Ultracapacitors up the ante

Maxwell Technologies has launched the first of a new family of large cell Boostcap ultracapacitor cells and multicell modules based on a technology breakthrough.

Maxwell Technologies has launched the first of a new family of large cell Boostcap ultracapacitor cells and multicell modules based on a technology breakthrough.

The new ultracapacitors store more energy, deliver more power per unit volume and last longer than any other commercially available ultracapacitor products.

Richard Smith, Maxwell's Executive Vice President for Strategic Business Development, said that the new 2.7V Boostcap MC2600 2600F large cell and fully integrated BMOD2600-16 16V module, incorporating six MC2600 cells, establish new industry standards for performance and price.

"These new products meet or exceed demanding automotive application requirements for both watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, and will perform reliably for more than one million discharge-recharge cycles at 2.7V", Smith said.

"The proprietary technology on which they are based also significantly reduces material and production cost, positioning Maxwell to achieve our stated goal of pricing large cell ultracapacitors at one US cent per farad in million-cell annual volumes".

Smith said that the new family of large cells and multi-cell modules are specifically designed "with the user in mind" to provide versatile, durable, compact and low-cost solutions for transportation and industrial applications.

The cylindrical MC2600 cells, constructed of lightweight aluminium and Maxwell's proprietary electrode, measure 138 x 57.7mm and weigh 470g.

They feature a double-ended design that is available in two versions that facilitate either mechanical or welded termination.

They are priced at Eur 92 per cell in low volume, and Eur 54 per cell in mid-range volume.

The BMOD2600-16 modules are encased in a rugged, splash-proof, aluminium chassis.

They weigh 5kg and are less than 4.85 litres in volume (420 x 160 x 70mm).

These durable "smart boxes" include temperature and voltage monitoring and internal cell balancing that give designers "plug and play" solutions, plus module-to-module balancing that makes them versatile building blocks for systems with higher voltage requirements.

They are priced at Eur 613 each in low volume and Eur 366 in mid-range volume.

In March, Maxwell won a next-generation ultracapacitor cell and module development contract from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), an entity formed by DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors and the US Department of Energy (DOE) to strengthen the domestic auto industry's technology base through cooperative research.

Under that contract, the company is eligible to receive more than Eur 2.4 million (US $3 million) in matching funds from DOE through the FreedomCar initiative that DOE and the big 3 US automakers established in 2002 to promote new technologies to reduce passenger vehicles' dependence on petroleum.

Smith noted that, as part of the USABC contract, Maxwell's MC2600 and the proposed auto-specific 48V modules it is developing will undergo extensive testing against rigorous auto industry standards for energy capacity, pulse power, abuse tolerance, calendar life and cycle life at DOE's Sandia and Idaho national laboratories.

"This independent third-party testing will supplement and validate the performance and reliability data that we have been generating internally", Smith said.

"The MC2600 and BMOD2600-16 are major stepping stones to penetrating the 50-plus million-unit annual new car market by providing the advanced, low-cost, energy storage and power delivery technology that automotive OEMs around the world require".

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