
Application Notes
North America (USA): 1-888-41-ASTEC Europe (UK): 44(1384)842-211 Asia (HK): 852-2437-9662
ATH26K12 Series
Capacitor Recommendations for the ATH26K12
Series of Power Modules
Input Capacitor
T he recommended input capacitor(s) is determined by
the 560 μF
[3]
minimum capacitance and 500 mArms
minimum ripple current rating.
Ripple current, less than 100 m
equivalent series resis-
tance (ESR), and temperature are major considerations
when selecting input capacitors. Unlike polymer-tantalum
capacitors, regular tantalum capacitors are not recom-
mended for the input bus. T hese capacitors require a
recommended minimum voltage rating of
2
×
(max. DC
voltage + AC ripple). T his is standard practice to ensure
reliability. T here were no tantalum capacitors, with suf-
ficient voltage rating, found to meet this requirement.
[1]
W hen the operating temperature is below 0 °C, the ESR
of aluminum electrolytic capacitors increases. For these
applications Os-Con, polymer-tantalum, and polymer-
tantalum types should be considered.
Adding one or two ceramic capacitors to the input will
further reduce high-frequency reflected ripple current.
[4]
Output Capacitors (Optional)
For applications with load transients (sudden changes in
load current), regulator response will benefit from external
output capacitance. T he recommended output capacitance
of 330 μF will allow the module to meet its transient
response specification (see product data sheet). For most
applications, a high quality computer-grade aluminum
electrolytic capacitor is adequate. T hese capacitors provide
decoupling over the frequency range, 2 kHz to 150 kHz,
and are suitable when ambient temperatures are above
0 °C. For operation below 0 °C, tantalum, ceramic or
Os-Con type capacitors are recommended. W hen using
one or more non-ceramic capacitors, the calculated equiva-
lent ESR should be no lower than 4 m
(7 m
using the
manufacturer’s maximum ESR for a single capacitor). A
list of preferred low-ESR type capacitors are identified
in Table 1-1.
Ceramic Capacitors
Above 150 kHz the performance of aluminum electrolytic
capacitors is less effective. Multilayer ceramic capacitors
have very low ESR and a resonant frequency higher than
the bandwidth of the regulator. T hey can be used to reduce
the reflected ripple current at the input as well as improve
the transient response of the output. W hen used on the
output their combined ESR is not critical as long as the
total value of ceramic capacitance does not exceed 300 μF.
Also, to prevent the formation of local resonances, do not
place more than five identical ceramic capacitors in par-
allel with values of 10 μF or greater.
Tantalum Capacitors
Tantalum type capacitors can only be used on the output
bus, and are recommended for applications where the
ambient operating temperature can be less than 0 °C. T he
AVX T PS, Sprague 593D/594/595 and Kemet T 495/T 510
capacitor series are suggested over many other tantalum
types due to their higher rated surge, power dissipation,
and ripple current capability. As a caution many general
purpose tantalum capacitors have considerably higher
ESR, reduced power dissipation and lower ripple current
capability. T hese capacitors are also less reliable as they
have reduced power dissipation and surge current ratings.
Tantalum capacitors that have no stated ESR or surge cur-
rent rating are not recommended for power applications.
When specifying Os-con and polymer tantalum capacitors
for the output, the minimum ESR limit will be encoun-
tered well before the maximum capacitance value is
reached.
Capacitor Table
Table 1-1 identifies the characteristics of capacitors from a
number of vendors with acceptable ESR and ripple current
(rms) ratings. T he recommended number of capacitors
required at both the input and output buses is identified
for each capacitor type.
This is not an extensive capacitor list. Capacitors from other
vendors are available with comparable specifications. Those
listed are for guidance. The RMS ripple current rating and
ESR (at 100 kHz) are critical parameters necessary to insure
both optimum regulator performance and long capacitor life.
Designing for Very Fast Load Transients
T he transient response of the DC/DC converter has been
characterized using a load transient with a di/dt of 1 A/μs.
T he typical voltage deviation for this load transient is
given in the data sheet specification table using the
optional value of output capacitance. As the di/dt of a
transient is increased, the response of a converter’s
regulation circuit ultimately depends on its output
capacitor decoupling network. T his is an inherent
limitation with any DC/DC converter once the speed of
the transient exceeds its bandwidth capability. If the
target application specifies a higher di/dt or lower volt-
age deviation, the requirement can only be met with
additional output capacitor decoupling. In these cases
special attention must be paid to the type, value and ESR
of the capacitors selected.
If the transient performance requirements exceed that
specified in the data sheet, or the total amount of load
capacitance is above 3,000 μF, the selection of output
capacitors becomes more important. For further guidance
consult the separate application note, “
Selecting Output
Capacitors for PTH Products in High-Performance Applica-
tions.
”