The Rise Of Super/ultra Capacitors! (over The Next 10 Years)

[Paladin4Elio]

Unlike batteries, which store energy chemically in the material of their electrodes, a capacitor stores energy physically, on the electrodes’ surfaces. One electrode has a surplus of electrons and the other a deficit. If the electrodes are then connected through an external circuit a current flows until the surplus has neutralised the deficit and both have the same electrical potential. Electrode surfaces are easy to get to, so a capacitor can be charged and discharged quickly, giving it a high power-density. But surfaces cannot hold as much energy as entire volumes, so capacitors have lower energy-densities than batteries.


Supercapacitors pack vastly larger surfaces into a given space by using porous materials to form the electrodes. This permits them to have an energy-density up to 10,000 times that of a regular capacitor. That is still only a tenth of a lithium-ion battery’s energy-density, but a supercapacitor’s power-density can be ten times that of such a battery.

More at: http://www.economist.com/news/scien...run-their?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/firstoneuptodrive

 

[zelio]

Unlike batteries, which store energy chemically in the material of their electrodes, a capacitor stores energy physically, on the electrodes’ surfaces. One electrode has a surplus of electrons and the other a deficit. If the electrodes are then connected through an external circuit a current flows until the surplus has neutralised the deficit and both have the same electrical potential. Electrode surfaces are easy to get to, so a capacitor can be charged and discharged quickly, giving it a high power-density. But surfaces cannot hold as much energy as entire volumes, so capacitors have lower energy-densities than batteries.

Supercapacitors pack vastly larger surfaces into a given space by using porous materials to form the electrodes. This permits them to have an energy-density up to 10,000 times that of a regular capacitor. That is still only a tenth of a lithium-ion battery’s energy-density, but a supercapacitor’s power-density can be ten times that of such a battery.

More at: http://www.economist.com/news/scien...run-their?fsrc=scn/tw/te/pe/firstoneuptodrive

Would something like that lower the cost of an Elio or raise it? :-) Z

 

[Charlie G]

Would something like that lower the cost of an Elio or raise it? Z

It's something that doesn't really exist in a usable/marketable form yet.
I wouldn't worry about them causing any impact for quite some time.

 

[aknaten]

Super capacitors are the Next Big Thing!
http://www.extremetech.com/computin...-store-conduct-power-on-the-same-copper-wires

 

[wheaters]

My son works for a company who specialise in high power rotating magnetic components. The latest thing is energy recovery systems for vehicles. Formula One racing cars are required to use these systems and can apparently get a boost of 160 hp! I'm certain these will appear in road vehicles in a short time from now. They rely on the "speed" of the electrical storage medium. Batteries can't do the job so specialised capacitors are needed.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

"super" caps would be the real solution the EV problem power supply problem.
Capacity could improve, charging times reduced to 5 minutes or less (assuming you have a proper charging station)
ALL of the power would be available instantly.
Which is actually a down side. A unintentional capacitor discharge of that magnitude could pose an EXTREME hazard to persons and property.
Certification for impacts and training for emergency response (like many did with the Tesla EV's)
DOT will want additional hardening and safety features like auto discharge through a safe conductor during/after impact.
Even if there is a proven concept, certification may take years.

Higher power density allows for longer range, better performance and more interesting features.
Other applications for a super capacitor are extensive including cell phones, utilities (wind and solar power) to direct energy weapons.

Another reason super caps might be delayed is that military and aviation companies will have HEAVY demand for such a technology. Boeing and Airbus would use them for Aux Power Units, and larger units could be used in hybrid-electric airplanes.

Perhaps that's what is really being researched at Tesla's Giga factory...


CE

 

[AriLea]

My son works for a company who specialise in high power rotating magnetic components. The latest thing is energy recovery systems for vehicles. Formula One racing cars are required to use these systems and can apparently get a boost of 160 hp! I'm certain these will appear in road vehicles in a short time from now. They rely on the "speed" of the electrical storage medium. Batteries can't do the job so specialised capacitors are needed.

It's interesting technology. Much more for something expensive or heavy, like a delivery truck. There it could make sense.
But the amount of energy and capital investment in an Elio is so low, either a recovery system, hybrid, brake regen etc doesn't make much sense. Keep it simple, that works for me!
There isn't much reason a single seat, low ridder vehicle couldn't be in our future. The Elio kind of opens up the possiblities. Imagine 120mpg. Yep it's possible.

 

[Charlie G]

charging times reduced to 5 minutes or less (assuming you have a proper charging station)
CE

Ignoring all other factors, from a simple numbers perspective:
Tesla's current big battery is 85kWh.
To move that much power in 5 minutes you're talking about 1,020,000 watts.
Even at 480 volts, that's over 2000 Amps you're talking about running into a car.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Ignoring all other factors, from a simple numbers perspective:
Tesla's current big battery is 85kWh.
To move that much power in 5 minutes you're talking about 1,020,000 watts.
Even at 480 volts, that's over 2000 Amps you're talking about running into a car.

I work with over 2k amps. This is not an impossible feat. It not even that difficult.
Build a ground station that has its own super cap. Charge it over time with the infrastructure available. Fast charge to the limitations between the station capacitors and the vehicle capacitors. If 480v and 1k amps is your limitation, it will take longer. Other solutions include using additional conductors or higher voltage. It's only a matter of time before superconducting technology matures to a usable level. Then the 2k amp lines will seem rather quaint.

Frankly, this is a MUCH easier problem than designing the super cap in the first place.

CE