Abstract: A connection-switched capacitor storage system comprises plural capacitors, parallel monitors connected with the capacitors, respectively, switches for switching the connections of the capacitors from a series combination to a parallel combination or vice versa, and a control portion. The parallel monitors bypass the charging current for the capacitors when the terminal voltages of the capacitors exceed a given voltage, thus limiting increases of the terminal voltages of initializing the terminal voltages of the capacitors to their original level. The control portion controls initialization and switching of the connections of the capacitors. The control portion causes the parallel monitors to initialize the capacitors near the voltage at which the connections of the capacitors are switched by the switches.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric double layer capacitor including polarizable electrodes immersed in an organic electrolyte, wherein a carbon material for forming the polarizable electrode is a carbon material including graphite-like microcrystalline carbon produced by effecting a heat treatment together with at least one of an alkali metal and an alkali metal compound at not less than a temperature at which alkali metal vapor is generated, and an electrostatic capacity is expressed by insertion of ions of a solute of the organic electrolyte into a space between microcrystalline carbon layers of the carbon material. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve an electrostatic capacity and a withstand voltage which exceed those of the conventional electric double layer capacitor based on the activated carbon system.

Abstract: A capacitor storage system is provided which is simple in structure and can control the charge level according to the use environment and detect a fault, if any.

Abstract: An electrical storage capacitor system that efficiently initializes itself to its initial state during pause intervals between charging/discharging cycles of operation without providing any special initializing cycles. The capacitor system comprises capacitors connected in series to store electricity, a variation decision means for judging the amount of variation in amount of charge between the capacitors, an operation decision means for judging whether the capacitors are being charged or discharged, and a initializing charging means for charging the capacitors to initialize themselves to their initial state according to the results of decisions made by the variation decision means and by the operation decision means.

Abstract: There is disclosed a power supply system comprising capacitors that are connected switchably via a small number of switches to decrease variations of an output voltage. The switches comprise a series connection switch and first and second sets of switches. A control means controls the first set of switches, the second set of switches, and the series connection switch to switch connection of the capacitors of the first and second sets among a first state in which the first set of capacitors is connected in series with the second set of capacitors, a second state in which the first set of capacitors is connected in parallel with the second set of capacitors, and a third state in which one or more capacitors of the first set are connected in parallel with one or more capacitors of the second set.

Abstract: There is disclosed a capacitor module capable of having an improved packing density and, hence, an improved energy storage density. A capacitor bank using such capacitor modules is also disclosed. Furthermore, an electrical energy storehouse using such capacitor banks is disclosed. Supercapacitor cells connected in series are housed in a box-like capacitor module. A heat dissipator is mounted on an end surface of the module. Parallel monitors connected in parallel with the capacitor cells, respectively, are mounted to the heat dissipator. Such capacitor modules are stacked to form a capacitor bank. The heat-dissipating surface of each module is located on the outside of the bank and exposed. The modules are held in the bank so that they can be taken out of the bank individually. Capacitor banks making a pair are located back-to-back such that their heat-dissipating surface face outward.

Abstract: An electric apparatus with a power supply including a electric double layer capacitor capable of being charged in a short time and supplying a constant electric power with a high power efficiency, and in a peak load type electric apparatus such as an electric automobile, a long time small power output and a short time large power output can be derived as required. For a constant load type electric apparatus, electric power is supplied from an electric double layer capacitor of a power supply, and is stabilized to a constant voltage by a switching regulator, and for a peak load type electric apparatus, a power supply is made by connecting a first electric double layer capacitor of a high energy density type to a second electric double layer capacitor of a high power density type via a current output type switching regulator, and the second capacitor is charged with electric power in the first capacitor through the switching regulator.

Abstract: An electric power storage apparatus is formed of a plurality of series-connected cells to obtain a desired working voltage, each of the cells being constituted by one electric double-layer capacitor or a plurality of electric double-layer capacitors connected. The plurality of cells are series-connected so that the combined withstanding voltage is not lower than Vr+Vs where Vr represents the working voltage of the cells and Vs represents the withstanding voltage of one of the cells. The apparatus further includes connectors for detachably holding each of the cells respectively, and a circuit in which a diode is connected in parallel to each of the cells, so that a failed one of the cells can be detached and replaced by a new one while the working voltage of the cells is kept within a tolerance limit.