Question 6A79

To achieve a higher voltage rating, capacitors must be connected in series. The total voltage rating for capacitors in series is the sum of the individual voltage ratings. Desired voltage = 1600 V Individual capacitor voltage = 400 V Number of capacitors in series (N_s) = 1600 V / 400 V = 4 capacitors. When capacitors are connected in series, their total capacitance decreases. For N_s equal capacitors in series, the total capacitance of that string is C_string = C_individual / N_s. C_string = 2 microfarad / 4 = 0.5 microfarad. We need a total capacitance of 1.5 microfarad. To increase capacitance, strings of capacitors must be connected in parallel. Number of parallel strings (N_p) = Desired total capacitance / Capacitance of one string N_p = 1.5 microfarad / 0.5 microfarad = 3 parallel strings. Therefore, we need 3 parallel strings, with each string containing 4 capacitors in series. Total number of capacitors = N_s * N_p = 4 capacitors/string * 3 strings = 12 capacitors.