
GR500/T240
KEMET Electronics Corporation P.O. Box 5928 Greenville, S.C. 29606 864/963-6300
14
KEMET
Voltage and Temperature Ratings; Reliability Effect —
T240 Series capacitors are manufactured in 6 through 60
volt ratings at 85°C. Operation at 125°C with 2/3 rated volt-
age applied gives equivalent results, and voltage may be der-
ated linearly between these two points. Unlike wet elec-
trolytic capacitors, solid tantalum capacitors may be oper-
ated continuously at any voltage from zero to the maximum
rating without adverse effects. Operation at voltage below
nameplate improves reliability, while subsequent operation
at a higher voltage will not be affected by prior low voltage
use.
Expected reliability factors for voltages and temperatures
other than the rated conditions may be found in Figure 5.
Since
T240
Series capacitors are supplied with a predeter-
mined failure rate under rated conditions, reliability under
use conditions may be estimated with this nomograph.
Circuit Impedance —
Failure rates are affected by temper-
ature and voltage as described in Figure 5 and also by the
circuit impedance seen by the capacitor. Traditionally, appli-
cation advice for solid tantalum capacitors suggested an
impedance of 3 ohms or higher per applied volt. This advice
was later found to be unnecessarily conservative, and the
factors in Table II, are based on 0.1 ohm per volt as the unity
failure rate multiplier.
TABLE II
Circuit Impedance,
Ohms per Volt
0.1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
2
≥
3
Failure Rate
Multiplying Factor
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.07
Equivalent Series Resistance —
The equivalent series
resistance (ESR) of a solid tantalum capacitor is frequency
dependent. The curves of Figure 6 are typical of the capaci-
tor values noted, with measurements being made by con-
tacting lead wires
1
/
4
inch from the ends of the capacitor
cases. Since ESR decreases with frequency, AC performance
at higher frequencies is considerably better than would be
predicted from the 120 Hz ratings.
Capacitor Impedance —
The relationship between imped-
ance and frequency at various voltage ratings is illustrated
with typical curves in Figure 6. Impedance declines with
decreasing capacitive reactance, but ESR becomes dominant
before the self-resonant point is reached, producing the typ-
ical damped curves. Finally, impedance increases as induc-
tance of the lead wire and other capacitor elements domi-
nates. Obviously, high frequency impedance is directly
influenced by the length of lead wire and general mounting
configuration. The typical curves of Figure 6 include
1
/
4
inch
of lead wire at each end of the capacitor.
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION GR500/T240 (Continued)
Fig. 4 Typical effect of voltage upon leakage current
Fig.5 Reliability Alignment Chart
M
Percentage of Rated Voltage
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
1.0
0.1
0.01
0.001
O
A
Connect the temperature and
applied voltage ratio of
interest with a straight edge.
The multiplier of failure rate is
line with the model scale.
Given T
& V1 Read Failure
Rate Multiplier F1
Given T, & F2
Given F3 & V3
Read Allowable Temp T3
120
125
110
100
90
60
85
70
80
50
40
30
25
85
°
C
Rating
125
°
C
Rating
0.67
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
V
T
F
10
-1
1.0
10
2
10
3
10
1
10
-2
10
-3
10
-4
10
-5
10
-6
10
-7
10
-8
F
T
3
T
1
T
2
F
3
F
1
F
2
V
2
V
1
V
3