Efficient Cold Storage Battery Charging with Heating System
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Summary
Problems
Material handling vehicle batteries, particularly Lead Acid and Lithium Ion batteries, face significant performance loss and charging inefficiencies in cold environments due to high internal resistance, leading to reduced power availability and increased charging time, with existing technologies lacking effective temperature control solutions.
Innovation solutions
A system comprising a battery management system (BMS) with a heating element within a counterweight case, allowing for controlled heating of the battery and communication with an automatic charger to manage charging, ensuring the battery temperature remains above a threshold for efficient charging, even in sub-zero conditions.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If material handling vehicles are removed from cold environments to charge batteries, then charging efficiency improves, but operational time is lost and thermal stress increases
Why choose this principle:
The system performs preliminary heating of the battery before charging begins. The BMS monitors battery temperature and activates heating elements to warm the battery to an optimal temperature range prior to initiating the charging process, ensuring charging efficiency without requiring vehicle removal from cold environments
Principle concept:
If material handling vehicles are removed from cold environments to charge batteries, then charging efficiency improves, but operational time is lost and thermal stress increases
Why choose this principle:
Heating elements are introduced as an intermediary component between the cold environment and the battery charging process. These heating elements, positioned within the counterweight case or on the battery, serve as a mediator to raise battery temperature to acceptable charging levels without exposing the battery to thermal shock from environmental temperature changes
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A system comprising a battery management system (BMS) with a heating element within a counterweight case, allowing for controlled heating of the battery and communication with an automatic charger to manage charging, ensuring the battery temperature remains above a threshold for efficient charging, even in sub-zero conditions.
Abstract
Systems and methods for temperature control for an energy source of a material handling vehicle. The system includes a battery management system in communication with the energy source that can also be in communication with a charger. The system further includes a counterweight case that supports the energy source, and a plurality of resistive heating elements positioned along one or more surfaces of the counterweight case.