Manufacturing technology effect on current pulse handling performance of metallized polypropylene film capacitors

In this paper, the testing of the pulse-withstanding capability of metallized polypropylene film (MPPF) capacitors is reported. Four groups of capacitors having the same electrical characteristics but different geometry were considered for the test. Capacitors with long geometry seem to have poorer pulse handling performance for similar electrical stress conditions. However, the premature failure of one of the capacitor groups tested suggests that the quality of the end-edge contact is strongly dependent on the physical features of the manufacturing process. The end-edge contact plays a vital role in the current pulse handling capability of MPPF capacitors, which varies from a few hundred to several thousand discharging cycles depending on the geometry of the capacitor and the end-edge contact manufacturing process.