Jungheinrich Achieves Quantum Leap in Refinement of Energy Storage Systems

Jungheinrich is featuring a new generation of lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of 220 and 330 ampere hours at CeMAT 2014 (from May 19 to 23 in Hanover, Germany). Thanks to their innovative concept, these Jungheinrich original-design batteries can be charged for full-shift operation in just 30 minutes. As Dr Klaus-Dieter Rosenbach, the Jungheinrich Board of Management member in charge of Engineering, puts it: “This represents a quantum leap in the refinement of energy storage systems for intralogistics applications!”

Advertisement

Apart from the new lithium-ion batteries, the new energy storage concept consists of highly efficient industrial trucks with an interface to an intelligent battery management system, plus fast-charging equipment and professional energy consulting services. The two new lithium-ion batteries from Jungheinrich are specially designed for use in large pedestrian controlled trucks and can replace conventional lead acid batteries with a capacity of 375 or 465 ampere hours. At CeMAT 2014 the Hamburg-based intralogistics specialist is highlighting this new energy storage concept in an ECE 225 horizontal order picker.

The new energy storage concept from Jungheinrich allows the user to recharge the battery during his break. “Thirty minutes are enough to charge the lithium-ion battery for an entire shift,” reports Karl Heinz Schwulera, head of the Energy and Drive Systems division at Jungheinrich. Users who operate their industrial trucks in multiple shifts can now dispense with expensive battery changes, eliminating the need for storage space and costly equipment like cranes, spare batteries or the labour time involved.

Schwulera: “Lithium-ion Technology Is Already Economical Today!”

The energy consumption of industrial trucks equipped with lithium-ion batteries is up to 30 percent lower compared with trucks equipped with conventional lead acid batteries. And the service life of these lithium-ion batteries is approximately three times as long as that of their conventional counterparts. Lithium-ion batteries moreover have a greater discharge capacity: Whereas lead acid batteries (gel type) use only some 80 percent of the energy stored in them, lithium-ion batteries achieve energy utilisation of approximately 90 percent. This results in a higher voltage level as well as a smaller and consequently more affordable energy storage device – while still providing the same capacity. In combination with falling prices on the world market for lithium-ion cells, this translates into a further cost reduction for this type of battery technology. According to Schwulera, “this makes lithium-ion batteries already economical for multi-shift operation today – a finding backed up by extensive testing in the field!”

Jungheinrich Now with Own Energy and Drive Systems Division

The Hamburg-based intralogistics specialist was the first company to implement and continually refine lithium-ion technology in the context of mass-produced industrial trucks. In the intervening years Jungheinrich has accumulated world-leading expertise in electromobility applications for lithium-ion batteries. This competence has been distilled into a new Energy and Drive Systems division, organising a total of some 200 staff members at the Norderstedt plant near Hamburg. Jungheinrich Energy and Drive Systemsdevelops hardware and software solutions including drive systems, controllers and charging technology for electromobility applications. Jungheinrich lithium-ion solutions are developed and produced at the company’s own competence centre. A proprietary Jungheinrich battery management system guarantees the careful coordination of lithium-ion battery types, charging technology and vehicles. Apart from yielding a high degree of efficiency, this also results in maximum safety – as verified by a series of comprehensive hardness tests at Jungheinrich’s own as well as external labs.

Jungheinrich ranks among the world’s leading companies in the material handling equipment, warehousing and material flow engineering sectors. The company is an intralogistics service and solution provider with manufacturing operations, which offers its customers a comprehensive range of forklift trucks, logistics systems, services and advice. Jungheinrich shares are traded on all German stock exchanges.