Capacitor Control: Is There a Way to Control Discharge?

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    Capacitor Control
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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on controlling the discharge rate of capacitors, specifically ultracapacitors and aerogel capacitors. The rate of discharge is determined by the resistance in the circuit, following the RC time constant formula, where C is the capacitance and R is the resistance. For example, using a 6 farad capacitor with a 10-ohm motor results in a time constant of 60 seconds. To extend the discharge duration, one must increase capacitance and decrease resistance, which is crucial for powering efficient electric motors over longer periods.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of RC time constant in electrical circuits
  • Knowledge of capacitor types, specifically ultracapacitors and aerogel capacitors
  • Basic circuit design principles
  • Familiarity with electric motor specifications and resistance
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the RC time constant and its applications in circuit design
  • Explore the characteristics and applications of ultracapacitors
  • Study the design and efficiency of electric motors
  • Investigate methods for optimizing discharge rates in capacitor circuits
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineers, hobbyists designing capacitor circuits, and anyone interested in optimizing energy discharge for electric motors.

nuncoop
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I'm curious to know if there is any way of controlling the amount and rate of discharge from a capacitor, can anyone help me out?
 
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Sure. When you discharge a capacitor, the rate of discharge depends on the resistance of what you discharge it through.
 
RC time constant... C is fixed, R is dependent on your design.
 
I see, so if i wanted to hook up an ultracapacitor or an aerogel capacitor to a couple of resistors in a simple circuit, i could theoretically slow down the rate of discharge? would i be able to run a small electric motor off of this discharge?
 
Let's see. If the resistance of the motor was about 10 ohms and the capacitor was big, say 6 farad; the time constant (RC) would be 60 seconds.
 
Ok, so what you're saying is in order to increase the amount of time a discharge is happening, i must increase the capacitance and decrease the resistance? When speaking in terms of say, a thousand ultracapacitors within a circuit, would i be able to power a super-efficient electric motor over an extended period of time?
 

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