FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
WHY INDUSTRIAL BATTERIES FAIL AND HOW TO PREVENT IT
up in this reaction will only be released if different elements of the reaction are kept in balance. If the balance of lead sulphate builds up or acid is concentrated in some areas, the battery’s ability to provide power will be compromised.
THE MAIN CAUSES OF BATTERY FAILURE
In our 90 years of experience working with the sensitive electrochemistry that is the battery, we can narrow all battery failure down to five causes: 1. Poor quality product
W
ith over 90 per cent of a typical logistics fleet being electric powered, today’s warehouses and distribution centres are more dependent than ever on the humble ‘energy-source-in-a-box’ that is the industrial battery.
These batteries are largely lead-acid wet chemistry and a lot can go wrong when they sit idle for weeks. As more operations return to a level of normality after the coronavirus lockdown, how can you prevent battery failure damaging your business?
A KEY COST
It is easy to forget that for forklift fleets, the battery and charger account for up to a quarter of the overall cost of the truck. This means that replacing damaged batteries is expensive. Something as simple as not using the right liquid to top up battery levels can result in huge, unexpected costs. One end-user recently faced a £40,000 bill when an operator used the wrong container to carry out this simple procedure.
MINIMISING PROBLEMS POST-COVID
In a post-Covid world where we are sweating our assets more than ever, no business can risk having its productivity being affected by trucks that are out of action. Whilst it is important to respect your batteries and understand what they need to function well, equally, knowing what can go wrong will ensure you can avoid it in the first place.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE BLACK BOX?
It goes without saying that understanding your
motive power battery can save you a lot of money. A battery is essentially a device that stores chemical energy and releases this energy in the form of DC electricity. This is a process that happens repeatedly through the process of charging and discharging which stores and releases energy from the battery to accomplish useful operations in your fleet. Your fleet is dependent on the Kilowatt power within the batteries for all its operations of control, lift speed, running speed and more.
HOW LONG WILL THE ENERGY LAST?
Whilst the available energy (known as Kilowatt hours KWh) in a battery is dependent on the size and numbers of plates it contains within its cells, working conditions will have a big impact on its efficiency and length of life.
Battery life can be looked at in two ways – that of service life (or life expectancy) and daily output. Whilst a battery’s daily output is limited to its charge cycle, its life expectancy is determined by lifetime amp hour usage (or cycle life). The average life of a battery is 1500 cycles or five years.
BALANCE MATTERS
It’s important to remember that the energy from the box inside a lead-acid battery is derived from a chemical reaction. Lead, lead dioxide and diluted sulfuric acid react together energetically to produce lead sulphate and water. One cycle of this energy-generating chemical reaction happens when the battery is fully charged and then discharged through operational use. However, the full potential of the energy locked
8 JULY/AUGUST 2020 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
Not all batteries are built equally. Whilst an average cycle life of a decent industrial battery is 1500 cycles, higher quality products offer 1700 cycles. This means a 13 per cent increase which could mean seven years of service life instead of five. Conversely, low quality products with poor build and components will have a significantly reduced service life. Despite their lower initial cost, this is a false saving.
2. Inappropriate charging procedures Overcharging pushes active material mass out of the positive plates in the battery and leaves deposits on the negative plates. This leads to high self-discharge and loss of energy. 3. Poor maintenance
Lead-acid batteries derive their power producing capabilities through live chemistry. Hence, they need regular maintenance to keep them running well. One common and often overlooked aspect is topping. Lead-acid batteries use up water during the chemical process. This water must be replaced, filling the individual cells to the appropriate level and at the correct time to provide an efficient mix of chemicals and electrolytes. Battery damage is inevitable if the water level drops too low or is overfilled. 4. Over discharging
This is when the battery is used beyond 80 per cent depth of discharge. It causes excessive amounts of heat and destroys the active material in the cells as well as potential reversal of polarity. This limits electrolyte flow and charge voltage. It will ultimately destroy the battery. 5. Energy throughput problems Heavy and prolonged operational use will adversely affect batteries. The battery is designed to deliver its 80 per cent capacity once within a 24-hour period. If more amps than the battery is designed for are used in the operation, then the expected cycle life will be reduced.
Hoppecke
www.hoppecke.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
