Hybrid Super-Capacitor Battery System for Pulsed Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current battery and super-capacitor technologies have limitations in pulsed power applications, with batteries offering better energy storage density but lower power density and shorter lifetimes, while super-capacitors provide superior power density but limited energy storage and shorter lifetimes, necessitating a hybrid approach to combine their complementary capabilities effectively.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid super-capacitor/battery system incorporating a super-capacitor unit, a battery unit, a DC/DC converter, and a power control system with inner voltage and outer current control loops, along with a switch controller using pulse width modulation (PWM) to manage energy flow and optimize performance by leveraging the strengths of both technologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a battery system is used to provide pulsed power, then energy storage density is improved, but power density and lifetime are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a battery unit and a super-capacitor unit into a hybrid system where the battery provides energy storage density while the super-capacitor provides power density, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters through component merging
2Use of energy by moving object
If a battery system is used to provide pulsed power, then energy storage density is improved, but lifetime is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid system merges battery and super-capacitor units with complementary characteristics, where the super-capacitor's long cycle life and low leakage compensate for battery limitations, improving overall system lifetime while maintaining energy storage density
3Power
If a super-capacitor system is used to provide pulsed power, then power density is improved, but energy storage density is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges super-capacitor and battery units in a hybrid configuration where each component compensates for the other's weaknesses, achieving both high power density from the super-capacitor and adequate energy storage density from the battery
4Use of energy by moving object
If more battery cells are used to increase capacity, then energy storage is improved, but system cost and space are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid system merges a smaller battery unit with a super-capacitor unit, where the super-capacitor handles high-power pulsed demands, allowing the battery to be downsized while maintaining overall energy storage capability, thus reducing system cost
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial battery capacity combined with super-capacitor supplementation for pulsed power, avoiding the need for excessive battery capacity that would increase cost and space requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid system enhances battery capacity, extends discharge lifetime, and improves system performance by minimizing thermal stresses and energy loss, while allowing for cost and space savings by reducing the number of battery cells, thus providing superior energy and power density under pulsed power conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a DC/DC converter allowing charging and discharging of the super-capacitors
Implementation Method 2
a switch controller having a pulse width modulation (PWM) generator that receives from the voltage controller a duty cycle, D[n]
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid super-capacitor/battery system is disclosed (particularly under high pulsed power and low temperature conditions) which allows an existing battery system to ride through transient loading and provide excellent energy density and power density under practical loading conditions.