PTN78020A
www.ti.com
SLTS244A–APRIL 2005–REVISED MAY 2005
CAPACITOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PTN78020 WIDE-OUTPUT
ADJUST POWER MODULES
Input Capacitor
The minimum requirement for the input capacitance is 18.8-μF (4× 4.7-μF) ceramic capacitance, in either a X5R
or X7R temperature characteristic, and 100-μF of nonceramic capacitance. Ceramic capacitors should be located
within 0.5 inch (1,27 cm) of the regulator's input pins. Electrolytic capacitors must be used at the input in addition
to the required ceramic capacitance. The minimum ripple current rating for any nonceramic capacitance must be
at least 750 mA rms for output currents of 3 A or less. The ripple current rating of electrolytic capacitors is a
major consideration when they are used at the input. This ripple current requirement can be reduced by placing
more ceramic capacitors at the input, in addition to the minimum required 18.8-μF.
Tantalum capacitors are not recommended for use at the input bus, as none were found to meet the minimum
voltage rating of 2 × (maximum dc voltage + ac ripple). This voltage derating is standard practice for regular
tantalum capacitors to ensure reliability. Polymer-tantalum capacitors are more reliable, and are available with a
maximum rating of typically 20 V. These can be used with input voltages up to 16 V.
Output Capacitor
The minimum electrolytic capacitance required to ensure stability is a 100-μF capacitor. Either ceramic or
electrolytic-type capacitors can be used. The minimum ripple current rating for the nonceramic capacitance must
be at least 250 mA rms. The stability of the module and voltage tolerances is compromised if the capacitor is not
placed near the output bus pins. A high-quality, computer-grade electrolytic capacitor should be adequate. A
ceramic capacitor can be also be located within 0.5 inch (1,27 cm) of the output pin.
For applications with load transients (sudden changes in load current), the regulator response improves with
additional capacitance. Additional electrolytic capacitors should be located close to the load circuit. These
capacitors provide decoupling over the frequency range, 2 kHz to 150 kHz. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are
suitable for ambient temperatures above 0°C. For operation below 0°C, tantalum or Os-Con-type capacitors are
recommended. When using one or more nonceramic capacitors, the calculated equivalent ESR should be no
lower than 10 m? (17 m? using the manufacturer's maximum ESR for a single capacitor). A list of recommended
capacitors and vendors are identified in Table 3.
Ceramic Capacitors
Above 150 kHz, the performance of aluminum electrolytic capacitors becomes less effective. To further reduce
the reflected input ripple current or the output transient response, multilayer ceramic capacitors must be added.
Ceramic capacitors have low ESR, and their resonant frequency is higher than the bandwidth of the regulator.
When placed at the output, their combined ESR is not critical as long as the total value of ceramic capacitance
does not exceed 200 μF.
Tantalum Capacitors
Tantalum-type capacitors may be used at the output, and are recommended for applications where the ambient
operating temperature can be less than 0°C. The AVX TPS, Sprague 593D/594/595, and Kemet
T495/T510/T520 capacitors series are suggested over many other tantalum types due to their rated surge, power
dissipation, and ripple current capability. As a caution, many general-purpose tantalum capacitors have
considerably higher ESR, reduced power dissipation, and lower ripple current capability. These capacitors are
also less reliable as they have lower power dissipation and surge current ratings. Tantalum capacitors that do not
have a stated ESR or surge current rating are not recommended for power applications. When specifying
Os-Con and polymer-tantalum capacitors for the output, the minimum ESR limit is encountered well before the
maximum capacitance value is reached.
Capacitor Table
The capacitor table, Table 3, identifies the characteristics of capacitors from vendors with acceptable ESR and
ripple current (rms) ratings. The recommended number of capacitors required at both the input and output buses
is identified for each capacitor type. This is not an extensive capacitor list. Capacitors from other vendors are
available with comparable specifications. Those listed are for guidance. The rms rating and ESR (at 100 kHz) are
critical parameters necessary to ensure both optimum regulator performance and long capacitor life.
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