High Energy, High Power Supercapacitor-Battery Hybrid Energy Storage System Navy SBIR FY2009.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2009.1 Topic No.: N091-053 Topic Title: High Energy, High Power Supercapacitor-Battery Hybrid Energy Storage System Proposal No.: N091-053-0843 Firm: Y-Carbon 900 First Ave Building 4, Suite 242 King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 Contact: Ranjan Dash Phone: (610) 878-6226 Web Site: www.Y-Carbon.us Abstract: This proposal presents a Phase I SBIR project to develop high-energy, high-power supercapacitor-battery hybrid energy storage systems. Batteries are widely used, but have limited power capability and cycle life. Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors or double-layer capacitors, are rechargeable electrical energy storage devices Supercapacitors offer higher power, and greater cyclability than batteries. However, their lower energy density limits operation time of electrical equipment running on supercapacitors alone. Neither battery nor supercapacitor technology alone offers both high power and high energy. Therefore, a hybrid (battery-supercapacitor) system is needed for an optimum combination of power and energy density. Although the supercapacitor is mainly a high-power device in a hybrid configuration, the supercapacitor's energy density is important. Increased energy density allows high power output for longer times. Conventional activated carbon for supercapacitors has limited pore size control, limiting device energy density. This project will develop supercapacitor-battery hybrids utilizing supercapacitors incorporating nanoporous carbide-derived carbon electrodes providing higher volumetric and gravimetric capacitance than existing materials. The manufacturing process explored in this SBIR relies on synthesis of nanoporous carbon with controlled pore size, leading to hybrid power storage devices with energy density (> 500 Wh/L) and supplying power > 500 kW for at least 5 minutes. Benefits: There are a myriad of military and civilian applications that require electrical energy in short pulses, where supercapacitors can complement batteries. Supercapacitors are capable of delivering more energy over a shorter time than batteries, have nearly unlimited cycle life, can be charged in seconds and allow efficient energy harvesting. Solving the technical problems that are responsible for their low energy density and high cost compared will enable supercapicitors to supplement conventional batteries in applications such as mobile devices, hybrid electric vehicles, and power grid stabilization. Advances in electrode materials will not only stimulate this growth, but can also lead to new energy storage and harvesting technologies. Y-Carbon's technology allows high energy supercapacitors that can be used for providing higher energy. Return