Modeling the Dynamics of Supercapacitors by Means of Riemann–Liouville Integral Definition

Abstract

The application of fractional calculus to obtain dynamic models for supercapacitors represents an alternative approach to obtaining simpler and more accurate models. This paper presents a model for the supercapacitor in the time domain, based on the use of the fractional or non-integer order integral. This fractional model is compared with the conventional simple model, which is typically used in industrial applications. This fractional integral-based model provides satisfactory fits in relation to the number of parameters used in the model. Furthermore, an interpretation of the effect of the application of fractional integration is presented for constant current charging and discharging processes at constant current, using the Riemann–Liouville definition for the non-integer order integral. Supercapacitors are devices that exhibit non-linear behavior, with a distinct charging and discharging operation. There are several methods of dynamic analysis for the characterization of supercapacitors. The information extracted from these methods is essential for understanding the behavior of supercapacitors and, thus, ensuring that processes involving supercapacitors are as efficient as possible. This paper presents a dynamic analysis based on charge and discharge operations with constant currents. The conclusion is that the fractional model provides fairly accurate fits.