Film Technology

Leading-Edge AVX Technology in Film Capacitors Written By: Masato Nishikiori Abstract: With the advent of plastics in the middle of the 20th century, the film capacitor was introduced as a technological leap over traditional paper-based designs. Film capacitors use a thin plastic film as the dielectric that separates multiple metal electrodes. The electrodes are either deposited directly on the film (metallization) or are built from separate metal foils. The plastic metal sandwich is wound on a bobbin, and a terminal contact layer is deposited to connect all of the individual capacitor layers in parallel effectively.

Evolution of Power Capacitors for Electric Vehicles Written By: Gilles Terzulli Abstract: Electric vehicles are in widespread use. Hybrid cars are now a common sight on our roads as people look to find more environmentally-friendly forms of personal transport, and there are many other commercial and public electric vehicles, such as trains, trams, buses and industrial trucks and equipment in everyday use. The electronic systems and components that have enabled the realisation of such a wide variety of electric vehicles have all experienced a major evolution, including the DC link power capacitor. The purpose of capacitors in electric vehicles is to prevent ripple currents from reaching back to the power source, and to smooth out DC bus voltage variations. Capacitors

Film Technology To Replace Electrolytic Technology Written By: Gilles Terzulli | Billy W. Peace Abstract: Since 1980, great improvements have been made on DC filter capacitors using a combination of metallized plastic films and different segmentations of the metallization on those film dielectrics. Volume and weight have been reduced by a factor of 3 or 4 over the last years. Now film manufacturers have developed thinner films and have improved segmentation techniques used on the metallization which has helped immensely in the improvement of such capacitors. Using non-gas impregnated designs, the voltage ranges between 600 VDC and 1200 VDC can be more economically covered by film capacitors rather than electrolytic. Depending on the application, over 1200 VDC, vegetable oil-filled versions

Film Technology To Replace Electrolytic Technology in Wind Power Applications Written By: Gilles Terzulli Abstract: Aluminium electrolytic capacitors present serious challenges for the designer of high voltage power systems required in the very latest wind energy applications. In contrast, film technology offers significantly improved life expectancy, environmental performance and power handling capability.