Electric Circuits and Networks

3.7 PARALLEL CONNECTION OF CAPACITORS

A single equivalent capacitor can replace many capacitors connected in parallel for specific analysis purposes. We look into parallel equivalent and constraints on it in this section.

We consider parallel connection of n capacitors that have no mutual electrostatic coupling among them. Let the capacitance values be C₁, C₂…,C. We assume that they have the same initial voltage with the same polarity at t = 0^–. Let the applied current be i(t) and the voltage across the parallel combination be v(t) (Fig. 3.7-1).

 

 

Fig. 3.7-1 Parallel Connection of n Capacitors

 

Applying KCL along with the element equation ...