Maxwell Technologies Inc. has announced the newest addition to its K2 family with a 3-volt (3V), 3,000-farad ultracapacitor cell, now available in sample quantities. With 31 percent higher power than Maxwell’s leading 2.7-volt, 3,000-farad cell in the industry-standard 60 mm cylindrical form factor, customers now have the flexibility to either increase available power and energy in the same volume or significantly cost-optimize their system designs with fewer cells or modules while maintaining the same power and energy.
The new 3V cell design also incorporates Maxwell’s proprietary DuraBlue Advanced Shock and Vibration Technology to provide three times the vibrational resistance and four times the shock immunity of previous ultracapacitor-based competitive offerings, which will maximize life in demanding transportation environments such as onboard rail, hybrid bus and other applications. With the 3V cell, the transportation industry has a new way to retrofit systems to increase power, reduce engine weight and improve fuel efficiency. Additionally, grid markets will enjoy options for more available power to smooth power intermittencies and reduce costs, resulting in increased return on grid energy storage investments. Existing K2 2.7 and 2.85-volt customers can also seamlessly upgrade systems using the industry-standard 60 mm cylindrical cell format while maintaining the same life performance criteria as our 2.7-volt cells.
“The growing need for increased power density in many applications such as transportation, wind and grid has resulted in Maxwell adding a 3V ultracapacitor to their large cell offerings,” said Vishal Sapru, research manager and growth consultant, energy & power systems, Frost & Sullivan. “Either used alone or in hybrid configurations with batteries, this new 3V large cell will help to reduce the overall cost and weight of the system and support in attaining operational efficiencies. This product is going to be a game changer for the ultracapacitor industry.”
“Higher power in the same form factor paired with Maxwell’s high-volume manufacturing capability reinforces our ongoing commitment to delivering superior performance and value to our customers, particularly with applications in the transportation, wind and grid markets,” said Dr. Franz Fink, president and CEO of Maxwell Technologies. “Adding the 3V ultracapacitor to our product line gives existing customers the flexibility to address higher-voltage or cost-sensitive applications while reducing weight and increasing return on system investments.”
Maxwell ultracapacitors differ from batteries, storing energy in an electrical field that is larger than a capacitor’s, giving ultracapacitors greater storage capacity. The electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables rapid charge and discharge, with the process occurring in fractions of a second. Maxwell ultracapacitors perform reliably over a large temperature range, between minus 40 degrees to 65 degrees Celsius. The devices’ longevity means customers experience dependable operation for hundreds of thousands of duty cycles without the performance snags caused by shock and vibration. Maxwell cells range in capacitance from 1 to 3,400 farads and multi-cell modules range from 16 to 160 volts. The ultracapacitors deliver higher power, whether they’re used with a battery or independently. Ultracapacitors are currently in use in a number of applications from automobiles to consumer electronics, transportation and more.
