Optimization of double layer capacitor arrays

The double layer capacitor was developed in the late 1960s by the SOHIO Corporation, with further development continued by NEC and Matsushita in Japan. In 1978, a commercial product was introduced by Matsushita, the Panasonic Gold capacitor. This recent technological advancement has mainly been applied in computer memory back-up systems, but with recent increases in double layer capacitor energy storage levels higher power applications have become a real possibility. This paper examines the design of a capacitor bank interfaced to a constant power load though a DC-DC power converter. A numerical procedure has been implemented in a program which determines the dependence of run time, efficiency and energy utilization on the capacitor array dimensions, given the empirically determined capacitor parameters as well as a specified converter output power. Capacitor bank design calculations made using this numerical procedure have been verified using a commercial DC-DC power converter