Condenser is an electronic component used to store electric charge. It basically consists of two conductive plates and a dielectric (non-conductive) material between these plates. The main characteristic of this component is that it can store a certain amount of electric charge and then return that charge as energy.
Condenser is also known as capacitor. Their capacitance is symbolized by C. The capacitance value can be measured by LCR meter or multimeter, the unit of capacitance is Farad. Condenser sizes depend on their operating voltage and the load they can store. Considering the usage areas of condensers, it is noteworthy that they can be produced in almost any size.
What is a Condenser?
What is a condenser and what does it do? Condensers are one of the most important elements in an electronic circuit. They can work by storing electric charges. Capacitors can provide current to the circuit for a short time in order to prevent damage to the elements in the circuit during sudden current flow.
There are many questions about the technical characteristics of these devices because they seem complex at first glance. “What are capacitors?” and “What is a capacitor and what does it do?” can be answered as follows:
The working principle of these devices is based on the accumulation of electric charge (electrons) between two metal plates. There is a non-conductive material (dielectric) between these plates. When energy comes from a source, one plate is charged positively and the other plate is charged negatively. The dielectric material prevents the direct flow of electricity between the plates, so the charge is stored in the plates.
What is a condenser and what does it do? It is possible to explain the function of the device as follows;
Condenser Types
Capacitance is the magnitude that expresses the amount of electric charge that a capacitor, which has different types for different areas of use, can store. The condenser unit is the Farad (F), but it is usually expressed in microfarads (µF), nanofarads (nF) or picofarads (pF). Condenser measurement is used to determine the capacitance value of a condenser. The most common way to classify a condenser is by its insulating material. When the condenser is connected to the battery, the electrons in the positive pole of the battery go to the positive end of the battery.
They have small values and are generally preferred for adjusting signal frequency.
They have large capacitance values and are most often used in power supplies.
High performance and small size, offering stable capacitance values.
These devices have a fairly wide capacitance range and are also suitable for condenser AC signals.
Electrolyte capacitors are also called polar capacitors.
What is the Difference Between a Condenser and a Capacitor?
While there is no difference in meaning between these two terms, they do differ in nomenclature in the context of the language in which they are used. While the term “condenser” is more commonly used in Turkish, the term “capacitor” is more common in English. Therefore, there is technically no capacitor-condenser difference.
The capacitor symbol is different for polarized and non-polarized capacitors. The symbol for non-polarized capacitors is two straight lines parallel to each other, while the symbol for polarized capacitors is one straight line and one curved line.
What Does a Capacitor Do?
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- It stores energy and can release it when needed. It is used to store energy in photo flashes, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and car batteries.
- Used in power supplies and regulators to smooth out voltage fluctuations. In rectifier outputs, it is used to convert fluctuating DC to a smoother DC.
- In electric vehicles, it is used to store energy generated during braking. Provides energy recovery in regenerative braking systems.
- Used for signal processing in high-pass, low-pass, bandpass filters. It is used in the processing and modification of analog signals.
Can a motor run without a capacitor? It is used for starting and proper operation of motors. Without a capacitor, it is usually not possible to start and/or run a single-phase motor efficiently. Three-phase motors can run without capacitors, but the use of capacitors can improve efficiency.
This versatile use of capacitors makes them indispensable components of modern electronic and electrical systems. For this reason, capacitor prices are also one of the subjects of curiosity. Devices that can be used in a wide range of different areas are offered for sale at different prices.