Reduced capacity: In a low temperature environment, the chemical reaction rate inside the lithium battery slows down, resulting in a reduction in the total amount of power the battery can release. Generally speaking, in the low temperature environment of -20℃, the actual capacity of lithium battery may only be about 60%-80% of its nominal capacity, which means that the working time of the forklift in the cold storage will be shortened, and need to be charged more frequently.
Decrease in charging and discharging efficiency: Low temperature will make the charging speed of lithium battery slower and the charging time longer, and at the same time, the discharging efficiency will be reduced and the output current will be relatively small, which affects the power performance and work efficiency of forklift. For example, a battery that can be fully charged in 2 hours at room temperature may take 4-6 hours or even longer to be fully charged under the low temperature environment of the cold storage, and the current that can be provided during the discharge process is not enough to support the normal lifting and handling speed of the forklift.
Battery life shortening: Prolonged use, charging and discharging in low temperature environment will accelerate the damage of electrode materials inside the lithium battery and reduce the cycle life of the battery. If frequently switching between cold storage and room temperature environment, due to the large temperature difference, the expansion and contraction of the internal material of the battery will be intensified, this physical change will also cause damage to the battery structure, further shortening the battery life.
Necessity of heating system: The heating system can maintain the temperature of the battery in a suitable working range before the forklift is started and during the use of the forklift, so as to improve the charging and discharging efficiency and performance of the battery, to minimize the damage to the battery caused by the low temperature, and to prolong the service life of the battery.
Types of heating system: Commonly, there are two types of heating systems for forklift lithium batteries: built-in heating plate and heating film. The built-in heating plate is usually installed inside the battery, which can heat the battery more evenly, but the cost is relatively high; the heating film is usually attached to the surface of the battery, which has a faster heating speed, but the heating uniformity is a little bit poor. Users can choose the appropriate heating system according to the actual needs and budget. In addition, some high-end lithium batteries are equipped with an intelligent temperature control system, which can automatically adjust the heating power according to the battery temperature to achieve more accurate temperature control. View BSLBATT's cold storage solutions.
Charging environment temperature: After the lithium battery is used in the cold storage, it should be charged in the environment with higher temperature as much as possible, and it is recommended to charge it in the environment above 0℃, and avoid charging it directly in the low temperature to avoid damaging the battery. If charging must be done in the cold storage, it should be ensured that the charging area has good heat preservation measures and is equipped with corresponding heating equipment to raise the charging environment temperature to a suitable range.
Selection and matching of charging equipment: Use the special charger that matches the specifications of the lithium battery for charging, and do not use other types of chargers arbitrarily, so as to avoid overcharging, over-discharging or damage to the battery due to the mismatch of charging parameters. At the same time, the charger should have good heat dissipation performance and over-temperature, over-current, over-voltage and other protection functions to ensure the safety and reliability of the charging process.
Monitoring during charging: During the charging process, pay close attention to the display of the charger to check whether the charging connection status, charging current, voltage and other parameters are normal. If charging abnormalities are found, such as charging current is too large or too small, charging time is too long, etc., charging should be stopped in time, and check whether the battery and charger are faulty.
Function of BMS: Battery Management System (BMS) is one of the core components of forklift lithium battery, which can monitor the battery's voltage, current, temperature and other parameters in real time, and accurately control and manage the charging and discharging process of the battery, to prevent the battery from over-charging, over-discharging, over-temperature and other situations, and to ensure the safe operation of the battery. In the cold storage environment, BMS can also adjust the charging and discharging strategy according to the battery temperature to optimize the battery performance.
Maintenance and inspection of BMS: Regularly inspect and maintain the BMS to ensure that its communication is normal and the parameters are set correctly. If the BMS is found to have a fault alarm, it should be investigated and repaired in time, and the alarm information should not be ignored to continue to use the forklift, so as not to cause more serious battery damage or safety accidents.
Preventing battery short circuit: In cold storage, due to high humidity, condensation is easily formed on the surface of the battery, which may lead to a short circuit between the positive and negative terminals of the battery. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly check whether there is moisture accumulation on the surface of the battery, clean it up in time, and make sure that the insulation of the battery is good, and avoid the contact between the battery and metal objects, so as to prevent short-circuit accidents from occurring.
Fire and explosion prevention measures: Lithium batteries used in low-temperature environments also have certain safety risks, such as thermal runaway may cause fire or explosion. When using forklift lithium batteries in cold storage, the charging area and forklift parking area should be equipped with a sufficient number of fire extinguishers, and ensure that operators are familiar with the use of fire extinguishers. At the same time, avoid using open flame or high temperature equipment near the battery to prevent accidental fire.
Operator safety training: professional safety training for forklift operators, so that they understand the characteristics of lithium batteries and the precautions to be taken when using them in cold storage, master the correct operation methods and emergency measures, improve the safety awareness of the operators and their emergency handling ability, and ensure that in the process of using them, they can strictly abide by the operating procedures and reduce the occurrence of safety accidents.
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