NWIP:

Electric Double-Layer Capacitors for automotive applications -

Test Methods for Electrical Characteristics, Life-Time and
Durability, Environmental Performance and Safety

Annex A

Justification to SC International Standard

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 Date: 07-Mar-13
SII NWIP - Electric Double-Layer Capacitors for automotive applications - Test Methods for Electrical
Characteristics, Life-Time and Durability, Environmental Performance and Safety
Annex - Purpose and Justification
The ongoing effort to promote energy storage and sustainable technologies responding to the global
concerns on CO 2 emissions and energy security, along with the rapid development and commercialization
of electric road vehicles, have both led to a rapidly increasing demand for high-power and high-energy
density solutions.
Electric double layer capacitors (hereinafter referred to as "supercapacitors") have emerged to the market
as new and attractive solutions due to their interesting characteristics in terms of power and energy
density. Their two main features are the extremely high capacitance values and the possibility of very
fast charge and discharge periods due to very low inner resistance - filling the gap between classical
capacitors and general batteries.
Since 1980 (or so), supercapacitors have been widely applied in consumer and in power electronics. They
are ideally suited to serve as a UPS to bridge short voltage failures. Recently, new application for
supercapacitors has been envisaged in electric vehicle, such that could make supercapacitors a part of the
energy kit and enable them to be used as a buffer system for the acceleration process and regenerative
breaking. Eventually, supercapacitors are estimated to become one of the important components of the
EVs energy kit, and be useful as peak power assistance devices in mild-hybrid and hybrid electric
vehicles.
In light of the rapidly emerging electric vehicle industry to the global market, a standard method for
testing electrical characteristics, durability and life-time, environmental performance, and safety issues
of supercapacitors, is indispensable for obtaining essential data for the design of the electric vehicle
system and the whole energy pack.

Today, there are International standards specifying requirements of energy storage components for EV
applications, i.e. lithium-ion batteries (for example, IEC 62660-2 for Secondary Li-ion cells for the
propulsion of electric road vehicles). As for supercapacitors, the number of existing international
standards specifically dealing with these devices is limited, especially when mild-hybrid and hybrid
electric vehicle applications are concerned.

Unlike other industries, supercapacitor manufacturers are not required to adhere to or to comply with
specific standards or standardized testing. As a result, supercapacitor manufacturers voluntarily test their
products, using different methods. Nowadays, the specifications according to which manufacturers
perform tests vary slightly one to another while each manufacturer develops their own methods for
testing, based on a mix of various specifications.

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 The main standard relevant to supercapacitors is IEC 62576 - This standard describes methods for
testing basic electrical characteristics (capacitance, voltage maintenance and energy efficiency) of
conventional electric double layer capacitors to be used for peak power assistance in hybrid electric
vehicles. However, some of these test methods are not compatible with all types of supercapacitor
technologies and are even incorrect at certain conditions:

Resistance measurement is capacitance dependant, i.e., If the capacitance value increases at high voltage
(as similar to the case of Maxwell capacitor), the result shows resistance values even lower than the AC
resistance value which is physically incorrect. Moreover, there is a strong correlation between
measured resistance and capacitor dynamics. Since the latter is dependant of electrolyte type and
electrode thickness, it is impossible to use the method described in the standard in order to compare
different technologies.
Capacitance measurement - In principle, capacitance measurement depends on the vehicle effective
voltage range, which according to IEC 62576 is defined at 70 90% of the capacitance max. voltage.
There is no guarantee that it is always compatible with the vehicle demands. Therefore it is
recommended to measure capacitance with a dependency to voltage and to present it at several "voltage
steps" allowing the choice of the relevant voltage range. In addition to that, it is recommended to
measure capacitance values in a dependency with the current - IEC 62576 sets a certain current
(according to energy efficiency of 95%). However, higher or lower currents can be drawn out of the
capacitor (depending on the application) and therefore a certain current is not always the best indication.
Energy efficiency measurement As a basic requirement, a range of relevant voltages has to be defined.
Following that, the measurement itself has to be re-conducted for a large number of cycles (in order to
allow the system to reach a state where incomplete charging and discharging is zero) 50 charge-
discharge cycles are recommended and then Energy efficiency can be defined as the ratio between
"Discharge Energy" and "Charge Energy". Moreover, energy efficiency is recommended to be measured
in a dependency with current.
Self discharge - it is recommended to add a requirement for a measurement at different charging times
before the onset of self-discharge or, alternatively, to set a requirement for a longer time for charging.
Leakage current - There is no reference in IEC 62576 to the measurement of leakage current, which is
an important electric characteristic.
Degradation of electric characteristics - The existing standard does not take into consideration the
degradation with time of the above listed electric characteristics, which is a crucial issue whenever the
performance of the capacitor is concerned.

Furthermore, IEC 62576 does not specify methods to test mechanical features (vibrations, explosions,
mechanical durability, etc.) nor does it cover important environmental aspects (for example, toxic gases
emission).

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 Apart from IEC 62576, several other standards and tests are commonly used by supercapacitor
manufacturers today, as follows:

Restriction of hazardous substances directive (RoHS) European directive, specifically to ensure that
no hazardous materials restricted by Europe are involved during the product manufacturing process. It
restricts the use of six hazardous materials (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium,
polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ether) in the manufacturing process of electronic
and electrical equipment.
Chinese RoHS A Chinese-specific standard ensuring that none of the six materials listed above are
present. Products sold in China should be marked whether they are compliant or non-compliant with the
standard.
European Conformity (CE) The CE mark ensures that all products manufactured or sold in the EU
comply with all of the European safety standards. There are several product categories that are subject to
this standard for both professional-use products and consumer products.
UL 810A The standard was developed by UL especially for supercapacitor technology. The
requirements of this test cover supercapacitors being used in equipment such as electronic products,
uninterruptible power supplies, emergency lighting, engine starting and power equipment.
IEC 60068-2-6 The standard tests the product to determine its sensitivity to vibration it might endure
during use in high-vibration applications. It attests to the products robustness and ensures its reliable
performance.
IEC 60068-2-27 and IEC 60068-2-29 These shock standards for products assure that the product is
durable in rugged, high-demand applications and that it can handle sudden applied forces and shocks.
United States Military Standard (MIL-STD) 202G, Method 203C This random drop test for
electronic and electrical parts drops the cell 750 to 1,000 times, confirming it can handle rough
conditions in any application. The test ensures topline performance and structural integrity against
application conditions or human mishandling.

Testing supercapacitors according to the requirements of each of the above mentioned standards can
assure the customer that the cells are rugged and reliable and that they can be sold in various regions.
However, the industry as a whole needs to have a unique standard that specifies test methods which are
intended for supercapacitors, such that are suitable for the measurement of parameters that only
characterize supercapacitors. Excluding IEC 62576 and UL 810A, none of the above mentioned
documents is supercapacitor intended. Furthermore, each industry uses energy storage devices of
different capacities and therefore the requirements vary from one another. For instance, an automotive
manufacturer will require a much heavier current density value than that of a flashlight manufacturer
designing a supercapacitor for a LED light purposes. When purchasing a supercapacitor technology,

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 automotive manufacturers must have the assurance of the reliable performance of the supercapacitor
operating under the rugged conditions and wide ranging temperatures present under the hood of a car.

Having several standards specifying batteries' requirements, automotive companies have the option to
request from a certain battery manufacturer, a demonstration of compliance to a certain battery standard,
i.e, SAE J2390 standard with respect to vibration. Unfortunately, this is not the case where
supercapacitors are concerned Supercapacitors have to follow battery specifications. However, as the
supercapacitor market grows, it is expected that customers would require supercapacitors to meet the
requirements of unique standards.

Manufacturers, dealers and users of supercapacitors for automotive applications are expected to benefit,
should this NWIP becomes an international standard. In addition, the international standard will
contribute to reduce technical barriers and stimulate the ongoing quality pursuit. It will standardize test
methods for supercapacitor evaluation, ensure quality, make supercapacitors more competitive, and add
more value to internal and external trade which, according to experience, be facilitated, through the
platform of International Standards.

The preparation of the proposed standard is feasible and can partially be based on practices of relevant
international and national standards, including IEC 62576 and the above-stated standards.

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 NWIP:

Electric Double-Layer Capacitors for automotive applications -

Test Methods for Electrical Characteristics, Life-Time and
Durability, Environmental Performance and Safety

Annex B

An Outline

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 Date: 07-Mar-13

SII NWIP - Electric Double-Layer Capacitors for automotive applications Test Methods for
Electrical Characteristics, Life-Time and Durability, Environmental Performance and Safety

Suggested Standard Outline

- Electrical characteristics (See details below)
- Life-time
- Durability
- Environmental Performance
- Safety

42 Chaim Levanon st. Tel-Aviv 99977 Israel, Tel: 972-3-6465180 Fax: 972-3-6412762 www.sii.org.il
 Detailed Testing and Measurement procedures of "Electrical characteristics" clause:

- Electrical characteristics
o Resistance measurement
1. Charge the capacitor to its rated voltage.
2. Hold the capacitor at a constant voltage for 5 minutes.
3. Disconnect the voltage source from the capacitor and wait for another 5 minutes.
4. While discharging the capacitor at high time resolution (~1 microsecond resolution)
measure time dependence voltage and current, using a Scope. The graph should behave
as represented in figure ().
Voltage, Volt

Rated voltage

dV

Current, Amper
Discharge
Current
dI
0

Time, Micro Second

5. Measure voltage drop (dV) and current drop (dI).

6. Repeat this stated protocol for different currents.
7. Plot a graph of the voltage drop as a function of the current. The slope of the graph
represents the resistance of the capacitor according to the equation V=IR, see figure ().

dV, Volt

R=graph slope

dI, Amper

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 o Capacity measurement: In order to measure the capacity at voltage segments, the
following algorithm should be used (see figure ())
1. Charge the capacitor to the segments' higher voltage, V1.
2. Hold the capacitor at a constant voltage for X minutes.
3. Disconnect the voltage source and measure the capacitor voltage at rest state for 10
seconds.
4. Discharge the capacitor to V2 at a constant current, I1.
5. Hold the capacitor at a constant voltage for another X minutes.
6. Disconnect the voltage source and measure the capacitor voltage at rest state for 10
seconds.

17.8 Chg Const Dchg Const 1

Rest Voltage Rest
Voltage 0.8
V1
17.6
V1 I0.6
1
17.4 0.4

0.2

Current, Amp
Voltage, Volt

17.2
0
17 Voltage(V)
-0.2
Current(A)
16.8 -0.4
I-0.6
2
V2
V2
16.6
-0.8

16.4 -1
3000 3500 4000 4500 5000
Time, sec

7. The discharge capacity should be calculated using the energy that was released
during the discharge. The effective voltage range is the voltage at the end of both
rest steps. The capacitance value should be calculated using the equation:
2 E
C= 2 2 . If the change between the rest initial voltage value and the final
V '1 V '2
voltage value is larger than 1%, the rest time should be doubled until the change in
the voltage during the rest time is less than 1%.
8. The measurement should be repeated at a different current, I2.
9. The dependence of the capacity on voltage segment should be presented as a graph
in the following format (there should be 9 voltage segments):

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 80
68
70
60
60 54
53
50

Capacity[F]
40
30
I1
0.54A
20 I2
5A
10
0

Voltage Range[V]

o Capacitance at high currents:

1. Discharge the capacitor to a low voltage (V1) at a constant current, 5A.
2. Discharge the capacitor at this constant voltage until the current is lower than 1% of the
operating current.
3. Charge the capacitor at a constant current, I1.
4. Disconnect the capacitor from the current/voltage source and measure the voltage for
1800 seconds.
5. Discharge the capacitor at a constant current, I2.
6. Disconnect the capacitor from the current/voltage source and measure the voltage for
another 1800 seconds.

V1 I1
V1

I2
V2
V2

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 7. Calculate the capacitance by using the discharge energy and the voltages at
2 E
the end of the rest steps using the equation: C = 2 2 .
V '1 V '2
o Power density measurement:

V2 1
1. Calculate the power density using the equation: P =
4 R Mass
2. Charge the capacitor at a constant current, I1.
o Leakage current:
1. Charge the capacitor to its rated voltage.
2. Charge the capacitor at a constant current for 1 hour.
3. Connect a 10 Resistor between the voltage source and the capacitor, and measure the
voltage over the capacitor after 72 hours.
Vresistor
I leakagecurrent =
4. The leakage current is defined by the equation:
Rresistor

o Self Discharge:
1. Charge the capacitor to its rated voltage.
2. Charge the capacitor at a constant current for 24 hour.
3. Disconnect the capacitor from the current/voltage source and measure the voltage decay
over 72 hours.
4. The self discharge is the ratio between the initial voltage and the final voltage as defined
V final
Self Disch arg e = %
by the equation:
Vinitial

o Energy efficiency
1. Charge and discharge the capacitor 50 cycles to the rated voltage and the minimum
voltage at the operating current, using the protocol for measuring the Capacitance at high
currents, allowing for 10 seconds rest time (instead of 1800 seconds) between
charge/discharge step.
2. Measure another cycle with a rest time of 1800 seconds.
3. For this cycle, calculate the charge and discharge capacitance according to the measured
2 E
C= 2 2
voltage after the rest steps using the equation:
V '1 V '2 .

The Energy efficiency is the ratio between the discharge and charge capacitance as defined by
Cdisch arg e
Energy efficiency =
CCh arg e
the equation:

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