Fun with ultracapacitors!!

Summary

In this video, the presenter explores the destructive potential of ultracapacitors, which can store significantly more energy than regular capacitors. Demonstrating the energy capacity of a 560 microfarad capacitor and a 2600 farad ultracapacitor, the video shows how the latter can hold up to 8100 joules. Through various experiments, including burning soldering braid and melting an inductor, the presenter highlights the ultracapacitor's low equivalent series resistance (ESR), which allows for high current discharge without significant voltage drop or heat generation. The video concludes with a cautionary note on safety, emphasizing the impressive power of a 2-volt supply.

Takeaways

• 🔋 Ultracapacitors have a much higher energy storage capacity compared to regular capacitors.
• ⚡ The energy stored in a capacitor is calculated using a specific formula, which can be applied to determine the potential destructive power.
• 💥 A single ultracapacitor can store enough energy to cause significant damage, such as burning soldering braid or melting an inductor.
• 🔩 The destructive power of an ultracapacitor is demonstrated by its ability to light up PCB traces and create sparks.
• 🔌 Despite having less voltage, ultracapacitors can outperform batteries in high-current applications due to their low equivalent series resistance (ESR).
• ♨️ The ESR of an ultracapacitor is significantly lower than that of a typical AA battery, allowing for high-current discharge without significant voltage drop or heat generation.
• 🔧 The video demonstrates the practical application of ultracapacitors by showing their ability to cause various effects with only a 2-volt supply.
• ⏱️ Charging large ultracapacitors can be time-consuming, especially when limited by the power supply's current capacity.
• 💥 Increasing the voltage by connecting ultracapacitors in series allows for even more powerful discharges, leading to more dramatic effects.
• ⚠️ The video concludes with a cautionary note on safety, advising viewers not to replicate the dangerous experiments shown.

Q & A

What are ultracapacitors and how do they differ from regular capacitors?

Ultracapacitors are a type of capacitor that can hold much more energy compared to regular capacitors. They are capable of storing and releasing large amounts of energy quickly, which makes them useful in applications requiring high power delivery.

What is the energy storage formula for a capacitor?

The energy stored in a capacitor is given by the formula E = (1/2) C V^2, where E is the energy in joules, C is the capacitance in farads, and V is the voltage across the capacitor in volts.

How much energy can a 560 microfarad, 200 volt electrolytic capacitor store?

According to the formula, a 560 microfarad, 200 volt electrolytic capacitor can store a maximum of 11.2 joules of energy.

What is the capacitance and voltage rating of the ultracapacitors mentioned in the script?

The ultracapacitors mentioned have a capacitance of 2600 farads and a maximum voltage rating of 2.5 volts.

How much energy can a single ultracapacitor store according to the script?

A single ultracapacitor can store 8100 joules of energy.

Why can ultracapacitors perform actions that two AA batteries cannot, despite having less stored energy?

Ultracapacitors have a much lower equivalent series resistance (ESR) compared to batteries, allowing them to deliver high currents without significant voltage drop or heat generation, which is essential for high-power applications.

What is the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of a typical AA alkaline battery?

The equivalent series resistance of a typical AA alkaline battery is 120 milliohms.

How does the ultracapacitor's low ESR affect its performance under high current loads?

The ultracapacitor's low ESR of 0.7 milliohms allows it to handle high current loads with minimal voltage drop and heat generation, enabling it to charge and discharge at hundreds of amperes without issue.

What happens when the ultracapacitors are charged to a higher voltage by connecting them in series?

When ultracapacitors are connected in series, the maximum voltage increases, allowing for more power to be delivered into a resistive load, which results in more significant effects such as larger explosions or vaporization.

How long does it take to charge an ultracapacitor array with a 5-ampere power supply according to the script?

It takes approximately 21.7 minutes to charge the ultracapacitor array to 10 volts using a 5-ampere power supply.

What safety warning is given regarding the actions demonstrated in the video?

The video concludes with a warning that ultracapacitors are awesome, but for safety reasons, viewers should not attempt any of the destructive actions shown in the video.

Outlines

00:00

🔋 Exploring Ultracapacitors' Power

This paragraph introduces the concept of ultracapacitors and their ability to store significantly more energy than regular capacitors. The presenter demonstrates the energy storage capacity of a 560 microfarad, 200-volt electrolytic capacitor, which can hold up to 11.2 joules, enough to cause damage. The ultracapacitors purchased have an impressive 2600 farads and can store up to 8100 joules, a stark contrast to the smaller capacitor. The presenter then conducts experiments showing the capacitor's destructive power, such as burning soldering braid, melting an inductor, and creating sparks. Despite these demonstrations, the ultracapacitor still retains a charge, highlighting its high energy storage. The difference between ultracapacitors and batteries is explained through the concept of 'equivalent series resistance' (ESR), which affects the current flow and heat generation. The ultracapacitor's low ESR allows for high current discharge with minimal heat generation, unlike batteries which can become unreliable and unsafe at high currents.

05:05

💥 Higher Voltage, Bigger Explosions

In the second paragraph, the presenter explores the effects of higher voltage by connecting four ultracapacitors in series, resulting in a 10-volt potential. The increased voltage allows for more power delivery to resistive loads, leading to more significant reactions. The presenter encounters a limitation with the bench power supply's 5-ampere limit, causing a long charge time for the large capacitors. Using a formula, the estimated charge time is calculated to be approximately 21.7 minutes. Once charged, the ultracapacitors are used to demonstrate their power with more intense experiments, such as vaporizing a nail and causing a PCB trace to vaporize instead of just melting. The paragraph concludes with a cautionary note on safety and an acknowledgment of the ultracapacitors' impressive performance, having used about 2000 joules of energy in the experiments.

Keywords

💡Ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitors, also known as supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors, are energy storage devices that can hold much more energy than regular capacitors. They are characterized by their ability to rapidly charge and discharge, making them ideal for applications requiring high power delivery over short periods. In the video, the ultracapacitors are described as having a capacity of 2600 farads and a maximum voltage of 2.5 volts, allowing them to store up to 8100 joules of energy, which is significantly more than a typical electrolytic capacitor.

💡Energy Storage

Energy storage in capacitors is the process of accumulating electrical energy in an electric field. The amount of energy stored in a capacitor is given by the formula E = 1/2CV^2, where E is the energy in joules, C is the capacitance in farads, and V is the voltage across the capacitor. In the script, the energy storage capacity of a 560 microfarad, 200-volt electrolytic capacitor is calculated to be 11.2 joules, whereas an ultracapacitor can store up to 8100 joules, illustrating the vast difference in energy storage capabilities.

💡Electrolytic Capacitor

An electrolytic capacitor is a type of capacitor that uses an electrolyte to achieve a high capacitance with a small volume. They are polarized, meaning they must be connected with the correct polarity to function correctly. In the video, a 560 microfarad, 200-volt electrolytic capacitor is used as a comparison to ultracapacitors, highlighting its limited energy storage capacity of 11.2 joules.

💡Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR)

Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) is a measure of the internal resistance of a capacitor, battery, or other electronic component. It represents the resistance that is in series with an ideal capacitor or battery and affects the component's ability to deliver current. The video explains that ultracapacitors have a very low ESR of 0.7 milliohms, which allows them to deliver high currents with minimal voltage drop and heat generation, unlike batteries which have a higher ESR and can become unreliable and unsafe at high currents.

💡Voltage Drop

Voltage drop refers to the decrease in voltage across a component due to resistance. In the context of the video, when a high current is drawn from a battery, the ESR causes a significant voltage drop, reducing the battery's effectiveness and potentially generating heat that can be unsafe. The ultracapacitor, with its low ESR, experiences a minimal voltage drop even under high current loads, making it suitable for high-power applications.

💡Power Supply

A power supply is a device that provides electrical energy to an electrical load. In the video, the power supply is used to charge the ultracapacitors. The script mentions a limitation of the bench power supply, which is limited to 5 amperes, affecting the time it takes to charge the capacitors. The power supply's ability to deliver current is crucial for the performance of the ultracapacitors in the experiments.

💡Charge Rate

The charge rate of a capacitor is the speed at which it accumulates charge. It is calculated by dividing the current supplied to the capacitor by its capacitance. In the video, the charge rate is estimated using the formula Charge Rate = Current / Capacitance, resulting in 7.69 millivolts per second for the ultracapacitor array. This rate determines how quickly the capacitors can be charged to their maximum voltage.

💡Series Connection

In a series connection, components are connected end-to-end in a single path so that the same current flows through each component. The video describes connecting ultracapacitors in series to achieve a higher maximum voltage of 10 volts. This configuration allows for a higher voltage output, which in turn can deliver more power into a resistive load, leading to more significant effects in the experiments.

💡Resistive Load

A resistive load is an electrical load that opposes the flow of current through resistance. In the context of the video, resistive loads are used to demonstrate the power delivery capability of the ultracapacitors. The higher the resistive load, the more power can be delivered, which results in more dramatic effects such as larger explosions or vaporization, as shown in the video.

💡Safety Precautions

Safety precautions are measures taken to prevent harm or damage. The video concludes with a warning about the dangers of working with high-energy capacitors and advises viewers not to replicate the experiments shown due to the risk of injury. This highlights the importance of safety in experimental setups, especially when dealing with high voltages and currents.

Highlights

Introduction to the experiment of random acts of destruction using ultracapacitors.

Ultracapacitors can hold much more energy compared to regular capacitors.

A 560 microfarad 200 volt electrolytic capacitor can store up to 11.2 joules of energy.

Ultracapacitors of 2600 farads with a maximum of 2.5 volts can store 8100 joules of energy.

Demonstration of the ultracapacitor's ability to burn soldering braid.

Melting an inductor using the energy from the ultracapacitor.

Shorting the capacitor across a five cent coin to observe the effect.

PCB traces lighting up like glow wire due to the discharge from the ultracapacitor.

Creating random sparks for fun using the charged ultracapacitor.

Calculation of the energy used during the demonstrations, totaling 3370 joules.

Comparison of the ultracapacitor's performance with two AA batteries in terms of voltage and energy storage.

Explanation of the concept of equivalent series resistance (ESR) and its impact on electronic components.

Demonstration of the ultracapacitor's low ESR allowing for high current discharge without significant heat generation.

Experiment with a higher voltage setup using four ultracapacitors in series.

Estimation of the time required to charge the ultracapacitor array using a 5-ampere power supply.

Observation of the increased destructive power with the higher voltage setup.

Vaporizing a nail as a demonstration of the ultracapacitor array's power.

Conclusion on the impressive performance of ultracapacitors and a safety warning.

Transcripts

In this video we're going to commit random acts of destruction and learn a few

things about capacitors along the way.

Recently "Electronic Goldmine" had a good price on some ultracapacitors

and I bought a lot of them.

Ultracapacitors are like regular capacitors

except they can hold much more energy.

Here's an example:

This is a 560 microfarad 200 volt electrolytic capacitor.

It is about as big as you will ever see on a consumer circuit board.

The energy stored in a capacitor is given by this formula.

If I apply the formula to this capacitor I can see that it can store

a maximum of 11.2 joules.

In certain circumstances that's enough to do some serious damage.

Now the ultracapacitors I bought are 2600 farads (and that's not a mistake)

2600 farads

with a maximum of 2.5 volts.

That means that one of these ultracapacitors can store 8100 joules

of energy which is a huge difference.

So let's see what a few kilojoules can do.

Here I have the ultracapacitor charged to 2.35V and you can

already see this thing is dangerous.

Let's start out by burning some soldering braid.

Now let's melt an inductor.

Here I'm shorting the capacitor across a five cent coin.

Wow, that beaver really took a pounding.

And I thought it was fun to make these PCB traces light up like glow wire.

Finally let's make some random sparks again just for fun.

After all this, the capacitor is still charged to 1.7 volts.

If you apply the capacitor energy stored equation before and after blowing things

up you can see that I used up 3370 joules of energy.

So there's a lot left over.

Now you might be wondering "how did I do all that with just 2 volts?"

If you take two AA batteries and put them in series

you get 3 volts with 2.5 amp-hours of capacity

which is equivalent to 27000 joules of stored energy.

That's more voltage and more capacity

than the ultracapacitor has

and yet there's no way you could do all the things I just did

with two AA batteries. So what's the difference?

The answer is a non-ideal property called "equivalent series resistance"

"ESR" for short.

Batteries, capacitors and a lot of other electronic components will have a

small internal resistance

which limits the amount of current that can flow.

For a typical AA alkaline battery the equivalent series resistance is

120 milliohms.

When you put a load on the battery this resistance will cause a drop in voltage

and generate heat within the battery.

For example a low power device like a television remote control might draw

20 milliamps.

This would cause a 2.4mV drop (which is nothing)

and generate 48 microwatts of heat in the battery. (This is also tiny.)

But if I try to draw 10 amperes from the battery, there will be an

internal voltage drop of 1.2 volts.

And 12 watts of heat will be generated within the battery.

So at higher currents the battery voltage is unreliable and things get

hot enough to be very unsafe.

Now let's see how the ultracapacitor would perform.

This capacitor has an incredibly low equivalent series resistance of 0.7 milliohms.

So with a ten ampere load,

the internal voltage drop is 7 millivolts and only 70 milliwatts of heat

are being generated.

That's nothing.

Even at 100 amperes there's only a 70 millivolt drop and 7 watts of

heat are being generated.

For a capacitor this big that's not a problem.

So you can see that because of the extremely low ESR

these ultracapacitors can charge and discharge hundreds of amperes no problem.

So anyway I'd say that was pretty impressive for a 2 volt supply.

Now let's see what happens with a higher voltage.

If I put 4 of these ultracapacitors in series

the maximum voltage becomes 10 volts.

With a higher voltage I can deliver more power into a given resistive load.

More power means bigger explosions!

Here's what the ultracapacitor array looked like wired up.

But when I tried to charge it up I ran into a bottleneck.

My bench power supply is limited to 5 amperes and for capacitors this big

it's going to take a really long time to charge them up.

Since I have some time to waste,

let's estimate how long it will take using this formula.

5 amperes divided by 650 farads gives me a charge rate of

7.69 millivolts per second.

Since I want to charge my array up to 10 volts... 10V / 7.69mV/s

equals 21.7 minutes.

Okay now we're at 9.65 volts and let the fun begin!

Ooh this is going to be good...

Now the PCB traces don't melt anymore they just vaporize.

And it turns out that the insulation on magnet wire is flammable...

I didn't know that.

Let's try it with 10 cents.

(Looks like this ship has sailed)

Finally let's vaporize a nail.

And after all that the capacitors were still charged to 9.33 volts.

If I use the same energy storage formulas as before,

you can see that I used up about 2000 joules of energy.

In conclusion, ultracapacitors are awesome and if you care about safety

don't do anything I did in this video!!!