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2025-03-27 :

Article

Capacitor Selection Guide

Capacitors are widely used in electric circuits to store energy, suppress voltage spikes, and filter noise, ultimately enhancing a product's performance. Although capacitors consist of conductors and a dielectric material, configurations and characteristics vary. Selecting a capacitor with the appropriate specifications will ensure it optimally and safely powers your design.

Different Types of Capacitors

Many types of capacitors exist to suit different applications. Here are some of the most prevalent types of capacitors: Non-Polari

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2024-09-16 :

Press Release

Tecate adds to its already extensive lineup new lithium-ion capacitors with increased energy density.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 16, 2024 -- Tecate Group today announced the expansion of its lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) product offerings with the addition of higher-energy-density cells in a wider capacitance range. The new TPLCE™ product series features volumetric energy densities that are 100% higher on average than Tecate's current TPLC™ series. TPLCE™ cells are all rated at 3.8V and are available in capacitances ranging from 3F up to 1,400F. The TPLCE™ cells are UL recognized and RoHS and REACH compliant, and their operating temperature ranges from -25°C to +70°C at 3.8V, with expanded high-temperate operation up to 85°C when operating at 3.5V. During cold-temperate operation down to

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2023-09-05 :

Press Release

Tecate Group Announces 800 Farad High-Capacitance Snap-In Ultracapacitor

Tecate Group Enhances Its Medium-Cell Product Offering With 800F TPLH™ San Diego, CA, September 5, 2023…Tecate Group today announced the addition of a high-capacitance 800F, 2.7V TPLH™ ultracapacitor to its already extensive TPLH™ and TPLS™ medium-cell offerings. The 800F, 2.7V TPLH™ cell offers a low-ESR solution for high-power applications in addition to exceptional capacitance. It is UL recognized and RoHS and REACH compliant, with industry-standard snap-in connector termination. This new TPLH™ cell provides ultra-high charge and discharge rates, excellent stability, long cycle life, and very high powe

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2021-02-01 :

Article

What Is a Tantalum Capacitor?

Tantalum capacitors are used in electronic devices including portable telephones, pagers, personal computers, and automotive electronics. When selecting between available tantalum capacitors, there are a number of key specifications to keep in mind, including capacitance value, capacitance tolerance, dissipation factor, leakage current, board interface requirements, and equivalent series resistance (ESR). Tecate's tantalum capacitors are available in radial-leaded or surface mount configurations. Capacitance is a measure of the energy storage ability of a tantalum capacitor, given as C = K A/D, where A is the area of the electrodes, D is their separation, and K is a function of the dielectric between the ele

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2021-01-04 :

Article

What Are the Soldering and Handling Recommendations for Ultracapacitors?

Tecate Group carries a variety of different ultracapacitor cells. Most of these products are designed to be mounted to PC boards by way of soldering, and all of them are RoHS-compliant and thus have lead-free preparations that require adjustments in the processes used to interconnect them with their substrates. Please note that the process and parameters described here were developed on specific equipment and apply most fully to that equipment. It is very likely that alternative pieces of equipment will require fine-tuning of those parameters to achieve optimal results. General Precautions There is a risk of the ultracapacitor cells deteriorating due to excessive heat exposur

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2020-12-02 :

Article

What Is the Best Way to Size an Ultracapacitor for an Application?

The system variables needed are used to calculate the size and number of ultracapacitor cells appropriate for any application. In order to get the most accurate assessment of what is necessary, the following parameters need to be defined: Maximum charged voltage of the ultracapacitor cell or module (Vmax) Working voltage of the ultracapacitor cell or module (Vw) Minimum voltage of the ultracapacitor cell or module (Vmin) Required current (in amps) to discharge the ultracapacitor cell or module (I) Duration (in seconds) of discharge from Vw to Vmin (td) Total capacitance of the ultracapacitor cell or module (C) Equivalent series resistance of

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2020-11-02 :

Article

What Are the Steps to Perform a Constant Current Discharge Test?

A constant current discharge test can be useful for customer evaluation of an ultracapacitor module prior to application testing. Please note that, for safety reasons, Tecate stores all of its ultracapacitor cells and modules in a discharged state and recommends that customers completely discharge any ultracapacitors that will not be immediately installed into equipment. Required Equipment Ultracapacitor module Bidirectional power supply (supply/load) or separate power supply and programmable load (capable of providing a constant current) Voltage vs. time measurement/recording device (digital scope or other data acquisition) Current vs. time measu

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2020-10-05 :

Article

How Does Temperature Affect Ultracapacitors?

One of the main advantages of ultracapacitors is their wide temperature range. The effects extreme temperatures have on ultracapacitor cells depends on whether the temperature is extremely high or extremely low. Operating at extremely high temperatures will reduce the life of the cells, while operating at extremely low temperatures will increase the internal resistance of the cells. Effect of Extremely Low Temperatures on Ultracapacitors

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2020-09-08 :

Article

Why Do Ultracapacitors Require Balancing, and What Are the Balancing Methods?

For most applications, a single ultracapacitor cell at low voltage is not very useful, so multiple ultracapacitor cells placed in series are required most of the time. Since ultracapacitor cells have a tolerance difference in capacitance and leakage current, there will always be an imbalance in the cell voltages of an ultracapacitor series stack. It is important to ensure that the individual voltage of any single ultracapacitor cell does not exceed its maximum recommended working voltage, as this could result in electrolyte decomposition, gas generation, ESR increase, and ultimately reduced life. This voltage imbalance is immediately dominated by the capacitance difference between the ultracapacitor cells be

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2020-08-10 :

Article

Why Use Series/Parallel Combinations of Ultracapacitors?

An ultracapacitor cell can only withstand low voltages. In general, if cells are operated above their rated voltages for a long period of time, their life is reduced. This is a result of the electrolyte breaking down after exposure to high voltage. The amount of damage varies based on the voltage and the amount of time the cell is exposed to the over-voltage condition. Thus, occasional spikes above rated voltage will not immediately affect an ultracapacitor, but prolonged high-voltage uses will. The voltage rating of Tecate's ultracapacitor cells is 2.7V or 3.0V. This higher-than-usual rating is mainly derived from the electrochemical stability of the electrolyte and electrode materials. The Tecate family of

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2020-07-01 :

Article

What Is Self-discharge and Leakage Current?

Over time, charged ultracapacitors without a load slowly lose their charge. "Self-discharge" is the voltage drop a charged ultracapacitor cell experiences after a set period of time without a load. Self-discharge Ultracapacitors require a current to keep them charged. The leakage current is the stable parasitic current needed to hold an ultracapacitor on charge at a rated voltage. The value needed for the leakage current is voltage- and temperature-dependent.

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2020-06-01 :

Article

What Is End-of-life and Failure Mode for an Ultracapacitor?

In general, ultracapacitors do not have a hard end-of-life failure as do batteries. Their end of life is defined as when the capacitance and/or ESR has degraded beyond the application's needs. Ultracapacitor failure can be caused by placing ultracapacitors in "abuse" conditions, which include over-voltage, over-temperature, and mechanical stress conditions. Over-voltage and over-temperature conditions can result in a loss of capacitance, increased ESR, bulging, and venting. Mechanical stress conditions can result in deformation, broken leads, and increased ESR.

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2020-04-06 :

Article

What Is the Difference between Power and Energy?

Although it is common to use the terms power and energy interchangeably, they are not the same. Energy is the amount of work that can be done, while power is the rate at which energy is used to do that work. In other words, power is the amount of energy used per unit of time. The two are related according to the following formula: Power * Time = Energy As can be seen in the chart below, ultracapacitors, traditional capacitors, and batteries fall in different places on the scale of power versus energy density. Power density refers to how quickly a device can discharge its energy, while energy density refers to how much energy a device contains. Batteries have low power dens

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2020-03-09 :

Article

How Do Ultracapacitors Differ from Batteries?

Portable applications and digital technology have outpaced traditional chemical battery technology. A typical symptom of insufficient battery performance is the ratio of time the appliance is in use versus the appliance recharge time. Another nuisance is when a battery has to be replaced prematurely as it will no longer hold a charge. In these situations, using batteries in conjunction with ultracapacitors can improve overall system performance and extend battery life. One reason batteries tend to need premature replacing is that, when a burst of energy is needed for an application, the high resistance of a chemical battery can cause the battery voltage to collapse. Ultracapacitors, in contrast, have a low i

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2020-02-10 :

Article

What Are Ultracapacitor Advantages and Limitations?

Ultracapacitors have several distinct advantages, the first of which is their high energy storage. Ultracapacitors possess energy density that is several times higher than that of traditional capacitors. Compared with batteries, they also possess a low internal resistance (ESR), furthering their high power-density capabilities. Ultracapacitors are also capable of performing at low temperatures. Tecate Group's ultracapacitors, with their use of patented technology, are capable of delivering energy down to -40°C with minimal effect on efficiency. And finally, ultracapacitors have very fast charge and discharge rates. Since they achieve charging and discharging through the absorption and release of ions, high curre

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2020-01-30 :

Press Release

Tecate Group Expands Its PBLH™ Module Offerings for Heavy Industrial and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) Markets

54V and 18V Modules Provide Scalable Energy Storage and Power Delivery with Breakthrough Performance and Reliability
San Diego, CA, January 30, 2020…Tecate Group is releasing and expanding its PBLH™ module offerings with the introduction of its 54V and 18V modules. These new modules will utilize Tecate Group's recently announced 3V TPLH™ threaded cells, which were designed for robust and demanding applications. Both of the new PBLH™ modules will support industry-leading charge/discharge performance, high reliability, and long operational life. The 54V module (PBLH-54R0/166SD) is compact, fully integrated, and incorpo

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2020-01-06 :

Article

What Is Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR)?

Ultracapacitors experience some level of internal resistance, referred to as "equivalent series resistance (ESR)," which occurs when the materials used in the ultracapacitor resist the passage of the charges from one plate to another. The amount of ESR varies depending on the particular characteristics (materials used, quality, etc.) of the ultracapacitor. ESR (referred to as Rs in the diagram below) is the main contributor to power loss during ultracapacitor charging and discharging. The other contributing factors are parallel resistance (Rp), capacitance (C), and the series inductor (L).

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2019-12-16 :

Article

How Are Ultracapacitors Constructed?

The specifics of ultracapacitor construction are dependent on the manufacturer and the intended application. The materials may also differ slightly between manufacturers or due to specific application requirements. The commonality among all ultracapacitors is that they consist of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator between these two electrodes, and an electrolyte filling the porosities of the two electrodes and separators. Internal Cell Construction Most manufacturers have

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2019-12-02 :

Article

How Do Ultracapacitors Work?

Generally, capacitors are constructed with a dielectric (insulator) placed between two metal plates that serve as conductors; energy is stored when, during the charging process, electrons leave one plate and accumulate on the other, building a positive charge on one plate and a negative charge on the other as the dielectric prevents the negatively charged electrons from returning to the positively charged plate. This charge separation creates a potential between the two plates, which can be harnessed in an external circuit. The total energy accumulated in this fashion is a combination of the number of charges stored and the potential between the plates. The number of charges stored is essentially a function of the s

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2019-11-22 :

Article

What Is an Ultracapacitor?

Ultracapacitors, also known as electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), are electrochemical capacitors that possess an unusually high power and energy density when compared with traditional capacitors—typically several orders of magnitude greater than a high-capacity electrolytic capacitor. Most ultracapacitors are rated in Farads, and individual cells can typically be found in the 100F to 500F range, though they can extend higher or lower. Depending on the application needed, ultracapacitors may be used as battery replacements or enable smaller, more economical battery selection. Ultracapacitors have low equivalent series resistance (ESR), allowing them to deliver and absorb high currents. Their mecha

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2019-11-04 :

Article

What Is a Conductive Polymer Capacitor?

Conductive polymer capacitors have unique characteristics achieved by using electroconductive polymer as electrode material. In a solid-state capacitor comprising a positive and a negative electrode, a dielectric medium, and a solid electrolyte, the solid electrolyte contains an electroconductive polymer as an essential constituent. Electroconductive polymer capacitors do not use liquid electrolyte, so they will not dry out, leak, or suffer gas buildup and burst. The circuit-level benefits of this type of capacitor include low equivalent series resistance (ESR), high ripple current, longer life, and high temperature capability.

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2019-09-03 :

Article

What Is a Film Capacitor?

Film capacitors, as a category, include any capacitor type made from plastic: polyester, polypropylene, polystyrene, and so on. There are at least two types of film capacitors: Film-foil capacitors are constructed of layers of plastic film dielectric wound alternately with metal foil electrodes. Metallized film capacitors are constructed of film dielectrics on which the metal electrodes have been previously vapor-deposited. The layers are wound into a convoluted roll, with electrodes extending beyond the dielectric films. Film capacitors are designed using a number of different dielectrics (the insulating material between the plates of the capacitor). Dielectric materials are chosen for their ability to perm

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2019-08-05 :

Article

What Is a Ceramic Capacitor?

Ceramic capacitors have ceramic as the dielectric (insulating) material used between the plates of the capacitors in their manufacturing process. Ceramic is used for its ability to permit electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take place across it. Ceramic is an excellent dielectric material because it is a poor conductor of electricity while being an effective supporter of electrostatic fields. Ceramic capacitors are manufactured using a tape-casting process wherein thin layers of conductive electrodes are separated by a dielectric layer, and a kind of multilayer "sandwich" is formed to create a ceramic capacitor with a very large surface area in a very compact size. Recently, the combination of nickel e

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2016-04-25 :

Press Release

Tecate Announces New Binning/Matched Pair Capabilities

Expanded Capabilities Includes Binning and Matched Pair Options for SMT and Through-Hole Capacitors San Diego, CA, April 25, 2016…Tecate Group today announced its expanded binning and matched pair test capabilities for SMT and through-hole capacitors at its San Diego, California, facility. Through the development of its own proprietary test algorithm, Tecate Group has been providing precision tolerance capacitors for various frequency-tuning, notched-filter, and bridge-network-balancing applications for many years, and its latest advancements now allow it to provide an even broader range of these value-added services to customers. Multipl

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2013-02-15 :

NEWS

Thin Ultracapacitor Shrinks Series-Connected Cell Modules (Power Electronics Technology)

Individual ultracapacitor cells have an operating voltage of about 2.7V, so modules containing multiple cells connected in series allow operation at higher voltages.

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