Component Aging Is Primary Hurdle In Design Of High-Temperature Power Converters

Focus:

Power converters used in extreme temperature applications such as "down-hole" drilling may be subject to ambient in excess of 200°C, while also facing extreme pressure. Relatively, few electronic components are rated for such operation, and even when they are, their useful operating life may only be a matter of hours. This article discusses the impact of temperature on the aging of resistors and capacitors with an eye toward assessing useful component life at 200°C and beyond. The article begins with an analysis of temperature-dependent aging in film resistors using Arrhenius equations, points to various studies that discuss resistor aging and the impact of other factors on resistor tolerance, and makes the case for using more-expensive bulk foil resistors rather than less-costly thick- and thin-film resistors. The article then discusses aging of high-temperature-rated MLCC and tantalum capacitors, the impact of dielectric choice on aging and the available range of capacitance values, and the lack of adequate test data from manufacturers.

What you’ll learn:

• How to understand the impact of temperature on resistor and capacitor aging in extreme temperature applications

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Author & Publication:

Steve Sandler, AEi Systems, Los Angeles, Calif., How2Power Today, Aug 31 2011

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