In the quest for sustainable and efficient energy solutions, Kyocera AVX leads the charge with a robust portfolio of capacitors tailored for energy harvesting and storage. These cutting-edge technologies help optimize power conversion, enhance grid generation & control, and significantly boost the efficiency of IoT applications. This technical article delves into the specifics of Kyocera AVX's product offerings and their applications in energy harvesting.
Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors
Kyocera AVX's Leaded Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors are engineered for diverse energy storage needs, offering three main types:
- Aluminum Electrolytic:
- Ideal for general-purpose applications with high capacitance and voltage ratings.
- Conductive Polymer:
- Offers superior performance in terms of ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) and stability, making it suitable for high-frequency and high-ripple current applications.
- Hybrid Polymer:
- Combines the benefits of aluminum electrolytic and conductive polymer capacitors, providing high capacitance, low ESR, and extended lifespan.
Leaded Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor use in three-phase BLDC Motor Controllers
The uses of industrial control systems and robotics are expanding rapidly due to their positive impact on costs and quality. This paper will discuss Aluminum Electrolytic capacitor roles as an output filter capacitor to improve power quality in Brushless DC Motor (BLDC) motor controller & drives.
SMT Aluminum Portfolio
The Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Aluminum Capacitors from Kyocera AVX are designed for compact, high-density applications. They are perfect for scenarios where board space is at a premium, offering high reliability and excellent performance in power conversion and energy storage systems.
SuperCap Portfolio
Supercapacitors are a key component in the energy storage landscape due to their unique properties and benefits:
- Why Use SuperCapacitors?:
- Cost Savings: Reduced system maintenance costs by minimizing battery replacements and service overhead.
- Longer Cycle Life: Capable of enduring hundreds of thousands of charge-discharge cycles.
- Wide Operating Temperature Range: Suitable for extreme environments.
- Environmentally Friendly: Non-toxic and recyclable materials.
- Styles:
- Cylindrical: Standard format for many applications.
- Modules: Customizable configurations for specific energy storage needs.
- Advantages:
- Low ESR: Ensures high efficiency and low heat generation.
- PC & ACN Electrolytes: Provides stable performance across a range of conditions.
- Long Lifetime Performance: Durable and reliable for long-term applications.
- Custom Modules: Tailored solutions to meet specific energy storage requirements.
Powering IoT Modules Using Solar Panels, Supercapacitors, and an Automatic Buck/Boost Controller IC
This paper is an effort to document the performance and utility of supercapacitors when used in an IC that provides bidirectional buck-boost DC/DC regulation, supercapacitor cell charging and balancing functions, and automatic power switching to supercapacitors as primary power is lost.
SuperCapacitor Improvements on Small Generator Power Quality
To expand portable electronics usage/reach/offering, the renewable power industry has taken an interest in the worldwide awareness of climate change and electronic waste, specifically how batteries affect the environment. One advancement is the emergence of modern low power hand crank generators, which roughly coincides with the accelerating interest in green energy used in portable electronics.
Capacitor options: Low power to Supercapacitor Large grid storage & Custom modules
Kyocera AVX also offers solutions for large grid storage and custom module applications. These supercapacitors are designed for high energy storage and quick discharge capabilities, making them ideal for grid stabilization and backup power systems.
Summary
Understanding the nuances of different capacitor types is crucial for optimizing energy storage solutions:
- X5R:
- Application: Small load applications.
- Advantages: Cost-effective, compact.
- Considerations: DC bias and aging effects.
- TaPoly:
- Application: Long-life, high-reliability applications.
- Advantages: Stable performance over voltage and temperature.
- Considerations: Voltage derating for enhanced reliability.
- Tantalum:
- Application: Short burst, always-on charge applications.
- Advantages: Large capacitance, low ESR.
- Considerations: DCL, moisture, and temperature profiles.
Tantalum and SuperCapacitors Enable Maintenance Free Microcontrollers
Ultra-low-power microcontroller families now exist with such low power requirements that they can be powered by energy harvesting rather than battery-operated or conventional mains. These powerful MCUs enable maintenance-free control systems in applications ranging from structure/soil/ water/air monitoring applications to industrial point controllers (such as smart faucets) to wearable electronics, location tracking, and even BLE beacons.
- Supercapacitors:
- Application: Wide range of applications requiring large energy storage.
- Advantages: Extremely large energy storage capacity.
- Considerations: Manage ESR and DCL, and account for moisture, voltage, and temperature variations.
Tantalum Polymer vs Aluminum Polymer Performance as an Output Filter Capacitor for Miniature Switching Power Supplies
This investigation is intended to compare the interchangeability of Tantalum Polymer Capacitors in a design with the original Aluminum Polymer capacitors. The data collected was the measured output voltage ripple on a highly utilized circuit/chipset under a specific conditions of an end user.
Power Film Capacitors
DC filtering capacitors include both through-hole mounting and bolt-in applications. They are an ideal alternative to aluminum electrolytic capacitors, withstanding much higher levels of surge voltage with lower ESR and very high rms currents, resulting in longer application lifetime.
Energy Storage Capacitor Technology Comparison and Selection
Tantalum, MLCC, and super capacitor technologies are ideal for many energy storage applications because of their high capacitance capability. These capacitors have drastically different electrical and environmental responses that are sometimes not explicit on datasheets or requires additional knowledge of the properties of materials used, to select the best solution for a given design.
Medium & High-Power Film Capacitors
- Dry, oil impregnated technologies and without free oil
- Total safety, reliability, and soft end of lifetime
- No derating over operating temperature range: -40ºC up to +105°C (see individual data sheets)
- High peak current and high energy options
- Polypropylene and polyester dielectric designs available
- RoHS Compliant available for most medium power products
Summary
Kyocera AVX's comprehensive capacitor portfolio offers tailored solutions for energy harvesting and storage, ensuring that professionals can meet the growing demands of green energy and IoT applications. By leveraging these advanced capacitors, systems can be designed to be efficient, reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective over the long term.