Lithium-ion solutions from Fronius

The movement of the lithium ions in a lithium-ion battery produces an electromotive force, which can be used to drive forklift trucks, for instance. During charging, the ions move from the positive to the negative electrode of the battery and remain stored there until the user discharges the battery again. Li-ion energy systems are completely maintenance-free and have zero emissions. In contrast to the classic lead battery, users do not have to top them up with water, measure the acid density or clean the battery.

The negative electrode is generally made from graphite. However, forklift truck manufacturers are increasingly opting for special lithium battery technologies that use a combination of nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide, sulphur, air and in particular iron phosphate (LiFePO4) as electrode materials. These have an impressively high output and low weight, are non-flammable and enjoy optimum explosion protection, even in extreme conditions.

Lithium-ion devices have a far longer service life than a lead battery. The number of charging cycles and depth of discharge are also better than for lead batteries. The lightweight and compact design of the lithium-ion solutions makes them extremely flexible in where they can be deployed. As much as 30% of the energy consumption can be saved compared to a lead-acid battery. Other advantages include quick and easy opportunity charging and the absence of the memory effect. The safety of lithium-ion technology is also convincing: when a lead battery is being charged, hydrogen escapes and this is highly explosive in combination with oxygen, whereas li-ion batteries do not produce any dangerous gases. If you compare the operating costs of the two drive systems in terms of energy, maintenance, inspection, water, battery handling, battery changing and opportunity charging, you can reduce your expenditure by more than half with lithium-ion technology.