Can a Supercapacitor Replace Your Vehicle's Battery?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential of supercapacitors as a replacement for traditional vehicle batteries, exploring their capabilities, limitations, and alternative materials like graphene. Participants examine the feasibility of using supercapacitors in DIY projects and their application in vehicles, including the role of graphene in battery technology.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether a supercapacitor can serve as a power supply, seeking opinions on its viability.
  • One participant suggests that graphene, while a good conductor, is not a power supply by itself and raises the need for clarity on the intended application.
  • Another participant notes that while graphene cannot be a power supply on its own, it has potential uses in developing battery technologies as a cathode or anode.
  • A participant emphasizes the limitations of supercapacitors in providing a near-constant voltage compared to chemical batteries, citing the relationship Q=CV.
  • Multiple participants mention that supercapacitors can be installed in vehicles instead of batteries, prompting questions about the conditions under which this would be beneficial.
  • One participant highlights the quick charging capabilities of supercapacitors and their ability to discharge energy gradually, suggesting applications in electric buses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the role of supercapacitors and graphene in power supply applications. There is no consensus on whether supercapacitors can fully replace batteries, and discussions about their limitations and potential uses remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully clarified their specific goals or applications, leading to ambiguity in the discussion. The relationship between voltage, energy storage, and the properties of materials like graphene is not fully explored.

Shadow-Shocker
Messages
27
Reaction score
2
Can a supercapacitor be a power supply?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Shadow-Shocker said:
Can a supercapacitor be a power supply?
What do you think and why?
 
phinds said:
What do you think and why?

I'm sorry I forgot to specify that I am looking for alternative solutions for batteries for a DIY project, I was looking at graphene and it has a really high conductivity around (3-8*10^5) S/m, but a power supply needs voltage, and it looks like most people are using graphene as superconductors. The question should be, can grapheme be a power supply?
 
Shadow-Shocker said:
The question should be, can grapheme be a power supply?
Can a copper wire be a power supply?
 
phinds said:
Can a copper wire be a power supply?
No, so I guess I am looking in the wrong direction.
 
Shadow-Shocker said:
No, so I guess I am looking in the wrong direction.
Yes, I think so. Graphene, as you seem to now realize, is just a material. It is a terrifically good conductor, but a conductor alone is just a conductor, not a source of energy.

You still have not been clear about what it is you are actually trying to do so It's impossible to give you any advice.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: CWatters
If you want a near constant voltage from your supply, a Capacitor, however super, will have its limitations. Q=CV, remember. On the other hand, a chemical battery can maintain its output volts for most of its charge and there are some pretty damn good batteries available these days.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Shadow-Shocker
while graphene by itself cannot be a power supply it has been used as both a cathode or an anode it developing battery technologies, so to say that you are on the wrong track would not be 100% correct. Never stop the search just modify your approach!
 
Fun fact, you can install supercapacitors in place of your battery in a vehicle. Trivia question for you, why is that possible and under what circumstances would it be beneficial?
 
  • #10
Boolean Boogey said:
Fun fact, you can install supercapacitors in place of your battery in a vehicle. Trivia question for you, why is that possible and under what circumstances would it be beneficial?
Supercapacitors can discharge energy gradually and not all at once like regular capacitors, and they can be charged much quicker than batteries. Certain aspects can apply to electric busses.
 
  • #11
Boolean Boogey said:
Fun fact, you can install supercapacitors in place of your battery in a vehicle. Trivia question for you, why is that possible and under what circumstances would it be beneficial?
 

Similar threads

Manually charging batteries
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
3K
Charging and discharging a battery at the same time
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
RF Energy Harvester: Villard Circuit, Supercapacitor 3.7V 2000mAh
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
5K
Key fob only works on battery and not power supply. What?
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
3K
Design PWM to cope with supercapacitor and battery(help)
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Ultracapacitors / Supercapacitors in series to attain required voltage
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
How to Build a Supercapacitor Dragster on a Budget?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
The battery voltage drops when fed to the DC booster circuit
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Supercapacitor charging voltage?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
12K
Are higher voltage batteries safe for electric vehicles?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K