From Diesel to Electric: The Key Path for Green Upgrading of Furnace Demolition Machines in Industrial Equipment

I. Pain Points of Traditional Diesel-Powered Furnace Demolition Machines: Why "Diesel-to-Electric Conversion" Is Imperative

• High Pollutant Emissions: Diesel engines generate large amounts of nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), particulate matter (PM2.5), and carbon dioxide during operation. This not only exacerbates regional air pollution but also forces enterprises to invest heavily in exhaust gas treatment equipment to meet national standards such as Emission Limits and Measurement Methods for Exhaust Pollutants from Diesel Engines Used in Non-Road Mobile Machinery.
• High Energy Consumption and High Costs: Diesel prices are significantly affected by fluctuations in international oil prices, and the thermal efficiency of diesel engines is only 30%-45%, with a large amount of energy wasted as heat. According to industry data, a medium-sized diesel-powered furnace demolition machine consumes 50-80 liters of diesel per day, resulting in annual fuel costs exceeding 100,000 yuan (RMB)—making long-term operation economically inefficient.
• Complex Maintenance and Frequent Failures: Diesel engines consist of complex components such as fuel systems, lubrication systems, and exhaust systems, requiring regular replacement of engine oil, filters, fuel injectors, etc., with annual maintenance costs of approximately 20,000-30,000 yuan. Additionally, the high-temperature and dusty working environment easily leads to engine carbon deposition and pipeline blockages, resulting in a much higher failure rate than electric systems.

II. Technical Core of Diesel-to-Electric Conversion for Furnace Demolition Machines: Comprehensive Innovation from Power to Control Systems

• Power System Replacement: Remove the original diesel engine, gearbox, and fuel supply system, and replace them with a "motor + reducer" drive combination. Depending on the power requirements of the furnace demolition machine, permanent magnet synchronous motors or asynchronous motors are typically used, paired with planetary reducers or gear reducers to ensure the output torque and speed meet the needs of crushing operations. Meanwhile, the motor must have a protection rating of IP54 or higher to adapt to harsh working conditions such as high temperatures and dust.
• Energy Supply System Upgrading: Adopt an energy supply model of "lithium battery pack + charger" or a fixed power supply method of "external cable + sliding wire". Lithium battery packs must have high energy density (usually not less than 150Wh/kg), high-rate discharge capability (supporting continuous discharge of 2C or higher), and wide temperature adaptability (-20℃ to 60℃). They are also equipped with a Battery Management System (BMS) to provide overcharge, over-discharge, and over-temperature protection. For the external power supply mode, high-temperature-resistant and wear-resistant cable reels or sliding contact wires must be installed to ensure stable power supply.
• Control System Optimization: Upgrade the original mechanical control system to an electronic control system. Using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or a dedicated controller, precise regulation of motor speed and direction, as well as coordinated control of the crusher hammer and boom movements, is achieved. Additionally, an energy recovery function is added: during the boom lowering and braking processes of the furnace demolition machine, kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy and recharged into the battery pack, further reducing energy consumption—with a comprehensive energy-saving rate of over 30%.
• Heat Dissipation System Adaptation: To address the heat generated by the motor and controller during high-load operation, a combined heat dissipation solution of "forced air cooling + water cooling" is adopted. The motor housing is designed with heat dissipation fins, paired with high-speed fans for active air cooling; the controller dissipates heat through a water-cooled plate and a coolant circulation system, ensuring the temperature of core components remains below 80℃ and preventing performance degradation due to overheating.

III. Core Advantages of Diesel-to-Electric Conversion for Furnace Demolition Machines: Prominent Triple Values of Environmental Protection, Economy, and Efficiency

Compared with traditional diesel-powered furnace demolition machines, equipment upgraded through "diesel-to-electric conversion" achieves comprehensive improvements in environmental friendliness, economy, and reliability, bringing significant comprehensive benefits to enterprises:

• Zero Emissions for Environmental Protection, Facilitating Policy Compliance: Electric furnace demolition machines produce no exhaust emissions during operation, reducing PM2.5 and NOₓ emissions to zero. Noise levels drop from 100-110 dB (for diesel models) to 70-80 dB, effectively improving the workshop working environment. This helps enterprises easily cope with regular inspections by environmental protection authorities, avoiding fines or production halts due to excessive emissions—making them particularly suitable for environmentally sensitive areas such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta.
• Dramatic Reduction in Energy Costs, Short Investment Payback Period: Electricity costs are only 1/3 to 1/4 of diesel costs. Taking a medium-sized furnace demolition machine operating 8 hours per day as an example, the daily electricity cost for the electric model is approximately 80-120 yuan, while the daily fuel cost for the diesel model is about 400-640 yuan—saving over 100,000 yuan annually. If lithium battery power is adopted, the initial transformation investment (including the battery pack) is approximately 200,000-300,000 yuan, and the cost can be recovered through energy savings in just 2-3 years. For the external power supply mode, the transformation cost can be further reduced to 150,000-200,000 yuan, shortening the payback period to 1.5-2 years.
• Low Maintenance Costs, Extended Equipment Lifespan: The number of components in the electric system is only 1/5 of that in the diesel system. There is no need for regular replacement of vulnerable parts such as engine oil, filters, and fuel filters, reducing annual maintenance costs from 20,000-30,000 yuan to 5,000-10,000 yuan—a decrease of over 60%. Meanwhile, electric motors operate without mechanical wear, with a service life of more than 10 years, nearly doubling that of diesel engines (about 5-6 years). This reduces the frequency of equipment updates and lowers long-term fixed asset investment.
• Improved Operational Efficiency, Adaptable to High-Intensity Working Conditions: Electric motors have a fast response speed, taking only 0.5-1 second to reach rated speed—far faster than the 3-5 seconds required for diesel engines—enabling quick adaptation to the intermittent operation needs of crushing furnace residues. Additionally, the motor output torque is stable, with no power attenuation caused by fuel pressure fluctuations. Under high-temperature and heavy-load conditions, the continuous operation time is 20% longer than that of diesel models, effectively improving workshop production efficiency.

IV. Implementation Process and Precautions for Diesel-to-Electric Conversion of Furnace Demolition Machines

(I) Implementation Process

1. Equipment Evaluation and Scheme Design: First, conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the model, power, and working conditions (e.g., daily operating hours, crushing intensity) of the original diesel-powered furnace demolition machine. Combined with the enterprise’s on-site conditions (e.g., availability of charging facilities, cable laying space), a professional technical team formulates a personalized transformation plan, specifying the selection and installation layout of motors, batteries, and controllers.
2. Core Component Procurement and Quality Control: Prioritize branded components with industrial equipment certifications (such as CE and ISO9001). Motors must provide torque and speed test reports, and battery packs must pass safety tests such as needle puncture, extrusion, and overcharging to ensure component compatibility and reliability.
3. On-Site Transformation, Installation, and Commissioning: A team with special equipment transformation qualifications conducts on-site construction—first removing the diesel power system, then installing components such as the motor, battery pack, and control system, and completing the connection of pipelines and circuits. After transformation, no-load commissioning (testing motor direction and speed) and load commissioning (simulating crushing operations) are conducted to ensure all performance indicators of the equipment meet standards.
4. Personnel Training and Operation & Maintenance System Establishment: Provide special training for operators and maintenance personnel, covering the operating specifications of electric furnace demolition machines, battery charging safety, and fault diagnosis methods. Meanwhile, establish an operation and maintenance file to record equipment operating data (e.g., battery power, motor temperature) and maintenance cycles, ensuring long-term stable operation of the equipment.

(II) Precautions

• Safety Protection First: Battery packs must be installed away from high-temperature sources (e.g., furnace mouths) and equipped with fire isolation zones. External cables must use flame-retardant and oil-resistant materials to avoid electric leakage risks caused by wear and high temperatures. The equipment must be equipped with an emergency stop button to quickly cut off power in case of sudden failures.
• Adaptability Design: Select battery capacity based on the operating intensity of the furnace demolition machine to avoid frequent charging due to insufficient capacity. If the equipment needs to operate mobilely, the weight distribution of the battery pack must be reasonably designed to prevent impacts on the equipment’s center of gravity balance and reduced operational stability.
• Utilization of Policy Subsidies: Some regions provide special subsidies for the "diesel-to-electric conversion" of industrial equipment (e.g., electricity subsidies, transformation cost subsidies). Enterprises can consult local industry and information technology departments and environmental protection departments in advance to apply for policy support and reduce transformation costs.

V. Conclusion: Diesel-to-Electric Conversion of Furnace Demolition Machines—Opening a New Chapter in Green Industrial Production