The usual application scope of supercapacitors (SCs) is replacing electrochemical batteries
due to their higher power density and moderately high energy density. In the current
component markets, supercapacitors are available with capacitances varying from 0.2 to
7500 farads, with the limitation of very low DC voltage ratings from 0.7 V to 4 V.
The supercapacitor-assisted low dropout (SCALDO) regulator has been developed as a non-
traditional supercapacitor application, utilising the large time constant of SCs. SCALDO is a
unique new design approach to developing high-efficiency, low-noise DC-DC converters
based on a linear regulator. During the past decade, several implementation variations of
SCALDO prototypes, including RS-SCALDO, DO-SCALDO versions, and an integrated circuit
design have been achieved.
This lecture presents the essentials of SCALDO theory, several prototype implementations,
and a discussion on SCALDO properties. The success of the SCALDO projects led to the
development of the unique SCALoM theory, in which the losses in the RC loop can be
theoretically minimized by two combined steps: (i) adding a power electronics building block
into the RC loop, and (ii) replacing the capacitor with a several-orders-larger SC.
Based on this SCALoM concept, current ongoing research on supercapacitor-assisted (SCA)
power converter circuit topologies in Australia and New Zealand will also be discussed.