Active Balancing of Super-Capacitors

Abstract

The decision for one of problems of using the super-capacitors that complicates their application nowadays is examined in this paper. As is generally known, due to the low nominal tension of super-capacitors, their application takes place at their successive connection. At production of super-capacitors there is some variation of parameters for capacity. In this connection there is a problem of different speed of charging the super-capacitors, namely, there is probability of recharging of a super-capacitor that can cause its hasp. The necessity appears to limit the super-capacitors voltage at charging. For verification of theoretical information the simulation of charging the successively connected super-capacitors is carried out in the Multisim software. In the paper the key steps of designing the scheme of the device are considered to limit the voltage of super-capacitors that will be the active balancing. The calculation of basic parameters of this balancing is presented. To confirm the serviceability of the proposed scheme, the simulation is carried out for successively connected super-capacitors with application of the developed active balancing. The results of the carried out simulation are described. For demonstrative presentation of the principle of operation of the active balancing at simulation, the oscillograms of voltages for internal circuit nodes are additionally shown out. To prove the importance of the correct calculation of parameters of the scheme, simulation has been carried out for incorrectly chosen parameters of the active balancing. Description and analysis of results of this simulation are given. The efficiency of solving the problem of charging the successively connected super-capacitors is considered in conclusion. The question of reliability and energy efficiency of applying the modules of super-capacitors is described. The present paper allows for revealing the issue of accelerating the implementation of applying the super-capacitors as energy accumulators.