CAPACITORS
INTRODUCTION
A capacitor is an electrical device stores electricity by accumulating
free electrons on a metal surface and then releases them as a current
in the circuit.
It is also known as a condenser
It allows a.c voltage and blocks d.c voltage
Different value capacitors hold different amounts of charge when the
same voltage is passed across their plates
USE : The storage and release of electrical energy
CAPACITOR
A Capacitor is a passive electronic component that stores energy
in the form of Electricity & releases it when used in the circuit as
current.
CAPACITOR
SYMBOL
C
Capacitance of a capacitor is denoted by the letter ‘C’
UNITS Farads
PROPERTY OF A CAPACITOR
CAPACITANCE
It is a measure of capacitor ability to store charge
(OR)
Ability of a dielectric material to store electric charge
(OR)
It is defined as the ratio of the electrical charge ‘Q’ stored in the
capacitor by virtue of the applied voltage ‘E’. It is given by
C=Q/E C = Capacitance in farads
Q = Charge in coulombs
E = Electro motive force in volts
A large capacitance means that more charge can be stored
It is the property of the circuit which opposes a change in voltage
VALUE OF CAPACITANCE
Available in Micro Farads and Pico Farads
1 Micro Farad = 1µF = 10-6 Farads
1 Pico Farad = 1PF = 10-12 Farads
1 Nano Farad = 1nF = 10-9 Farads
FACTORS AFFECTING CAPACITANCE
OF A CAPACITOR
FACTORS AFFECTING CAPACITANCE
OF A CAPACITOR
A capacitor is essentially two conducting plates separated by an
insulator (dielectric material).
The capacitance value of parallel plate structure is given by
C = (εO εr A ) / d
C = Capacitance in farads
εO = Absolute permittivity of free space
8.85 x 10-12 F/M
εr = Relative permittivity
A = Area of plate in square meters
d = distance between the plates in meters
DIELECTRIC MATERIAL
It is an insulating material placed between the plates
of a capacitor to increase the capacitance value
CAPACITOR CHARACTERISTICS
Dielectric Constant
Dielectric Strength
Power Factor
DIELECTRIC CONSTANT
The property of the dielectric which effects the capacitance is
called dielectric constant.
It is numerical quantity expressed as the ratio of the capacitance
of a capacitor with a dielectric other than air to the capacitor with
air as dielectric.
Represented by εr , Relative Permittivity
DIELECTRIC STRENGTH
It is defined as the property of the dielectric by which
it withstands breakdown when a voltage applied to it.
Expressed in volts per meter of dielectric thickness
POWER FACTOR
The quality of a capacitor in terms of minimum loss is often
indicated by its power factor.
(OR)
It gives the fraction of input power dissipated as heat loss in the
capacitor.
The power factor of the capacitor is essentially the power factor
of the dielectric.
Reciprocal of power factor is the quality factor of the capacitor.
CAPACITOR SPECIFICATIONS
Value of capacitance
Tolerance
Voltage rating
Temperature co-efficient
Frequency range
Dielectric constant
Dielectric strength
Power factor
Stability
Leakage resistance* The resistance of the path over
which leakage current flows
CAPACITOR TYPES
According to form (As per its nature)
1. Variable capacitors : Air, mica, ceramic
2. Fixed capacitors : Mica, ceramic, paper, electrolytic
According to dielectric medium
1. Mica capacitors
2. Glass capacitors
3. Paper capacitors
4. Electrolytic capacitors
5. Ceramic capacitors
According to electrode structure (As per polarity convention)
1. Polar (Electrolytic) : Aluminum, Tantalum
2. Non-polar (Electrostatic) : Mica, Ceramic etc
VARIABLE CAPACITORS
To tune the circuit of a radio or an oscillator
Small capacitance values
TYPES
1. Continuous variation of capacitance
Used for varying frequency of a tuned circuit
Air capacitors are used to this application in transmitters
2. Limited adjustments of a capacitance
Trimmers and padders
Small variable capacitors
Mica capacitors are used for this purpose in all broadcast receivers
GANG CAPACITORS
Two or three sets of plates are connected together to vary the
capacitance value
Air dielectric capacitors
Lower insulation resistance
Lower dielectric constant
Excellent stability
Range : Nano Farads – 500 P F
COLOUR CODING
Capacitance values are noted in Pico Farad
It is used on many capacitors that have small packages
It is adopted to mica, ceramic, paper and plastic capacitors
Ceramic Capacitor Codes
How to read a Ceramic capacitor with Numeric coding.
CAPACITORS IN SERIES - PARALLEL
CAPACITORS IN SERIES
CAPACITORS IN PARALLEL
SYMBOLS
Fixed Capacitor
+ -
Electrolytic with polarity
Variable Capacitor
Polarized Capacitor
Trimmer Capacitor
APPLICATIONS
Used as bypass and coupling for transmitting circuits
Used in high frequency circuits such as television
Used in precision timing circuits
Used in transistor circuit elements
Used in oscillator circuits
Used in integrating circuits
Used in power circuits
Used as rectifier filters
Used in tank circuits
Used for blocking
Used for buffer
AIR CAPACITOR
MICA CAPACITOR
PAPER CAPACITOR
GLASS CAPACITOR
CERAMIC CAPACITOR
ALUMINIUM ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR
CHIP CAPACITOR
TANTALUM CAPACITOR
SUPER CAPACITOR
METAL FILM CAPACITOR
TRIMMER CAPACITOR
GANG CAPACITORS
CAPACITORS ON BOARD