Capacitors with more than two plates?

[jerich1000]

I am a mechanical engineer and not an electrical engineer, so feel free to snicker at my question. Can a capacitor have more than two plates?

If so, what happens? Is it less efficient? How would a tripple- or quaduple-plate capacitor behave differently than a dual-plate capacitor, assuming one was even made?

Thanks

 

[MATLABdude]

Neglecting the fact that there are very few actual plate capacitors, having multiple plates would be similar to putting capacitors in series (or parallel, depending on how the plates were arranged).

 

[Jiggy-Ninja]

Neglecting the fact that there are very few actual plate capacitors, having multiple plates would be similar to putting capacitors in series (or parallel, depending on how the plates were arranged).

What kind of capacitors don't have "plates"?

Aren't Multi-Layered Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) made by having a big stack of several plates and alternating whether they are hooked up to one side or the other?

 

[dlgoff]

Variable plate capacitors were very common back in the tube radio days for tuning in stations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_capacitor"

 

[jerich1000]

Thanks. You people are awesome. Mechanical engineers get queasy when they're dealing with things they can't see with their eyes (such as electrons).

 

[MATLABdude]

What kind of capacitors don't have "plates"?

Aren't Multi-Layered Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) made by having a big stack of several plates and alternating whether they are hooked up to one side or the other?

Who said anything about not using plates? You just seldom see simple flat single-plate capacitors (disc capacitors being the exception). This made more sense before the morning coffee and with electrolytics on the mind (where the plates are all rolled up).

 

[dlgoff]

This made more sense before the morning coffee and with electrolytics on the mind (where the plates are all rolled up).