15th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference, EPE-PEMC 2012 ECCE Europe, Novi Sad, Serbia

The Usage of Supercapacitors for Energy Storage

Systems in the DC-Link of Machine Tools
Reimund Neugebauer1, Stefan Winternheimer2, Artem Kolesnikov3, Mark Richter1
1

Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, Chemnitz, Germany,
e-mail: reimund.neugebauer@iwu.fraunhofer.de
2
University of Applied Sciences of Saarland, Saarbruecken, Germany,
e-mail: stefan.winternheimer@htw-saarland.de
3
Chemnitz University of Technology, Institute for Machine Tools and Production Processes, Chemnitz, Germany,
e-mail: artem.kolesnikov@mb.tu-chemnitz.de
Abstract The development approach for an energy
storage system with supercapacitors in the DC link of the
drive unit in machine tools is focused on its optimal sizing in
consideration of peak power reducing and energy efficiency
improvement. The required change of parameters for the
DC link voltage control was taken into account. The energy
consumption of an electric drive with and without the
energy storage system was investigated by means of
experimental energy measurements and simulations of the
energy consumption in Matlab/SimPowerSystem.
Keywords Efficiency, Energy Storage, Supercapacitor

I. INTRODUCTION
At present there is a big interest among the countries of
the European Union to increase the efficiency of
industrial production processes. For a better efficiency of
the used electric energy it is, amongst others, necessary to
prevent peak power, voltage dips and power losses in
machine tools. This could be possible by the integration
of energy storage devices into the drive unit system of
machine tools [1]. In general, it requires the development
of methods not only for the optimal choice and sizing of
the storage devices like supercapacitors, but also in
regard to their energy efficient control strategy. In recent
years, DC links were used to integrate storage systems in
drive units of production machinery. These applications
usually use storage devices such as electrolyte capacitors
or flywheels [2, 3]. In [4] the authors analyse an energy
storage system in machine tools on the basis of double
layer capacitors.
Commonly, the electric power consumption in
production machinery has a time-varying profile,
determining oversizing of the line-side converters, usage
of graduated tariffs for the energy consumption and
maximum power limiting in factory facilities. In the
paper we examine possibilities for the application of
energy storage devices in production machines by using a
milling centre as an example. The inclusion of an energy
storage device into a DC link of the milling centre allows
reducing peak power and avoiding the recovery of
braking energy into the network. So it is possible to
equalise the power profile and to reduce the energy
consumption of the drive unit system in the milling
centre. Moreover, it permits a smaller dimension of the
line-side converter and the cross section of input
conductors.

978-1-4673-1972-0/12/$31.00 2012 IEEE

The aim of the paper is to confirm the benefits of

energy storage devices with supercapacitors in the DC
link of machine tools and to define a method for their
optimal sizing in consideration of reducing the energy
consumption and decreasing the peak power. For this
purpose the metrological analysis was implemented and
the energy consumption model of the drive group was
developed. This model is deduced from the mechatronic
model of the electric drives in the milling centre and
allows the prediction of the energy consumption in the
drive unit with various sizings of the energy storage
system. The validation of the model is achieved by the
comparison of the power and energy profiles obtained in
simulations and measurements.
II.

ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES IN MACHINE TOOLS

The electric power consumption in the drive unit of a

machine tool is essentially dynamical during the transient
processes. The amount of consumed energy and the
power profile depend on the dimension of the main and
feed drives as well as the process technology [5].
Consequently, the drive unit needs a different amount of
energy, depending on the operating state of the spindle
and axis feed drives. During the acceleration of the
spindle and feed drives the drive unit consumes a high
amount of electric energy, which is mostly transformed
into kinetic energy. During the braking phases the kinetic
energy is recovered as electric energy into the network.
For the equalisation of power profiles in production
machines, electrolyte capacitor modules or flywheels are
commonly used as energy storage systems. For the
storage of braking energy flywheels have a wide range of
specific power between 100 W/kg and 50 kW/kg.
However the application of flywheels is unfavourable for
milling centres because the dynamical processes here
require a lightweight energy rotor turning with very high
rotational velocities (up to 100,000 rpm) including the
possibility to save a different amount of energy for a long
term in the range of a few minutes to hours [6]. Hence,
such flywheels have high investment outlays and a low
charge/discharge efficiency. The conventional electrolyte
capacitors have a suitable specific power of
approximately 100 kW/kg, but their low energy density
(<0.1 Wh/kg) is not enough for the prevention of peak
power in milling centres with limited external dimensions
[7]. Therefore modern double layer capacitors, lithium
ion batteries or their combination (hybrid batteries) were
taken into account.

DS3d.7-1

Lithium ion batteries have a specific power less than

1 kW/kg and their exclusive usage is unsuitable for the
prevention of peak power in milling centres because of
low number of charge/discharge cycles. A good
performance for preventing the peak power might be
achieved by applying a hybrid battery system which
includes double layer capacitors and, consequently, has a
higher specific power. These energy storage systems are
applied and successfully verified in the branches of
renewable energies and electric vehicles [8-9]. But hybrid
batteries require a higher investment outlay than double
layer capacitors whose specific power of approximately
10 kW/kg is enough for the prevention of peak power in
middle-sized machine tools.
III. DESCRIPTION AND MODELLING
OF THE DRIVE GROUP SYSTEM
The paper examines in detail the power consumption
of the drive group in the three-axis vertical milling centre
with a workspace of X/Y/Z: 450/270/280 mm. The
function of the drive group is the transformation of
electric energy into mechanical energy by the following
devices: spindle, linear motor for X-axis, servomotors for
Y- and Z-axes and other optional axes. Typical power
electronic components of a drive unit system in milling
centres are the following: line-side converter, spindle and
feed drive converters, control unit, line filter, line reactor
and optional axis converters.
On the basis of the described drive group, the
consumption
model
was
created
by
using
Matlab/Simulink software and the SimPowerSystems
toolbox, focusing on electrotechnical processes. The
scope of the simulation model is:
analysis and prediction of the power consumption in
drive groups of machine tools (overall as well as
individual components),
simulation for the choice and sizing of the energy
storage devices in the DC link,
development of control strategies for the energy
storage devices.
The model was divided into three levels depicted in Fig. 1
and described below.
Level A: individual drives of the drive group
This level includes the individual electric drives with
their motor-side converters (level A in Fig. 1). For the
modelling of the spindle and feed drives,
SimPowerSystems toolbox elements were used which
describe the permanent synchronous motors and linear
motor of the feed drives, the asynchronous spindle and
their converters with sufficient accuracy. The
mathematical description of the electric motors and
converters, based on the description of conventional
semiconductors, is given in [10-11]. The vector and speed
controller elements on the basis of PI regulation were
used to create the control of the converters.
Level A is important to examine the amount of energy
which can be recovered from the braking process of the
spindle and the feed drives at different speeds. The
amount of braking energy resulting from the braking
process could be used for the next acceleration processes
of the spindle and the feed drives. It can be estimated by
the following equation:

C
A

Fig. 1. Drive system block model of the drive group in

Matlab/SimPowerSystems.

Ebraking =

1
( M mot ( nmot max nmot min ) Gr ) t + ,
2 9.55

1
( Fmot (Vmot max Vmot min ) Gl ) t
2

(1)

with
M mot max. motor torque when braking,
nmot max max. speed at the start of the operation,
nmot min min. speed at the end of the operation,
Fmot max. motor force when braking,
Vmot max max. velocity at the start of the operation,
Vmot min min. velocity at the end of the operation,

t time of the operation,

Gr total efficiency of rotating drives,

Gl total efficiency of linear drives,
G overall efficiency usable for rotatory efficiency Gr

and linear efficiency Gl ,

G = M INV for braking,

M motor efficiency,
INV inverter efficiency.
Level B: energy storage system
The level B (Fig. 1) is most important for the modelling
because it includes the energy storage system connected
with the DC link. This level is critical to examine the
amount of energy which can be stored in the
supercapacitors. This energy storage system has an overall
efficiency of 85-98% depending on its size and type
(active or passive). The application of an active energy
storage system with a DC/DC power converter placed
between the supercapacitors and the DC link could
increase the used energy in the storage system because of
the more flexible usage of the stored energy [12]. But
active systems have a less energy effectiveness because of
power losses in the DC/DC converter which can only
reach an efficiency of 95% under optimal circumstances.
For this reason we have investigated the inclusion of a
passive energy storage system, which connects the
supercapacitors directly to the DC link. The approach for

DS3d.7-2

Infeed standby DC link voltage

controller output maximum steady-state

Infeed DC link voltage

supplementary setpoint

Vdc set point

+
Actual DC link voltage

+
+

Infeed current
distribution factor

I line supply
calculated

Kp +

1
Tn s

+
+

Infeed
supplementary +
active current

Infeed current
limit motoring

Active current
setpoint

+
Infeed
+ supplementary
active current
steady-state

Infeed current
limit regenerating

the sizing of the analysed energy storage system follows

below in chapter 4.

Level C: line-side converter of the drive unit

Level C includes the line-side converter with the line
filter and line reactor. The mathematical description of
the line-side converter is based on the same rules as
mentioned in level A. The control-strategy is based on the
PI regulation. Figure 2 depicts the actual block diagram
of the PI control for the DC link voltage. The parameters
of the PI control ( K p , Tn ) are crucial for the energy
consumption of the drive unit in transient processes
because the amount of stored braking energy and
recovered energy into the network depends on the
parameter values.
In factory facilities with strict electromagnetic
capability requirements, line filters work together with
line reactors to restrict the conducted interference
emanated from the line-side converter to the limit values
of industry areas as defined in EN 61800-3. The line
reactor is necessary to limit the low-frequency harmonic
effects and to reduce the load on the line-side converter.
The damping characteristics of the line filter conform to
the requirements of electromagnetic capability standards
for a frequency range of 150 kHz up to 30 MHz as well
as with low frequencies of 2 kHz and above because line
properties such as line impedance are generally unknown.
Validation of the drive unit model
To analyse the braking energy cycles, the energy
consumption was examined by power measurements in
the drive unit of the milling centre. Figure 3 shows almost
similar active power and energy profiles in the simulation
and the measurement during a part of a milling operation.
It is shown that the divergence between the simulation
and the measurements in term of energy consumption is
less than 0.7 %. Consequently, the model allows an exact
analysis of the braking energy flow to the DC link and
also from the DC link into the network while operating
the spindle and the feed drives as generators. The usage
of the developed model allows determining the amount of
energy consumption and peak power of the drive unit in
different operating modes of the spindle and axis feed
drives.

active power, kW active energy, kWs active power, kW active energy, kWs

Fig. 2: Block diagram of the DC link voltage control [13].

measured energy profile

8
6
4
2
0

E=7.2kWs

measured power profile

20
10
0
-10

simulative energy profile

8
6
4
2
0

E=7.27kWs

simulative power profile

20

acceleration spindle

10

milling

0
-10

z-axis
30.5

braking spindle

y-axis
31.0

31.5

32.0

32.5

t, s

Fig. 3. Electric energy and power during a part of a milling operation.

IV. SIZING OF THE ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM

The level of the energy storage system (level B in
Fig. 1) is essential for the modelling because it includes
the energy storage device connected to the DC link. This
level is crucial to examine the amount of energy which
can be stored in the DC link.
The sizing of the energy storage system can be
calculated on the basis of the following considerations.
The maximal amount of required energy and peak power
in the milling centre is determined by the spindle
acceleration and shown in Fig. 4. It displays the graphs of
the measured energy and power profile during the
acceleration of the spindle up to the maximum rotating
speed of 20,000 rpm and its braking. The power profile
shows the transient processes with a negative and positive
part in the range between -16.2 kW up to 24.55 kW. The
current flowing in the DC link during these processes
should not change the nominal voltage of 600 V in the DC
link more than the allowed 20 V. Therefore we defined
the energy amount stored in the energy storage system
with the total capacitance C on the basis:
1
2
2
(2)
C (U nom
U min
),
2
with U nom , U min as nominal and minimal voltages in the
DC link.
Figure 4 shows the amount of consumed energy
E = 36.9 kWs during the acceleration of the spindle. On
the basis of (2) the required total capacitance of the
supercapacitors can be calculated considering that the
voltage change caused by the internal resistance of the
supercapacitors should not be more than 5 V:
E=

DS3d.7-3

140
E=36.9kWs

120
100

active power, W

power profile of the line-side converter

20
10

g
P=22.5kW
braking

acceleration
up to 20,000 rpm

P=18.3kW

-10

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54 t, s

Fig. 4. Electric energy and power profiles during acceleration of the

spindle up to 20,000 rpm and its braking.

C=

2 E
.
2
U U min
2
nom

(3)

The defined capacitance C of approximately 4.55 F

was reached on the basis of 11 double layer capacitor
modules with 50F/56V each. The total internal resistance
of 132 m in the energy storage system is less than the
maximum allowed 170 m causing the above mentioned
voltage change of 5 V.
V. EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
OF THE DC LINK WITH SUPERCAPACITORS
The metrological analysis of the power consumption
was obtained on the basis of the test facility with an
energy storage system (Fig. 5) which uses 280
supercapacitors with 600 F connected in series. The test
facility contains the line-side converter and the line filter
package which are typical for the drive unit of machine
tools; it permits the comparison of the energy efficiency
of a drive unit with and without the energy storage
system.

The results of the analysis shown in Fig. 6 verify the

substantial peak power prevention by approximately
67 % in the drive unit with supercapacitors during the
acceleration of the drive. Meanwhile, the voltage changes
in the DC-Link remain in the set limitations during the
transient processes. Additionally, the required peak
power is stored completely in the energy storage system
during the braking process. Figure 7 confirms the flexible
usage of supercapacitors to eliminate the fluctuating
amount of peak power during several acceleration and
braking processes. At the same time, this application
requires an appropriate set of parameters for the DC
voltage control to operate the energy storage system more
efficiently and effectively in different scenarios.
Further measurements depicted in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9
show not only a significant reduction of the peak power,
but also a decrease of the energy consumption during the
acceleration of the drive supported by the energy storage
system. The graphs show that the application of the
energy storage system with the adjusted parameters of the
DC link voltage control allows decreasing the amount of
energy and peak power by a 26.8 % and a 70.8 %
consequently.
power profile of the line-side converter

10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4

active power, kW

E=19.1kWs

with SuperCaps
without SuperCaps

Pmax=66.9%

acceleration up to
1,400 rpm

braking

voltage profile of the SuperCaps

voltage, V

active energy, Ws

energy profile of the line-side converter

160

605
U=4.8V

600
U=6V

595

current profile of the SuperCaps

current, A

10
Im=11.5A

5
0
-5

Im=-12.1A

-10
2

t,8s

Fig. 6. Electric power, voltage and current profiles during acceleration

and braking processes of an electric drive.

power profiles

active power, kW

6
4

acceleration
up to
1,400 rpm

acceleration up to
1,300 rpm

SuperCaps
line-side converter

acceleration up to
1,100 rpm

0
braking

-2

braking
braking

-4

active energy, kWs

-6

energy profile of the SuperCaps

6

E=0.9kWs

4
2

E=1.2kWs

E=1.4kWs

E=1.8kWs

E=2.3kWs

E=2.6kWs

-2
0

10

15

20

25

30

Fig. 7. Acceleration and braking processes of an electric drive.

Fig. 5. Test facility with supercapacitors.

DS3d.7-4

t, s

energy consumption at line-side converter

with SuperCaps
without SuperCaps

3
2

E=26.4%

power consumption at line-side converter

2
0
25.5

26.

26.5

27.0

t, s

Fig. 8. Energy- and power consumption of the drive while

accelerating up to 1,100 rpm.

active energy, kWs

6
5
4

energy consumption at line-side converter

active power, kW

3
2
1
0
6
4
2
0
600
595
590
585

power consumption at line-side converter

8
Pmax=68.4%

0
2.5

electric power P =3.5kW mechanic power

el
of the SuperCaps
of the motor

Pmech=3.1kW

I=6A

voltage profile of the SuperCaps

U=16V

2.0

P=3.6kW

10

11

t, s

Fig. 11. Electric power, voltage and current profiles during voltage
interruptions.

1.5

power profile of the line-side converter

power profiles

E=26.8%

2
0

4
3
2
1
0

current profile of the SuperCaps

with SuperCaps
without SuperCaps

active power, kW

Pmax=70.8%

power, kW

current, I

active power, kW

The measurement results shown in Fig. 11 confirm that

the energy storage system is even able to keep the DC
link voltage in the required limitations during long-lasting
voltage interruptions. If the recommendations deduced
from the analysis are implemented, it will help to avoid
manufacturing errors and machine downtimes resulting
from insufficient power supply which is responsible for
7 % of all malfunctions [15].

voltage, V

active energy, kWs

3.0

t, s

Fig. 9. Energy- and power consumption of the drive while

accelerating up to 1,400 rpm.

Additionally, the simulative and metrological analysis

of the electric energy consumption in machine tools
confirms the negative influence of voltage fluctuations on
the energy efficiency. DIN EN 50160 allows fast voltage
changes in low voltage networks up to 10 %. Above that
level, changes between 10 % and 90 % are voltage dips;
changes exceeding 90 % are voltage interruptions.
Voltage dips lasting not longer than 1 second can occur
up to 1000 times a year according to DIN EN 50160.
Figure 10 shows voltage dips in low voltage networks
that last between 10 ms and 60 s and, therefore, cause
machine downtimes or an increase of the energy
consumption because of the rising input current.

Fig. 10. Frequency and duration of voltage dips in low voltage

networks [14].

VI. CONCLUSION
In the paper the energy storage system for machine
tools has been proposed and tested with the energy
consumption model in Matlab/SimPowerSystems and by
power measurements on the test facility with
supercapacitors. The simulations and experimental
measurements show that a significant decrease of peak
power could be achieved by using the passive energy
storage system with supercapacitors.
The results achieved by means of simulation show the
feasibility and effectiveness of supercapacitors for the
usage in machine tools. In particular, the improvement of
the overall efficiency of the drive group system has been
achieved including a good prevention of peak power. In
general, the optimal application of supercapacitors in the
DC link of the drive unit in machine tools can ensue the
following advantages in the future:
decrease of consumed energy from the network and
peak power elimination during acceleration
processes in drive groups,
smaller sizing of line infeed/feedback units due to
the decrease of peak power consumption from the
network,
avoiding of breakdowns in drive units caused by
network interruptions by the use of energy stored in
the supercapacitors.
The next step will be the implementation of an energy
storage system with supercapacitors in the DC link of the
machining drive group system on the basis of the
considerations in paragraphs IV and V. Additionally, the
methodological assessment of the power losses due to the
internal resistance in the double layer capacitor modules
should be obtained.

DS3d.7-5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

[6]

This paper was done during the eniPROD project at the

Institute for Machine Tools and Production Processes,
Chemnitz University of Technology, funded by the
European Union with the European Fund for Regional
Development (EFRE) and the Free State of Saxony.

[7]

[8]

[9]

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