966. Capacitors are commonly used on DC power supply circuits for engine room automation consoles. For what functional purpose are they primarily used in this application?

Capacitors in DC power supplies filter ripple from rectification, providing a stable DC voltage for engine room automation consoles. Rectification produces pulsating DC with unwanted AC ripple; capacitors charge during voltage peaks and discharge during valleys, smoothing the voltage. This function is distinct from overload protection, acting as a permanent load, or decreasing the output voltage.