News and New Products

Ultracapacitor-pack standardization reaches 15V

By Bill Schweber -- EDN, 1/6/2005

Following its introduction of an ultracapacitor in a standard D-cell form factor, Maxwell Technologies has put six of its Boostcap ultracapacitors into a single plug-and-play battery pack with nominal 15V output. The packs are available as basic shrink-wrapped packages or as rugged aluminum-chassis modules with screw terminals. Each configuration is available with active or passive cell balancing to provide engineers a choice in managing cells for maximum life versus cost and dissipation.

The packs comprise six BCAP0350 ultracapacitor cells in series; each 350F operates at 2.5V and weighs 60g. According to Mike Everett, vice president of technical systems at Maxwell, “Everyone is overengineering the size of their ultracaps and underengineering their system requirements.” By adding standard packs to the engineering mix of available sources, engineers can balance and optimize their approach to power and energy backup, boost, recapture, or initial surge requirements. In lots of one to 15 units, The shrink-wrapped pack sells for $127, and the more rugged module sells for $200 (one to 15).

Maxwell Technologies Inc, 1-858-503-3300, www.maxwell.com.