DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF LOW POWER SUPERCAPACITORS

Abstract

Supercapacitors are presented as a viable energy, technical, and economic alternative in electrical energy storage and supply applications. This non-linear electrochemical device needs specific electrical models to represent its real behavior. Only one resistance value and one capacitance value are found in the data sheets provided by the supercapacitor manufacturers, which do not allow any of these electrical models to be conceived. This work presents the simulation and assembly of a simple, economical, efficient, and easy to implement system to characterize low power supercapacitors. Said characterization is based on parameterizing the passive elements of a selected supercapacitor model. An algorithm for the identification of parameters implemented in Matlab is proposed, which is based on iterative methods and laboratory tests (charge and discharge of the supercapacitor). The conception of a genetic algorithm of our authorship is also proposed as one of the iterative solution methods. The results obtained are satisfactory, and a successful experimental model for each supercapacitor under study was obtained.