Zinc-air battery/double layer capacitor hybrid for portable communications pulse power supply

摘要

Digital transmitters send short high power pulses which tax batteries used for these applications. On the other hand, double layer capacitors (DLC) can be used to provide pulse power for battery powered systems leveling the discharge rate of thebattery, and increasing the battery run time. A zinc-air battery / DLC hybrid assembled at Auburn University, for portable communication equipment was tested using a solid state switch to produce current pulses. Voltage waveforms were captured on adigital oscilloscope, and indicate the performance of the system and individual components of the hybrid pulse power supply.The nonlinear resistance of a zinc-air battery was determined from DC performance data for a zinc-air cell. An equivalent circuit model of the DLC was determined from AC Impedance data taken at 3.6V. A simulation of the test circuit using these models inPSPICE is compared to the performance data of the hybrid.