High-power ultracapacitor energy storage pack and method of use
View Patent ↗An ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack includes an ultracapacitor assembly including a plurality of parallel ultracapacitors and balancing resistors in series; an enclosure for the ultracapacitor assembly; a controller; one or more temperature sensors; a pack voltage sensor; a GFI sensor; one or more cooling fans carried by the enclosure; an on/off relay coupled to the ultracapacitor assembly and the controller, the on/off relay activated by the controller during normal operation of the ultracapacitor assembly and deactivated by the controller when the GFI sensor detects a ground fault interrupt condition, the one or more temperature sensors detect an over-temperature condition, or the pack voltage sensor detects an over-voltage condition; and a pre-charge resistor and a pre-charge relay coupled to the ultracapacitor assembly and the controller, and activated by the controller to cause the pre-charge resistor to limit pack charge current until the ultracapacitor assembly reaches a minimum voltage.
1. An ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack, comprising:
an ultracapacitor assembly including a plurality of parallel ultracapacitors and balancing resistors in series, each balancing resistor in parallel with each ultracapacitor to automatically discharge each ultracapacitor over time, thereby balancing the ultracapacitors of the ultracapacitor assembly;
an enclosure to enclose and protect the ultracapacitor assembly;
one or more temperature sensors to monitor temperature of the ultracapacitor assembly;
a pack voltage sensor to monitor voltage of the ultracapacitor assembly;
a ground fault sensor to monitor for a ground fault condition of the ultracapacitor assembly;
a cooling system to cool the ultracapacitor assembly;
an on/off relay coupled to the ultracapacitor assembly and a control input, the on/off relay activated during normal operation of the ultracapacitor assembly and deactivated by the control input to terminate normal operation; and
a pre-charge resistor and a pre-charge relay coupled to the ultracapacitor assembly and the control input, the pre-charge relay activated by the control input to cause the pre-charge resistor to limit pack incoming current until the ultracapacitor assembly reaches a minimum voltage.
2. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the pack includes a controller.
3. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 2 , wherein the controller is coupled to one or more of a pack temperature sensor or sensors, a pack voltage sensor, a ground fault sensor, a fire sensor, a fire suppression subsystem, a cooling system control input, an on/off relay control input, and a precharge resistor control relay input.
4. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 3 , wherein the controller controls one or more of the cooling system, precharge resistor control relay input, and on/off relay from one or more of the pack temperature sensor or sensors input, the voltage sensor input, the ground fault input, the fire sensor input, and the fire suppression input.
5. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 3 , wherein the controller has a digital data interface to a control network.
6. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 3 , wherein the controller monitors and reports the sensor inputs to the control network interface, and controls the cooling system and on/off relay in response to commands from the network interface.
7. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 5 , wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller with a digital data interface to an SAE standard J1939 Control Area Network (CAN).
8. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the cooling system is one or more cooling fans carried by the enclosure.
9. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 8 , wherein an air filter is carried by the enclosure.
10. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack stores up to a nominal 325 watt-hours of electrical energy at up to a nominal 360 volts DC.
11. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure includes an inside surface with an anti-corrosion and electrical insulation coating thereon.
12. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitor assembly includes two polycarbonate middle plate supports with cutouts that receive the ultracapacitors and balancing resistors.
13. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitor assembly includes an end support plate made of a glass fabric laminate with an epoxy resin, and has a pattern of holes for mounting the ultracapacitors.
14. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , wherein the ultracapacitors are mechanically and electrically interconnected with aluminum connections.
15. The ultracapacitor energy storage cell pack of claim 1 , further including a fire sensor and a fire suppression subsystem activated upon a fire indication input from the fire sensor.