Capacitors - Energy Stored

Energy stored and potential power generated from capacitors

The energy stored in a capacitor can be expressed as

W = 1/2 C V² (1)

where

W = energy stored (Joules)

C = capacitance (Farad)

V = potential difference (Voltage)

Since power is energy dissipated in a time - the potential power generated by a capacitor can be expressed as

P = W / t (2)

where

P = potential power (Watts)

t = dissipation time (s)

The power stored in a 10 μF capacitor charged to 230 V can be calculated as

W = 1/2 10 10^-6 (μF) (230 (V))²

= 0.26 Joules

If the energy is dissipated within 5 μs the potential power generated can be calculated as

P = 0.26 (Joules) / 5 10^-6 (s)

= 52000 W

= 52 kW