Modex 2020: EnerSys highlights next-generation battery technology

The industrial battery landscape continues to change, as new technologies gain steam among makers of batteries and charging technology. Stored energy solutions provider EnerSys is embracing that change with the development of Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) and advanced Lithium-ion (Li-ion) technologies, which the company highlighted at MODEX 2020 in Atlanta this week.

“We are seeing the industry change from what it’s been for [85 to 100 years],” Harold Vanasse, senior director of motive power marketing for the Americas said during a press conference on Monday, March 9. He emphasized growing market demand for fuel cell technology, TPPL, and lithium-ion solutions as customers increasingly seek to minimize the watering and other maintenance associated with flooded lead-acid batteries.

EnerSys is featuring its NexSys PURE TPPL and NexSys iON Li-ion solutions in booth 7632. Both solutions are designed to deliver simple, more productive, predictable power for a wide range of material handling applications, Vanasse said.

Optimized for fast- and opportunity-charging, NexSys PURE batteries are ideal for light- to medium-duty applications and are available in a range of capacities and configurations. Featuring a proprietary carbon additive for extended cycle life and increased lifetime energy throughput, the batteries are also equipped with an integrated Battery Management System (BMS) and Wi-iQ battery monitoring device to track various performance metrics, including discharge current, charge current, and State of Charge (SOC), the company said.

NexSys iON batteries are built to the highest safety, design and manufacturing standards and are an ideal solution for powering heavy duty applications, the company said. They are engineered with large-format prismatic cells and Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) cell chemistry and the control module in each battery features an integrated BMS that enables communication with the charger and truck for optimum safety and control.

EnerSys also showcased wireless charging with an on-site demonstration of a wireless battery charging system, which frees up valuable floor space by eliminating the need for dedicated charging rooms. It can also slash labor demands, the company said, as operators will not have to manually plug or unplug batteries. Instead, lift truck operators will simply drive over a location on the floor where a unit installed beneath it will automatically charge the battery.