Search

ChangeLanguage

UltracapacitorCells&Modules Capacitors Markets AboutTecate Contact Home

Audio Consumer DataStorage Industrial Medical Military/Aerospace SmartGrid Telecom

Ultracapacitor&SupercapacitorFrequentlyAsked
Questions

Whatisanultracapacitor?
Electricdoublelayercapacitors,alsoknownassupercapacitors,electrochemicaldoublelayer
capacitors(EDLCs)orultracapacitorsareelectrochemicalcapacitorsthathaveanunusuallyhigh
energydensitywhencomparedtocommoncapacitors,typicallyseveralordersofmagnitudegreater
thanahighcapacityelectrolyticcapacitor.

Theelectricdoublelayercapacitoreffectwasfirstnoticedin1957byGeneralElectricengineers
experimentingwithdevicesusingporouscarbonelectrode.Itwasbelievedthattheenergywasstored
inthecarbonporesanditexhibited"exceptionallyhighcapacitance",althoughthemechanismwas
unknownatthattime.

GeneralElectricdidnotimmediatelyfollowuponthiswork,andthemodernversionofthedeviceswas
eventuallydevelopedbyresearchersatStandardOilofOhioin1966,aftertheyaccidentallyre
discoveredtheeffectwhileworkingonexperimentalfuelcelldesigns.Theircelldesignusedtwolayers
ofactivatedcharcoalseparatedbyathinporousinsulator,andthisbasicmechanicaldesignremains
thebasisofmostelectricdoublelayercapacitorstothisday.Withadvancesmadeonbothmaterials
andmanufacturingprocess,todayTecateGroupPowerBurstproductshowasuperioradvantage
amongstallotherultracapacitorsinthemarket.

Generally,capacitorsareconstructedwithadielectricplacedbetweenopposedelectrodes,functioning
ascapacitorsbyaccumulatingchargesinthedielectricmaterial.Inaconventionalcapacitor,energyis
storedbytheremovalofchargecarriers,typicallyelectronsfromonemetalplateanddepositingthem
onanother.Thischargeseparationcreatesapotentialbetweenthetwoplates,whichcanbe
harnessedinanexternalcircuit.Thetotalenergystoredinthisfashionisacombinationofthenumber
ofchargesstoredandthepotentialbetweentheplates.Theformerisessentiallyafunctionofsizeand
thematerialpropertiesoftheplates,whilethelatterislimitedbythedielectricbreakdownbetweenthe
plates.Variousmaterialscanbeinsertedbetweentheplatestoallowhighervoltagestobestored,
leadingtohigherenergydensitiesforanygivensize.Forexamplealuminumelectrolyticandtantalum
electrolyticcapacitors,useanaluminumoxidefilmandatantalumoxidefilmasthedielectric,
respectively.Incontrast,ElectricDoubleLayerCapacitorsdonothaveanydielectricsingeneral,but
ratherutilizethephenomenatypicallyreferredtoastheelectricdoublelayer.Inthedoublelayer,the
effectivethicknessofthedielectricisexceedinglythin,andbecauseoftheporousnatureofthe
carbonthesurfaceareaisextremelyhigh,whichtranslatestoaveryhighcapacitance.Generally,
whentwodifferentphasescomeincontactwitheachother,positiveandnegativechargesaresetin
arrayattheboundary.Ateveryinterfaceanarrayofchargedparticlesandinducedchargesexist.This
arrayisknownasElectricDoubleLayer.ThehighcapacitanceofanEDLCarisesfromthecharge
storedattheinterfacebychangingelectricfieldbetweenanodeandcathodes.
Figure1:UltracapacitorChargeSeparation

However,thedoublelayercapacitorcanonlywithstandlowvoltages(typicallylessthan2.7Vpercell),
whichmeansthatelectricdoublelayercapacitorsratedforhighervoltagesmustbemadeofmatched
seriesconnectedindividualcapacitors,muchlikeseriesconnectedcellsinhighervoltagebatteries.

Thereare2typesofelectrolytesusedbyEDLCmanufacturers.Oneiswatersolubleandtheotheris
nonwatersoluble.Thenonwatersolubleelectrolytedoesincreasethewithstandvoltagepercell
comparedtothatofawatersolubleelectrolyte,henceproducingahigherenergydensity.Tecate
GroupPowerBurstcellsaremadewithnonwatersolubleelectrolytes,andfeatureasmallsizeand
lightweight.

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&challenges?
Eachapplicationneedstobeevaluatedbasedonitsrequirements.Belowaresomeoftheadvantages
anddisadvantageswhenconsideringtheuseofEDLCs:

Advantages:

Highenergystorage.Comparedtoconventionalcapacitortechnologies,EDLCspossessesordersof
magnitudehigherenergydensity.Thisisaresultofusingaporousactivatedcarbonelectrodeto
achieveahighsurfacearea.
Whatisanultracapacitor?
LowEquivalentSeriesResistance(ESR).Comparedtobatteries,EDLCshavealowinternal
resistance,henceprovidinghighpowerdensitycapability. WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
LowTemperatureperformance.TecateGroupPowerBurstproducts,withtheiruseofpatented challenges?
technology,arecapableofdeliveringenergydownto40Cwithminimaleffectonefficiency.
Howdoultracapacitors
Fastcharge/discharge.SinceEDLCsachievecharginganddischargingthroughtheabsorptionand differfrombatteryand
releaseofionsandcoupledwithitslowESR,highcurrentcharginganddischargingisachievable traditionalcapacitors?
withoutanydamagetotheparts.
Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
Disadvantages: energy?

Lowpercellvoltage.EDLCcellshaveatypicalvoltageof2.7V.Since,formostapplicationsahigher Whatarethekey

voltageisneeded,thecellshavetobeconnectedinseries. applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
CannotbeusedinACandhighfrequencycircuits.BecauseoftheirtimeconstantEDLCsarenot
Whatisendoflifeand
suitableforuseinACorhighfrequencycircuits.
failuremodeforan
Thespecificsofultracapacitorconstructionaredependentonthemanufacturer,andtheintended ultracapacitor?
application.Thematerialsmayalsodifferslightlybetweenmanufacturersorduetospecificapplication
Whatistheselfdischarge
requirements.Thecommonalityamongallultracapacitorsisthattheyconsistofapositiveelectrode,a
orleakagecurrent?
negativeelectrode,aseparatorbetweenthesetwoelectrodes,andanelectrolytefillingtheporosities
ofthetwoelectrodesandseparators. Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
methods?

Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?

Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?

Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?

Figure4:InternalCellConstruction

Today,ingeneral,mostmanufacturershaveadoptedacylindricalconstructionmethodfortheir
EDLCs.However,therearestillproductsinthemarketthatuseaprismaticdesign.Eachmethodhas
itsownadvantagesanddisadvantageswhichmayormaynotaffecttheiruseinspecificapplications.
TecatesPowerBurstproductsusetheroundorcylindricalconstructionmethod.Thecellsare
constructedfromactivatedcarbonparticles,mixedwithabinderandthendepositedonaluminumfoil.
Inthismethod,asshowninthefollowingfigure,theelectrodesarewoundintoajellyrollconfiguration
verysimilartoanaluminumelectrolyticcapacitor.Theelectrodeshavefoilextensionsthatarethen
weldedtotheterminalstoenableacurrentpathtotheoutsideofthecapacitor.

Whatisanultracapacitor?

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?

Figure5:CellConstruction Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
EDLCssharethesameequivalentcircuitasconventionalcapacitors.Thefirstordermodelis
traditionalcapacitors?
representedbythecircuitbelow.Itiscomprisedoffouridealcomponents.TheseriesresistanceRs
whichisalsoreferredtoastheequivalentseriesresistance(ESR).Thisisthemaincontributorto Whatisthedifference

powerlossduringcharginganddischargingofthecapacitor.Itisalsocomprisedofaparallel betweenpowerand
energy?
resistanceRpwhichaffectstheselfdischarge,acapacitanceCandaseriesinductorLsthatis
Whatarethekey
normallyverysmallasaresultofthecellconstruction.
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?
Figure6:FirstOrderEquivalentCircuit
Series/Parallel

SinceRpisalwaysmuchlargerthanRsitcanbeignored.Also,becauseoftheporousmaterialused combinationof

ontheelectrodeofEDLCs,theyexhibitnonidealbehaviorwhichcausesthecapacitanceand ultracapacitors?

resistancetobedistributedsuchthattheelectricalresponsemimicstransmissionlinebehavior. Whydoultracapacitors
Therefore,itwouldbenecessarytouseamoregeneralcircuit,asshowninthefigure6,for requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
representingtherealelectricalresponse.
methods?

Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?

Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?

Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?
Figure7:LadderNetwork

However,tosimplifythecircuitwecanmodeltheEDLCasanRCcircuit.Inthiscasethechargestored
isQ=CV.TheenergystoredinthecapacitorinJoules(wattsecond)=1/2CV2.Otherusefulformulas
arediscussedmoreinthesizingsection.

OnefinalnotetoconsiderinregardstoEDLC,isthedischargecharacteristicsofthecells.Unlike
batterieswhichcandischargeafairlyconstantvoltage,theEDLCcellsactverysimilartotraditional
capacitorsandwilldroptheirvoltageastheydischargetheirstoredenergysimilartowhatisshownin
Figure8.

Figure8:UltracapacitorDischargeCurve

Whatisanultracapacitor?

Howdoultracapacitorsdifferfrom WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&

batteryandtraditionalcapacitors? challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Figure2:RagonePlot Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
AscanbeseeninFigure2,theUltracapacitorsresideinbetweenconventionalbatteriesand
combinationof
conventionalcapacitors.Theyaretypicallyusedinapplicationswherebatterieshaveashortfallwhen
ultracapacitors?
itcomestohighpowerandlife,andconventionalcapacitorscannotbeusedbecauseofalackof
energy.EDLCsofferahighpowerdensityalongwithadequateenergydensityformostshorttermhigh Whydoultracapacitors
powerapplications.ManyuserscompareEDLCswithotherenergystoragedevicesincludingbatteries requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
andconventionalcapacitortechnology.Eachproducthasitsownadvantagesanddisadvantages
methods?
comparedtoothertechnologiesascanbeseenfromthechartbelow:
Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?

Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?

Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?

Figure3:Ultracapacitorsvs.BatteryandConventionalCapacitors

Whatisthedifferencebetween
powerandenergy?
Power*Time=Energy

Poweristherateofusingenergy.

Whatisanultracapacitor?

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?
PowerDensityvsEnergyDensity
Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing

Whatarethekeyapplicationsfor methods?

ultracapacitors? Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?
UltracapacitorFunctions
Howtomeasurean
Securepower
ultracapacitor?
Providesreliableinterimpower,eveniftheprimarysourcefailsorfluctuates
Energystorage Howtosizean

Storesenergyfromlowpowersources,enablingsupportforhighpowerloads ultracapacitorforyour

Pulsepower application?

Suppliespeakpowertotheloadwhiledrawingaveragepowerfromthesource
UserBenefits
Reducesthesize&weightofthebattery/powersourcerequired
Improvesruntime&batterylife,particularlyatcoldtemperatures
Enablesmorepowerhungryfeatures,beingusedmoreoften
Canremovetheneedforabattery&harvestenergyfromcleansources
Protectsagainstaccidentalpowerlossorfluctuations/interruptions
Doesntneedtobereplacedlikebatteries(unlimiteddischargecycles)
Environmentallyfriendly&safe

Whatisendoflifeandfailuremode
foranultracapacitor?
Ingeneralultracapacitorsdonothaveahardendoflifefailuresimilartobatteries.Theirendoflifeis
definedaswhenthecapacitanceand/orESRhasdegradedbeyondtheapplicationneeds.

Capfailureundertypicalusecondition

Whatisanultracapacitor?

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?
FailureunderAbuseConditions
Whatarethekey
Overvoltage applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
Lossofcapacitance
IncreaseofESR Whatisendoflifeand

Bulging failuremodeforan

Possibleventing ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
Overtemperature
orleakagecurrent?
Lossofcapacitance
Series/Parallel
IncreaseinESR
combinationof
Bulging
ultracapacitors?
Possibleventing
Whydoultracapacitors
MechanicalStress requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
Deformation
methods?
Brokenlead
IncreaseinESR Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?

Whatistheselfdischargeor Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?

leakagecurrent? Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?

SelfDischarge:Isthevoltagedroponachargedcellafterasetperiodoftimewithoutaload.

LeakageCurrent:Isthestableparasiticcurrentexpectedwhencapacitorisheldindefinitelyoncharge
attheratedvoltage.Thisvalueisvoltageandtemperaturedependent.

Whatisanultracapacitor?

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallelcombinationof Series/Parallel

ultracapacitors? combinationof
ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
ThevoltageratingofPowerBurstproductis2.7Vpercell,whichismainlyderivedfromthe
requirebalancing?What
electrochemicalstabilityoftheelectrolyteandelectrodematerials.ThePowerBurstfamilyofproducts
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
usesanorganicelectrolyte.Thekeyadvantageofanorganicelectrolyteversusother(i.e.aqueous)
methods?
electrolytesisitshighervoltagestability.Ingeneral,ifcellsareoperatedabovetheirratedvoltagefora
longperiodoftime,thelifeisreduced.Thisisaresultoftheelectrolytebreakdownwithexposureto Whatarethetemperature

highvoltage.Theamountofdamagevariesbasedonthevoltageandtheamountoftimethecellis effectson

exposedtotheovervoltagecondition.Thus,occasionalspikesaboveratedvoltagewillnot ultracapacitors?

immediatelyaffectthecapacitor. Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?
Sinceinmostapplicationstherequiredvoltageisabove2.7Vmultiplecellswillneedtobeplacedin
series.Dependingontherequiredenergytherecouldbeaneedtothenplacemultiplecellsinparallel. Howtosizean
Whenultracapacitorcellsareplacedinseriesorparalleltheyreactverysimilartoconventional ultracapacitorforyour
capacitors.Belowisasummaryofkeyattributeswhenplacingmultiplecellsinseries/parallel application?
formation:

Voltage

Seriesconnection:Whenplacingcellsinseriestheoverallvoltageisincreaseddirectlybythenumber
ofcellsinseries.

Example:4cells(ratedat2.7Veach)connectedinserieswillhaveamaximumvoltageof10.8V.

Parallelconnection:Placingcellsinparallelwillnotaffectthevoltage.

Example:4cells(ratedat2.7Veach)connectedinparallelwillhaveamaximumvoltageof2.7V.

Capacitance

Seriesconnection:Whenplacingsamevaluecellsinseriesthesystemcapacitanceisreducedbythe
numberofcellsplacedinseriesbasedontheformulabelow:

Example:4x10Fcells(ratedat2.7Veach)connectedinserieswillhaveacapacitanceof2.5Fanda
maximumvoltageof10.8V.

Parallelconnection:Placingsamevaluecellsinparallelwillincreasetheoverallsystemcapacitance
Whatisanultracapacitor?
proportionallytothenumberofcellsplacedinparallel:
WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?
Example:4x10Fcells(ratedat2.7Veach)connectedinparallelwillhaveacapacitanceof40Fanda
Howdoultracapacitors
maximumvoltageof2.7V.
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

ESR Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
Seriesconnection:ByplacingsamevaluecellsinseriestheoverallsystemESRwillincrease energy?
proportionallytothenumberofcellsplacedinseries:
Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
Example:4x10Fcells(DCESR75meach)connectedinserieswillhaveatotalESRof300m.
Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?
Parallelconnection:PlacingsamevaluecellsinparallelwilldecreasetheoverallsystemESR
proportionallytothenumberofcellsplacedinparallel: Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?
Example:4x10Fcells(DCESR75meach)connectedinparallelwillhaveatotalESRof18.75m.
Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
LeakageCurrent
methods?
Seriesconnection:Placingsamevaluecellsinserieswillnotaffecttheleakagecurrent.Theoverall Whatarethetemperature
leakagecurrentwillbethesameasthesinglecell**. effectson
ultracapacitors?
Example:4x10Fcells(Leakagecurrentof0.03mA)connectedinserieswillhaveatotalleakage
currentof0.03mA**. Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?
Parallelconnection:Placingcellsinparallelwillincreasetheoverallleakagecurrentproportionallyto
thenumberofcellsplacedinparallel**. Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?

Example:4x10Fcells(Leakagecurrentof0.03mA)connectedinparallelwillhaveatotalleakage
currentof0.12mA**.

**Itshouldbenotedthatthisdoesnottakeintoaccountleakagecurrentinducedasaresultofcell
balancing.Incaseofpassivebalancingtheleakagecurrentwillbedominatedbythebypassresistor
value.ForadditionalinformationoncellbalancingrefertoPowerBurstProductGuideunderDesign
Consideration/Interconnectionsection.

ProductGuide

Whydoultracapacitorsrequire
balancing?Whatarethebalancing
methods?
Formostapplicationsasinglecellatlowvoltageisnotveryusefulandmultiplecellsarerequiredtobe
placedinseries.Sincethereisatolerancedifferencebetweenmanufacturedcellsincapacitance,
resistanceandleakagecurrenttherewillbeanimbalanceinthecellvoltagesofaseriesstack.Itis
importanttoensurethattheindividualvoltagesofanysinglecelldonotexceeditsmaximum
recommendedworkingvoltageasthiscouldresultinelectrolytedecomposition,gasgeneration,ESR
increaseandultimatelyreducedlife.
Whatisanultracapacitor?
Thisimbalanceisinitiallydominatedbythecapacitancedifferencebetweenthecells(i.e.acellwitha
WhatareUltracapacitors
lowercapacitancewillchargetoahighervoltageinaseriesstring).Forexample,iftwocellsof10F
advantages&
eachareconnectedinserieswithoneat+20%ofnominalcapacitanceandtheotherat10%,thenthe
challenges?
worstcasevoltageacrossthecapacitorscanbecalculatedby:
Howdoultracapacitors
Vcap1=Vsupplyx(Ccap1/(Ccap1+Ccap2)
differfrombatteryand

AssumingVsupply=5.4V traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
Vcap1=5.4x(12/(12+9))=3.08V
betweenpowerand
Ascanbeseen,apropercellbalancingschemeneedstobeplacedwithinseriesconnectedcellsto energy?
ensurenocellseeshigherthanratedvoltage.
Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
combinationof
Also,whenthecellsareonchargeforaperiodoftimetheleakagecurrentwilldominatethisdifference
ultracapacitors?
(i.e.acellwithahigherleakagecurrentwillgotoalowervoltagedistributingthevoltageamongst
othercellsresultinginanovervoltage).Propercellbalancingcaneliminatethisimbalance.Thereare Whydoultracapacitors
twobalancingschemestotacklethisproblem,andensureaproperlybalancedmodule.Theyare: requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
PassiveBalancing:Onetechniquetocompensateforvariationsinparallelresistanceistoplacea
methods?
samevaluedbypassresistorinparallelwitheachcell,sizedtodominatethetotalcellleakagecurrent.
Thiseffectivelyreducesthevariationofequivalentparallelresistancebetweenthecellswhichis Whatarethetemperature

responsiblefortheleakagecurrent.Forexample,ifthecellshaveanaverageleakagecurrentof10uA effectson

+/3uA,a1%resistorwhichwillbypass100uAmaybeagoodchoice.Byusingthisresistorinparallel ultracapacitors?
toeachcelltheaverageleakagecurrentisnow110uA+/4uA.Introductionofthisresistorhasnow Howtomeasurean
decreasedthevariationinleakagecurrentfrom30%to3.6%. ultracapacitor?

Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
application?

Byhavingthesamevalueresistorinparallelwithallcells,thecellswithhighervoltageswilldischarge
throughtheparallelresistoratahigherratethanthecellswithlowervoltages.Thiswillhelpto
distributethetotalstackvoltageevenlyacrosstheentireseriesofcapacitors.

Passivevoltagebalancingisonlyrecommendedforapplicationsthatdontregularlychargeand
dischargetheultracapacitorsandthatcantoleratetheadditionalloadcurrentofthebalancing
resistors.Itissuggestedthatthebalancingresistorsbeselectedtogiveadditionalcurrentflowofat
least10timestheworstcasecellleakagecurrent.Higherratiocanbeusedtobalancethecellsfaster.
Atypicaltradeoffisbasedontimetobalancevs.leakagecurrent.Oncethesystemisbalanced
responsetimetobalanceislessofanissueunlessasystemitbeingseverelycycled.

ActiveBalancing:Forapplicationswithalimitedenergysourceorhighlevelofcyclinganactivevoltage
balancingcircuitispreferredsinceittypicallydrawsmuchlowercurrentinsteadystateandonly
requireslargercurrentswhenthecellvoltageisoutofbalance.Theactivecircuitforcesthevoltageat
thenodesofseriesconnectedcellstostaybelowafixedreferencevoltage.

Inadditiontoensuringaccuratevoltagebalancing,activecircuitstypicallydrawmuchlowerlevelsof
currentinsteadystate,andonlyrequirelargercurrentswhenthecapacitorvoltagegoesoutof Whatisanultracapacitor?
balance.Thesecharacteristicsmakeactivevoltagebalancingcircuitsidealforapplicationsthatcharge
WhatareUltracapacitors
anddischargethecellsfrequentlyaswellasthosewithafiniteenergysource.
advantages&
challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing

Whatarethetemperatureeffectson methods?

anultracapacitors?
Whatarethetemperature
effectson
ultracapacitors?
Oneofthemainadvantagesofultracapacitorsisitswidetemperaturerange.Theeffectof
Howtomeasurean
temperatureonultracapacitorcellsistwofold:
ultracapacitor?

1.Life:Operatingathightemperatureextremeswillreducethelifeofthecells. Howtosizean
2.Performance:Operatingatlowtemperatureextremeswillincreasetheinternalresistanceofthe ultracapacitorforyour
cell. application?

Howtomeasureanultracapacitor?
Aconstantcurrentdischargetestmaybeusefulforcustomerevaluationoftheproductpriorto
applicationtesting.Allultracapacitorsarestoreddischargedforsafety.Werecommendcompletely
discharginganycapacitorsthatwillnotbeinstalledintoequipment.

Belowisalistofequipmentrequiredtoperformatypicalconstantcurrentdischargetest:

bidirectionalpowersupply(supply/load)OR

separatepowersupplyandprogrammableload(constantcurrentcapable)
Whatisanultracapacitor?
voltagevs.timemeasurementandrecordingdevice(digitalscope,orotherdataacquisition)
WhatareUltracapacitors
currentvs.timemeasurementandrecordingdevice(optionalifyoucantrustthepowersupplyand advantages&
loadsettings) challenges?

Beforetesting,connectdataacquisitionequipmenttothedeviceterminals,andsetrecordingspeeds Howdoultracapacitors
asfastasreasonablypossible(<<100msecpreferred,thefaster,themoreaccuratethecalculations). differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
Setup betweenpowerand
energy?
Setthepowersupplytotheappropriatevoltageandcurrentlimits,andturnthesupplyoutputOFF.
Whatarethekey
Thecurrentlimitcanbeanythingatorlessthanthemaximumratedcurrentforthecell.When
applicationsfor
performingrepetitivehighcurrenttesting,coolingairshouldbeprovided.
ultracapacitors?

Thevoltagelimitisthemaximumcellvoltage,timesthenumberofcellsinseries.Asinglecellshould Whatisendoflifeand
belimitedto2.7volts.Sixcellsinseries(forexample)canbeoperatedatanyvoltageupto16.2volts failuremodeforan
(6x2.7V=16.2V). ultracapacitor?

Connecttheultracapacitortothepowersupply(havingpresetthecurrentandvoltagelimits). Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?
Coolingairmayberequiredtokeeptheultracapacitorwithinoperatingtemperaturelimits,depending
onthetestcurrentandduration. Series/Parallel
combinationof
Connectthevoltageandcurrentmeasuring/recordingdevices. ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
Charge
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
Withthepowersupplypreset,andtheultracapacitorconnected,turnthesupplyoutputON.
methods?
Chargetheultracapacitorattheappropriatecurrenttotheappropriatevoltage. Whatarethetemperature
effectson

ultracapacitors?
Discharge
Howtomeasurean
Note:Ifusingaseparateprogrammableloadinsteadofanintegratedbidirectionalpowersupply, ultracapacitor?
disconnectthechargingpowersupplypriortodischarging.(Dontsimplyturnitofforchangeitsset
Howtosizean
points,asmanysupplieswillsinkcurrentwhennotregulating.)
ultracapacitorforyour

Settheloadtotheappropriateconstantcurrent,anddischargeto0.1V,oraslowastheloadcanbe application?

controlled.

IMMEDIATELYremovetheloadoncetheminimumvoltageisreached,allowingthedevice'svoltageto
"bounce"back.

(Thedischargecanactuallybestoppedatanyvoltage.Dependingonequipment,someunitscanbe
dischargedto0.1V,andothersdischargedtooftheinitialvoltage.Valuesofcapacitancewillbe
slightlyhigherwhendischargedtoinitialvoltageratherthan0.1V.)

Measurethefollowingparameters:(referencefigure1)

Vw=initialworkingvoltageVmin=minimumvoltageunderload

Id=dischargecurrentVf=voltage5secondsafterremovalofload.

td=timetodischargefrominitialvoltagetominimumvoltage

Capacitancecalculation:

Capacitance=(Id*td)/(VwVf)=(Id*td)/Vd

(Thischangeinvoltage(VwVf)isusedbecauseiteliminatesthevoltagedropduetotheequivalent
seriesresistance)

EquivalentSeriesResistance(atDC)calculation:

ESR=(VfVmin)/Id

(AnLCRmeterorbridgecanbeusedtomeasureESRathigherfrequencies.TheESRatfrequencies
Whatisanultracapacitor?
upto100Hzwilltypicallybe5060%oftheDCESR.Thecapacitancewillbemuchlower,duetothe
structureoftheelectrode.) WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
(NotethatcalculationsforCapacitanceandResistancecanalsobedoneonthecharge) challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
Figure1:Representativemeasurementpointsforconstantcurrenttest
combinationof
ultracapacitors?

SafetyConsiderations Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
Asinallelectricaltesting,youastheinvestigatorshouldtakeappropriatecautionsinthedesignand
methods?
executionofthetest.Properprecautionsfortheappropriatevoltageshouldbeobserved.Any
interconnectionsshouldbesizedforthemaximumanticipatedcurrent,andinsulatedforthe Whatarethetemperature
appropriatevoltage.Ifrepeatedtestingwillbeperformed,coolingairmayberequiredtokeepthetest effectson
unitwithinitsoperatingtemperaturerange. ultracapacitors?

Howtomeasurean

ultracapacitor?

Howtosizeanultracapacitorfor Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
yourapplication? application?

TecateGroupoffersalargeselectionofultracapacitorcellsandmodulesforvariousapplications.In
ordertosizetheappropriateultracapacitorcellforanyapplication,wewillneedtodeterminethe
systemvariablesneeded.Usingthisinformationwecancalculatetheappropriatesizeandnumberof
cellsneeded.

Inordertogetacompletesolution,thefollowingparameterswillneedtobedefined:

MaximumChargedVoltage(Vmax),ifdifferentfromWorkingVoltagethenalso(Vw)
MinimumVoltage(Vmin)
RequiredPower(W)orCurrent(I)
DurationofDischarge(td)
DutyCycle
RequiredLife
AverageOperatingTemperature

Thelastthreeparametersareusedtodeterminethelifedegradationfactortouse.Thisisnot
discussedherebutisaconsiderationtobetakenbyuser.Inordertoknowtheappropriatesizeand
alsothenumberofcellsrequiredoneneedstoperformsomesimplesizingexercise.Mostapplications
canbecategorizedintotwocategories:constantcurrentapplicationsorconstantpowerapplications.
Wewillexamineeachoneseparately.

Duringthedischargecycleofanultracapacitortherearetwoparameterstoconsider.Thedropin
voltageduetointernalresistance,andthedropinvoltageduetocapacitance,asshowninFigure1. Whatisanultracapacitor?

WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
challenges?

Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?

Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?

Whatarethekey
applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
Figure1:DischargeCurve
Whatisendoflifeand

AscanbeseenaboveduringadischargecycletheinitialdropinvoltageisduetotheEquivalent failuremodeforan

SeriesResistanceofthepart(ESR).TheamountofdropisafunctionoftheESRanddischarge ultracapacitor?

currentasindicatedbytheequationbelow: Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?
Equation1
Series/Parallel
dVESR=I*ESR
combinationof
AftertheinitialinstantaneousdropduetoESR,thecapacitorwilldischargeaccordingtoits ultracapacitors?
capacitanceanddischargecurrentasindicatedinequation2:
Whydoultracapacitors

Equation2 requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
dVcap=I*td/C
methods?
Byplacingthesetwoequationstogetherthetotalvoltagedropcanbecalculatedperequation3: Whatarethetemperature
effectson
Equation3
ultracapacitors?
dVTotal=I*td/C+I*ESR
Howtomeasurean
Abriefoverviewofthevariablesinaboveequation: ultracapacitor?

dVTotal=Thedropinvoltagewhenthecapacitorisdischarged.ThisisthedifferencebetweentheVw Howtosizean

andVminas ultracapacitorforyour
application?
indicatedonFigure1.Ascanbeseeninequation3thisisthesumoftheresistanceandcapacitance
drop.

Note:

AllowingalargerdVwillreducethecapacitancesizeused.Typicallybyallowingthecapacitortodrop
toVw,

75%ofthecapacitorenergyisdischarged.

I=CurrentinAmpsusedtodischargethecapacitors.Forequation3weassumethistobeaconstant
current

discharge.

td=DurationinSecondstodischargethecapacitorbetweenVwandVmin.

C=thetotalcapacitanceoftheultracapacitor.Ifasinglecellisused,thenitisthecellcapacitance.If
multiplecellsareusedtheequivalentcapacitanceisbasedonthenumberofcapacitorsinseriesor
parallel.Forcapacitorsinseriesthecapacitanceisadditiveat1/C.Forcapacitorsinparallelthe
capacitanceisadditive.

Equation4

CTotal=Ccell*(#parallel/#series)

ESR=thetotalresistanceoftheultracapacitor.Ifsinglecellisusedthenitisthecellresistance.If
multiplecellsareusedtheequivalentresistanceisbasedonthenumberofcapacitorsinseriesor
Whatisanultracapacitor?
parallel.Forcapacitorsinseriestheresistanceisadditive.Forcapacitorsinparalleltheresistanceis
additiveat1/resistance. WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
Equation5
challenges?

ESRTotal=ESRcell*(#series/#parallel) Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
ConstantCurrentApplication
traditionalcapacitors?
Intheexamplebelowwewilllookatanapplicationwheretheloadrequirementisaconstantcurrent.
Whatisthedifference
betweenpowerand
energy?
Example1:
Whatarethekey
Letsassumewehavearequirementasfollows: applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
Vmax=15V
Whatisendoflifeand
Vmin=9V
failuremodeforan

I=4A ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
td=5sec
orleakagecurrent?
Usingtheinformationabovewecanusetwomethodstotryandfindtheappropriatecapacitorsize.
Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?
Method1:
Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
WecanignoretheESReffectonthevoltagedroptogetanestimateonthecapacitanceandthen
methods?
resolveEquation3toseeifthesizepickedisappropriatewiththeESReffect,andifnot,toincreaseto
thenextcellsize. Whatarethetemperature
effectson
SobytakingouttheESRportionofequation3andsolvingforCweget: ultracapacitors?

Equation6 Howtomeasurean
ultracapacitor?
C=I*td/dVEquation6
Howtosizean
Bysubstitutingtheaboveparametersweget:
ultracapacitorforyour

C=4*5/(159)=3.33F application?

Notethatthisisthetotalcapacitanceat15V.Sinceeachultracapacitorcellistypicallyratedat2.7V,
thenwedivideVmaxby2.7androundup:

15/2.7=5.5,so6cellsinseries.

Usingequation4andassumingoneparallelsetthenweestimatethecellneededwillbeintherange
of:

Ccell=CTotal*#inseries=3.3*6=19.8F

Lookingattheproductofferingweseetheclosestsizeisa22FcellwithanESRvalueof45mohm.
TakingthecapacitanceandESRvalueofthiscellwecanplugitintoequation3toseeifthetotal
voltagedropiswithintheapplicationlimitof6V(notethatweneedtocalculatethesystemCandESR
for6cellsinseries):

dVTotal=(4*5/(22/6))+(4*(.045*6))=5.46+1.08=6.54V

Ascanbeseentheabovevoltagedropismorethanthe6Vallowed.Thereforeweneedtomoveto
thenextsizeupcellandredothecalculation.Alsopleasenotethevaluesusedaretheinitial
specifications.Totakeintoconsiderationendoflifedegradationoneneedstoapplythedegradation
factorstothecapacitanceandresistancenumbers.

Method2:

ForthesameparametersasabovewecansolveforthecellvalueusingtheRCtimeconstant.TheRC
Whatisanultracapacitor?
timeconstantofanultracapacitoristheproductofitscapacitancevalueandresistancevalue.Forthe
TecateproductTPLserieswecanuse0.8secondsasanaverage. WhatareUltracapacitors
advantages&
SinceR*C=0.8seconds,thenR=0.8/C
challenges?

Bysubstitutingtheaboveinequation3wegetthefollowing: Howdoultracapacitors
differfrombatteryand
dVTotal=I*td/C+I*0.8/C
traditionalcapacitors?
SolvingforC,weget:
Whatisthedifference
C=I/dVTotal*(td+0.8) betweenpowerand
energy?
Bysubstitutingthevaluegive(dV=6,I=4andtd=5)wesolvetheaboveequationforC:
Whatarethekey
C=3.86F applicationsfor
ultracapacitors?
Pleasenotethisisthestackcapacitanceandweneedtosolveforthecellcapacitance.Basedonthe
Vmaxof15Vwedeterminedweneed6cellsinseries.Sousingequation4wesolveforthecell Whatisendoflifeand
capacitanceasfollows: failuremodeforan
ultracapacitor?
Ccell=CTotal*#series
Whatistheselfdischarge
Ccell=3.86*6=23.16F orleakagecurrent?

Wewillthenusethedatasheettoroundthisuptotheclosestcellavailable,whichinthiscaseis25F. Series/Parallel
combinationof
ConstantPowerApplication
ultracapacitors?
Intheexamplebelowwelookatanapplicationwheretheloadisonaconstantpowerdischarge.
Whydoultracapacitors

requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing
 arethebalancing
Example2:
methods?

Letsassumewehavearequirementasfollow: Whatarethetemperature
effectson
Vmax=15V
ultracapacitors?
Vmin=9V
Howtomeasurean
Power(P)=60W ultracapacitor?

td=5sec Howtosizean
ultracapacitorforyour
Usingtheinformationabovewecanusetwomethodstotryandfindtheappropriatecapacitorsize. application?

Method1:

Asimplemethodwillbetocalculateanaveragecurrentbasedontheaboveparametersandthen
applytheconstantcurrentsizingmethodtocalculatethemostappropriatecell:

Imax=Power/Vmin=60/9=6.67Amps

Imin=Power/Vmax=60/15=4Amps

Iavg=(6.67+4)/2=5.34Amps

Usingthemethod1sizingoftheconstantcurrentapplicationmentionedearlierwegetacellvalueof
26.7F.Roundingituptothenextcellvaluewefindoutthe30Fcellistheappropriatecellforthis
application.Pleasenotewetypicallyrecommendoversizingthecellby2030%toaccommodateany
degradationovertime.

Method2:

Wecanalsocalculatetheappropriatecellsizebasedontheenergyneeded.Thismethodworkswell
forlowpowerapplicationwherethelossduetoESRisminimal.

EnergyNeeded=60W*5sec=300Joules

Theequationcalculatingtheenergystoredinacapacitoris:
Whatisanultracapacitor?
Equation8
WhatareUltracapacitors
E(joules)=0.5*C(V2maxV2min) advantages&
challenges?
Substitutingthevaluesinequation8andsolvingforCweget:
Howdoultracapacitors
300=0.5*C(22581) differfrombatteryand
traditionalcapacitors?
C=4.17F
Whatisthedifference
Sincewehave6cellsinseriesthecellcapacitanceneededis:
betweenpowerand

4.17*6=25.02F energy?

Whatarethekey
NotethattheabovemethoddidnottakeintoaccountanylossesduetoESR,thusresultinginaslightly
applicationsfor
smallercellvalue.
ultracapacitors?

Whatisendoflifeand
SiteMap|Contact|Subscribe failuremodeforan
TecateGroup.Allrightsreserved. ultracapacitor?

Whatistheselfdischarge
orleakagecurrent?

Series/Parallel
combinationof
ultracapacitors?

Whydoultracapacitors
requirebalancing?What
arethebalancing