HV capacitor and testing method
View Patent ↗A high voltage capacitor design is provided that provides improved performance. The high voltage capacitor includes a stack of mechanically joined capacitor cells, which in one variant utilize a separator formed of two layers of paper. In one version, the high voltage capacitor may be used as a capacitative voltage divider.
1. A capacitor, comprising:
a first string of interconnected capacitor cells; and
a second string of interconnected capacitor cells, each capacitor cell including an aluminum foil, wherein a conductor of one capacitor cell in a string is bonded to a conductor of another capacitor cell in the string by a mechanically formed bond.
2. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the capacitor cells comprise an insulator; a separator; and a conductor, wherein the insulator is disposed over the separator, and the separator is disposed over the conductor.
3. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the separator consists of two layers.
4. The capacitor of claim 3 , wherein each separator layer is about 10 um in thickness.
5. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the separator comprises two layers of paper.
6. The capacitor of claim 5 , wherein the insulator comprises polypropylene, and wherein the conductor comprises aluminum.
7. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the separator comprises a thickness of about 20 um.
8. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the capacitor comprises a capacitive voltage divider.
9. The capacitor of claim 8 , wherein with a potential applied across the capacitor an electric field is created within the capacitor, and the electric field is minimally altered by the mechanically formed bond.
10. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein the capacitor comprises a voltage rating of above 10 KV.
11. The capacitor of claim 2 , wherein each capacitor cell comprises a capacitance of between about 20 nf and 10 uf.
12. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the mechanically formed bond comprises a cold weld.
13. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical bond is formed at a relatively low temperature.
14. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein with a potential applied across the capacitor an electric field is created within the capacitor, and the electric field is minimally altered by the mechanically formed bond.
15. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first string and the second string are connected in a parallel configuration.
16. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the first string and the second string are disposed within a sealed housing, and wherein the housing comprises a plurality of fins.
17. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein each string comprises at least two capacitor cells mechanically coupled in series at their conductor.
18. The capacitor of claim 1 , wherein the mechanically formed bond comprises a patterned impression formed in the conductors of the capacitor cells.
19. A high voltage capacitor, comprising:
at least two capacitor cells forming a first string; wherein each capacitor cell within the first string includes an insulator, two or more layers of separator, and a conductor; wherein the insulator is disposed over the two or more layers of separator, and a conductor; wherein the insulator is disposed over the two or more layers of separator, and wherein the two or more layers of separator are disposed over the conductor; and
at least two capacitor cells forming a second string; wherein each capacitor cell within the second string includes an insulator, two or more layers of separator, and a conductor; wherein the insulator is disposed over the two or more layers of separator; wherein the two or more layers of separator are disposed over the conductor; and wherein at least one capacitor within the first string is connected in parallel with at least one capacitor within the second string.
20. The capacitor of claim 19 , wherein each capacitor cell comprises a voltage rating of above 10 KV.
21. The capacitor of claim 20 , wherein the two or more layers of separator comprise paper.
22. The capacitor of claim 21 , wherein each layer of separator comprises a thickness of about 10 um.
23. A capacitor, comprising:
a first string of interconnected capacitor cells; and
a second string of interconnected capacitor cells, each capacitor cell including an aluminum foil, wherein a conductor of one capacitor cell in a string is connected to conductor of another capacitor cell in the string by a mechanically formed bond comprising a patterned impression formed in the conductors of the capacitor cells.