etc. The essence is that the crystals of lead paste change during long-term use, resulting in a deterioration of the binding force between lead dioxide crystals, which in turn causes the lead paste to become extremely softened and ineffective. Take the forklift battery produced by the traditional low-temperature curing process of Shimadzu powder as an example. Its average lifespan is only 2 to 3 years. Compared with lithium batteries, it has a significant disadvantage in terms of service life, which undoubtedly increases the user's usage cost and equipment maintenance frequency.

Long charging time: The charging speed of traditional lead-acid batteries is relatively slow, usually ranging from 16% to 25%. Even in fast charging applications, the maximum rate can only reach 50%. This means that forklifts need a relatively long downtime when charging, especially in the case of multi-shift operations. The frequent charging process seriously affects the efficiency of forklifts and the continuity of operations.

High maintenance requirements: Some traditional lead-acid batteries need regular maintenance operations such as water addition, which not only increases the maintenance workload and cost but also places certain demands on the professional skills of maintenance personnel. At the same time, if the operation is improper during the maintenance process, it may also affect the performance and lifespan of the battery.

Material innovation

New plate materials: To address the issue that the positive plate α -PbO ₂ of lead-acid batteries gradually transforms into β -PbO ₂ with lower mechanical strength during charge and discharge cycles, leading to the failure, softening, and even shedding of the active material, researchers have begun to explore the use of new plate materials. For example, the application of Barton powder provides a new idea for solving this problem. Patton powder particles are spherical, with an average diameter of approximately 4μm. By using them in the production of positive plates and adopting a high-temperature curing process, the bonding force between lead paste and lead core can be significantly enhanced. Experimental data show that the positive plates produced using Barton powder are more likely to form α -PbO ₂ after formation, thereby constructing a relatively thick and strong framework and network structure, effectively prolongs the service life of the battery. In addition, some enterprises are also researching the addition of carbon-graphene materials to the plates. Carbon graphene materials possess excellent size effect, surface effect, and super-strong electrical conductivity and adsorption capacity. When carbon graphene materials are added to the positive lead paste, the initial capacity of the battery can be increased, the bonding strength between the positive plate grid and the active material can be enhanced, the powder collapse phenomenon can be reduced, and the service life of the battery can be prolonged. Adding carbon graphene materials to the negative lead paste can effectively inhibit the "sulfation" of the plates, improve the charging and discharging performance of the battery, and slow down the capacity attenuation rate of the battery.

Additive optimization: Introducing various additives into lead-acid batteries is also an important means to enhance their performance. In addition, the application of carbon additives has also become a trend. By adding carbon additives to lead-acid batteries, the formation of lead sulfate on the battery plates can be effectively alleviated, that is, the sulfation phenomenon can be inhibited. This not only shortens the charging time, but also increases the battery life, enhances the battery's charging acceptance capacity, and makes the lead-acid battery perform more stably during charging and discharging.

Improvement of manufacturing process

High-temperature curing process: The traditional low-temperature curing process has certain limitations in extending the lifespan of lead-acid batteries. The adoption of high-temperature curing process can form a better bond between lead paste and the grid, thereby enhancing the overall performance of the battery. Take the production of positive plates using Barton powder as an example. The specific parameters of the high-temperature curing process are as follows: the curing temperature is 65-75 ℃, the time is no less than 12 hours, and the curing process temperature is no less than 55℃. Under such conditions, Barton powder with spherical lead powder particle shape is more likely to form 4BS. After formation, it is transformed into α -PbO ₂, forming a solid framework structure, which greatly improves the service life of the battery. This high-temperature curing process has been widely applied in some advanced forklift battery manufacturing enterprises and has achieved remarkable results.

Sealing and maintenance-free design: To reduce the maintenance workload of lead-acid batteries and enhance their ease of use, sealing technology and maintenance-free design have become important directions for improvement. These designs, through special structures and materials, effectively prevent the leakage of the electrolyte, avoid the need for regular water addition, and simultaneously enhance the safety of the battery. Valve-regulated lead-acid batteries, including AGM and gel variants, are typical representatives of this type of technology. Their application in the forklift field is becoming increasingly widespread, especially suitable for places with high requirements for equipment maintenance and harsh maintenance conditions, such as some food processing plants and pharmaceutical warehouses, reducing the impact of improper maintenance on battery performance and lifespan.

Remote monitoring technology: The application of remote monitoring technology enables users to monitor and manage the status of lead-acid batteries anytime and anywhere. By integrating a remote communication module into the battery system, the operation data of the battery can be transmitted to the cloud server or the user's mobile device, allowing users to obtain real-time information such as the battery's power level, charging and discharging conditions, and health status. When the battery shows abnormal conditions, the system will automatically send notifications to relevant personnel, greatly improving the efficiency and timeliness of equipment management. This remote monitoring technology not only facilitates users' management of batteries but also provides a large amount of data support for data analysis and optimization, which is conducive to further enhancing the application performance of lead-acid batteries in the forklift field.

The impact of technological innovation on forklift manufacturing processes

Forklift design optimization

Structural adjustment: With the innovation of lead-acid battery technology, the structural design of forklifts also needs to be optimized accordingly. Some new types of lead-acid batteries with lightweight designs enable forklifts to appropriately reduce their own weight while maintaining their original load-carrying capacity, thereby lowering energy consumption and improving operational efficiency. Meanwhile, the optimization of the battery structure also offers more possibilities for the rational utilization of the internal space of forklifts, such as increasing storage space or optimizing the layout of the hydraulic system.

Electrical system compatibility: After the intelligent management system is integrated into the lead-acid battery, the electrical system of the forklift needs to be deeply compatible with it. The control system of a forklift needs to be capable of real-time communication with the battery's BMS, receiving the battery's status information, and precisely controlling the forklift's motor, controller and other electrical equipment based on this information. This not only requires redesigning and rewiring the electrical circuits of the forklift, but also upgrading and optimizing the control software of the forklift to achieve integrated management of the battery and the entire vehicle's electrical system.

Forklift performance improvement

Power output stability: After technological innovation, lead-acid batteries have significantly improved in terms of charging and discharging performance, which directly enhances the power output stability of forklifts. The new type of plate material and manufacturing process enable the battery to provide electrical energy more stably, reducing the unstable power output of forklifts caused by battery voltage fluctuations. When forklifts are handling heavy objects or performing frequent start-stop operations, they can maintain a relatively constant power output, avoiding power interruption or sudden drop, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency and comfort of forklifts.

Enhanced endurance: Through material innovation and manufacturing process improvement, the energy density of lead-acid batteries has been increased, effectively extending the endurance of forklifts. For instance, adding new additives such as carbon graphene materials to the positive plate can enhance the charging and discharging efficiency of the battery, increase its capacity, and enable the forklift to run for a longer time and over a greater distance after a single charge. This is particularly important for some forklifts that need to operate continuously in a large working area, reducing the charging frequency of the forklifts and improving the utilization rate of the equipment. In some large logistics warehouses, forklifts with enhanced endurance can complete a wider range of goods handling tasks at one time without the need to frequently return to the charging area for charging, significantly improving the efficiency of logistics operations.

Maintain and manage changes

The transformation of maintenance methods: The application of maintenance-free lead-acid batteries and intelligent management systems has fundamentally changed the maintenance methods of forklifts. The traditional maintenance tasks such as regular water addition and checking the density of the electrolyte have been significantly reduced, and the focus of maintenance personnel has gradually shifted to the monitoring and fault diagnosis of the battery management system. Through BMS and remote monitoring technology, maintenance personnel can understand the operating status of the battery in real time, detect potential problems in advance, and carry out targeted maintenance.

Improved management efficiency: Remote monitoring technology and intelligent management systems provide more efficient means for the management of forklifts. Managers can grasp the battery status, operation conditions and location information of multiple forklifts in real time through the centralized management platform, and achieve unified dispatching and management of the forklift fleet. For instance, based on the remaining power of the battery and the operation tasks of the forklift, the charging plan and operation route of the forklift should be reasonably arranged to avoid operation interruption caused by insufficient battery power and improve the overall utilization efficiency of the forklift. At the same time, through the analysis of a large amount of operation data, managers can also understand the usage habits of forklifts and the performance change trends of batteries, providing a scientific basis for the procurement, maintenance and upgrade of equipment, and further optimizing the equipment management strategies of enterprises.