Fronius battery charging technology reduces forklift energy consumption by 30%, real-world tests have shown.
The energy-efficient Selectiva battery-charging system has been employed in a fleet of 80 electrically powered forklift trucks at the Austrian beverage group Ottakringer, which reported the improved energy consumption figure.
Manufactured by Still, the trucks are required 24 hours a day and range from platform stacking trucks to heavy-duty frontlifts with a load capacity of eight tonnes.
All the larger vehicles have backup batteries that are charged at a central charging station.
In accordance with ISO 50001, the drinks company introduced a new energy management system in 2013 which has since been updated to comply with Austrian energy efficiency legislation.
Boasting a new Ri charging process, the Fronius-developed system adapts to the requirements of each specific battery according to its age, temperature and state of charge.
“Each charging process is therefore unique and has an individual, perfectly tailored characteristic,” explained Alexander Thier, area sales manager at Fronius.
“This has two main advantages: energy loss is minimized during charging, which in turn reduces energy consumption; and gentle charging also extends the service life of the batteries.”
Since the summer of 2015, Ottakringer’s subsidiary Voslauer has been using more than 20 Selectiva devices in the 16kW power category mounted on bases that makes the display easier to read and allows charging cables to be stowed away safely.
The system is equipped with external start/stop mechanisms that features a pilot contact to prevent sparking if the charging plug is disconnected prematurely and so remove the possibility of oxyhydrogen explosions during charging.
Using the Fronius technology has seen 30% less energy being consumed when charging, while CO? emissions have also been significantly reduced.April 13, 2017
