This is a Saft nickel supercapacitor installed by Kold Ban
International on an LMTV military
vehicle as part of a U.S. Tank-Automotive and Armaments
Command study. The supercapacitor was used to replace two
of six lead-acid batteries.
NICKEL SUPERCAPACITORS AS
PART OF AN IDLE-REDUCTION
STRATEGY
Combination of conventional batteries and new energy-storage system can provide longer life,
better performance in vehicle applications
BY CARL POSTIGLIONE
Focusing on energy efficiency is nothing new for transport operators. But with a grow-
ing range of emissions and “no-idle”
regulations coming into force around
the world, there has never been a
greater emphasis on efficiency and
environmental awareness for vehicle
operators who rely on diesel power.
Carl Postiglione is product manager,
nickel supercapacitors at Saft America,
Valdosta, Ga.
Recently introduced U.S. carbon emissions reduction regulations
require that diesel trucks and other
high-use vehicles must shut down their
engines or have their engines cut if
they are going to be idling for longer
than three or five minutes (there are
different rules for different states).
In such situations, traditional lead-
acid vehicle batteries can be chal-
lenged to accommodate required
hotel loads and other parasitic loads,
to the point of not maintaining suf-
ficient charge for engine starting. In
response, some fleets are turning to
auxiliary power units (APUs) to run
air conditioning and other onboard
electronics while the engine is not
running. However APUs — whether
battery-powered or driven by small
internal combustion engines — can
result in considerable additional cost
and extra levels of maintenance.
