Low cost set-up for supercapacitors parameters evaluation

Arkadiusz Szewczyk

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1065/5/052004

Low cost set-up for supercapacitors parameters evaluation

Abstract

Supercapacitors are capable to store relatively high amount of energy comparing to its mass. Growing number of these devices applications requires development of new testing methods. Standard methods of evaluation of supercapacitor parameters, as cycling voltammetry, CV, galvanostatic cycling with potential limitation, GCPL, impedance measurements, require equipment of high cost as potentiostat/galvanostat with high current efficiency. We propose a use of a ower amplifier in the circuit of voltage to current converter (current driver) for supercapacitor charging/discharging in controlled onditions. The current driver is controlled by DAC output of DAQ board and voltage of DUT is measured and a control oop s realized by software. In the circuit the DC current method of evaluation of capacitance and equivalent series resistance is sed. The DUT is charged and discharged with constant current and capacitance C and equivalent serial resistance ESR are alculated from voltage curves. For test purpose commercially available supercapacitors were measured with different current alues. The designed test circuit is a low-cost alternative for professional and semi-professional systems. It gives several advantages as easy control of charging current and possibility of applying various current patterns.