Linde Material Handling has launched the "Dual-Drive" powertrain architecture for its E20-E25 reach truck series. Traditional reach trucks use a single hydraulic pump motor for both traction and lifting. This creates a compromise: the motor must be sized for the high power lift, making it inefficient for the low-power traction driving.
The Dual-Drive system uses two separate motors: a "Traction Motor" (AC induction) for driving and a "Lift Motor" (PM synchronous) for hydraulics. The engineering highlight is the "Intelligent Energy Balancing." When the truck is accelerating (high traction load), the lift motor is dormant. When the truck reaches travel speed, the traction motor uses minimal energy. Simultaneously, if the forks are raised while driving, the lift motor activates independently.
The key innovation is the "Kinetic Energy Recovery" for the traction motor. During braking, the AC motor acts as a generator, feeding energy back into the battery. Crucially, the system features a "Bi-Directional Hydraulics." When lowering the forks, the lift motor acts as a generator, recovering the potential energy of the load. This "Lowering Regeneration" can recover up to 15% of the battery capacity during a shift. Additionally, the system monitors the "Cable Insulation Resistance" in real-time. In cold stores (-30°C), condensation can cause cable cracks. The system detects leakage currents below the fuse trip point, alerting maintenance before a hard failure occurs.
