A Circuital Equivalent for Supercapacitors Accurate Simulation in Power Electronics Systems

The effective integration of energy storage systems is paramount for the widespread deployment of renewable energy technologies. Selection of a specific storage system is typically dictated by the primary challenge it aims to mitigate, such as intermittency, grid stability, or power quality. The optimization of overall system efficiency and longevity is increasingly achieved through hybrid storage systems that integrate supercapacitors into their designs. This research introduces a novel circuital equivalent for a commercial supercapacitor, optimized for precise simulations within the frequency range of power electronics applications. A key distinction of this circuital equivalent lies in its rigorous foundation: its comprehensive characterization across a broad frequency spectrum, specifically from 0.01 Hz to 300 kHz, employing a commercial frequency response analyzer. This precise circuital representation offers substantial utility in simulation, analysis, and design of high-frequency circuits, particularly for switched-power converter design and control. It enables the anticipation of undesirable phenomena, such as significant voltage ripple and operational instability. This predictive capability is crucial for experimental preparation, facilitating the proactive integration of necessary filters and protective measures within sensing circuits, thereby underscoring its value prior to physical implementation. In addition, the developed circuital equivalent exhibits broad compatibility, allowing seamless implementation within commercial circuit simulators. Finally, the proposed methodology was illustrated with a commercial supercapacitor, but it can be applied to other supercapacitor types or manufacturers.