HERMETICALLY SEALED ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR

A HERMETICALLY SEALED, ALUMINUM-ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR WILL BE DEVELOPED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR TANTALUM CAPACITORS IN SPACE POWER SYSTEMS. THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE POWER SUPPLY VOLUME AND WEIGHT. THESE CAPACITORS WILL OPERATE FROM -55 DEGREES CENTIGRADE TO 105 DEGREES CENTIGRADE, HAVE AN ESTIMATED 20-YEAR LIFE, AND HAVE A HIGH CV PRODUCT: FOR EXAMPLE, 1000MUF250 WV. THE AVAILABILITY OF A FAMILY OFSUCH COMPONENTS WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO DESIGN HIGHER POWER CIRCUITS. THE INNOVATIONS LEADING TO THIS NEW CAPACITOR ARE A NOVEL SEAL DESIGN THAT AVOIDS THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ALUMINUM-GLASS BOND, AND A LOW-GASSING ELECTROLYTE THAT LIMITS THE INTERNAL PRESSURE DURING THE OPERATING LIFE TO SAFE LEVELS. IN PHASE I, PROTOTYPE ELECTROLYTES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED, AND GAS-GENERATION DATA WILL BE OBTAINED FROM WHICH ESTIMATES WILL BE MADE OF INTERNAL PRESSURE OVER OPERATING LIFE AT DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. THESE ESTIMATES WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS DEVICE. THE SEAL COULD BE DEVELOPEDIN PHASE II. A HERMETICALLY SEALED, ALUMINUM-ELECTROLYTIC CAPACITOR WILL BE DEVELOPED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR TANTALUM CAPACITORS IN SPACE POWER SYSTEMS. THIS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE POWER SUPPLY VOLUME AND WEIGHT. THESE CAPACITORS WILL OPERATE FROM -55 DEGREES CENTIGRADE TO 105 DEGREES CENTIGRADE, HAVE AN ESTIMATED 20-YEAR LIFE, AND HAVE A HIGH CV PRODUCT: FOR EXAMPLE, 1000MUF250 WV. THE AVAILABILITY OF A FAMILY OFSUCH COMPONENTS WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO DESIGN HIGHER POWER CIRCUITS. THE INNOVATIONS LEADING TO THIS NEW CAPACITOR ARE A NOVEL SEAL DESIGN THAT AVOIDS THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ALUMINUM-GLASS BOND, AND A LOW-GASSING ELECTROLYTE THAT LIMITS THE INTERNAL PRESSURE DURING THE OPERATING LIFE TO SAFE LEVELS. IN PHASE I, PROTOTYPE ELECTROLYTES WILL BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED, AND GAS-GENERATION DATA WILL BE OBTAINED FROM WHICH ESTIMATES WILL BE MADE OF INTERNAL PRESSURE OVER OPERATING LIFE AT DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. THESE ESTIMATES WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS DEVICE. THE SEAL COULD BE DEVELOPEDIN PHASE II.