• Clean Technology
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.277-290
• /
• 2021

A supercapacitor, also called an ultracapacitor or an electrochemical capacitor, stores electrochemical energy by the adsorption/desorption of electrolytic ions or a fast and reversible redox reaction at the electrode surface, which is distinct from the chemical reaction of a battery. A supercapacitor features high specific power, high capacitance, almost infinite cyclability (~ 100,000 cycle), short charging time, good stability, low maintenance cost, and fast frequency response. Supercapacitors have been used in electronic devices to meet the requirements of rapid charging/discharging, such as for memory back-up, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Also, their use is being extended to transportation and large industry applications that require high power/energy density, such as for electric vehicles and power quality systems of smart grids. In power generation using intermittent power sources such as solar and wind, a supercapacitor is configured in the energy storage system together with a battery to compensate for the relatively slow charging/discharging time of the battery, to contribute to extending the lifecycle of the battery, and to improve the system power quality. This article provides a concise overview of the principles, mechanisms, and classification of energy storage of supercapacitors in accordance with the electrode materials. Also, it provides a review of the status of recent research and patent, product, and market trends in supercapacitor technology. There are many challenges to be solved to meet industrial demands such as for high voltage module technologies, high efficiency charging, safety, performance improvement, and competitive prices.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.265-271
• /
• 2013

Czochralski (CZ) growth process is one of the most important techniques for growing high quality sapphire single crystal for LED application. In this study, the inductively-heated CZ growth processes for the sapphire crystal of 300 mm length have been analyzed numerically using finite element method. The hot zone structures were modified with the crucible geometry change and the additional insulation layer installed above the crucible. The results show that the solid-liquid interface height decreased from about 80 mm at initial stage to 40 mm after mid-stage due to achieve the growth speed balance. Also the optimal input power of the modified system was similar with the original one due to the compensation effects of the crucible geometry and additional insulation. The crystal temperature grown by the modified CZ grower was increased about 10 K than the original one. Therefore the sapphire crystal of 300 mm height was grown successfully.