A rapid charging station with an ultracapacitor energy storage system for plug-in electrical vehicles

Plug-in electrical vehicles (PEVs) are considered to be one of the solutions to the challenges of rising energy costs and global warming. As the number of PEVs sold steadily increases in the automobile market, public charging stations will become increasingly important. One of the major challenges for public charging stations is to reduce charging time, which can be addressed by increasing the rate of power transfer. However, when a large number of PEVs are charged simultaneously, problems may arise from a substantial increase in peak power. Addressing this peak power requirement may increase the generation cost of the energy as well as the cost of the distribution and public charging infrastructure. This paper discusses a charging station with an energy storage system that not only can reduce the charging time, but also reduces the stress on the grid. The paper compares various energy storage methods and suggests the use of ultracapacitors because of their durability, high power density, and likely further improvements in energy density.