Now here is something interesting about new
ultracapacitors that function somewhere between a
battery and a capacitor...perhaps they could be
constantly trickle charged from a wire above your
house to extract electrical energy from the air as
wind blows past, not to mention other applications,
looks like something to invest in commercially;
http://unisci.com/stories/19991/0329994.htm
Building upon an existing research patent in
conducting polymers, the Los Alamos scientists have
created a new single-cell ultracapacitor with high
energy density -- meaning it can hold a lot of energy
in a small volume. The prototype ultracapacitor is the
size of a dime and contains microscopic carbon fibers
specially coated with conducting polymer to act as
charge-storage material.
According to Shimshon Gottesfeld, leader of the
research team, "This is a very exciting advancement
for us. Achieving 2.7 million charge/discharge cycles
is a leap forward in the development of this new
generation of ultracapacitors. I'd say we're well on
our way to developing a product that has significant
commercial value."
In one sense, ultracapacitors lie somewhere between a
battery and a capacitor. Conventional batteries
provide stored energy for extended periods of time,
but have peak-power and cycling limitations. Because
of chemical reactions that occur within the battery,
they have limited ability to charge and discharge
energy repeatedly and quickly.
Conventional capacitors are capable of repeatedly
providing high levels of power, but can hold very
little energy. As a result, they often cannot
discharge this power for more than a few microseconds.
Ultracapacitors store high levels of energy in a small
volume and then release that energy in power bursts.
In an automobile application, for example, a vehicle
might use this burst of power to accelerate or climb a
hill.
Because ultracapacitors move electrical charges
between conducting materials, rather than performing
any chemistry, they maintain an ability to cycle far
longer than batteries. Ultracapacitors, by design, are
lighter and smaller than batteries with comparable
peak-power levels.
Shi believes his group's latest successes in
ultracapacitors are only the beginning of the story.
"I think we can make these ultracapacitors even
better," he said. "In the future we should be able to
increase the ultracapacitor's energy density to four
or five times its current level."
Gottesfeld agrees: "The future applications for this
technology are very significant. In any situation
where you need repeated bursts of power to an
electrical device, like a motor or a cellular phone,
the ultracapacitor would work well."
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