RFMW Expert Product Pick: Knowles Cornell Dubilier Type MLSH Aluminum Electrolytic

The Knowles Cornell Dubilier brand Type MLSH 125°C Hermetic Slimpack Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors solve one of the most persistent reliability challenges I’ve seen in high-performance power conversion systems: maintaining stable capacitance and long operational life under extreme environmental and electrical stress. In military and aerospace power architectures, designers are constantly balancing size, weight, vibration tolerance, thermal performance, and long-term reliability. Applications such as airborne power supplies, radar systems, shipboard electronics, inverters, and mission-critical communication systems demand capacitors that can withstand wide temperature swings, high vibration loads, and high-altitude operation without performance degradation. The MLSH series stands out because it combines hermetic sealing with a rugged stainless steel construction and exceptional low-temperature capacitance retention, allowing engineers to replace multiple axial wet tantalum capacitors with a single compact solution while improving reliability and simplifying system design.

For engineers designing high-reliability power architectures, I believe the MLSH series offers a rare combination of rugged mechanical construction, stable capacitance performance, and long operational life. These capacitors are rated for full operating voltage up to +125 °C without the derating typically required for wet tantalum technologies above +85 °C. The glass-to-metal hermetic seal eliminates electrolyte dry-out concerns, enabling extraordinary operational life even in harsh environments. With capacitance values from 120 µF to 3200 µF and voltage ratings from 30 Vdc to 250 Vdc, the series supports a broad range of bulk energy storage and filtering requirements in compact power systems. The robust Slimpack form factor also supports vibration levels up to 80g, and altitudes up to 80k ft, making these capacitors particularly well suited for aerospace and defense platforms exposed to severe mechanical stress. In addition, the MLSH series maintains strong capacitance retention at -55 °C, which is critical for cold-start performance in high-altitude and military applications where conventional electrolytic solutions often struggle.