Things You Should Know about Supercapacitor

A Supercapacitor is the next generation of capacitors. A specific country such as China uses supercapacitors to produce e-bus or Capa bus. Let’s take a look at the things you should know about supercapacitors. You will also learn why a supercapacitor is better than a lithium-ion battery.

What Supercapacitor Is

A supercapacitor is the electrostatic double-layer capacitor. The system uses ionic electrolyte to separate the plates. This device forms a specific layer known as a Helmholtz double layer when the positive plate attracts negative ions. It also happens when the negative plate attracts positive ions. The separation of the plates gives significant impacts on the performance of this device. One of the effects is that a supercapacitor has more capacitance than the ordinary capacitors.

Durability of Supercapacitor

Supercapacitors are also different from lithium-ion batteries. A supercapacitor can work around ten up to twenty years. This lifespan is longer than lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries can only work up to 5 years. Those two devices are also different in the case of their charging duration. You only need to charge supercapacitors for a few minutes to get it fully recharged. The charging duration of lithium-ion batteries is longer, in which it takes a few hours.

The Distance of a Vehicle with Supercapacitor

China started to use e-buses or the Capa bus in 2015. This bus is using a supercapacitor for the battery. The result is not bad for public transportation. E-buses can run up to 15 kilometers before going to the bus station for recharging. So, supercapacitors are not only effective because they are fully charged faster but also help vehicles run well.

The Use of Supercapacitor

Supercapacitors are not only useful for the automotive industry but also for the robot industry. For example, a company can use supercapacitors to support robots to work in their warehouses. The robots can go to the recharging stations automatically. The company can finish the jobs effectively. Companies don’t have to spend extra money on the electricity bill. Robots with supercapacitors work with low power due to the fast charging ability.

Flexibility of Supercapacitor

A supercapacitor doesn’t want to replace the role of a lithium-ion battery. This device can support the work of the lithium-ion battery. Let’s say a supercapacitor can store energy. Then, the device can transfer the energy into the battery. The supercapacitor can also deliver the energy in a low power density, so it doesn’t give a bad impact on the battery.