High Energy Density Capacitors

Metallized film capacitors with energy densities as high as 3 J/cc and stored energy as high as 260 kJ per unit are now commercially available. These capacitors can be custom-designed for specific applications so as to minimize the size and weight of the capacitance for the lifetime and duty required. Applications requiring pulsed energy discharge times of 10 microseconds to 10 milliseconds are typical, but DC filtering and other types of duty can also be addressed. Packaging options include industry-standard drawn steel cans, proprietary molded plastic cases, and large welded steel cases. The performance of these capacitors as a function of voltage and size will be described.