Test bench implementation to calibrate ageing and voltage unbalance in a large series connection of supercapacitors

摘要

This paper presents the study of ageing and the voltage balance needed in a series stack of Electrolytic Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs). Continuous charging/discharging cycles to different current levels are applied to two prototypes connected in series. In both prototypes the configuration is different. One of them has a better distribution to facilitate the cooling, while the other has a distribution to accelerate ageing due to temperature. This is intended to study the effect of temperature in the ageing of supercapacitors. Similarly, some cells in one of the prototypes have an active balancing system to study and compare the effect of this system to balance the voltage between cells. Data obtained will serve to draw conclusions about the ageing (capacitance decrease and equivalent series resistance), the cooling system design and balance system required as well as the recommendations to operate this energy storage system.