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What is an Ultracapacitor?:
Ultracapacitors Are

A 100-year-old technology enhanced by modern materials

Based on polarization of an electrolyte, high surface area
electrodes, and extremely small charge separation

Known as Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors and
Supercapacitors
What is an Ultracapacitor?:
Ultracapacitors Are
Dielectric
C = er A/d
Minimize (d)
Maximize (A)
Electrolyte
E = 1/2 CV2
Film foil
Electrode
ECDL
Separator
Basic Model

Series/Parallel configurations

Changes capacitor size; profiles are the same

Series configurations



Capacitance decreases, Series Resistance increases

Cs=Ccell/(#of cells in series) Rs=Rcell*(# of cells in series)
Parallel configurations

Capacitance increases, Series Resistance decreases

CP=Ccell*(# of cells in parallel)
RP=Rcell/(# cells in parallel)
Current controlled

Use output current profile to determine dV/dt

dV = I * (dt/C + ESR)
What is an Ultracapacitor?:
Performance Characteristics

Ultracapacitors perform mid-way between conventional
capacitors and electrochemical cells (batteries)

Fast charge and discharge capability

Highly reversible process, hundreds of thousands of cycles

Lower energy than a battery

~10% of battery energy

Greater energy than electrolytic capacitors

Excellent low temperature performance
Application Model
When Can I Use an Ultracapacitor?

Applications that require high reliability back-up power
solutions

Short term bridge power (1 - 60 seconds) for transfer to
secondary source or orderly shut down

Power quality ride-through
momentary severe voltage sags

Power buffer for large momentary in-rush or power
surges
to
compensate
for
Back-Up Power Support

Ultracapacitors provide peak power…
...and back-up power.
Available Power
Required Power
Ultracapacitor Backup Power
Peak Power Shaving

Ultracapacitors provide peak power...
Available
Power
Required Power
Ultracapacitor Peak Power
Technology Comparison
Available Performance
Lead Acid
Battery
Ultracapacitor
Conventional Capacitor
Charge Time
1 to 5 hours
0.3 to 30 seconds
10-3 to 10-6 seconds
Discharge Time
0.3 to 3 hours
0.3 to 30 seconds
10-3 to 10-6 seconds
Energy (Wh/kg)
10 to 100
1 to 10
<0.1
Cycle Life
1000
>500000
>500000
Specific Power (W/kg)
<1000
<10000
<100000
Charge/discharge efficiency
0.7 to 0.85
0.85 to 0.98
>0.95
Technology Comparison
1000
Fuel Cells
10h
100
Energy Density/[Wh/kg]
0,1h
1h
36sec
LiBattery
Lead Acid
Battery
10
Ni/Cd
3,6sec
U/C
Double-Layer Capacitors
1
36msec
0,1
Al-Elco
0,36sec
0,01
10
100
1000
Power Density/[W/kg]
10000
Ultracapacitor World Market
Consumer Products
Industrial
Transportation
Car Audio
Remote Monitoring
Hybrid Bus/Truck
PDA
Handheld
Instrumentation
Engine Starting
Toys
Short term Back-up
Power
Light Hybrid
Memory Backup
Automation/Robotics
Local Power
Rail
Markets and Applications:
Consumer Electronics

Market needs include:
 Miniaturization
 Burst-mode
transmission
 Compatibility
 Greater
with new/divergent designs
functionality due to merging of protocols
Markets and Applications:
Miniaturization

Requires smaller/more efficient devices

Burst Mode Transmission

Requires compatibility with lower voltage power supplies

Uses 1/2 voltage but requires at least 2 times current to
maintain same power output

Allows for lower cost primary batteries instead of
rechargeable batteries
Markets and Applications:
Ultracapacitor Benefits

Price/performance/size improvements

Allows batteries to be sized for energy requirements, not power

Allows use of alternative, less expensive chemistries

Extends device use time by up to 100%

Allows primary (non-rechargeable) batteries to be used for lower cost
and convenience

Allows smaller battery size while still meeting peak power requirements
PowerBurst Ultracapacitors:
Cells

Cylindrical radial leaded devices

0.5 Farad to 100 Farad, with other values on request

2.7 Volts

Drop-in replacement to Panasonic, Ness, and others
PowerBurst Ultracapacitors:
Modules

Maxwell parts inside PC5 and PC10 cells

Active or Passive balancing

5.0 Volts to 25 Volts standard & customs

U.S. design
production.

Custom circuits and packaging available
using PC or TPL cells.
and
prototyping,
Asian
Ultracapacitor Aging

Unlike batteries, ultracapacitors do not have hard endof-life criteria

Ultracapacitors degradation is apparent through a
gradual loss of capacitance and a gradual increase in
resistance

End of life is when the capacitance and resistance are out
of the application range, and this will differ depending
on the application.

Therefore, life prediction is easily done
UC Benefits Summary

Calendar life


Cycle life


Function of average voltage and temperature
Charge acceptance


Function of average voltage and temperature
Charge as fast as discharge, limited only by heating
Temperature

High temp; no thermal runaway

Low temp; -40°C
UC Benefits Summary

No fixed VOC

Control flexibility; context-dependent voltage is permitted

Power source voltage compatibility


Examples: Fuel cells, photovoltaics
No Vmin

Cell can be discharged to 0 Volts

Control safety: no over-discharge

Service safety
UC Benefits Summary

Cell voltage management


Only required to prevent individual cell over-voltage
State of charge and state of health

State of charge equals VOC

Dynamic measurements for C and EST equals state of health

No historical data required
Inventory Management Services

Warehousing and Material Management

N. America & Asia

Schedule Share, Demand Pull, Consignment, EDI

NPI facility in San Diego for quickturn custom modules.

Third Party warehousing

Customer specific programs tailored to individual needs