Enter the capacitance, frequency, and equivalent series resistance (ESR) into the calculator to determine the dissipation factor of a capacitor. This calculator helps in assessing the efficiency of a capacitor in a circuit.
Capacitor Dissipation Factor Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the dissipation factor of a capacitor:
DF = ESR / (2 * π * f * C)
Variables:
- DF is the dissipation factor of the capacitor
- ESR is the equivalent series resistance (Ohms)
- f is the frequency at which the capacitor is operating (Hertz)
- C is the capacitance of the capacitor (Farads)
To calculate the dissipation factor, divide the equivalent series resistance by the product of 2, π, the frequency, and the capacitance.
What is a Capacitor Dissipation Factor?
The dissipation factor (DF) is a measure of the losses in a capacitor that occur due to its inherent resistance. It is a dimensionless number that represents the ratio of the resistive power loss in the capacitor to the reactive power at a specified frequency. A lower dissipation factor indicates a more efficient capacitor with fewer energy losses.
How to Calculate Capacitor Dissipation Factor?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Capacitor Dissipation Factor:
- First, determine the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the capacitor in Ohms.
- Next, determine the frequency (f) at which the capacitor is operating in Hertz.
- Next, determine the capacitance (C) of the capacitor in Farads.
- Next, gather the formula from above = DF = ESR / (2 * π * f * C).
- Finally, calculate the Capacitor Dissipation Factor (DF).
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem:
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Equivalent series resistance (ESR) = 0.02 Ohms
Frequency (f) = 1000 Hertz
Capacitance (C) = 0.000001 Farads
