A single capacitor can influence the lifetime and quality of entire electronic devices. These components wear out relatively easily and are used in virtually all circuits, including power supply modules, filters and voltage converters. Therefore, it is worth getting familiar with a range of brand-name components, such as Panasonic products, designed to ensure long-lasting and reliable operation.
Nowadays, it is rather hard to imagine a company offering breakthrough innovations in the field of capacitor design. Indeed, as far as the most basic parameters are concerned, one brand’s products do not differ significantly from the competitive solutions. Nevertheless, as a result of extensive R&D activities, slight improvements as well as structural solution modifications and production process streamlining, Panasonic has developed an extensive portfolio of components characterised by extremely high quality. Moreover, it includes major innovations that make it possible to design equipment that is not only durable, but also even more compact than before.
ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITORS
The Panasonic portfolio of through-hole assembly (THT) electrolytic capacitors includes a number of product series demonstrating very good electric parameters. One of the best examples is the EEU-FR series. Products belonging to this group are characterised by a lifetime of up to 10,000 hours when operating near the upper limit of their thermal tolerance, i.e. 105°C (diameters: 10 mm and larger), making it possible to design durable converters, power supply modules and many other circuits. The EEU-FP capacitors are a bit more specialist,, as they are mostly intended for industrial and automotive equipment; these products conform to the AEC-Q200 standard (similarly to the majority of Panasonic products), which makes them suitable for, e.g. car electronics solutions.
The durable and long-lasting electrolytic capacitor range also comprises the surface-mounted capacitors (SMD). Our product catalogue includes components with capacitance from 1 µF to 13 mF and operating voltage from 4 V to 450 V DC (for the current rating of up to approx. 2 A). Many of them demonstrate the low ESR characteristics, i.e. low impedance (equivalent series resistance), which translates into lower circuit heating and reduced energy losses, as well as higher tolerance to ripple currents. Note that selected product series, e.g. EEE-FK, are enclosed in housings resistant to vibrations and shocks up to 30 G, thus meeting the requirements of industrial automation and automotive applications.
Hybrid capacitors
Hybrid capacitors combine polymer and aluminium-electrolytic technologies. Such a design results in components with low ESR, low leakage current, resistance to high ripple currents and with a relatively small size, saving, in some applications, several to tens of percent of the PCB area dedicated to capacitors. They are perfectly suited for systems operating at higher frequencies (computers, LED drivers, switching power supplies), and at the same time ensure their stable operation.
FILM CAPACITORS
Panasonic film capacitors withstand voltages up to 2 kV DC (275 V AC) in temperatures ranging from -40 to 110°C (selected models). Simultaneously, they are characterised by relatively tight tolerance ranges (up to ±3%). Other advantages include, of course, the self-healing capability, i.e. isolation of punctured sheath points damaged by breakdowns (arc-overs). The film capacitor range includes both polyester capacitors (cheaper) and polypropylene components (demonstrating lower dielectric losses, i.e. maintaining their capacitance even in circuits operating at high frequencies). The Panasonic solutions included in this product group are general-purpose capacitors, typically used in filters (e.g. audio equipment), converters (e.g. inverters) and switching power supply modules.
POLYMER CAPACITOR SOLUTIONS
Polymer capacitors are polarised components. They are manufactured from very low-resistance polymers, while the opposite electrodes are made of metal. The Panasonic assortment includes three groups of such products: POSCAP, OS-CON and SP-Cap. The first group includes compact, surface-mounted components, manufactured using sintered tantalum. Their properties (i.e. primarily their small size and ability to operate in HF circuits) make them a viable and appealing alternative to surface-mounted multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC). The OS-CON products are made of aluminium. They are mostly characterised by their stable ESR rating, almost independent from temperature, which makes them particularly suitable for filter and ripple suppression circuits. They are available both in SMD and THT packages.
SP-Cap capacitors are related solutions, which, due to their high current tolerance (even above 10 A), near-zero temperature coefficients, and ultra-low equivalent series resistance, are a perfect choice as filter elements at DC/DC converter outputs.
