# Capacitors - Energy Storage Application

By on

Siemens, Sitars ESM 125 Water
Cooled Energy Storage Module

Key Specifications:

• Rated Voltage: 120 ... 125 V d.c.
• Rated Capacitance: 63 F
• Usable Energy Storage: 105 Wh
• Usable Current Range: 150 ... 170 A d.c.
• Maximum Series Module: 8
• Operational Cycles: 1,000,000

Note: if disconnected then the energy will self discharge due to internal resistance in approximately four to five days.

Capacitors have numerous applications in electrical and electronic applications.  This note examines the use of capacitors to store electrical energy.  The sidebar shows details of a typical commercially available energy storage module.

In deciding the appropriateness of using capacitors as an energy storage medium, it is worth looking at some of the advantages and advantages:

• can charge and accumulate energy quickly
• can deliver the stored energy quickly
• losses are small compared to other storage medium
• long service life and low (or no) maintenance

• low energy capacity compared to batteries
• limited energy storage per dollar cost
• stored energy will eventually deplete due to internal losses

Note: some interesting schemes are being developed to overcome some of the disadvantages.

For example, Shanghai is experimenting with super capacitor buses, called the Capabus. Siemens is developing a hybrid storage utilising both capacitors and batteries to be used in the powering of light rail systems. In both these applications, capacitors are quickly charged at stops or along the route by connecting to overhead charging points.

### Energy Storage

Double Layer Capacitors

Many energy storage modules will use electric double layer capacitors, often referred to as super capacitors.

Super capacitors use a liquid electrolyte and charcoal to form what is known as an electrical double layer.  This greatly increases the capacitance. Capacitors with large Farad rating and small size can be obtained.

Note: due to having a large internal resistance, double layer capacitors are not suitable for a.c. circuits.

For anyone not familiar with capacitor theory or needing a quick refresher, please review the Capacitor Theory note.

The amount of energy (in joules) stored by a capacitor is determined by the capacitance (C) and voltage (V) and is given by:

$1 2 C V 2$

The greater the capacitance or the voltage, the more energy it can store.

When connecting capacitors in series, the total capacitance reduces but the voltage rating increases.  Connecting in parallel keeps the voltage rating the same but increases the total capacitance.  Either way the total energy storage of any combination is simply the sum of the storage capacity of each individual capacitor.

Tip: one application of capacitors as part of a hybrid (capacitor/battery) energy system, is that they can help prolong battery life.

Energy Stored Example

Consider the above energy storage module (63 F at 125 V).  What is the stored energy of one module by itself and then of two modules connected in series.

The energy of one module is:

$1 2 ×63× 125 2 =0.5 MJ$

by connecting two modules in series (doubling the voltage, halving the capacitance), the energy storage can be doubled:

$1 2 ×31.5× 250 2 =1.0 MJ$

Safety: capacitors store energy and will remain charged when disconnected from any supply.  Before working on any capacitive systems which have been isolated from the power supply, be careful to take all necessary steps to ensure the capacitors are fully discharged.

### Hybrid Energy Systems

Hybrid energy systems (HES) employ capacitors in conjunction with batteries or to benefit from the advantages of both technologies while minimizing the disadvantages.

Within a hybrid energy system the capacitors can charge and deliver energy more quickly, thereby reducing strenuous duties on the batteries.  The batteries can achieve greater energy densities and provide for longer running duration.

The use of this type of hybrid energy systems is becoming more popular, particularly in transportation applications.

Hopefully,  everyone now has a better understanding of using capacitor for energy storage.  If anyone still has questions or any comments, please post below.

More interesting Notes:

Steven has over twenty five years experience working on some of the largest construction projects. He has a deep technical understanding of electrical engineering and is keen to share this knowledge. About the author

myElectrical Engineering

Mobile Phones (Brick to Implant)

The mobile phone was born in 1973. They were the size of a brick and weighed a couple of kg, making them difficult to fit into your pocket. At a few thousand...

DC Component of Asymmetrical Faults

The image (reproduced from IEC 60909) shows a typical fault in an ac system.  From the illustration it can seen that there is an initial dc component ...

What is Aircraft Ground Power

Ever wondered what kind of power an aircraft uses when parked at the airport stand. Normally the aircraft generates it own power, but when parked with...

IEC 61439 Verification Methods

The (relatively new) switchgear and control gear standard, IEC 61439 'Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies' has three methods which can be...

What happened to the cable notes?

If you are wondering what happened to our cable notes, the short answer is that we have moved them to myCableEngineering.com.  The "Knowledge Base" at...

Generator Sizing & Operation Limits

When selecting a generator, there are inherent limits on the active and reactive power which can be delivered. Generators are normally sized for a certain...

A mechanical engineering paper, some history and memories

I was digging in my bookshelf and came across the 80th Anniversary Association of Mine Resident Engineers, Papers and Discussions Commemorative Edition...

Introduction to Cathodic Protection

If two dissimilar metals are touching and an external conducting path exists, corrosion of one the metals can take place.  Moisture or other materials...

Lighting - Lamps

Lamps are the essential part of any luminaire. These are the light generating components. Since the advent of electrical lighting in the middle of the...

Cable Sizing Software

When sizing cables nearly, everyone uses some form of software. This ranges from homespun spreadsheets to complex network analyses software. Each has its...

## Have some knowledge to share

If you have some expert knowledge or experience, why not consider sharing this with our community.

By writing an electrical note, you will be educating our users and at the same time promoting your expertise within the engineering community.

To get started and understand our policy, you can read our How to Write an Electrical Note