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Battery Plus Ultracapacitor Equals Super Battery |
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Written by Greg Allen
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Sunday, 10 February 2008 |
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Battery + Ultracapacitor = Super Battery I sometimes use the words: "super battery” on this website. Several people have asked me about it. Batteries and ultracapacitors are so very different. Maxwell Technologies just helped me out a little by partnering with China's leading lithium-ion producer, Tianjim Lishen Battery, to make a "hybrid" energy storage unit that will give us the best of both capacitors and batteries. That will be big. So last week I had a few emails asking about the differences between a battery and an ultracapacitor. When you read them imagine combining this together in one unit: Charge Cycles: Ultracapacitors can be charged and discharged millions of cycles without losing performance. A battery is only good for a limited amount of charge and discharge cycles. You probably notice this now with your cell phone or if you have a cordless phone at the house. The longer you have and more you use the less effective the battery holds the charge. Charge Time: Batteries rely on chemical reactions and take more time to charge..unlike ultracapacitors which have very high rates of charge and discharge. Energy Density: Typically ultracapacitors hold one fifth to one tenth the energy of an electrochemical battery. Energy Release: Batteries release energy on a slower longer period of time while capacitors release stored energy very quickly. For a electric vehicle, this quick burst will give the energy needed for passing other cars or going up a hill. Size/Weight: Batteries are larger and more heavy where ultracapacitors tend to be smaller and lighter.
Like most consumers, you and I have been waiting for the market to product a better... longer lasting.. New Super Battery. It will be interesting to see what they create with the "hybrid". Recently a MIT scientist said he expected that battery performance will double over the next 10 years because of the advancements that we have been having. With changes like this, I think we are going to see the Super Battery sooner than I imagined.
Readers have left 2 comments.  No.1 Untitledthis concept of 'super battery' will greatly increase the power & energy density together of a battery.
battery provide the energy and supercapacitor will give high power (high delivery rate of the energy stored in a battery). No.2 Harlan
Would it not be currently possible to use some type of switch gear which would allow a large capacitor, which can take a charge very quckly, to slowly recharge a battery pack after the vehicle is on the road? My thinking is to greatly lessen the amount of time needed for the vehicle to remain in a charging station. Just doing this should help to bring about a quicker conversion to electric automobiles. |
