SEW-Eurodrive
Electric, efficient, energy-saving
The storage and retrieval machines in a high-bay warehouse have been equipped with energy storage systems that reuse braking energy and reduce peak loads. This solution was the result of cooperation between the plant manufacturer Lödige Industries and the drive automation specialist SEW-Eurodrive.
The Movikit 'PowerMode' software module runs on the Movi-C controller type UHX65A. It records the power and energy data and takes over the energy management.
© Ingo Bartussek/stock.adobe.comOne of Germany's leading premium car manufacturers is already focusing on energy efficiency in the production of its new SUV model with electric drive. The production plant in central Germany is one of the most modern production facilities in the automotive industry: efficient electric drives are an important aspect of production. High energy-saving targets were formulated in the tender for the conveyor technology. In the new high-bay warehouse alone - compared to the previous installations - at least 47 percent energy can be saved thanks to the energy storage system and the associated recuperation.
High-bay warehouse in silo design
A new car body building with a high-bay warehouse serves to integrate the e-model into the plant's existing, higher-level conveyor technology. Designed as a silo structure, it is intended to connect and decouple the various systems at the same time. This enables the stabilization and integration of different target and planning sequences.
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Lödige Industries, based in Warburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, was the general contractor responsible for hall construction and equipment as well as other technical building equipment. In addition to horizontal connecting conveyor technology, the company supplied four storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) for storing and retrieving painted and body shells. These SRMs form a central element in the new high-bay warehouse with more than 570 storage locations. The SRMs carry out lifting and traveling movements simultaneously over seven levels. With a payload of up to 1.5 tons and speeds of up to 3.5 m/s, considerable regenerative energy is generated during the braking process.
Savings through recuperation
In many systems, the braking energy of stacker cranes is converted into heat. The specialist for material flow solutions worked together with SEW-Eurodrive on a concept for the installed stacker cranes as early as the tendering phase. Lödige Industries integrated components from SEW-Eurodrive's Movi-C modular automation system into the conveyor technology. All drives installed in the storage and retrieval machine meet the current state of the art with energy efficiency class IE3. They are powered by Movidrive modular frequency inverters. The frequency inverters share a common DC link and are connected to an MDP92A supply module, which enables space-saving installation. The MDP92A supply module forms the link to the externally positioned energy storage unit. Eight supercaps (double-layer capacitor modules) in the storage cabinet absorb the regenerative energy and store it temporarily. Up to almost 2,000 kWs are possible, reducing the energy requirement of the storage and retrieval machine by at least 25 percent.
However, the new energy storage systems not only prevent the loss of energy generated during braking processes, but also balance out peak loads. In addition to the amount of energy purchased, the highest annual peak load is also relevant for calculating electricity costs in industrial companies. Reducing them is therefore not only sensible for ecological reasons. At the site, the energy storage system is expected to reduce the peak load by at least 87%.
Storage minimizes peak loads
Because the DC link with supercaps of high power density balances out the peak loads, the size of the power supply can be reduced to around a fifth of the usual value. Despite this significantly lower connected load of 25 kW, the drives with a total output of 156 kW can be operated just as efficiently as with conventional technology thanks to the 'Stacker Crane' software module. The software module optimizes the travel cycles of hoist and travel drives and thus achieves energy savings of up to 25 %.
The frequency inverters are mains-friendly due to the fact that the current and voltage are largely in phase. With a power factor of 0.95, the supply network is only subject to very low harmonic loads. The interaction of energy storage, drive control and DC link is realized by a Movi-C Controller UHX65A from SEW-Eurodrive. Energy management is handled by the Movikit 'PowerMode' software module. It records the power and energy data and coordinates the mains connection, the DC link and the energy storage system.
Further savings through warehouse strategy
Because the DC link with supercaps balances out the peak loads, the size of the MDP92A supply module could be reduced to around a fifth of the usual value.
© SEWChaos storage systems, familiar from online retail, can bring significant energy savings. In Lödige Industries' new high-bay warehouse, bodyshells and painted bodies are stored in a colorful dice. The storage location is determined by the algorithms of the integrated control technology. Analyses in advance have shown that almost 5% energy can be saved in the travel movement and more than 25% in the lifting movement. Once a stacker crane has completed its last travel task, it no longer has to expend energy on returning to the hall head, but remains where it is at that moment, saving energy. This enables further energy savings of up to 16 %.
Safety and energy efficiency implemented
The Movikit 'PowerMode' software module runs on the Movi-C controller type UHX65A. It records the power and energy data and takes over the energy management.
© SEWThe car manufacturer also sets standards in operational safety in cooperation with the two suppliers. All safety equipment is of the highest standard. For example, Lödige Industries has equipped its stacker cranes with safely reduced speed (SLS - Safe Limited Speed) on all travel axles. This is the only way, for example, that hand-held control panels can be used in the aisle.
The authors: Petra Ernst-Gutierrez
is Head of Marketing & Communications at Lödige Industries.
Gunthart Mau is a trade press officer at SEW-Eurodrive.
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