Ultracapacitors! - Computers, Math, Science, and Technology

WilliamWDelaney Sea Gull Joined: Apr 27, 2011 Posts: 246	Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 5:07 pm?? ?Post subject: Ultracapacitors! I've been checking up on this story periodically ever since the initial flap over it, and it's finally here. Well, some months ago, but whatever. http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/14/ioxus-21-million-energystorage/ Now it's just a matter of whether they can start producing these things on the cheap. Yay for nanotech! Yippee!
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Dilbert Will work for love Joined: Mar 30, 2009 Age: 37 Posts: 1502 Location: 47?36'N 122?20'W	Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:23 pm?? ?Post subject: Ultracapacitors are cool. We have some in our computer gear to guard against brief power losses. But I doubt they can be used to power electric cars. The physics just doesn't add up. A modest 135 HP internal combustion engine is an equivalent 100,000 W electric motor. OK? A 100 vacuum cleaners running at once! Or a 1000 100W light bulbs. To run an electric car for an adequate period of time you need an extrodinary amount of stored energy. Presently we use large heavy banks of best bateries we have. They store massive amounts of power and naturally require a long time to charge. Best capacitor we could ever fit in a car would not even turn the engine over. Finally, to debunk the marketing claims of charging electric cars in mere minutes. I have heard other startups make the same extrodinarily impossible claims. To run an electric car for just one hour at half its maximum power you'd need 50KW/h of power. To push that much power back into recharging the battery in "mere minutes" you'd need to plug the car into a local substation that powers your entire neigborhood. The cable would need to be inches thick, and to keep the current anywhere near reasonable levels the voltage would need to be dangerously high. It would not be a consumer friendly product.
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ruveyn Phoenix Joined: Sep 22, 2008 Age: 74 Posts: 15176 Location: New Jersey	Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:05 pm?? ?Post subject: Dilbert wrote: Ultracapacitors are cool. We have some in our computer gear to guard against brief power losses. But I doubt they can be used to power electric cars. The physics just doesn't add up. t. One zap and the capacitor is discharged. No got for a steady slow flow of electric current. ruveyn
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SammichEater Phoenix Joined: Mar 07, 2011 Age: 17 Posts: 1051 Location: United States	Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:07 pm?? ?Post subject: And what makes you think internal combustion engines are so efficient? That 135HP is only about 20% of the energy released. Electric cars really aren't as inefficient as you would believe. Personally, I would love to own a Tesla Roadster. They have over 200HP, can go from 0 to 60 in just a few seconds, and they can go at least 200 miles without needing to recharge. Recharging takes about 3 hours at 240 volts. http://www.teslamotors.com/roadster/specs _________________ "Everybody always figures the time they live in is the most epic, most important age to end all ages... don't start thinking this war, your war, is more important than any other war just because you're in it." - Jolee Bindo
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Dilbert Will work for love Joined: Mar 30, 2009 Age: 37 Posts: 1502 Location: 47?36'N 122?20'W
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Oodain Sentient Potato Joined: Jan 31, 2011 Age: 21 Posts: 1264 Location: Milliways	Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 10:24 pm?? ?Post subject: i think the numbers you are getting are for the raw power the engine releases, you would only need to use about 20% of that for an electric engine, maybe in the range of 30% @ruveyn circuitry other than that, i cant wait to get my hands on one, i read somehwre about someone turning chicken feathers into carbon nanotubes, combine this with these batteries and a new industry is born. _________________ //through chaos comes complexity//
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Dilbert Will work for love Joined: Mar 30, 2009 Age: 37 Posts: 1502 Location: 47?36'N 122?20'W
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Oodain Sentient Potato Joined: Jan 31, 2011 Age: 21 Posts: 1264 Location: Milliways	Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:59 am?? ?Post subject: Dilbert wrote: Tesla Roadster has a 185,000 W motor. Almost twice as powerful as what I suggested for a modest family car. That's because the Roadster is supposed to be a sports car. Please give me some credit. I'm not making this stuff up. sorry, you are right, i jumped the gun, i went ahead and checked and it matches up pretty good. that being said the only thing really keeping us away from electric cars is the inability to refuel, automatic battery changers could work, it would take about the same time as refueling a gas car. _________________ //through chaos comes complexity//
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