Supercapacitor-Assisted Techniques and Supercapacitor-Assisted Loss Management Concept: New Design Approaches to Change the Roadmap of Power Conversion Systems

Abstract

All electrical and electronic devices require access to a suitable energy source. In a portable electronic product, such as a cell phone, an energy storage unit drives a complex array of power conversion stages to generate multiple DC voltage rails required. To optimize the overall end-to-end efficiency, these internal power conversions should waste minimal energy and deliver more to the electronic modules. Capacitors are one of the main component families used in electronics, to store and deliver electric charges. Supercapacitors, so called because they provide over a million-fold increase in capacitance relative to a traditional capacitor of the same volume, are enabling a paradigm shift in the design of power electronic converter circuits. Here we show that supercapacitors could function as a lossless voltage-dropping element in the power conversion stages, thereby significantly increasing the power conversion stage efficiency. This approach has numerous secondary benefits: it improves continuity of the supply, suppresses voltage surges, allows the voltage regulation to be electromagnetically silent, and simplifies the design of voltage regulators. The use of supercapacitors allows the development of a novel loss-circumvention theory with applicability to a wide range of supercapacitor-assisted (SCA) techniques. These include low-dropout regulators, transient surge absorbers, LED lighting for DC microgrids, and rapid energy transfer for water heating.

Flexible solid-state hybrid supercapacitors for the internet of everything (IoE)

“…In addition, it is claimed that the energy intensive supercapacitor provides enough specific power (1 kg hp À1 ) with light weight (34 kg). [206][207][208] According to Lamborghini, this approach removes any jerkiness that would normally occur during a gear shift. The net outcome is a fast response with fewer gaps in its acceleration.…”

Maximum Power Point Tracking of an Off-Grid Photovoltaic System Consisting of a Series Connected Supercapacitor with a Step-Down Converter

“…Double-layer capacitance is one of the essential properties of an electrical double layer created at the interface between a conductive electrode and the liquid electrolyte. When an external electric field electrically charges the two electrodes, ions in the electrolyte migrate towards the electrode with the opposite charge (17). A single layer of solvent molecules separates electrons in the electrode from ions in the electrolyte, as shown in Figure 2(a).…”

“…A single layer of solvent molecules separates electrons in the electrode from ions in the electrolyte, as shown in Figure 2(a). Those molecules adhere to the surface of the electrode and act as a dielectric in a conventional capacitor (17). The first type of SC family is symmetrical electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC), which are made up of activated carbon electrodes and various types of electrolytes (5,18).…”

Oil palm leaf-derived hierarchical porous carbon for “water-in-salt” based supercapacitors: the effect of anions (Cl− and TFSI−) in superconcentrated conditions

“…Supercapacitors, a class of electrochemical energy storage devices, have attracted tremendous interest due to their highpower density (4000-10 000 W kg −1 ), excellent cycle stability (50 000-100 000 cycles), good reversibility and low maintenance. [1][2][3][4] They have great potential for use in a wide range of applications such as electric vehicles, portable electronics and high-power tools. 2,5,6 However, the poor energy density (1-10 W h kg −1 ) of supercapacitors hinders their practical applications.…”

“…2,5,6 However, the poor energy density (1-10 W h kg −1 ) of supercapacitors hinders their practical applications. 3,4,7 Therefore, increasing the energy density of supercapacitors is a key challenge. Principally, the supercapacitor is categorised into double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and pseudocapacitors.…”