A new family of large cell BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor cells and multicell modules is available from Maxwell Technologies Inc. Richard Smith, executive vice president for strategic business development said the devices can store more energy, deliver more power per unit volume and last longer than other commercially available ultracapacitor products.
The new entries include a 2.7 V, 2,600 farad BOOSTCAP MC2600 large cell, and a 16 V BMOD2600-16 module that incorporates six MC2600 cells. Smith said the products meet or exceed automotive application requirements for watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram. He added that the ultracapacitors “will perform reliably for more than one million discharge-recharge cycles at 2.7 V.”
The new products are based on proprietary technology that significantly reduces material and production costs, according to Smith. “They position us to achieve our stated goal of pricing large cell ultracapacitors at one cent per farad in million-cell annual volumes."
The cylindrical MC2600 cell, constructed of lightweight aluminum and incorporating a proprietary electrode, measure 166 mm in length, 57.7 mm in diameter and weigh 470 grams. They feature a double-ended design that is available in two versions that facilitate either mechanical or welded termination. They are priced at $92 per cell in low volume, and $54 per cell in mid-range volume.
The BMOD2600-16 modules, in splash-proof, aluminum chassis, weigh 5 kg and are less than 4.85 liters in volume (420 mm x160 mm x70 mm). They include temperature and voltage monitoring, internal cell balancing for plug and play solutions, and module-to-module balancing for systems with higher voltage requirements. They are priced at $613 each in low volume and $366 in mid-range volume.