Author Topic: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor  (Read 8223 times)

Cosmoneer

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Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« on: November 14, 2016, 02:02:47 AM »
Hi,

AS the first post to this forum, it is only fitting to use topic as an introduction to the advanced concepts intended to be tested and developed through the Cosmoneer platform.

As the thread subject implies, the concept is power recycling via a super capacitor (or bank of super capacitors.)  There are three or more supercaps, with the fist supercap being the smallest capacitance amongst the supercaps being evaluated (i.e. - 0.47F.)  This supercap acts as the source of power, and is provided energy at 5.0 volts

The second, third or more capacitors are of equal value to each other and are at least double or more in size.  These supercaps are placed just before the ground and act as a discharged battery, eager to consume all energy passed along to it.

It is this charging/discharging process this concept focuses on.

Once the smallest supercap is charged, it is allowed to discharge through a completed circuit which then dumps into a super capacitor.  When the smaller supercap needs a recharge, a booster circuit is connected to the semi-charged supercap and the charge is used to funnel charge back to the "smaller supercap".
« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 05:51:11 PM by Cosmoneer »

Cosmoneer

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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2016, 03:35:51 PM »
The basic circuit consist of a supercap, load, supercap electron trap and a charging recycling section.

« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 03:37:31 PM by Cosmoneer »

Cosmoneer

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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2016, 03:49:04 PM »
For the basic test, the super capacitor will be charged to 5.0v via a 20ohm 1W axial resistor, then the charge source will be removed.  A single high power LED will be used as a load with a 330 ohm current limit resistor in series with the LED.

The LED will be activated and the time until extinguishment will be measured.  This time will coincide with the current monitor reading zero and the voltage being passed dropping to zero (or near zero) on the oscilloscope.

An in-line, separately powered 0-999mA current monitor will be used to measure current while an oscilloscope will be used to measure voltage.

The remaining capacitor charge will be measured via a load cell, measuring how many joules/mAh of power remains in the super capacitor.

« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 03:56:38 PM by Cosmoneer »

Cosmoneer

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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2016, 03:59:35 PM »
Prior to testing, the super capacitor will be charged and discharged multiple times to determine the capacity of the tested super capacitor.  An established timeframe for holding the supercap at the charging voltage will be established (i.e. 5 minutes) to insure the same charge level is achieved each time the supercap is charged.

Charging....  Then Load Cell discharging

« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 04:07:20 PM by Cosmoneer »

Cosmoneer

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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2016, 04:11:21 PM »
The final test is the recycle stage.  Here we test and see if the charge in the secondary super capacitor can be recycled and used to bring the source capacitor back to a level that can be used again.  The goal is to create a longer LED run time between the super capacitors.



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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2016, 06:38:47 PM »
Using the following formula, we will calculate how many mAh's we have available for our test capacitors, and how many mAh our LED will use, along with a prediction for LED runtime when the super capacitor is fully charged.

LED forward voltages for the LED in question is between 1.8v-3.6v

(Vmax - Vmin) * F * 0.278 = x (mAh)

Cosmoneer

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Re: Power Recycling via Super Capacitor
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2016, 09:51:32 AM »
The useful charge a battery, or in our case, a super capacitor is measure in

http://physicsnet.co.uk/gcse-physics/current-charge-power-joules-coulombs-amps-volts-watts/

Quote
Charge (Q) is measured in coulombs (C). Each electron carries a tiny amount of charge, 1.6 x 10-19 coulombs.

charge               =      current           x         time

(coulomb, C)        (ampere, A)             (second, s)

Current consumption within an LED depends on the voltage being applied.  From our preliminary super capacitor test, it is the amount of voltage drop across the LED.  As the discharging super capacitor feeds across the LED and charges the electron trapping super capacitor and raises the voltage, the difference between ground and the voltage drop after the LED slowly approaches zero.  Like water seeking its own level, the current slows as the potential between the two super capacitors decreases.

By replacing the semi-charged super capacitor with a discharged super capacitor, the difference in potential is re-introduced and an increase in current flow is observed.