Powering 12-V LED luminiaries with supercapacitor-based energy storage in DC-microgrid systems

摘要

In configuring energy-efficient renewable energy systems, rechargeable batteries are typically used with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) based DC-DC converters. With the commercial supercapacitor (SC) devices available in three different forms namely (i) symmetric electrical doubled layer capacitors (EDLC) (ii) hybrid and (iii) capa-batteries, where device cycle-life is exponentially larger than rechargeable batteries, new converter techniques with SC energy storage are possible for DC Microgrid systems. This paper presents the preliminary concept of a new and commercially-useful SC-based LED powering technique, currently under development as the SC assisted LED (SCALED) technique. Challenges of developing this technique which can be extended into the powering of DC powered electrical appliances is presented with the theory and early experimental validations carried out in a sea-port based industrial location.