New Industry Products

Ultracapacitors enhance Vibration Resistance and Shock Immunity

June 10, 2014 by Jeff Shepard

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. announced the latest addition to its K2 series of ultracapacitor cells. The new 2.85-V, 3400-Farad ultracapacitor cell increases the range of available specific power and stored energy in the industry-standard 60 mm cylindrical "K2" form factor, and introduces DuraBlue Shock and Vibration Technology, the newest innovation in ultracapacitor reliability and performance. DuraBlue Technology is tested to some of the most demanding environmental requirements for transportation, increasing vibration resistance by approximately 300 percent and shock immunity by 400 percent when compared with ultracapacitor-based competitive offerings.

"This latest addition to our widely popular K2 Series of ultracapacitor cells reflects Maxwell's commitment to continuous customer-driven innovation, and delivers superior performance with unmatched reliability and value," said Franz Fink, Maxwell's chief executive officer. "Our new DuraBlue Advanced Shock and Vibration Technology combines Maxwell's unique and patented dry electrode formation and manufacturing process with a robust proprietary cell structure design to meet or exceed the most demanding shock and vibration requirements of the growing number of power-hungry applications in global transportation markets."

Unlike batteries, Maxwell ultracapacitor products store energy in an electrical field that is larger than that of a capacitor – meaning ultracapacitors have greater energy storage capacity than capacitors. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in as little as fractions of a second, perform normally over a broad temperature range (-40 degrees to +65 degrees C), operate reliably in hundreds of thousands or more duty cycles and resist shock and vibration. Maxwell offers ultracapacitor cells ranging in capacitance from one to 3400 farads and multi-cell modules ranging from 16 to 160 volts, which have proven to deliver high power, whether used alone or paired with batteries, in a variety of applications from automotive or industrial to consumer electronics, transportation and beyond.