Energy recovery and storage system

KASTO has therefore developed an energy recovery and storage system for its German-built industrial warehouses, used globally for automated storage and retrieval of bar, tube, sheet, plate and other materials.

The technology enables surplus kinetic energy to be converted into electricity and stored temporarily for later use as needed. Operating and investment costs are reduced and so also are CO2 emissions. Energy recovery is available as an option on all KASTO storage products and it can also be retrofitted to systems already in use.

The electric circuits for the drives of the operating gantry crane are connected through a DC link. Surplus kinetic energy, such as that produced during braking of the crane or lowering of the lifting gear, is converted into electricity and fed back into the grid. The energy can then be used for other purposes, either within the storage facility or by other users. According to KASTO, consumption of electric power can be reduced by as much as 40 per cent compared to conventional drive systems.  To achieve even greater efficiency, KASTO optionally equips its storage systems with an integrated energy storage unit.