One of the advantages of an activated carbon powder process is to allow the thickness and width of the coated layer to be easily manipulated. Thus, electrodes suitable for various shapes and capacitance can be produced by common equipment. This low-cost and highly productive manufacturing process allows the volume production of prismatic types and radial-type products.

Nesscap offers two lines of products: a prismatic-type ultracapacitors from 2.7V 600F to 2.7V 5000F and radial-type products from 3F ~ 400F from 2.3V to 2.7V. Other radial-types can be easily produced using the same process upon customer demand. The design flexibility to quickly launch various sizes and shapes at a minimal cost in response to market movements is a major strength of the Nesscap ultracapacitor technology.

In August 2000, Nesscap produced the first 2.7V ultracapacitor prototype. After a brief period of testing, commercial production commenced in the second half of 2001. For Nesscap market competitiveness, the implications of the higher voltage technology are enormously far-reaching. A higher cell voltage not only permits customers to use fewer cells connected in series to obtain the required voltage but it also increases energy density by 38% (2.7V) and 70% (3.0V) compared to the 2.3V cell with no significant increase in manufacturing cost.

An ultracapacitor is a high-energy version of a conventional electrolytic capacitor holding hundreds of times more energy per unit volume or mass than the latter. The micro-pores in the carbon-based electrode material of an ultracapacitor enable enormous surface area and very high capacitance unattainable by a conventional capacitor. Conventional capacitors typically have capacitance measured in units of (10) or (10 ) Farads and are insignificant as energy storage devices; on the other hand, ultracapacitors can range up to thousands of Farads.

Figure 1 shows the schematic of a mass-produced ultracapacitor. Porous carbon particles immersed in electrolyte adhere to current collectors. The amount of energy stored is very large because of enormous surface area enabled by carbon particles.

The ultracapacitor bridges the gap between conventional capacitors and batteries. Though its energy density is 5% or less compared to that of a battery, it is well suited for energy storage applications where high currents are involved and where conventional batteries have deficiencies. The ultracapacitor has a number of advantages over batteries:

Using an ultracapacitor in conjunction with a battery combines the power performance of the former with the greater energy storage capability of the latter and often brings good results depending on the application. It can extend the life of the battery and save on the replacement and maintenance costs; allow battery to be sized smaller and enable applications with slimmer profile; and at the same time, increase available energy by providing high peak power whenever necessary

Current and potential applications abound for the ultracapacitor. Various applications are shown below:

All-weather quick start applications

- The current car battery is geared up to meet peak power needs during engine startup even in coldest weather conditions that impair battery performance. Ultracapacitors can supply the seconds-long peak power unaffected by the weather and permit the battery to be downsized and its useful life extended.
- The current catalytic converter in cars sends untreated exhaust gas into the environment for a few minutes until it is warmed up and begins functioning. Ultracapacitors can quickly pre-heat the catalytic converter and enable it to function immediately.

Load-leveling and Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS)

- Because the ultracapacitor has much less energy storage capability, it is not a viable substitute for the battery in Uninterruptible Power Systems as a long-term power source. However, as a short-term support for Uninterruptible Power Systems, its rapid response capability means that it can act as a temporary bridge until an alternative power source kicks in.
- Moreover, the ultracapacitor in the Uninterruptible Power System serves a load -leveling function by absorbing power surges and spikes and then releasing clean quality power essential for precision high-tech equipments.

No Maintenance applications

- Many buoys in sea lanes emit light during night-time using the energy captured from the sun and stored in the battery. But, the battery needs replacing every couple years, and the servicing of these widely scattered buoys is an expensive undertaking. The light buoys can be made practically maintenance-free if ultracapacitors are used instead of batteries to store solar energy.
- Construction sites and road hazards need to be warned of by lighted signs and markers at night-time. By using a solar panel and ultracapacitors in the same housing, maintenance-free signs and markers can be produced. These can be quickly set up in field conditions whenever needed without going through expensive and time-consuming wiring process.

Peak pulse power applications

- Unlike analog equipment that draws a steady current, a digital wireless communications device loads the battery with short, heavy current spike during its transmit mode. If an ultracapacitor is added to the system, then it can take over the task of providing the intermittent pulse power while the battery functions only as a supplier of steady current. Users benefit from longer talk-time between charges and from the extension of battery-life.

Quick charge applications

- Ultracapacitors can be charged in seconds whereas batteries require hours of charging time. Wireless power tools with an ultracapacitor can be charged just before use without waiting time. Moving toys such as miniature racing cars are also applications that can benefit from quick charge properties of the ultracapacitor

Memory back-up applications

- Already widely used in consumer electronics products, small-size ultracapacitors protect user data and clock information from being lost during short-period power outages or, in case of portable devices, during replacement of batteries. For this use, the ultracapacitor is better than the battery because it is cheaper and requires no replacing during the lifetime of the application device.

Automotive applications and Electric Vehicles

- The use of ultracapacitors for generative braking can greatly improve the fuel efficiency of cars under stop-and-go urban driving conditions. Only ultracapacitors have both storage capacitance and high current handling capability to capture and store large amount of electrical energy generated by braking within a short time and to release it again for re-acceleration. The generative braking has the potential to be one of the biggest applications for large-size ultracapacitors in the medium term.
- The ultracapacitor can enhance the performance and competitiveness of an electric vehicle (EV). It permits faster acceleration; extends the range by generative braking; and extends battery life by freeing it from stressful high power tasks.

Though some applications of ultracapacitors such as memory back-up applications are already in widespread use, most applications described above are continuing to grow into mainline applications. Moreover, ultracapacitors are friendly to the environment, help conserve energy, and enhance the performance and portability of consumer devices. Although ultracapacitors have been in existence for over 100 years, their commercial viability has enabled them to now be viewed as a proven alternative energy storage device. The growth potential for ultracapacitor is boundless as are the applications for their use.