High voltage capacitors environmental testing

Abstract

In an era when vehicle weight is very important to mission success, non-traditional technology must be developed to provide protection without adding parasitic weight to a vehicle, such as added by heavy armor packages. Electromagnetic Armor (EMA) is one possible technology that may lead to the realization of achieving lighter weight with equal or greater protection levels. We conducted a 1,000 mile simulation of a combat vehicle terrain vibration test with high voltage, pulse forming capacitors for EMA applications at TARDEC. The test results confirmed that high voltage pulse forming polypropylene (PP) capacitors were durable and could withstand vibrations from various types of terrain in a real battlefield environment. We also conducted temperature tests with high voltage, pulse forming PP capacitors at TARDEC. High voltage and high frequency capacitor tests were conducted at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The test results indicated that high voltage pulse forming PP capacitors were durable and could probably withstand environmental changes, within operational range, in a real battlefield environment.