Course on supercapacitors applied to transportation
Online course of 300 hours in supercapacitors applied to transport. 6 modules covering supercapacitor principles, characterisation and modelling, modules and management electronics, rail and urban transport applications and system sizing, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the operating principles of supercapacitors.
Characterise cells through standardised electrical tests.
Model the electrical and thermal behaviour of modules.
Design balancing and energy management systems.
Analyse applications in rail and urban transport.
Size hybrid systems combining supercapacitors and batteries.
Assess the economic viability of storage solutions.
Who it's for
- Energy storage systems engineers
- Power electronics engineers
- Rolling stock engineers
- Researchers in electrochemical storage
- Industrial vehicle engineers
- Electrical test technicians
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the rail transport sector
What you'll work with
- IEC 62391-1 (fixed electric double-layer capacitors: generic specification)
- IEC 62391-2 (electric double-layer capacitors for power applications)
- IEC 62576 (electric double-layer capacitors for hybrid electric vehicles: test methods)
- IEC 61881-3 (railway applications: capacitors for power electronics, electric double-layer capacitors)
- UNE-EN 50155 (railway applications: electronic equipment used on rolling stock)
- IEC 61373 (railway applications: shock and vibration tests)
- IEC 62813 (lithium-ion capacitors for electrical and electronic equipment)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- PLECS
- LTspice
- BioLogic EC-Lab
6 modules
1.1Electric double layer and the Helmholtz model1.2Pseudocapacitance and redox materials1.3Lithium-ion hybrid capacitors1.4Energy density versus power density1.5Ragone plot of storage systems1.6Activated carbon electrodes1.7Aqueous and organic electrolytes1.8Voltage window and its effect on energy1.9Cycle life and ageing mechanisms1.10Case study: EDLC cell versus LTO battery
2.1Capacitance and equivalent series resistance2.2Constant-current charge and discharge tests2.3Impedance spectroscopy in supercapacitors2.4Leakage current and self-discharge2.5Equivalent circuit models2.6Thermal behaviour and heat dissipation2.7Effect of temperature on performance2.8Accelerated life testing2.9Manufacturer specifications2.10Lab: parameter identification of an RC model
3.1Series and parallel connection of cells3.2Passive and active voltage balancing3.3Bidirectional DC/DC converters3.4Current control and energy management3.5Overvoltage protection3.6Module cooling3.7Module monitoring and diagnostics3.8Mechanical integration in vehicles3.9Electrical safety of high-voltage modules3.10Workshop: sizing the balancing circuit of a 48 V module
4.1Braking energy recovery in trams4.2Catenary-free trams with charging at stops4.3Storage in traction substations4.4Supercapacitor buses and opportunity charging4.5Port cranes and industrial vehicles4.6Hybrid systems with batteries in cars4.7Start-stop systems and 48 V networks4.8Applications in aviation and heavy machinery4.9Commercial cases and lessons learned4.10Case study: energy savings of a tram with on-board storage
5.1Mission power profiles5.2Sizing by energy and by power5.3Battery-supercapacitor hybrid systems5.4Power-split strategies5.5Driving cycle simulation5.6Service life and life-cycle cost5.7Railway requirements for electronic equipment5.8Module reliability and maintenance5.9Comparison with other storage technologies5.10Practical exercise: simulation of a hybrid system for an urban bus
6.1Selection of the transport application6.2Power profile analysis6.3Module sizing6.4Design of the management electronics6.5Simulation of the proposed system6.6Economic and energy assessment6.7Safety and reliability analysis6.8Project conclusions6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, LTspice and BioLogic EC-Lab, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: laboratory cell characterisation, simulation of a hybrid storage system and sizing of a traction module. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: IEC 62391-1, IEC 62391-2, IEC 62576, IEC 61881-3, UNE-EN 50155, IEC 61373, IEC 62813
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MATLAB/Simulink, PLECS, LTspice and BioLogic EC-Lab, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required: you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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