Abstract: Active electrode material, such as fibrillized blend of activated carbon, polymer, and conductive carbon, is pretreated by immersion in a sealing coating. After the active electrode material is dried, the coating seals micropores of the activated carbon or another porous material, thus preventing exposure of water molecules or other impurities trapped in the micropores to outside agents. At the same time, the sealing coating does not seal most mesapores of the porous material, allowing exposure of the mesapores' surface area to the outside agents. The pretreated active electrode material is used for making electrodes or electrode assemblies of electrical energy storage devices. For example, the electrodes may be immersed in an electrolyte to construct electrochemical double layer capacitors. Pretreatment with the sealing coating reduces the number of water molecules interacting with the electrolyte, enhancing the breakdown voltage of the capacitors.

Abstract: A dry process based capacitor and method for a self-supporting dry adhesive electrode film for use therein is disclosed.

Abstract: A high voltage capacitor design is provided that provides improved performance. The high voltage capacitor includes a stack of mechanically bonded capacitor cells, which in one variant utilize a separator formed of two layers of paper. In one version, the high voltage capacitor may be used as a capacitative voltage divider.

Abstract: A high voltage capacitor design is provided that provides improved performance. The high voltage capacitor includes a stack of mechanically bonded capacitor cells, which in one variant utilize a separator formed of two layers of paper. In one version, the high voltage capacitor may be used as a capacitative voltage divider.

Abstract: An inexpensive and reliable dry process based capacitor and method for making a self-supporting dry electrode film for use therein is disclosed. Also disclosed is an exemplary process for manufacturing an electrode for use in an energy storage device product, the process comprising: supplying dry carbon particles; supplying dry binder; dry mixing the dry carbon particles and dry binder; and dry fibrillizing the dry binder to create a matrix within which to support the dry carbon particles as dry material.

Abstract: An energy storage system is described for use in, for example, electronics systems such as a bank of computers. The disclosed energy storage systems allows the use of an efficient energy source, such as ultracapacitors, while providing a desired voltage level for an extended period of time. One embodiment of the energy storage system provides power to a load. The system includes a power module including at least one ultracapacitor adapted to store and discharge energy. The power module provides an output voltage as the ultracapacitor discharges energy. The system also includes a voltage regulator for boosting the output voltage of the power module. The voltage regulator may include a voltage converter. The voltage converter may be adapted to boost the output voltage when the output voltage falls below a predetermined threshold. The voltage converter may include a plurality of interleaving inductor circuits, each of the circuits including a switch and an inductor.

Abstract: A dry process based capacitor and method for using one or more recyclable electrode film structure is disclosed.

Abstract: A high voltage capacitor design is provided that provides improved performance. The high voltage capacitor includes a stack of mechanically bonded capacitor cells, which in one variant utilize a separator formed of two layers of paper. In one version, the high voltage capacitor may be used as a capacitative voltage divider.

Abstract: Electrical energy storage cells, for example, electrochemical double layer capacitor cells, are assembled into a module within an enclosure. The enclosure is built using modular construction so that it can be fitted to a variable number of cells. In exemplary embodiments, the enclosure may be expanded or reduced in size in one, two, or all three dimensions by inserting or removing additional panels. The panels may be interconnected using tongue and groove connectors.

Abstract: Active electrode material, such as fibrillized blend of activated carbon, polymer, and conductive carbon, is pretreated by immersion in a sealing coating. After the active electrode material is dried, the coating seals micropores of the activated carbon or another porous material, thus preventing exposure of water molecules or other impurities trapped in the micropores to outside agents. At the same time, the sealing coating does not seal most mesapores of the porous material, allowing exposure of the mesapores' surface area to the outside agents. The pretreated active electrode material is used for making electrodes or electrode assemblies of electrical energy storage devices. For example, the electrodes may be immersed in an electrolyte to construct electrochemical double layer capacitors. Pretreatment with the sealing coating reduces the number of water molecules interacting with the electrolyte, enhancing the breakdown voltage of the capacitors.

Abstract: Power supply voltage of a PCI or a similar communication bus interface is separated from one or more other power supply voltages on a backplane, on boards insertable into the backplane, and on the bus interface components of the boards. The power supply of the bus interface (VIO) is provided to cold spare boards inserted into the backplane, while the other voltages are not provided to the cold spare boards. Availability of the VIO on the cold spare boards prevents the VIO clamping diodes on the PCI I/O lines from grounding the PCI bus. Cold spare capability is thus provided to systems with PCI and similar communication buses.

Abstract: High reliable energy density capability of double-layer capacitor electrode technology now enables the use of capacitors as supplements to, or replacements for, battery technologies. In one application, when sized to a standard battery form factor, the large end terminal surface areas of such form factors enable that the energy density of capacitors can now be safely used as direct drop-in replacements for batteries.

Abstract: A dry process based capacitor and method for making a self-supporting dry adhesive electrode film for use therein is disclosed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a feeder for agglomerating particles comprises an enclosure that has an inlet and an outlet and that is adapted to receive a predetermined amount of the agglomerating particles. An inlet valve controls entry into the enclosure, while an outlet valve controls discharge from the enclosure. A transportation system such as an auger system carries the agglomerating particles from the outlet valve to the inner portion of a drum, and, in order to prevent a clogging of the transportation system, the speed of the transportation system is coordinated with the opening rate of the outlet valve. The drum is adapted to spread out the agglomerating particles through perforations in the drum wall, so to cause the agglomerating particles to be delivered from the inner portion of the drum to a conveyor system outside the drum at a substantially uniform rate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a container with an overpressure safety device comprises a wall having a depression in at least a portion of the wall that expands when the pressure inside the container exceeds a predetermined level. The container further comprises a clamp bridging over the depression and restraining the angular expansion of the depression, while at the same time enabling the depression to expand radially. As a consequence, the outer dimensions of the container remain essentially constant when the pressure inside the container exceeds the predetermined level. The container may be tubular in shape and the depression may be shaped like a groove extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container, while the clamp may be shaped like a bar affixed to the outer wall of the container in two or more points spaced angularly on opposite sides of the depression.

Abstract: An energy storage device comprises a pair of electrodes in contact with an electrolyte and a dielectric separator therebetween. The separator comprises a chelating material capable of binding parasitic to ions with the electrolyte, so to prevent the free circulation of the parasitic ions within the electrolyte. In one embodiment, the chelating material comprises chitosan, which may be provided in fibrous form and which may be included within a non-woven fabric of cellulosic and/or olefinic, or which may be instead coated on the separator or otherwise comprised in the separator. In another embodiment, the chelating material comprises chitosan, and the ion-binding capability of the chitosan is enhanced by chemically binding a chelating agent to the chitosan so to create a multi-dentate ligand that binds with the parasitic ions, particularly multi-valent metal ions, to create coordination compounds. One such chelating agent is ethylendiamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA).

Abstract: A method for reducing power consumption and heat generation in a computer system employs a substitute idle task that puts the processor into a dormant mode, e.g., sleep, nap, or doze mode. The substitute idle task replaces a conventional operating system idle task. The substitute idle task may have a low priority, such as that of the conventional idle task, which it replaces. At each occurrence of a quantum interrupt, a task scheduler schedules applications for execution during the accompanying time slice. After the scheduled applications are done, the substitute idle task is executed. The dormant mode caused by the idle task reduces the system's power consumption. The idle task may also have a high priority and be designed to run for a predetermined percentage of time. Because the processor spends the predetermined percentage of time in the dormant mode, known power consumption reduction may be guaranteed in the system.

Abstract: A dry process based energy storage product and method for making is disclosed.

Abstract: Thermal protection is provided in systems utilizing high-current double-layer capacitors.

Abstract: Particles of active electrode material are made by blending and fibrillizing (i.e., fibrillating) a mixture of activated carbon, conductive carbon, and fibrillizable binder. In selected embodiments, chloride level in the activated carbon is relatively low, a small amount of conductive carbon with low impurity levels and high conductivity is used, and the binder is inert. For example, chloride content of the activated carbon is below 50 ppm, and total impurities in the conductive carbon are below 120 ppm. The mixture may include about 10% of PTFE and 0.5% or less of conductive carbon. Blending and fibrillization may be performed without solvents. The fibrillized particles are dried, blended again to reduce clumping, and used to make active electrode material film. The film is attached to a current collector to obtain an electrode for use in various electrical devices, including double layer capacitors. The electrode increases breakdown voltage of the capacitor electrolyte.