2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)

Comparative Analysis for the Supercapacitors

Packaging Characteristics
Carmen M. Lungoci

Ioan D. Oltean

Electrical Engineering Department

Transilvania University of Brasov
Brasov, Romania
lungoci@unitbv.ro

Electronics Departement
Transilvania University of Brasov
Brasov, Romania
olteanu@unitbv.ro

Abstract Present research deals with comparative studies,

analysis and experiments between three types of supercapacitors
packs, in order to obtain the optimal structures for applications
in which they are integrated. Two of proposed packs are high
voltage used in electrical vehicle sphere and one is realized for
low power circuits from electronic application. A summary
review regarding the supercapacitors technology is presented as
single cell manufacturing approach. In order to obtain packs of
supercapacitors, connecting modes with voltage balancing
circuits are described. Than, the manufacturing method to
realize the low power pack is detailed. For all supercapacitors
presented, parameters like packaging, specific energy and
specific power are determined and analysed. It follows the
electrical parameters determination stage, concluded also with a
comparative analysis between the proposed supercapacitors
packs.

Volume, mass and size are important parameters reflecting

the packaging mode. Performances such as specific power,
energy, charge/discharge time are evaluated. Using two
methods: charge at constant voltage and charge/discharge at
constant current, electrical parameters (internal resistance,
capacitance, time constant) are obtained.

Keywords - component, supercapacitors, packaging, balancing

characteristics, comparative analysis.

A. Cells Supercapacitors Technology

A supercapacitor is an electrochemical capacitor,
consisting of two activated carbon electrodes dipped in an
electrolyte, with a semi-permeable membrane serving as a
separator. This membrane prevents electrical contact between
the two electrodes and allows for ionic diffusion.

I.

Present work focuses on different types of supercapacitors,

performance data of each pack proposed being compared, to
establish the efficient technology that can offers enhanced
reliability and service life of packs. Analysis is done using
three types of supercapacitors: two of these are used in high
power automotive applications and one is embedded in low
power electronic area.
II.

INTRODUCTION

Supercapacitors are modern energy storage devices applied

to many emerging technologies such as pulse power
applications, electrical vehicles and electrical networks. Due to
industrial power requirements and high voltages demands, the
use of supercapacitors packs is necessary for being embedded
in circuits applications.

When the supercapacitor is charged, the energy is stored as

concentration of electrons, proportional to the charge surface
area and inversely proportional to the dielectric thickness.
These lead to a high energy density and a capability of fast
charges and discharges, which can achieve a large number of
cycles.

Depending on hybrid systems in which they are integrated,

type of supercapacitors must be efficiently established, in order
to exploit the energy reserve. For this, supercapacitors offered
by constructors are of differentes types, classified following
several criteria, such as: processes type on the electrodelectrolyte interface, electrodes materials, electrolyte type,
packaging mode, parameters [1], [2, [3], [4].

Practical main technologies for supercapacitor designs are

carbon nanotubes and polymers, and carbon aerogels.
Carbon nanotubes present nanoporosity properties that
allow tiny spaces for the polymer to sit in the tube and act as a
dielectric. Due to the redox reactions, polymers have a storage
mechanism along with a high surface area.

Aiming to reach the required voltage from majority of

applications, supercapacitors are connected in series and
parallel [5]. For a supercapacitor has a low rated voltage Vc =
2.2 - 4 V is necessary series connection of several
supercapacitors for the equivalent voltage to reach the required
value (equal to the voltage of the battery). To protect the packs
obtained from over-charging, voltage balancing circuits are
embedded.

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

SUPERCAPACITORS :CELLS AND PACKS

Carbon aerogel is a material providing high surface area

(about 400-1000 m2/g). Capacitances obtained are up to
104F/g and 77 F/cm3 and power densities in supercapacitors
with carbon aerogel are also higher, up to 20 kW/kg.
Materials used in electrodes and electrolytes construction
are different and researches focuses on their properties

93

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania

2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)
TABLE I.

optimization and on introducing new ones. But control in

achieving the optimal distribution of NanoScale pores is
difficult, so research is ongoing to clarify the processes taking
place at the interface electrode - electrolyte [5].

Technical/Catalog

EQUIVALENTS PARAMETERS [8]

BMOD0117A01

Capacitance

Progress has been achieved regarding to manufacturing

technology of supercapacitors and components assembly
techniques that lead to enhanced performances and increased
benefits. The technical obstacle remains on supercapacitors is
the low voltage of a single cell, up to 4 V. For this reason
constructors made packs of supercapacitors, composed by
several cells connected in series.

Series Resistance ESR

25C

Specific Power Density

14 V

Voltage

Continuous

1900 (W/kg)
14 V

Peak

17 V

B. Realization Supercpacitors Packs

In power applications the voltage on supercapacitors
terminals must be at higher values that cannot be provided
using single cells. To increase the operating voltages,
supercapacitors are connected in series, number of cells being
computed in accordance with required electrical parameters of
application. If the string of cells is more than three, devices
must be defined to share the voltage across each component
connected. In this way the voltage over the whole pack is
equally distributed between different cells and the over-voltage
on each component is prevented.

(-

600 A

Maximum current
Temperature
Leakage current

435
Farads
20%/+20%)
4 mohms

Operating
12 hours, 25C

-35C to 65C
10 mA

- pack type of Maxwell, 10-BKAP0058E015B1

constructed by 10 series subpacks of supercapacitors type.
The pack provides solutions for automotive subsystems,
rail
system
power,
wireless
transmissions
UPS,
telecommunications and other industrial electronics
applications. The reability of this device is more than five
hundred-thousand discharge-recharge cycles.
Figure 2 shows the packaging for this supercapacitor
battery.
.

The voltage balancing to protect the pack from overcharging can be done in three ways:
passive device for equalizing the voltages with
resistances. The disadvantage of this solution is given by the
power dissipated in resistances that causes losses.
passive device for equalizing the voltages with diodes.
active device for equalizing the voltages.
C

Presentation analyzed variants

Researches have been done for following types of
supercapacitors:

Figure 2. The packaging for supercapacitor type BKAP0058E015B1 [8].

- pack type of Maxwell BMOD0117A01, contains 6 series

supercapacitors cells, 2700 F capacity, balanced.

In Table II main subpack parameters given by constructors

are detailed.

Figure 1 shows the packaging for this supercapacitor

battery.

TABLE II.
Technical/Catalog

BKAP0058E015B1

Capacitance

58 F (-20%/+20%)

Series Resistance ESR

19 m ohm

Specific Power Density

11200 (W/kg)

Specific Energy Density

3.63 (Wh/kg)
15 V
-40C to 70C
1 mA

Voltage
Temperature
Leakage current

Figure 1. The packaging for supercapacitor type BMOD0117A01 [8].

EQUIVALENTS PARAMETERS [8]

Total capacity CT= 435 F at nominal voltage UN= 14 V,

with dimensions 195 x 265 x 145 mm. This supercapacitor
pack is used in automotive systems, medical devices, for
backup power, and other applications requiring peaks of
power in short times. This pack is equipped with an active
device which prevents over-voltage and ensures maximum
energy stored.

It can be seen from the table the difference between this

pack and those presented below. From high power
applications this pack is more appropriate than BMOD00117.

Equivalents parameters from data sheets are presented in

Table I.

An active device for voltage balancing is embedded from

constructors.

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

The pack proposed is composed by 10 subpacks connected

in series to obtain voltages U=150 V with capacitance C=5.8
F.

94

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania

2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)
For hybrid energy systems used in automotive or in
electronics, is necessary to choose a pack of supercapacitors
appropriate to meet the requirements for desired of its
integration in system.

- A manufactured pack with 10 series and parallel

supercapacitors cells Panasonic EEC-HZ0E106.
In Figure 3 the manufactured pack is shown.

In this purpose, after defining an electric model for the

pack of supercapacitors, the experimental characterization is
required, by making experimental loads at constant current, to
obtain functional parameters and curves.
III.

PARAMETERS AND CHARACTERISTICS COMPARATIVE

ANALYSIS

The electrical model used for packs od supercapacitors is

presented in Figure 5.
Figure 3. Design of manufactured pack 10- EEC-HZ0E106.

The way for achieving the Panasonic pack is the following:

- a subcell consisting of two supercapacitors in parallel it
is constructed;
- five subcells are connected in series, to achieve the
voltage U=12.5 V.
It is obtained a pack with voltage U=12 V, composed by
10 supercapacitors Gold Cap (Panasonic), with total capacity
C = 10 F/2.5V.
In Table III parameters given by constructors for a subcell
of supercapacitors are given.
TABLE III.
Technical/Catalog
Capacitance
Series Resistance ESR
Voltage
Temperature
Packaging
Lead Spacing

Figure 5. Electrical circuit (a) and equivalent circuit (b) of a

supercapacitors packs.

EQUIVALENTS PARAMETERS [9]

EEC-HZ0E106

Experimental procedures are applied to three types of

supercapacitors proposed. After research data acquisition,
comparative analysis is made. In this way specific
performances of each pack are underlined for a convient
choice according to application type.
The electrical capacitance of supercapacitor can be
determined trough several methods, like constant current
charge, in which the charge current is maintained constant and
the voltage variation U = f(t) is measured [6].
This method has been applied to all three packs, under the
same conditions, in order to determine differences in their
functioning and the relationships between these differences
and characteristic parameters.

10F (-20%, +80%)

200.0 m
2.5V
-25C ~ 60C
Bulk
0.197" (5.00mm)

The balancing circuit can be done with one of following

solutions:
- 20 diodes (4 diodex5 cells) for voltage limitation;
- using the stabilizing diodes type Zener, pn junctions in
direct conduction.

The voltage measured at the terminals of a capacitor uc is

given by the following relation:

For this practical implementation a voltage limitation

circuit with 20 silicon diodes has been used because it is easier
to find the power rectifier diodes than Zener diodes with
voltage of 2.4 V, as in Figure4.

uC

1
i dt.
C0

(1)

In the case of supercapacitor charge/discharge

g
with a
const . ), in the time
constant value of the current ( i I 0 c
interval the voltage uC can be written as follows:

uC

Figure 4. Electrical circuit for manufactured pack 10-

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

I0
C

(2)

The capacity to be measured, Cx results from relation (3)

V:
by considering a certain voltage variation, uC

EEC-HZ0E106.

95

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania

2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)
(3)

The value obtained is appropriated by the standard from

datasheets (435 F).

Relation (3) shows that the capacitance value C can be

obtained as function of time
needed to create the voltage
variation uC
V , under a constant charge current I0.

B. Pack Maxwell, 10-BKAP0058E015B1 constructed by 10

series subpacks of supercapacitors type
In this case was used the same test bench described in [6]
and the value of constant current is also 50 A. The curves
resulted are presented in Figure 8 and Figure 9.

I0
V

A. The Maxwell supercap back type BMOD0117A01

The test bench used in charging the pack is detailed in [6].
The voltage variation obtained under a constant current
charge at 50 A value is layout in Figure 6.

150
140
130
120
110
100

13

90
Usc [V]

12
11
10

70
60

Usc [V]

80

50

40

30

20
10

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16
0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0
t [s]

Figure 8. Voltage characteristic of 10-BKAP0058E015B1 pack.

1
0
783

793

803

813

823

833

843

853

863

873

883

893

903

913

923

933

943

953

963

973

t [s]

U[V]

Figure 6. Voltage characteristic of Maxwell BMOD0117 pack.

Data acquised are processed to separate the linear variation

part, as in Figure x.
14
12

160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

y = 8,9105x + 10,746
2

R = 0,9972

U[V]

10
8

y = 0,1124x + 1,3465
R2 = 0,9961

10

12

14

16

18

Following the same computing mode, the pack capacitance

value is obtained:

For t

0
0

20

40

60

80

Figure 7. Linear voltage characteristic of Maxwell BMOD0117 pack.

t 6
60s :
0.1124 60
6 6.744V ,
t

C. The characteristics for the pack with 5 series and 2

paralel supercapacitors cells Panasonic EEC-HZ0E106
Test circuit for this manufactured pack of supercapacitors is
described in [7]. There have been made charges at three values
of current: 0.3 A, 0.5 A and 0.6 A.

4
447.76 F .

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

From Table II and taking in account that the pack contains

10 subpacks with C= 58 F each of one, result the pack
capacitance CT=5.8 F (datasheets). Value computed after
experiment is almost the same (5.6 F).

Using relations (2) and (3) at a moment, capacitance value

is computed as follows:

I
V

4.98s :

U 8.9105 4.98 4
44.3967V
I
C
t 5.6082 F .
V

100

t[s]

Figure 9. Linear voltage characteristic of 10-BKAP0058E015B1 pack.

t[s]

For

96

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania

2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)
Curves representing variation of voltage in time are shown
in Figure 10 and Figure 11.
TABLE IV.

EQUIVALENTS PARAMETERS

1.40E+01
1.20E+01

U[V]

1.00E+01

Parameters

BMOD01
17A01

10-BKAP0058
E015 B1

10-EECHZ0E106

Mass, g

6500

566

31

Enclosure, mm

265x69x38

216x69x38 each
subcell

30x10x0.6 each subcell

Packaging

Type module

Type module

200 pcs each

cell

ESR, me

1.9

0.02

Capacitance, F

435

5.8

Charging time, s

98

16

80

Voltage, V

12

150

12

I=0.3A

8.00E+00

I=0.5A
6.00E+00
4.00E+00
2.00E+00
0.00E+00
0

100

200

300

400

500

t[s]

Figure 10. Voltage characteristic obtained for the manufactured pack with
Panasonic supercapacitors.

From ggraphics and tables result:

When charging time is shorter, the pack can efficiently
ensures the instantaneous power, the answer to requests is
faster than the pack with longer charging time;
series resistance Rsc values varies in a range order m
and they are almost proportional with capacitans Csc values.
mass and size are important parameters reflecting the
packaging mode.
the model used and the testing method are efficient for
all three packs (parameters are almost identically with
standards).

Constant current charging I=0.5A

14.00
12.00

U[V]

10.00
8.00

y = 0.1514x + 1.1273
R2 = 0.998

6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

t[s]

On the other hand, following conclusions can be finded:

in high and
fluctuating power applications
fluctuant, a type pack like 10-BMOD0058E015B1 (5,8 F,
150 V, 10 packs in series) is convenable, because it can
provide high power values;
for applications in which requested values of power
must be kept constant longer and system wants to be stable, it
is indicate to use a pack with lower voltage value, as
BMOD0117A01;
in electronic applications, it can be used a pack of
supercapacitors type Panasonic 10-EEC-HZ0E106, with lower
voltage and capaciance.

Figure 11. Linear voltage characteristic obtained for the manufactured pack
with Panasonic supercapacitors.

Using relations (2) and (3) and following graphic

capacitance computing is done:
For

t 7
70s :
0.1514 7
70 9.1073 V
I0
0.5
7
70 3.84 F .
V
9.1073

IV.

The total capacitance of the pack from datasheets is 4 F

(there are 10 simple cells of 10 F each of them, connected: 5
subcells in series, each subcell having 2 simple cells in
parallel). It can be seen that computed and standard values are
appropriate.

Supercapacitors are energy devices of high specific power,

their use offering attractive performances in power, efficiency
and cyclability.
Among the advantages presented by comparison with other
electrochemical energy storage devices, is underlined their
ability to recover faster and efficient the energy and their long
life.
There are several methods to test and characterize the
supercapacitors, the most used being the charge at constant
current.

D. Comparative analysis
In Table IV principals parameters for all three types of
packs, resulted from datasheets and after experiments and
computations, are presented.

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

CONCLUSIONS

97

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania

2010 IEEE 16th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME)
Department of Technology University of Belfort, France, for
the support in practical experiments.

There have been three types of supercapacitors packs

analysed. After experimental tests, characteristics have been
obtained and parameters have been determined. It was
intended to validate the parameters and curves variation, by
comparing them with datasheets.
Parameters of each pack have been analyzed and
compared, for example:
The specific power density takes different values
according to type of packs, for example: 1,9 W/kg for
BMOD0117 pack and 3 W/kg for BMOD0058E015B1 pack.
From the other side, the mass of EEC-HZ0E106 pack is 3,1 g,
the packaging being of 200 pcs. Being used in high voltage
area, the mass of BMOD0058E015B1 pack is 566 g and
specific energy takes 3,63 Wh/kg value.
Depending on technology, connecting mode and packaging
way, main parameters differs and make each of packs
appropriate for different type of applications.

REFERENCES
[1[

[2]

[3]

[4]
[5]

[6]

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

[7]

Thanks are given to Electrical Department of Transilvania

University of Brasov, Romania and to Electrical and Control

978-1-4244-8124-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

[8]
[9]

98

H. Liu, C. Mao, J. Lu, and D. Wang, Electronic power transformer with

supercapacitors storage energy system, Electric Power Systems
Research, 79, 2009, pp.12001208.
E. Conway, "Electrochemical supercapacitors - Scientific fundamentals
and technological applications", IEEE Transactions On Energy
Conversion, vol. 14, nr. 3, pp. 479-485, 1999.
C. Lungoci, E. Helerea, and I. Oltean, Batteries and supercapacitors for
power systems used in transport, Proceeding of SIELMEN 2009,
Annals of Craiova University, Engineering Series, Craiova, 2009.
P. Venet, H. Gualous, Z. Ding, G. Rojat "Modelling of supercapacitors
during self-discharge", Journal EPE, n1, Vol. 17, mars 2007.
N. Zubieta, R. Bonert, "Characterization of double-layer capacitors for
power electronics applications", IEEE Transactions on Industry
Applications, vol.36, issue 1, pp. 199-205 2000.
C. Lungoci, I. Oltean, Batteries and supercapacitors for power systems
used in transport, Proceeding of buletin 2009, Annals of Craiova
University, Engineering Series, Craiova, 2009.
I. D. Oltean, A.M. Matoi, Elena Helerea, A Supercapacitor Stack
Design and Characteristics, Proceeding Conference OPTIM 2010, pp.
214-219
www.maxwell.com
www.panasonic.com

23-26 Sep 2010, Pitesti, Romania