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13 General Questions About The Technology "
Q1.
What is the operating temperature range for the ultra-capacitors?
Reply: The ultra-capacitors typically have a 100 0C
operating range. Wider operating range such as -55 to 150 0C
may require a reduced energy density.
Q2.
What is the self-discharge rate in percent per month?
Reply: The discharge rate is less than 5% per month and is greatly
dependent on the material used during fabrication. Lower cost
materials often have a higher rate of self-discharge.
Q3.
Are any of the materials toxic?
Reply: LTL's intention is to only use materials that are easily
recycled and don't generate toxic waste as part of their
manufacture. back
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Q4.
Will the capacitor explode under any conditions?
Reply: NO. At 300J/cc the most that would take place is the partial
melting of the part. In order for such an event to take place the
self-healing mechanism would have to fail. There is no risk of fire
as the ultra-capacitors will be in a metal enclosure. back
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Q5.
What is the charging efficiency of the capacitor?
Reply: The charge-discharge efficiency is typically greater than 95%
and dependent on the dielectric composition.
Q6.
How many charge/discharge cycles are possible during the life of the capacitor?
Reply: Greater than 1 Million.
Q7.
Does the capacitor contain any material not obtainable naturally
within the USA?
Reply: NO, because the polymers can be made from oil, natural gas,
coal and Biomass. back
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Q8.
What type of printing process is preferred by LTL? (screen
printing, gravure, lithography, etc)
Reply: Industrial ink-jet is the preferred method but not the only
one that can be used.
Q9.
What is the thinnest that a dielectric layer can be fabricated?
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Reply: Most applications for energy storage will use dielectrics
that are about 7 microns (0.0003 inch) thick. Low voltage devices
<100V typically have dielectrics less than 1 micron thick (0.00004 inch).
Q10.
Are there any other applications where the technology can be used
other than for making discrete ultra-capacitors?
Reply: The manufacturing process can be used by emerging printed
electronics applications to deposit the capacitors as one or more
layers of a circuit assembly rather than the current practice of
placing them on top of a circuit board as discrete components. back
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Q11.
Are there dimensional limits to the process?
Reply: The practical limits for sourcing materials are about 1 meter
wide at this time. Generally such large ultra-capacitors would
only be by a few industrial and primarily electric grid storage applications.
Q12.
Is there a problem of air entrapment or bubbles?
Reply: A process has been developed to accelerate the manufacturing
process that totally eliminates any potential problem of air
entrapment. (trade secret)
Q13.
Are there limitations on the substrate that can be used to fabricate
the ultra-capacitors?
Reply: Practically yes in theory no. back
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