High Power Density Capacitors for High Temperature Navy Applications

The Phase I development effort was in support of the Navy’s interest in solid-state electrical storage with increased volumetric efficiency and temperature capabilities. Advanced capacitor power sources are considered an enabling technology for several Future Naval Capability programs. An equivalent technology need exists in other areas including aircraft and spacecraft engines, down-hole well and mining and under-hood automotive application. Results from the Phase I were successful in defining a capacitor technology capable of providing over a factor of two advance in volume efficiency and operating temperature capability. This innovation is based on a novel composite dielectric of fluorinone polyester (FPE) and nanosize barium titanate (BaTiO3). The film’s high dielectric constant (ε = 9.4) is projected to provide a capacitor volumetric efficiency over 2.0 µF/cc with an operating temperature of 300˚C. The Phase I effort provided the necessary groundwork for a follow-on capacitor development effort. Feasibility was established for all major material and processing associated with wound capacitor fabrication. Composite slurry processing, film casting, metallization, slitting and film winding were all successfully demonstrated. It is anticipated that a Phase II effort can be applied to demonstrating full-scale, life tested capacitors for high temperature Navy applications.