Supercaps: ultra-compact power
Supercaps, also known as supercapacitors, are a special type of energy storage device that combine certain properties of batteries with those of capacitors. In this way, they can store enormous amounts of energy and release it again very quickly, which makes them particularly valuable for many applications.
Supercapacitors are in a unique position between normal capacitors and batteries. While conventional capacitors store energy by separating electric charges in an electric field and are characterised by their high power density, they have a very low energy density and are therefore not suitable for long-term applications.
Batteries, on the other hand, store energy through electrochemical reactions, which gives them a high energy density and therefore the ability to release energy over the long term. However, their power density is low and they are unsuitable for fast charging and discharging cycles.
Supercapacitors close this gap by offering a higher energy density than normal capacitors and a higher power density than batteries, making them ideal for applications with short charge and discharge cycles.
Link: Application Note Supercaps.
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