Investigating capacitor lifetimes under thermal stress

The aim of the presented work is to study de behavior of through hole technology capacitors under extreme thermal stress conditions, both under static high temperatures and relatively fast temperature cycling during soldering processes. In consequence, aluminum electrolytic, ceramic and plastic film capacitors were subjected to a series of thermal experiments, in order to compare their behavior and measure the impact of heat on the lifetime of these components. Test results show that casing size has a significant impact on the heat dissipation capacity of the components and based on these finding recommendations are made for system designs for working under harsh thermal conditions.