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There is no emission of harmful gases

Compared with traditional fuel-powered forklifts, electric forklifts using lead-acid batteries have significant environmental advantages during operation, the most prominent of which is the absence of harmful gas emissions. When fuel-powered forklifts burn diesel or gasoline, they produce a series of gases that are harmful to the environment and human health, such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, etc. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless toxic gas. It combines with hemoglobin in human blood, hindering the transportation of oxygen and causing hypoxia in the human body. In severe cases, it can even endanger life. Hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides undergo photochemical reactions under sunlight, forming harmful secondary pollutants such as ozone, which is one of the main causes of urban photochemical smog. Particulate matter can have a significant impact on air quality. Fine particles can penetrate deep into the human respiratory system, causing respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and other health problems. Electric forklifts use lead-acid batteries as their power source. During operation, the chemical reactions inside the batteries only involve the transformation between substances such as lead and sulfuric acid, and do not emit the above-mentioned harmful gases into the atmosphere, making positive contributions to the improvement of the indoor working environment and the surrounding atmospheric environment. Especially in places with high requirements for air quality such as warehouses, logistics centers, and food processing workshops, the environmental protection feature of electric forklifts is particularly important. It can effectively ensure the physical health of the staff and also comply with the strict requirements of relevant environmental protection regulations for indoor air quality.

Lower noise pollution

In addition to having no harmful gas emissions, forklift lead-acid batteries can also cause relatively low noise pollution during use, which is also an important manifestation of their environmental protection features. When the engine of a fuel-powered forklift is in operation, it generates considerable noise, mainly from the combustion process of the engine, the friction of mechanical components, and the exhaust system, etc. These noises not only interfere with the working environment, affecting the hearing health and work efficiency of the staff, but also may lead to hearing damage, tinnitus, insomnia and other health problems when exposed to a high-decibel noise environment for a long time. In addition, in some areas with strict noise restrictions, such as logistics distribution points in the city center and warehouses near residential areas, the use of fuel-powered forklifts may be restricted by time and location. Electric forklifts rely on lead-acid batteries for power, and their power systems mainly consist of electric motors and controllers. During the operation of an electric motor, due to the absence of the complex mechanical structure and intense combustion process of an internal combustion engine, the noise it generates is relatively small. Under normal circumstances, the noise generated by electric forklifts during operation is about 10 to 20 decibels lower than that of fuel-powered forklifts, which can create a relatively quiet working environment. This is of positive significance for improving the working comfort of staff and reducing the impact on the lives of surrounding residents. It is especially suitable for logistics handling operations near noise-sensitive places such as hospitals, schools and libraries.

The recycling system of lead-acid batteries for forklifts

The recycling value and technology of lead

Lead, as an important non-ferrous metal, has a relatively high recycling value. In lead-acid batteries, the content of lead is relatively large, accounting for approximately 60% to 70% of the total weight of the battery. Recovering lead from used lead-acid batteries can not only effectively reduce the mining of primary lead ores and lower the reliance on natural resources, but also significantly reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution during the production process of lead-acid batteries. At present, the recycling technology of lead has become relatively mature, mainly adopting two processes: pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Pyrometallurgy is a traditional method for lead recovery, which reduces lead and its compounds in used lead-acid batteries to crude lead through high-temperature smelting. During this process, the used batteries are first pre-treated to remove impurities such as plastic casings and separators. Then, the lead-containing parts are sent into the furnace, where lead is melted and separated from other impurities at high temperatures. Pyrometallurgical processes have the advantages of large processing capacity and high production efficiency. However, during the smelting process, a large amount of energy is consumed and a certain amount of waste gas and waste residue is produced. Corresponding environmental protection treatment facilities need to be equipped to ensure that pollutants are discharged up to standard. Hydrometallurgy utilizes chemical reactions to dissolve lead from used lead-acid batteries through leaching agents, and then proceeds through a series of separation and purification steps to obtain high-purity lead products. Compared with pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy has the advantages of low energy consumption and less environmental pollution, and can recover other valuable metals in batteries. However, this process has problems such as complex flow and relatively high production costs. With the continuous advancement of technology, some new lead recovery technologies are constantly emerging, such as solid-phase electrolytic reduction and vacuum metallurgy. These new technologies aim to further enhance the recovery efficiency of lead, reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental pollution, providing strong technical support for the sustainable development of lead-acid batteries.

Recovery and treatment of sulfuric acid and other materials

In addition to lead, sulfuric acid is also an important component of lead-acid batteries, accounting for approximately 15% to 20% of the total battery weight. If the sulfuric acid in used lead-acid batteries is discharged directly without proper treatment, it will cause serious pollution to the environment such as soil and water bodies. Therefore, the recovery and treatment of sulfuric acid is equally crucial. At present, the commonly used methods for sulfuric acid recovery mainly include neutralization, concentration and ion exchange, etc. The neutralization method involves neutralizing the sulfuric acid in used batteries with alkaline substances (such as lime, sodium hydroxide, etc.) to generate corresponding sulfates and water, thereby achieving the purpose of removing the acidity of sulfuric acid. The processed products can be further utilized for resource utilization. For instance, the generated calcium sulfate can be used in the production of building materials, etc. The concentration method involves using evaporation, distillation and other means to concentrate the dilute sulfuric acid in used batteries until it reaches a certain concentration, which can then be reused in the production of lead-acid batteries or other industrial fields. The ion exchange rule utilizes ion exchange resins to exchange hydrogen ions in sulfuric acid, thereby achieving the purification and recovery of sulfuric acid. In addition, other materials such as separators and battery casings in lead-acid batteries can also be recycled and reused. Partitions are usually made of materials such as plastic or rubber. After cleaning, crushing and other treatments, they can be used as raw materials for recycled plastic or rubber to produce other plastic or rubber products. Battery casings are generally made of high-strength engineering plastics. After recycling, they can be processed through re-granulation and other techniques to produce new plastic pellets, which are used to manufacture battery casings or other plastic products. Through the effective recycling and treatment of sulfuric acid and other materials, not only can the pollution of waste to the environment be reduced, but also the recycling of resources can be achieved, thereby enhancing the environmental protection benefits throughout the entire life cycle of lead-acid batteries.

The establishment and improvement of the recycling system

To ensure that used lead-acid batteries can be effectively recycled and reused, it is crucial to establish a sound recycling system. In many countries and regions, a relatively complete recycling network for lead-acid batteries has been formed. This network is usually jointly constructed by battery manufacturers, distributors, recycling enterprises and relevant regulatory authorities. Battery manufacturing enterprises, as the source of lead-acid batteries, bear significant social responsibilities. On the one hand, manufacturing enterprises provide convenience for subsequent recycling work by considering the recyclability of products during the product design stage and adopting materials and structures that are easy to disassemble and recycle. On the other hand, production enterprises actively participate in the construction of the recycling system, establish cooperative relationships with recycling enterprises, and ensure that used batteries can smoothly flow back to the recycling process. Dealers play the role of a bridge in the recycling system. They are not only responsible for selling lead-acid batteries but also undertake the task of collecting used batteries. Many dealers have set up used battery recycling points at their sales outlets to facilitate users in returning used batteries. Recycling enterprises are the core link of the entire recycling system. They possess professional recycling and processing equipment and technologies, and are capable of conducting efficient and environmentally friendly recycling and processing of used lead-acid batteries. Relevant regulatory authorities supervise and manage the qualifications of recycling enterprises and environmental protection requirements during the recycling process by formulating strict laws, regulations and policy standards, ensuring the standardized operation of the recycling system. Meanwhile, in order to encourage consumers to actively participate in the recycling of used batteries, some regions have also implemented a deposit system. Consumers need to pay a certain deposit when purchasing new batteries. When they return the used batteries, the deposit will be refunded. Through this economic measure, consumers' enthusiasm for the recycling of used batteries has been enhanced, and the effective operation of the recycling system has been promoted. With the continuous establishment and improvement of the recycling system, an increasing number of used lead-acid batteries can be rationally recycled and utilized, significantly reducing their potential harm to the environment and promoting the recycling and sustainable development of resources.

Environmental protection measures in the production process of forklift lead-acid batteries

Raw material procurement and screening

In the production process of lead-acid batteries for forklifts, the procurement and screening of raw materials are crucial for controlling environmental pollution. Lead, as the main raw material for lead-acid batteries, its quality and source directly affect the environmental performance in the subsequent production process. When purchasing lead, production enterprises will give priority to choosing mining enterprises that adopt advanced mining technologies and environmentally friendly production processes as suppliers to ensure that the purchased lead raw materials meet strict environmental protection standards. These high-quality lead raw materials can effectively reduce the damage to the surrounding ecological environment during the mining process, and the pollutant emissions generated during the refining process are also relatively low. Meanwhile, for other auxiliary raw materials, such as sulfuric acid, partition materials, plastic shell materials, etc., the manufacturing enterprises will also conduct strict screening. For instance, when choosing a sulfuric acid supplier, it is required that they provide an environmental protection test report during the sulfuric acid production process to ensure that the production process complies with environmental protection regulations and that the purity and impurity content of the sulfuric acid meet the quality standards for battery production. For the separator materials, environmentally friendly materials that are non-toxic, harmless, degradable or recyclable will be selected to reduce the potential harm to the environment after the battery is used and discarded. In the selection of plastic casing materials, there is a tendency to use engineering plastics that are high-strength, resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, and recyclable. This not only ensures the performance of the battery casing during use but also facilitates recycling and reuse after the battery is scrapped, reducing resource waste and environmental pollution. Through strict raw material procurement and screening standards, the environmental friendliness of the production process of forklift lead-acid batteries is guaranteed from the source.

Optimization of production processes and energy conservation and emission reduction

With the continuous advancement of technology, the production process of lead-acid batteries for forklifts is also constantly being optimized to achieve the environmental protection goal of energy conservation and emission reduction. In terms of plate manufacturing processes, an increasing number of enterprises have adopted advanced continuous casting and continuous rolling technologies as well as mesh plate manufacturing processes. The traditional plate manufacturing methods have problems such as low production efficiency, high energy consumption and large lead loss. However, the continuous casting and continuous rolling technology can continuously carry out the smelting, casting and rolling processes of lead alloys, which greatly improves the production efficiency and reduces energy consumption and lead loss at the same time. The manufacturing process of the grid-type plate uses a special mechanical processing method to make lead alloy into a mesh-structured plate. This type of plate has the advantages of strong adhesion of active substances and stable battery performance. Moreover, during the production process, it can reduce the generation of lead powder and lower the impact on the workshop environment and the health of operators. In the battery assembly process, the adoption of automated production lines and high-precision assembly equipment not only enhances the assembly accuracy and consistency of batteries but also reduces material waste and energy consumption during manual operations. In addition, manufacturing enterprises also attach great importance to energy management and waste heat recovery and utilization during the production process. By installing an intelligent energy monitoring system, the energy consumption of production equipment can be monitored in real time, and energy waste links can be identified and optimized promptly. For some processes that generate a large amount of waste heat during production, such as lead smelting and plate curing, waste heat recovery devices are adopted to recover and utilize the waste heat, which is used for preheating raw materials, heating workshops or supplying domestic hot water, etc. This improves the comprehensive utilization rate of energy, reduces the reliance on external energy, and lowers carbon emissions.