The fourth industrial revolution is underway, with vastly increasing demands for automation, digitization and computing power. In order to support this evolution, individual components must improve in performance as well. This article details how new tantalum polymer capacitors from KEMET are helping to enable Industry 4.0 with high temperature ratings and stability over temperature, voltage and time.
Industry 4.0 is the application of technology to digitally transform how industrial companies operate. These technologies include industrial IoT, automation & robotics, AI-cognitive systems, augmented reality and big data analytics. Industry 4.0 is driven by a need to boost efficiency, become more agile to respond to market unpredictability, improve quality, and enable new business models. This digital transformation is reshaping all manufacturing industries, impacting the power dissipation capability and the life span requirements accelerating miniaturization.
A tantalum polymer capacitor is one constructed with a tantalum (Ta) anode, a tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) dielectric, and a solid polymer electrolyte. This construction method offers a variety of advantages, including high temperature ratings and stability over temperature, voltage, and time. KEMET’s tantalum polymer capacitors (KO-CAPTM) offer low ESR to minimize power losses and unwanted noise and can withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Miniaturization
The downsizing trend continues to challenge the capacitors manufactured to optimize volumetric efficiency and to develop new material settings to improve stability at higher temperatures.
An example is the downsizing from T521D476M016AE055 to the T521B476M016ATE055. The new footprint represents only 31% of the initial area on the board and offers exceptional lifespan stability.
The developments in sensors and home appliance solutions require miniaturization, extended life span and low leakage current to optimize battery usage life.
Taking advantage of research and development activities, KEMET has expanded their polymer low DCL solutions.
The new part number T521X477M016ATE020 (125ºC) EIA 7343-43 is the first with the 3 levels of DCL specification. The DCL (5min, 16V, RT, uA) comparison and the respective I-t are shown below.
Extended Ripple Current Specification
Based on material enhancements, thermal resistance characterization, electrical parameter stability over life endurance, and storage & ripple life testing, KEMET updated the T521 (125ºC) Max Power Dissipation and Temperature Factor Correction. To support DC/DC power conversion 12V input EIA 7343-31 220uF 16V with 125ºC and 25mOhm equivalent series resistance specification is on the market. The T521 Series offers the best power dissipation solution and life span stability.
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