Different Types of Capacitors and Uses

Hi, reader Welcome to a new post in this post we will have a detailed look at Different Types of Capacitors and Uses. The capacitor is made with the use of different dimensions, and features and based on design. Any type of capacitor comes with two plates that have dielectric material between them.

It is used for different circuits for charge-storing features and is called a passive device. Small capacitors are used for different electronics for the connection of signals. Capacitors are used according to their capacitance, operating voltage, or current conducting abilities.

What are the Types of Capacitor

• There are different types of capacitors used in electronic circuits and each comes with certain features.

• Capacitors come in different ranges from small to larger and each type has certain features that define their uses. Such as capacitor are small and sensitive nature components that are used in radio circuits.
• Some capacitors are large and used in smoothing circuits.
• For comparison between different types of capacitors dielectric used between plates is the main factor.
• Capacitors come in different ranges such as variable-type capacitors that provide users with features to change capacitance
• The range of capacitors is numerous. Take, for instance, variable-type capacitors that give the user the ability to vary their capacitance for frequency tuning circuits. Some capacitors are like tube designs since metal foil plates are configured in cylinders.
• Dielectric materials are positioned between foil plates and cylinders. Some capacitors used for commercial uses that made with metallic foil configured in thin sheet of paraffin-impregnated paper.

Dielectric Capacitor

• This type of capacitor is known as a variable capacitor where continuous vibration of capacitance is used for tuning transistor radio, tranmiter, and receiver.
• Variable dielectric capacitors come with a multi-plate air-spaced configuration that comes with stator vanes or fixed plates and moving plates that move between fixed plates.
• The capacitance value is found through the position of moving plates concerning fixed plates. Normally when two sets of plaets are connected complete capacitance value is high.

Fixed Capacitors

• Fixed capacitors come with fixed capacitance values that not be varied. In this capacitor, conductive plates are not varied and store certain values of the electric charge.

 

Ceramic Capacitor

• Ceramic capacitors are called Disc capacitors and are made with the use of ceramic or porcelain discs and coated on both sides through silver before stacking for accurate working.
• The ceramic disc comes with three to six mm used for low capacitance features. These capacitors come with high dielectric constant and also have high capacitance from small-size circuits.
• Ceramic capacitors come with non-linear changes in capacitance for temperature. As a result, ceramic capacitors are used as bypass capacitors.  Some capacitors come with low voltage ratings.
• The 3-digit code is written on this type of capacitor for finding capacitance in pico farads.
• Some common types of ceramic capacitors are
  • Leaded plate ceramic capacitors
  • Surface mount multi-layered ceramic capacitors
  • Microwave exposed lead-less plate ceramic capacitors

 Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors Construction

• Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are polarized-type capacitors that have an anode made with aluminum foil and an etched surface.
• The aluminum makes thin insulating aluminum oxide layers through anodization that work as dielectric of the capacitor. The non-solid electrolyte employed the surface of oxide layers working as the negative electrode of the capacitor. The second foil known as cathode foil connects electrolytes and works an electrical connection with the negative terminals of capacitors.
• Aluminum electrolyte capacitors come in 3 basic types
  • non-solid  aluminum electrolytic capacitors,
  • solid manganese dioxide aluminum electrolytic capacitor
  • solid polymer aluminum electrolytic capacitors.
• Aluminum electrolyte capacitors having non-solid electrolytes are low-cost and come with different sizes and voltage values.
• Their capacitance range is about 0.1 μF up to 2,700,000 μF and with a voltage range of  4 V up to 630 V.

 

Mica Capacitor

• This capacitor comes with mica as an insulating material coated with a thin silver coating. So these capacitors are called silver mica capacitors.
• This type of capacitor has a capacitance range of picofarad to thousands of pico farad based on voltage ratings.
• Insulation material in mica capacitor is used as  slanted layers
• Its capacitance is 10 pF to five thousand picofarads.
• This capacitor comes with high accuracy and consistent operations.
• They are used when there is a need for stable, accurate capacitors of small value they are low-loss capacitors and help to be used for high frequency and their value does not vary with time.
• They show stable features for chemically and mechanically

  Trimmer Capacitor

• It is a non-polar capacitor. and used for applications that needed constant capacitance value
• It uses insulating material between 2 parallel conductor plates
• For changing capacitance change the distance between plates.
• Its insulation materials are mica, mylar, etc.
• Its capacitance in the range of pico farad to two hundred picofarads.
• it is used for controlling low to medium voltage.

Air Capacitor

• It is also a non-polar mutable capacitor. It has a small capacitance of about a hundred picofarad to one nanofarad.
• There is no dielectric material but air is used as dielectric material.
• Its operating voltage range is 10 to 1000 volts. The failure voltage of air as an insulator is lesser henceforth there is an alteration of electric failure in a capacitor.
• Fixed capacitor air capacitors are less used since there are some other types with better features. Variable air capacitors are used since they have a simple design. They are made with two groups of half circle metallic plates parted with air gaps.
• One set is fixed and the other is connected with a shaft that helps to rotate the complete design, so varying capacitance is needed.
• The larger overlap between two sets of plates provides high capacitance. The larger capacitance condition is when overlap between two sets of plates and the low capacitance condition is obtained when there is not overlapping

 

Film Capacitor

• It is a common type of capacitor that is part of a larger group of capacitors.  The basic difference between film and other capacitors is their dielectric feature. These are polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester Teflon, and metalized paper.
• Irrespective of capacitance range film capacitors come in value of  5pF to 100uF.
• The different types of film capacitors are
  • Epoxy Case
  • Wrap and Fill (Oval and Round)
  • Metal Hermetically Sealed (Rectangular and Round)

Electrolytic Capacitors

• Some types of capacitors used for applications here have high capacitance needed. Electrolytic capacitors are different from the use of thin film layers for working as electrodes, an electrolyte solution of semi-liquid is used as the second electrode.
• Mostly electrolytic capacitors are polarized so accurate polarity connection for DC supply with capacitor. Positive polarity should connect with the positive terminal and negative polarity with negative pn.
• if there is faulty polarization oxide layer can break down and damage permanently.
• Their larger capacitance and small size are used for DC circuits. That is used for coupling and decoupling and reduces the ripple voltage.
• These capacitors have low voltage ratings and they are not used with AC supply due to their polar nature.
• Some common types of electrolytic capacitors are

 Tantalum Electrolytic Capacitors

• Tantalum electrolytic capacitors come in two types, sold and wet electrolytic type. Dry tantalum capacitors are small in size as compared to aluminum capacitors and use manganese dioxide for the second terminal.

Applications of Electrolytic Capacitors

• it is used for circuits where larger capacitance needed
• They are used for devices that need low wave voltage.
• They are used for speakers to reduce noise that is induced flexibly.

 

Paper Capacitor

• Paper capacitors are fixed capacitors where paper is used as dielectric material. The charge measurement is done with a fixed fixed paper capcitor. It comes with two metallic plates and paper that is used as dielectric materials between plates.

Read also:

• What is the Difference Between: Ceramic vs Electrolytic vs Tantalum Capacitors
• Introduction to Ultracapacitors, Construction, Applications
• How is a Microprocessor Different from an Integrated Circuit
• What is a Capacitor Polarity – Construction, Its Types, Function & Applications
• Difference Between Capacitor and Inductor
• Introduction to Capacitor

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