Are electrolytic capacitors a viable alternative for large capacity CD welding systems?

Electrolytic capacitors (E-caps) offer a potential alternative for large capacity CD welding systems. E-caps incorporate an electrolyte impregnated into a separator. The separator is then sandwiched between anodic and cathodic foils. A dielectric is also used to prevent direct contact of the foils with the electrolyte.

What is capacitor discharge welding?

Capacitive discharge welding, particularly for large-scale systems, is typically done using film-type capacitors. These capacitors store energy along alternating plates separated by a dielectric film. Charge is stored statically along the lengths of the plates. The basic configuration of the film capacitor is provided in Figure 1.

What are energy storage capacitors?

Energy storage capacitors can typically be found in remote or battery powered applications. Capacitors can be used to deliver peak power, reducing depth of discharge on batteries, or provide hold-up energy for memory read/write during an unexpected shut-off.

What is capacitive discharge or CD welding?

Capacitive discharge or CD welding is a variant of resistance welding(1,2). The process differs from the conventional variants largely in the type of power supply used. Conventional systems provide some variant of alternating current to a transformer arrangement.

Does a film capacitor provide a similar voltage tolerance for CD welding?

Performance was evaluated based on current range behavior and metallographic response. Conclusions from this work include: to film capacitors – An array was developed to provide similar voltage tolerance and system capacitance to a standard film variant conventionally used for CD welding.

What is an energy storage capacitor test?

A simple energy storage capacitor test was set up to showcase the performance of ceramic, Tantalum, TaPoly, and supercapacitor banks. The capacitor banks were to be charged to 5V, and sizes to be kept modest. Capacitor banks were tested for charge retention, and discharge duration of a pulsed load to mimic a high power remote IoT system.