This “shortcut” makes capacitor selection easier

What happens if I don't fill out the entire range, i.e. I don't enter both the "From" and "To" values?

The search results will display capacitors with the target capacitance and capacitors with a higher capacitance with the same or higher voltage, current, temperature and other input parameters.

I searched for two reference standards: AEC Q-200D for automotive electronic components and EMI Suppression IEC 60384-14. Why do the results show non-vehicle product series?

Because the condition check box of the reference standard is OR (or), results that comply with the AEC Q-200D or IEC 60384-14 standards are also displayed. If you want to search for X or Y capacitors that meet the AEC Q-200D standard, please select the required grade in "External Approval" and click AEC Q-200D in "Reference Standard" checkbox.

I used Simple Search to search for a capacitor that operates at 105 °C and 470 V DC. However, I later simulated and found that the selected capacitors would not operate at 105 °C and 470 V DC. What is causing this unusable result?

"Simple Search" only supports searching by capacitor parameters and not by application parameters. In this case, assuming you enter 105 °C and 470 V DC, the result is all capacitors with a maximum operating temperature ≥105 °C and a rated voltage ≥470 V DC (note: the rated voltage is usually at 85 °C Parameters given under conditions, voltage derating also needs to be considered under 105°C operating conditions).

In this case we recommend you to use the "Advance Search Application Based" module which supports searching for both application parameters and certain capacitor parameters.

Why doesn't the application simulator run after I enter my complete part number?

You have to search first, even if you know the complete part number you still need to click search first. Then in the list of part numbers, check the box to the left of the target part number and click OK. This step is to select the components for simulation. You can repeat this process with other different part numbers, up to four components of your choice. Once you have made your selections, click Simulate to open the simulation module.

Why don't I get the service life result after my simulation?

It may be that the input usage conditions exceed the given specifications, or the selected product is an EMI suppression capacitor. Since EMI suppression capacitors are often exposed to unexpected network interference and simulated service life is often not applicable, we do not provide service life simulations for EMI suppression capacitors.

What does "Confidence Level" mean?

This is a reliability function of expected service life. For example, the expected service life of a certain type of component is 100,000 hours. A 95% confidence level means that after 100,000 hours, at least 95% of the components can still operate normally under given conditions. For details, see Data Book – General Information – Quality *

What happens if there are no input parameters during simulation?

This parameter is assumed to be zero during simulations.

What exactly does the input application parameter mean?

Clicking the Information button displays a detailed explanation of the meaning of each parameter to aid understanding. For more information about waveform types and their conversion into input parameters, please refer to the help file.

If I enter both the operating AC sinusoidal voltage (VRMS) and the peak-to-peak voltage, and they conflict, which one will be used to perform the simulation or the thermal simulation?

The tool selects the worst case scenario to simulate voltage stress. A harmonic spectrum input is required when performing a thermal simulation; otherwise the tool assumes there are no thermal stresses above the input ambient temperature.

What if the working conditions I enter far exceed the limits? (such as 1000 kV or 1000°C or -400°C)

Product models all have typical operating condition ranges, so inaccurate input values ​​will lead to unreliable or even invalid simulation results. In the event of short-term overvoltage or overheating, it is recommended that you review the specifications and/or contact your sales channel to determine whether special customization is possible.

If the total ripple current in any working condition exceeds a certain limit, the simulated self-temperature rise will always exceed the limit. In this case, why does lowering the ambient temperature (ºC) not change the simulation results?

The CLARA tool issues a warning when the self-temperature rise is somehow above a certain level. An extremely high self-temperature rise will not necessarily damage the component if the ambient temperature is low enough and there are no other parameter deratings that would push up the self-temperature rise during the capacitor's lifetime.

In addition, the self-temperature rise evaluation is based on our laboratory testing, including free cooling and single capacitor testing; other heat sources that may affect different Rth are not considered. We strongly recommend that you perform real-world application testing to monitor critical parameters (temperature, current, voltage, waveform) under all conditions, especially those critical conditions.

What does "overclocking work" mean?

Each capacitor's rating is given within a specific operating frequency range. The winding elements are considered to provide a uniform current distribution in this frequency range and the corresponding power losses and dissipations are calculated on this basis. CLARA will give a simple trend line based on the last two values ​​of the frequency parameter curve. If you want to know what happens when the frequency in the real application exceeds the rated frequency range of the component: a detailed evaluation can be carried out through FEA simulations and real tests on heat losses and heat dissipation based on the specific boundary conditions of the PCB.