Supercapacitors for backup energy storage

摘要

Supercapacitors (SCs) are finding use in a variety of power management applications, including automotive start-stop systems with regenerative braking. In these systems, SCs can provide the energy needed to engage the starter to restart the combustion engine as well as accept the kinetic energy recovered during braking. SCs are used because they can be charged and discharged considerably more times than traditional lead-acid batteries, and they can absorb energy more rapidly without degrading their expected lifetime. This article discusses the challenges of charging these large capacitors, and shows power system designers how to evaluate and select the best system configuration for backup energy storage.