Adopting lithium-ion forklifts in your cold storage environment

The cold chain sector continues to grow, and facility operators face the challenge of keeping up with customer demand and managing the high energy costs of refrigeration. Consequently, facility operators are constantly seeking ways to improve productivity and maintain or increase throughput, including analysing their fleets’ lead-acid or lithium-ion power sources. 

The challenges of lead-acid batteries in cold storage
 

Lead-acid batteries can lose 30% of their rated capacity when used in temperatures below 0°C. With just 70% of the battery’s available capacity, its discharge/charge cycle is significantly reduced.

With a lead-acid battery, the lift truck must exit the cold storage environment when it is time for a battery change. The sudden transition between temperatures can cause condensation, potentially leading to performance issues and downtime.

Unless allowed to warm up before charging, a cold lead-acid battery may also experience an artificial spike in voltage when charging, which can result in premature stoppage of the charging cycle. If this happens regularly, the battery may be short charged over time, negatively impacting its capacity and lifecycle.

For years, these issues with using lead-acid batteries in cold storage were accepted as a cost of doing business. Now that lithium-ion batteries are being used in material handling, many cold storage environments are adopting lithium-ion as their energy solution because batteries experience fewer performance issues and limitations. Crown’s V-Force lithium-ion batteries, for example, are rated to operate at temperatures as low as -30°C.

The appeal of lithium-ion batteries
 

Compared to lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries offer many benefits in cold storage applications:

• Reduced maintenance and risk: Lithium-ion batteries don’t require watering or expose employees to hazardous gases or chemicals during battery servicing and charging.
  
  
• Faster, more convenient recharging: Unlike lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries can be opportunity-charged without negatively impacting the battery, and they don’t need to be removed from the forklift during brief charging breaks. Also, they don’t require a cooldown period after recharge.
  
  
• Reclaimed storage space: Lead-acid batteries require designated charging rooms that take up valuable warehouse space and can require multiple batteries per lift truck in multi-shift applications. Lithium-ion batteries can be charged directly on the lift truck, with chargers placed in convenient spaces near break rooms.
  
  
• Longer lifespan and runtime: Crown’s V-Force lithium-ion batteries have a significantly longer lifespan and runtime. They also offer up to 3 times the throughput of lead-acid batteries in daily operations.
   

Although lithium-ion batteries require a larger upfront investment, the advantages may be worth it for your operation. The following four tips can help you make your decision.

1. Know your power profile

Forklifts consume power differently depending on the application, operator and driving patterns. Conducting a power study can help you determine whether lithium-ion batteries are the right choice for your operation by showing how your lift trucks use power in your application.

2. Choose an integrated lithium-ion forklift system

Seamlessly integrating lithium-ion technology into your forklifts helps optimise performance, safety and efficiency. Modern lithium-ion systems include onboard intelligence that communicates with the forklift, ensuring safety features remain active as the battery’s charge depletes. You can also choose batteries with on-board heaters to help prevent performance issues in cold environments. 

3. Strategically place your charging stations

Chargers that can operate in cold storage environments can eliminate the need for forklifts to leave the cold zone for charging, reducing downtime and condensation risk. Charging stations should be placed where there is sufficient room for proper cable management and easy access, which minimises wear and tear on connectors.

4. Provide operator training
 

Introducing lithium-ion technology requires proper training to ensure operators understand how to get the most out of their equipment. Training should focus on how lithium-ion differs from lead-acid and on the charging behaviours that can help maximise battery life and runtime. 

Lithium-ion batteries can help address many of the performance issues that lead-acid batteries encounter in cold storage. However, it’s essential to evaluate whether this technology aligns with your operation’s needs to ensure you gain the most from your investment.