Electrical Principles for

Mechanical Engineering
Unit 428 - Capacitors
Lecturer
Mark Clements
 A good resource is https
://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/capacitor/cap_1.html

Learning outcomes

 Capacitors & their role in DC circuits.

 Identifying capacitor values & the farad.
 Charge & energy held by capacitors.
 Calculating total values for networks of capacitors.
 Charge & voltage on networked capacitors.
 Properties of capacitors that make them useful in
various applications.
 Roles of capacitors in common electronic circuits.

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 Capacitors

 Two conducting plates.

 Separated by an insulator.
 If the left plate is charged to a positive
potential, and the right to a negative
potential, an electrostatic field is established
between the plates.
 The direction is defined as the direction a
positive charge would move in that field.
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  Capacitors store charge
between their plates.
 The charge can be
released by shorting the
plates.
 The electrostatic field
stores the charge.

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 Capacitor types

 Small value capacitors are used in tuned

circuits and for coupling and decoupling radio
frequency signals.
 Medium value capacitors are used in audio
circuits for coupling and decoupling.
 Large value capacitors are used in power
supplies to smooth the ripple in the power.

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 Capacitor operation

 Capacitors can store amounts of electrical

charge.
 Their values are measured in Farads.
 They are very common in electronics.
 Large capacitors can store enough charge to
kill humans.
 H&S precautions should be taken.

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 Capacitor types

 Ceramic capacitors.
 Film capacitors.
 Aluminium, electrolytic capacitors.
 Tantalum Bead.
 Polystyrene.
 Air spaced, pre-set Value.

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 Identifying capacitors

 Some have their values printed on the body

– especially electrolytic capacitors.
 Others use a colour code.
 Others use a multiplier.

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 Capacitance, C

 The capacitance C is a measure of the

charge Q that a capacitor can store for a
given voltage.
 The charge Q = CV
 Where C = capacitance and V is the applied
voltage.

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 The farad

 This is the unit of capacitance.

 1 farad is the capacitance when a pd of 1 volt
appears across plates charged with 1
coulomb.
 This is a very large value.
 Capacitors have values in the range of milli,
micro, nano and picofarads.

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 Increasing the capacitance

 Bring the plates closer together.

 Increase the area of the plates.
 Put a material with a high dielectric constant
between the plates.

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 Charge in capacitors

 The charge (Q) stored in a capacitor is

measured in coulombs.
 Charge can be calculated as:
 Q = It (measured in coulombs)
 Where I = current and t = time.

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 Example

 A current of 0.25A flows into a capacitor for 8

seconds. What charge does the capacitor
now hold?
 Q = It = 0.25 x 8 = 2 coulombs.

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 Examples for you

 A capacitor is supplied with a current of 18

mA for 30 seconds. What charge does it
hold?
 A capacitor has a charge of 2.2 coulombs
and discharges at a constant rate of 110 mA.
How long does it take to discharge?

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 Solutions

 A capacitor is supplied with a current of 18

mA for 30 seconds. What charge does it
hold? Q = It = 0.018 X 30 = 0.54 C.
 A capacitor has a charge of 2.2 coulombs
and discharges at a constant rate of 110 mA.
How long does it take to discharge? t=Q/I =
2.2/ 0.11 = 20 seconds.

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 Energy held by a capacitor

 Energy is measured in Joules.

 The energy held by a capacitor is calculated
using the formula energy, E = ½ CV2
 Where C = the capacitor value in farads
 V is the voltage across the capacitor.

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 Example

 A 2700 mF capacitor has a voltage of 18V

across its terminals.
 What energy does it hold?
 E = ½ CV2 = ½ x 2700 x 10-6 x 182 = 0.437 J
= 437 mJ.

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 Worksheet 01b

 Please attempt worksheet 01b which will give

you practice at working out the charge and
energy held by a capacitor.

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 Section summary

 Capacitors & their role in DC circuits.

 Identifying capacitor values & the farad.
 Charge & energy held by capacitors.

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 Learning outcomes

 Calculating values for networks of capacitors.

 Charge & voltage on networked capacitors.
 Capacitors in series & in parallel.
 Charge on capacitors in circuits.
 Voltage across capacitors in series and
parallel.

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 Capacitors in circuits

 We are familiar with calculating the total

resistance for resistors in series and in
parallel.
 How do we apply this technique to capacitors
in both series and parallel?

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 In parallel

 The voltage across both capacitors is

identical.
 They store charge as if they were acting
individually.
 Therefore the total capacitance is simply the
sum of the capacitor values.
 Total capacitance CT = C1 + C2.

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 Worked example

 Total capacitance in
parallel = C1 + C2
= 500 mF + 470 mF
= 970 mF.

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 Capacitors in series

 When capacitors are connected in series, the

total capacitance is less than any one of the
series capacitors’ individual capacitances.
 The voltage across each capacitor is NOT
the same.
 Total capacitance 1/CT = 1/C1 + 1/C2
 1/CT = 1/500 x 10-6 + 1/470 x 10-6
 So CT = 242 mF
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 Examples to try

1. What is the total capacitance for the circuit

shown if C1 = 22 mF & C2 = 33 mF?
2. What is the total capacitance for the circuit
shown if C1 = 500 mF & C2 = 2000 mF?
3. What is the total capacitance for the circuit
shown if C1 = 220 nF & C2 = 33 nF?

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 Solutions

1. 55 mF.
2. 2500 mF.
3. 253 nF.

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 Examples to try

1. What is the total capacitance for the circuit

shown if C1 = 22 mF & C2 = 33 mF?
2. What is the total capacitance for the circuit
shown if C1 = 500 mF & C2 = 2000 mF?
3. What is the total capacitance for the circuit
shown if C1 = 220 nF & C2 = 33 nF?

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 Solutions

1. 13.2 mF.
2. 400 mF.
3. 28.7 nF.

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 Charge on capacitors

 When in parallel, the voltage across each

capacitor is identical.
 Charge Q = CV.
 This means that the charge Q held by the
capacitors can be calculated individually and
added.
 QT = Q1 + Q2 = C1V + C2V = V(C1 + C2).

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 Worked example

 What is the total charge held in the circuit if V

= 12 volts, C1 = 22 mF and C2 = 500 mF?

 QT = V(C1 + C2) = 12(22 mF + 500 mF)

= 12 x 522 x 10-6 = 6.26 x 10-3 Coulombs.

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 Examples to try

1. What is the total charge held in the circuit if

V = 9 volts, C1 = 100 mF and C2 = 670 mF?

2. What is the total charge held in the circuit if

V = 24 volts, C1 = 100 mF and C2 = 220 mF?

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 Solutions

1. What is the total charge held in the circuit if

V = 9 volts, C1 = 100 mF and C2 = 670 mF?
 QT = V(C1 + C2) = 9(100 mF + 670 mF)
= 9 x 770 x 10-6 = 6.93 x 10-3 Coulombs.
2. What is the total charge held in the circuit if
V = 24 volts, C1 = 100 mF and C2 = 220 mF?
 QT = V(C1 + C2) = 24(100 mF + 220 mF)
= 24 x 220.1 x 10-3 = 5.28 Coulombs.
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 Charge on capacitors
 When in series, the voltage across each capacitor is
not identical but the total charge held equals the
charge on each capacitor.
 This is because the charge stored by a plate of any
one capacitor must have come from the plate of its
adjacent capacitor.
 Charge Q = CV.
 QT = QC1 = QC2.
 The voltage VT = VC1 + VC2.
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 Voltage across capacitors in series

 We can simplify the capacitors in series to

find the total capacitance.
 Then we can find the charge held in total.
 This is the charge on each capacitor too.
 Then rearrange Q = CV to discover the
voltage across each capacitor, V = Q/C.

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 Worked example

 If V = 12 volts, C1 = 100 mF, C2 = 500 mF,

what is the voltage across each capacitor?
 Total capacitance: 1/CT = 1/C1 + 1/C2
 1/CT = 1/100 x 10-6 + 1/ 500 x 10-6.
 CT = 83.33 mF so QT = 12 x 83.33 mF = 1
x 10-3 Coulombs.

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 Continued

 QT = QC1 = QC2 = 1 x 10-3 C

 Remember V = Q/C
 VC1 = QC1/C1 = 1 x 10-3 / 100 x 10-6 = 10V.
 VC2 = QC2/C2 = 1 x 10-3 / 500 x 10-6 = 2V.
 Supply voltage = 12V.
 VC1 + VC2 = 10 + 2 = 12V (Kirchoff).

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 Example to try

 If V = 14 volts, C1 = 50 mF, C2 = 300 mF, what

is the voltage across each capacitor?

 1/((1/50x10-6)+(1/300x10-6)) = 42.9 mF.

 Multiply by 14V to get the charge.

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 Solution

 If V = 14 volts, C1 = 50 mF, C2 = 300 mF, what

is the voltage across each capacitor?
 Total capacitance: 1/CT = 1/C1 + 1/C2
 1/CT = 1/50 x 10-6 + 1/ 300 x 10-6.
 CT = 42.86 mF so QT = 14 x 42.86 mF =
600 x 10-6 Coulombs.
 VC1 = QC1/C1 = 600 x 10-6 / 50 x 10-6 = 12V.
 VC2 = QC2/C2 = 600 x 10-6 / 300 x 10-6 = 2V.
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 Worksheet 03b

 Please attempt worksheet 03b which will give

you practice at working out total capacitance
in a DC circuit and charge on a capacitor.

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 Section summary

 Capacitors in series – 1/CT = 1/C1+ 1/C2

etc.
 Capacitors in parallel – add their values.
 Charge on capacitors in circuits, Q = CV.
 Voltage across capacitors in series and
parallel.

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 Learning outcomes

 Properties of capacitors that make

them useful in various applications.
 Roles of capacitors in particular
electronic circuits.
– Power supplies.
– Timers.
– Filters.

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 Roles of capacitors

 Capacitors are used widely in electronics.

 They block DC but allow AC signals through.
 They can store small amounts of charge.
 They can oscillate at a precise frequency.
 The time taken to charge a capacitor can be
controlled by mathematical selection of
components.

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 Power supplies

 The role of C1 in the power supply is to

smooth the output voltage.
 The four diodes rectify the AC from the
secondary side of the transformer.
 This process leaves a pulsating DC
output that is a series of half sine waves
with the voltage varying between zero
and √2 times the RMS voltage.

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 The capacitor charges up when the voltage from the rectifier
rises above that of the capacitor and then as the rectifier
voltage falls, the capacitor provides the required current from
its stored charge.

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 Timer circuits

 Capacitors take a certain amount of time to

charge and discharge.
 This property can be put to use in a timer
circuit.
 The time to reach a certain voltage can be
adjusted by selecting the value of the resistor
R and/or the capacitor C.

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  The time to charge can be calculated using
the RC time constant.
 After 5 x RC, the capacitor will have reached
~99% of the supply voltage.

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 Capacitors in filters

 RC circuits can be used to filter a signal by blocking

certain frequencies and passing others.
 The two most common RC filters are the high-
pass filters and low-pass filters.
 A high-pass filter is an electronic filter that passes
signals with a frequency higher than a certain cut-
off frequency and attenuates signals with
frequencies lower than the cut-off frequency.

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 High pass filter

 The impedance of the capacitor is a

similar concept to the resistance of
a resistor.
 The impedance of a capacitor
DROPS as the frequency rises.
 This makes it easier for high
frequency signals to pass than low
frequency signals.

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 Calculating capacitor impedance

 The impedance of a capacitor Xc drops as

the signal frequency rises.
 Xc = 1/ (2pf C)
 Increasing either the frequency or the
capacitor value lowers the capacitor’s
impedance.

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 Summary of capacitor properties

 In a power supply, the ability to store and

release charge is used to smooth the output.
 In a timer, the ability to control the time taken
to charge and discharge makes the capacitor
useful.
 In a filter, the property of a varying
impedance with varying signal frequency is
put to use to reject or pass particular signals.

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 Learning outcomes

 How a capacitor works.

 Construction of a capacitor.
 Calculating the value of a capacitor.
 See http://xaktly.com/Capacitance.html for
useful resources.

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 Capacitors

 Two conducting plates.

 Separated by an insulator.
 If the left plate is charged to a positive
potential, and the right to a negative
potential, an electrostatic field is established
between the plates.
 The direction is defined as the direction a
positive charge would move in that field.
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 Charging a capacitor

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 Charging a capacitor

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 Factors contributing to capacitance

 The amount of capacitance (capacity to hold

charge) of such a device is dependent on three
things:
1. The area of overlap of the two parallel plates, A
2. The distance between the plates, d
3. The nature of the material in between the plates,
which cannot be a conductor.

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 Factors for C

 A & d can be measured.

 The insulation between the plates is ranked
with a number, εr, called the relative static
permittivity.
 εr = 1 for air and can range from 1 for a
vacuum to over 12,000 for an inorganic
compound called calcium copper titanate.

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 Formula

 Increasing either the area of overlap of the

plates or the quality of the insulation material,
or decreasing the distance between plates,
increases the capacitance of the device.
 The constant εo in the capacitance formula is
called the dielectric constant.
 εo = 8.754 x 10-12 F/m.

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 Permittivity table

 Relative
permittivity of
various materials
varies widely as
can be seen from
the table.

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 Calculating capacitor value

 Capacitance C = εr εo A/D
 Calculate the capacitance if the area of the
plates is 100 mm2, the distance between
them is 0.2 mm and the material between the
plates has a relative permittivity of 27. εo =
8.754 x 10-12 F/m.
 C = 27 x 8.754 x 10-12 x 100 x 10-6/0.2 x 10-6

= 118 nF.
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 Example to try

 Calculate the capacitance if the area of the

plates is 50 mm2, the distance between them
is 0.18 mm and the material between the
plates has a relative permittivity of 27. εo =
8.754 x 10-12 F/m.

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 Solution

 C = 27 x 8.754 x 10-12 x 50 x 10-6/0.18 x 10-6

= 65.7 nF.

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 High capacitor values

 High value capacitors are

constructed by rolling the
plates into a cylinder.
 This is the construction
method for electrolytic
capacitors.

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 Section summary

 Operation of a capacitor.
 Capacitor construction.
 Formula for calculating a capacitor value.
 Capacitance C = εr εo A/D
 Construction method for high value
capacitors.

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 References

 http://xaktly.com/Capacitance.html

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