Application Cases

The main technical parameters of capacitors include capacitance, voltage rating, and temperature rating. In addition to these three primary indicators, another crucial parameter is Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR). The lower the ESR, the lower the energy loss and the higher the output current, indicating better capacitor quality. ESR stands for "Equivalent Series Resistance." An ideal capacitor would have no energy loss, but due to the resistance of the materials used in manufacturing and the dielectric losses in the capacitor's insulating medium, energy dissipation occurs. This loss manifests externally as if a resistor is connected in series with the capacitor. With electronic technology moving toward low-voltage, high-current circuit designs, the supply voltage for components is trending lower, while power requirements remain unchanged. Therefore, reducing ESR has become a hot topic in current research.

Aigtek's power amplifiers, utilizing linear amplification circuits, feature low distortion and low noise, making them suitable for capacitor ESR testing experiments.

Experiment Name: Capacitor ESR Testing Based on Power Amplifiers

Experimental Principle:
An AC voltage signal is applied across the capacitor, and the current flowing through the capacitor is measured to calculate the ESR value using Ohm's Law. During this process, the AC voltage signal induces a certain current within the capacitor, which is influenced by various internal losses, resulting in a phase difference between the voltage and current. By measuring this phase difference and the magnitude of the current, the ESR value can be calculated.

Experimental Block Diagram:

Experimental Setup Image:

Experimental Procedure:
A signal generator produces an excitation signal, which is amplified by a power amplifier and applied across the capacitor. A BNC cable connects the monitoring port of the power amplifier to an oscilloscope to measure the voltage, while a current probe monitors the current in the circuit. Since AC voltage signals of different frequencies affect the ESR value of the capacitor differently, the frequency of the excitation signal is varied to observe changes in the capacitor's voltage and current under different frequencies.

Product Recommendation: ATA-4000 Series High-Voltage Power Amplifier

Figure: ATA-4000 Series High-Voltage Power Amplifier Specifications

Application Areas: Power Electronics

Application Scenarios: Performance evaluation of electronic components, circuit design optimization, circuit reliability assurance testing, capacitor aging analysis

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