Dennis J. Eichenberg

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Development and Testing of an Ultracapacitor Based

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) System

NASA/TM—2010-216780

July 2010
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Dennis J. Eichenberg

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Development and Testing of an Ultracapacitor Based

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) System

NASA/TM—2010-216780

July 2010

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio 44135
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NASA/TM—2010-216780 1 

Development and Testing of an Ultracapacitor Based 

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) System 

Dennis J. Eichenberg 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Glenn Research Center 

Cleveland, Ohio 44135 

Summary 

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) initiated the development and testing of an 

ultracapacitor based uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system as a means to provide backup 

power for the many critical NASA applications. A UPS system typically utilizes batteries for 

energy storage. The battery is the most vulnerable part of the UPS system, requiring regular 

maintenance and replacement. Battery performance is also extremely temperature dependent. 

Ultracapacitors are ideal for UPS systems where long life, maintenance free operation, and 

excellent low temperature performance is essential. 

State of the art symmetric ultracapacitors were used for these tests. The ultracapacitors 

were interconnected in an innovative configuration to minimize interconnection impedance, and 

to provide voltage balancing. Ultracapacitors can be charged extremely rapidly and supply high 

current, which are essential characteristics for an effective UPS system. Charging 

ultracapacitors is significantly less complex than charging batteries since there is no chemical 

reaction occurring while charging ultracapacitors. The report concludes that the implementation 

of symmetric ultracapacitors in a UPS system can provide significant improvements in power 

system performance and reliability. 

Introduction 

The NASA Glenn Research Center has a wealth of experience in ultracapacitor technology 

through the Hybrid Power Management (HPM) Program (Ref. 1). The Electrical and 

Electromagnetics Branch of the Avionics and Electrical Systems Division initiated the HPM 

Program for the Technology Transfer and Partnership Office. Hybrid Power Management is the 

innovative integration of diverse, state-of-the-art power devices in an optimal configuration for 

space and terrestrial applications. The appropriate application and control of the various power 

devices significantly improves overall system performance and efficiency. The advanced power 

devices include ultracapacitors and power conditioning equipment. HPM has extremely wide 

potential. Applications include power generation, transportation systems, biotechnology 

systems, and space power systems. HPM has the potential to significantly alleviate global 

energy concerns, improve the environment, and stimulate the economy. 

One of the unique power devices being utilized by HPM for energy storage is the 

ultracapacitor. A capacitor is an electrical energy storage device consisting of two or more 

conducting electrodes separated from one another by an insulating dielectric. An ultracapacitor 

is an electrochemical energy storage device, which has extremely high volumetric capacitance 

energy due to high surface area electrodes, and very small electrode separation. 

Ultracapacitors have many advantages over batteries. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 2 

 Batteries can only be charged and discharged hundreds of times, and then must be 

replaced. Ultracapacitors can be charged and discharged over 1 million times. The long 

cycle life of ultracapacitors greatly improves system reliability, and reduces life-of-system 

costs. 

 Long ultracapacitor life significantly reduces environmental impact, as ultracapacitors will 

probably never need to be replaced and disposed of in most applications. 

 The environmentally safe components of ultracapacitors greatly reduce disposal 

concerns. 

 High ultracapacitor power density provides high power during surges, and the ability to 

absorb high power during recharging. Ultracapacitors are extremely efficient in capturing 

recharging energy. 

 Ultracapacitors are extremely rugged, reliable, and maintenance free. 

 Ultracapacitors have excellent low temperature characteristics. 

 Ultracapacitors provide consistent performance over time. 

 Ultracapacitors promote safety, as they can easily be discharged, and left indefinitely in 

a safe discharged state. 

Hybrid Power Management has been successfully applied to the NASA Hybrid Electric 

Transit Bus (HETB) project. This is a 40-ft transit bus with a unique hybrid drive. At over 

37,000-lb. gross weight, this is the largest vehicle to ever use ultracapacitor energy storage. The 

ultracapacitor technology utilized for the HETB is being applied to satellite actuation to replace 

unreliable hydraulic systems. The motor and control technology utilized for the HETB is being 

applied to flywheel dynamometer systems. 

Hybrid Power Management has been utilized to provide power for drop tower research. 

HPM is being considered for space missions, such as the exploration of Mars, and deep space 

missions, such as the exploration of Europa. 

Through the NASA Glenn Research Center Technology Transfer and Partnership Office, 

HPM is being applied to power generation, transportation, safety, and biotechnology systems. 

Some specific examples include photovoltaic power generation, electric vehicles, and safety 

systems. 

An UPS is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input 

power source, typically the utility power system, fails. The UPS provides near instantaneous 

protection from power interruptions by means of a backup energy storage system and the 

associated electronic circuitry. The UPS typically provides power for a few minutes to permit an 

orderly shutdown of the protected equipment. 

Uninterruptible power supply systems typically use batteries for energy storage, although 

flywheels and fuel cells have also been used successfully. All of these energy storage systems 

require regular maintenance and replacement, which is not the case with ultracapacitor energy 

storage, making it an ideal candidate for UPS systems. 

Test Objectives 

Testing of the prototype ultracapacitor UPS system was performed at the NASA Glenn 

Research Center. Of particular interest is the performance of an ultracapacitor bank in 

conjunction with an UPS and a dc power supply for charging the ultracapacitors. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 3 

Test Hardware Description 

The UPS utilized for these tests is an efficient, compact, maintenance free, rack mount, pure 

sine wave inverter unit. The UPS is shown in Figure 1 and described in detail in Appendix A. 

The UPS provides a continuous output power up to 1700 W with a surge rating of 1870 W for up 

to 1 min at a nominal output voltage of 115 Vac. 

The ultracapacitor energy storage system tested in conjunction with the UPS is rated at 

5.8 Farads. This is a bank of ten symmetric ultracapacitor modules, and is shown in Figure 2 

and described in detail in Appendix A. An individual ultracapacitor module is shown in Figure 3 

and described in detail in Appendix A. Each module is actively balanced utilizing a linear voltage 

balancing technique, in which the cell-to-cell leakage is dependent upon the imbalance of the 

individual cells. This state-of-the-art technology not only has much longer life than conventional 

batteries, but also provides much higher current capacity than batteries. Ultracapacitors are 

reliable, maintenance free, and have excellent low temperature characteristics. 

Figure 1.—Complete Prototype Ultracapacitor UPS System. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 4 

Figure 2.—Bank of Ten Ultracapacitors for the Prototype UPS System. 

Figure 3.—Single Ultracapacitor for the Prototype UPS System. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 5 

Figure 4.—Ultracapacitor UPS System Test Configuration Block Diagram. 

The ultracapacitors are charged by a dc power supply. The power supply can provide up to 

300 Vdc at 4 A. A constant voltage, constant current power supply was selected for this 

application. The power supply is shown in Figure 1 and described in detail in Appendix A. 

A block diagram of the UPS system is shown in Figure 4.

Instrumentation 

The UPS, ultracapacitor bank, charger, and load bank were instrumented to measure UPS 

performance, ultracapacitor performance, and charger performance. Data from the UPS, 

ultracapacitor bank, charger, and load bank were sent to a digital data acquisition system, 

sampled continuously, and stored on a PC. Data channels measured UPS voltage and current, 

ultracapacitor voltage and current, charger voltage and current, and load bank voltage and 

current. Ambient temperature was also measured. The instrumentation configuration is 

described in Appendix B. 

Test Procedures 

The tests described in this report were conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center in 

Cleveland, Ohio. A description of the tests is given in Appendix C. The tests were conducted in 

accordance with the test matrix provided in Appendix D. 

UNINTERRUPTIBLE 

POWER SUPPLY 

ULTRACAPACITOR 

BANK 

ENERGY FLOW 

LOAD BANK 

AC POWER 

SOURCE 

CHARGER 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 6 

Test Results 

System Performance 

Seven tests were conducted to determine ultracapacitor UPS system performance, per 

Table 1: 

TABLE 1.—PERFORMANCE TESTS CONDUCTED ON THE ULTRACAPACITOR UPS SYSTEM 

Test 

number 

Energy source Ultracapacitor 

bank 

Load Test mode 

1 dc Power supply Series of 10 N/A Charge test 

2 Ultracapacitors Series of 10 None Self discharge test 

3 Ultracapacitors Series of 10 None Balance test 

4 ac Source Series of 10 99.1  Load test 

5 Ultracapacitors Series of 10 99.1  Load test 

6 ac Source Series of 10 99.1  UPS efficiency 

7 Ultracapacitors Series of 10 99.1 s UPS efficiency 

Plots have been included in Appendix E for the various system tests: 

a. Charging test results 

b. Load test results 

c. Self discharge test results 

A summary of the test results is shown in Table 2 at the end of this section. 

Charge Test 

The bank of ten ultracapacitors was charged to 134.0 Vdc at a current limit of 4 A with a 

constant voltage, constant current dc power supply. The ultracapacitors were completely 

discharged prior to the test. The time to charge the bank of ultracapacitors under these 

conditions was 180 sec. A dc power supply with greater current capacity could be used to 

charge the bank of ultracapacitors faster, although the ultracapacitors are limited to a maximum 

current of 1,500 A. Higher charging current also results in higher ultracapacitor temperature, 

which is limited to 65 C. Higher charging current also requires larger conductors and 

connectors to handle the higher current levels. A dc power supply with a lower current capacity 

could be used to charge the bank of ultracapacitors at a slower rate. Such a power supply would 

be smaller, less expensive, and produce less heat. 

The 134.0 Vdc, 4 A power supply efficiency was quite low when the completely discharged 

ultracapacitor bank charging was initiated, and increased as the ultracapacitor bank voltage 

increased. The dc power supply average efficiency was 41.1 percent and the maximum 

efficiency was 59.2 percent. 

The voltage of each of the ten ultracapacitors was monitored individually during the charge 

test as a balance test. The average voltage was 13.40 V, the minimum voltage was 13.26 V, 

and the maximum voltage was 13.82 V. 

Charge and balance test results are indicated in Table 2. 

Self Discharge Test 

The self discharge of the bank of ten ultracapacitors was determined at no load with the 

ultracapacitors precharged to 134.0 V. The bank discharged to the minimum operating voltage 

of the UPS, which is 90 V, in 45.5 hr. 

Self discharge results are indicated in Table 2. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 7 

Load Test 

The UPS was tested with the output set to 115.2 Vac. The load was 99.1 . The UPS 

system was first operated with ac power and the bank of ten ultracapacitors precharged to 

134.0 Vdc, which is the maximum operating voltage of the UPS. The efficiency of the ac 

operation was determined to be an average of 96.6 percent, and very constant under all 

operating conditions. The ac power system was then switched off, and the UPS system 

automatically switched to dc operation from the bank of ultracapacitors. The efficiency of the 

UPS system with the dc power source was determined to be an average of 75.8 percent and 

very constant under all operating conditions. The operating time for the UPS with the bank of 

ultracapacitors was 170.3 sec, limited by the voltage of the ultracapacitors. Increased 

capacitance of the ultracapacitor bank, easily accomplished through paralleling additional 

ultracapacitors, would increase the UPS operating time. Expanding the operating voltage range 

of the UPS system would also increase the UPS operating time. 

Discharge times are indicated in Table 2. 

Summary 

An overall summary of the UPS testing is shown in Table 2. 

TABLE 2.—SUMMARY OF TEST RESULTS FOR THE ULTRACAPACITOR UPS SYSTEM 

Parameter Configuration Test conditions Test results Remarks 

Charge test 

 Time DC power supply 

and bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

134.0 Vdc at 

4 A output 

180 sec Ultracapacitors completely 

discharged to start 

 Efficiency AC power supply 

and bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

120 Vac input 41.1% Av 

59.2% Max 

Power supply efficiency 

AC source load test 

 Efficiency 120 Vac input 99.1  load 96.6% Av 

DC source load test 

 Efficiency Bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

99.1  load 75.8% Av Ultracapacitors precharged to 

134.0 Vdc and discharged to 

90 Vdc 

 Time Bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

99.1  load 170.3 sec Ultracapacitors discharged to 

90 Vdc 

Self discharge test 

 Time Bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

No load 45.5 hrs 134.0 to 90 Vdc 

Balance test 

 Average voltage 

 Minimum voltage 

 Maximum voltage 

Bank of ten 

ultracapacitors 

No load 13.40 Vdc 

13.26 Vdc 

13.82 Vdc 

Ultracapacitors precharged to 

134.0 Vdc 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 8 

Concluding Remarks 

The prototype ultracapacitor UPS system has been tested very successfully with symmetric 

ultracapacitor energy storage. The primary focus of this report is the test results with symmetric 

ultracapacitor energy storage. The UPS, nor the energy storage system, nor the charging 

system, exhibited any problems under the rigorous test conditions that it was exposed to. The 

performance of the UPS and the ultracapacitor bank proved to be excellent. 

The bank of ten ultracapacitor modules was assembled to provide a maximum voltage rating 

of 150.0 V to match the maximum input voltage rating of the UPS. The modules were connected 

in a fashion to minimize interconnection impedance. Each module is actively balanced using a 

linear voltage-balancing technique. The bank of ultracapacitors were completely discharged, 

and then charged to 134.0 Vdc, which is the maximum operating voltage of the UPS, with a 

constant voltage constant current power supply set to 4 A. The bank of ultracapacitors charged 

in 180 sec under these conditions. The efficiency of the charger was an average of 41.1 percent 

with a maximum of 59.2 percent. Ultracapacitors can typically be charged much more efficiently 

than batteries because there is no chemical reaction taking place when charging 

ultracapacitors. A much more efficient charger can be developed for this application with 

existing technology to provide a charging efficiency exceeding 90 percent. The bank of 

ultracapacitors balanced extremely well with an average voltage of 13.40 V, a minimum voltage 

of 13.26 V, and a maximum voltage of 13.82 V. The bank of ultracapacitors were charged and 

discharged numerous times without failure. 

The self discharge of the bank of ten ultracapacitors was determined at no load with the 

ultracapacitors precharged to 134.0 V. The bank discharged to the minimum operating voltage 

of the UPS, which is 90 V, in 45.5 hr. In typical UPS systems, the ultracapacitors would be 

continuously charged to 134.0 V to provide the maximum UPS operating time. The low self 

discharge of the ultracapacitors minimizes the power requirement for maintaining the 

ultracapacitor charge. 

The UPS was tested with the output set to 115.2 Vac with a load of 99.1 . The UPS system 

was first operated with ac power and the bank of ten ultracapacitors precharged to 134.0 Vdc. 

The efficiency of the ac operation was determined to be an average of 96.6 percent, and very 

constant under all operating conditions. The ac power system was then switched off, and the 

UPS system automatically switched to dc operation from the bank of ultracapacitors. The 

efficiency of the UPS system with the dc power source was determined to be an average of 

75.8 percent and very constant under all operating conditions. The operating time for the UPS 

with the bank of ultracapacitors was 170.3 sec, limited by the voltage of the ultracapacitors. This 

operating time is adequate for most UPS applications. Increased capacitance of the 

ultracapacitor bank, easily accomplished through paralleling additional ultracapacitors, would 

increase the UPS operating time. Expanding the operating voltage range of the UPS system 

would also increase operating time. 

Ultracapacitors are ideal energy storage system for UPS systems due to their exceptionally 

long cycle life, high reliability, high efficiency, high power density, ease of charging, and 

excellent low temperature performance. 

References 

1. Eichenberg, D.J., “Hybrid Power Management (HPM),” NASA Technical Memorandum 

2007-214913, August 2007. 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 9 

Appendix A.—Equipment Under Test Summary Data Sheet 

1.0 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)—Schaefer Model AEP-U2000R-1101 

1.1 Continuous output power 1700 W (2 KVA) 

1.2 Surge rating 1870 W for 1 min 

1.3 Input voltage 90 to 140 Vdc 

1.4 Output voltage regulation 100 to 120 Vac RMS 2% 

1.5 Frequency (Switch selectable) 50/60 Hz0.05% 

1.6 Peak output current 25 A 

1.7 Low voltage alarm 95 Vdc 

1.8 High voltage alarm 135 Vdc 

1.9 Low voltage shutdown 90 Vdc 

1.10 Full load efficiency 90% 

1.11 Output waveform <3% THD sine wave (resistive load) 

1.12 Output voltage range 100 to 120 Vac 

1.13 Power factor 0.85 

1.14 Output protection Overload, short circuit 

1.15 Input protection Over/under voltage 

1.16 Internal protection Over temperature 

1.17 AC input voltage 90 to 130 Vac, single phase 

1.18 AC input frequency 50 to 60 Hz 

1.19 Bypass time 4 to 6 ms 

1.20 Operating temperature –30 to 60 C (–22 to 140 F) 

1.21 Storage temperature –30 to 70 C (–22 to 158 F) 

1.22 Weight 9.8 kg (21.6 lb) 

1.23 Height 88.4 mm (3.48 in.) 

1.24 Width 424.0 mm (19.0 in.) 

1.25 Depth 435.0 mm (17.12 in.) 

1.26 Control interface RS-232C 

2.0 Ultracapacitor—Maxwell Model BMOD0058-E015-B01 

 2.1 Configuration Symmetric, dual layer, module 

 2.2 Capacitance 58 F 

 2.3 Energy rating 6.525 kJ 

 2.4 Voltage rating 15 V continuous 

 2.5 Maximum series resistance 19.0 m

 2.6 Maximum specific power density 8.2 kW/kg 

 2.7 Maximum specific energy density 2.67 Wh/kg 

 2.7 Maximum current 1500 A 

 2.8 Leakage current 1.0 mA 

 2.9 Operating temperature –40 to 65 C (–40 to 149 F) 

 2.10 Storage temperature –40 to 70 C (–40 to 158 F) 

2.11 Height 44.0 mm (1.73 in.) 

2.12 Width 85.0 mm (3.35 in.) 

2.13 Depth 218.0 (8.58 in.) 

2.14 Weight 680.0 g (1.50 lb) 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 10 

3.0 Ten Ultracapacitor Bank—Maxwell Model BMOD0058-E015-B01 

3.1 Configuration 10 series ultracapacitor modules 

 3.2 Capacitance 5.8 F 

 3.3 Energy rating 65.25 kJ 

 3.4 Voltage rating 150 V continuous 

 3.5 Maximum series resistance 190.0 m

 3.6 Maximum specific power density 8.2 kW/kg 

 3.7 Maximum specific energy density 2.67 Wh/kg 

 3.8 Maximum current 1500 A 

 3.9 Leakage current 1.0 mA 

 3.10 Operating temperature –40 to 65 C (–40 to 149 F) 

 3.11 Storage temperature –40 to 70 C (–40 to 158 F) 

3.12 Height 44.0 mm (1.73 in.) 

3.13 Width 850.0 mm (33.5 in.) 

3.14 Depth 218.0 (8.58 in.) 

3.15 Weight 6.8 kg (15.0 lb) 

4.0 Charger—Xantrex Model XFR-300-4 

4.1 Configuration Constant voltage, constant current 

4.2 Input voltage 85 to 130 Vac, single phase, 60 Hz 

4.3 Output voltage 0 to 300 Vdc 

4.4 Output current 0 to 4 Adc 

4.5 Weight 8.16 kg (18.0 lb) 

4.6 Height 44.4 mm (1.75 in.) 

4.7 Width 482.6 mm (19.0 in.) 

4.8 Depth 444.5 mm (17.5 in.) 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 11 

Appendix B.—Description of the Instrumentation System 

A block diagram of the instrumentation system is shown in Figure 5. 

All measurements were obtained with an Agilent Model 34970A data acquisition system. 

Type K thermocouples were used for all temperature measurements. Hall Effect transducers 

were used for all current measurements. These data were transmitted to a PC via a serial 

interface. The PC logged the data. 

A 99.1 , 250 W power resistor was used for all load tests. A Xantrex XFR 300 V, 4 A power 

supply was used to precharge the ultracapacitors when necessary. 

Figure 5.—Ultracapacitor UPS Instrumentation System. 

NASA/TM—2010-216780 13 

Appendix C.—Description of Digital Data Acquisition System

The digital data acquisition system used for testing is an Agilent Model 34970A. It is a high 

performance, microprocessor controlled, portable, data acquisition system. It consists of a halfrack mainframe with an internal 61/2-digit (22 bit) digital multimeter. Three module slots are built 

into the rear of the unit to accept a combination of switch and control modules. 

Tests documented in this report were conducted with the digital data acquisition system 

programmed to meet the test matrix requirements. 

NASA/TM—2010-216780 15 

Appendix D.—Description of Test Cycles 

Testing of the system was based on the test matrix shown in Table 3. 

TABLE 3.—ULTRACAPACITOR UPS TEST MATRIX 

Parameter Conditions 

Charge test Bank of ten ultracapacitors charged by a dc power supply to 134.0 Vdc limited to 

4 A. 

Load test UPS connected to a 99.1  load. Power provided by 120 Vac power source, then 

120 Vac power source disconnected, automatically transferring power source to a 

bank of ultracapacitors precharged to 134.0 Vdc. 

Self discharge test Self discharge bank of ten ultracapacitors precharged to 134.0 Vdc and discharged 

to 90.0 Vdc. 

Balance test Voltage of individual ultracapacitors precharged as a bank of ten ultracapacitors to 

134.0 Vdc. 

NASA/TM—2010-216780 17 

Appendix E.—System Performance Test Results 

A complete set of plots of the test results are included here. Table 1 identifies the tests that 

were conducted. 

 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 18 

 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 19 

 
NASA/TM—2010-216780 20 

 

 
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14. ABSTRACT

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) initiated the development and testing of an ultracapacitor based uninterruptible power supply 

(UPS) system as a means to provide backup power for the many critical NASA applications. A UPS system typically utilizes batteries for 

energy storage. The battery is the most vulnerable part of the UPS system, requiring regular maintenance and replacement. Battery 

performance is also extremely temperature dependent. Ultracapacitors are ideal for UPS systems where long life, maintenance free 

operation, and excellent low temperature performance is essential. State of the art symmetric ultracapacitors were used for these tests. The 

ultracapacitors were interconnected in an innovative configuration to minimize interconnection impedance, and to provide voltage 

balancing. Ultracapacitors can be charged extremely rapidly and supply high current, which are essential characteristics for an effective UPS 

system. Charging ultracapacitors is significantly less complex than charging batteries since there is no chemical reaction occurring while 

charging ultracapacitors. The report concludes that the implementation of symmetric ultracapacitors in a UPS system can provide significant 

improvements in power system performance and reliability.

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Electrochemical capacitors; Electric energy storage; Power conditioning 

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