SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING SUPER CAPACITOR CHARGE VOLTAGE TO EXTEND SUPER CAPACITOR LIFE

1 . A method of determining a lifetime parameter of a capacitor in a failsafe device, the method comprising:

measuring an amount of energy required to return the failsafe device;

determining an effective capacitance of the capacitor; and

comparing the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine the lifetime parameter of the capacitor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on the effective capacitance, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and

charging the capacitor using the charge voltage with a boost buck circuit.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is a length of time associated with a remaining operational period of the capacitor and wherein the effective capacitance of the capacitor is determined using a measured value associated with energy used by a component of the fail safe device and a fixed value representing energy.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe device is an actuator.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is an amount of time required to charge the capacitor to a level associated with the amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is diagnostic information associated with physically testing an ability of the capacitor to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.

7 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising sending the lifetime parameter to a building management system (BMS), wherein the lifetime parameter indicates that the capacitor should be replaced.

8 . A method of charging a capacitor in a failsafe device, the method comprising:

measuring an amount of energy required to return the failsafe device;

measuring an effective capacitance of the capacitor;

determining, based on the effective capacitance and the amount of energy, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and

charging the capacitor using the charge voltage.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the failsafe device is an actuator.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

comparing the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine a lifetime parameter of the capacitor; and

sending the lifetime parameter.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lifetime parameter indicates that the capacitor should be replaced, wherein the effective capacitance of the capacitor is determined using a measured value associated with energy used by a component of the fail safe device and a fixed value representing energy.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lifetime parameter is a length of time associated with a remaining operational period of the capacitor wherein the charging uses a boost buck circuit.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lifetime parameter is an amount of time required to charge the capacitor to a level associated with the amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to a failsafe position.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lifetime parameter is diagnostic information associated with physically testing an ability of the capacitor to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.

15 . A failsafe device assembly, comprising:

an actuator;

a capacitor; and

a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to:

compare an amount of energy required to return the actuator to an effective capacitance of the capacitor to determine an operational parameter of the actuator; and

operate the actuator according to the operational parameter.

16 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 15 , wherein the memory has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to:

determine, based on the effective capacitance, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and

charge the capacitor using the charge voltage.

17 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 15 , wherein the operational parameter describes a speed with which the actuator returns to a failsafe position.

18 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 17 , wherein determining the operational parameter of the actuator further includes receiving a selection of the speed from a user.

19 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 15 , wherein the memory has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to:

compare the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine a lifetime parameter of the capacitor; and

send the lifetime parameter.

20 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 19 further comprising an artificial intelligence module.