Capacitor-input filter

A capacitor-input filter is a filter circuit in which the first element is a capacitor connected in parallel with the output of the rectifier in a linear power supply. The capacitor increases the DC voltage and decreases the ripple voltage components of the output. The capacitor is often referred to as a smoothing capacitor or reservoir capacitor. The capacitor is often followed by other alternating series and parallel filter elements to further reduce ripple voltage, or adjust DC output voltage. It may also be followed by a voltage regulator which virtually eliminates any remaining ripple voltage, and adjusts the DC voltage output very precisely to match the DC voltage required by the circuit. A capacitor-input filter is a filter circuit in which the first element is a capacitor connected in parallel with the output of the rectifier in a linear power supply. The capacitor increases the DC voltage and decreases the ripple voltage components of the output. The capacitor is often referred to as a smoothing capacitor or reservoir capacitor. The capacitor is often followed by other alternating series and parallel filter elements to further reduce ripple voltage, or adjust DC output voltage. It may also be followed by a voltage regulator which virtually eliminates any remaining ripple voltage, and adjusts the DC voltage output very precisely to match the DC voltage required by the circuit.