The application of aluminum electrolytic capacitors constructed with an electrochemical cathode in power electronics

The latest performance characteristics for aluminum electrolytic capacitors constructed with an electrochemical cathode are presented and discussed. These capacitors can be used in high-voltage power circuits without putting a large array of low-voltage cells in series. The addition of an electrochemical cathode provides increased energy density and smaller size while maintaining the same service life, tolerance levels, operating temperature range and leakage currents obtainable with conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitors. The addition of the electrochemical cathode does increase the ESR and decrease the frequency response performance, both of which decreases the power handling capability of the capacitor. These capacitors do have high power handling characteristics compared to a high-voltage stack of low-voltage electrochemical cells and may have application in many power electronic circuits.