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Metrology Partnership project is developing the standardised measurements required to protect modern electronics from radio-interference

The project

All electronic devices sold in the European Market are required to meet the essential criteria outlined in European EMC Directive 2014/30/EU. Compliance with this directive is demonstrated through the use of standardised electromagnetic compatibility measures. However, the rapid growth of radio services and cutting-edge technologies like smart grids, internet of things, and electromobility has created new scenarios where existing standards fall short of addressing interference issues effectively. Consequently, there is a need for validated and traceable methods to assess electromagnetic emissions in complex situations, including in-situ testing of large and high-powered equipment and interference in wireless communications.

Metrology Partnership project Metrology for emerging electromagnetic compatibility standards (21NRM06, EMC-STD) is working to address this problem, developing new electromagnetic emissions test methods for harsh environments, such as factory premises and photovoltaic installations, covering the emission testing frequency ranges 30 Hz – 150 kHz, 150 kHz – 30 MHz and 30 MHz – 6 GHz.

Project developments

Early project developments include:

• Project participant EMC Barcelona (EMC Electromagnetic BCN, S.L.) (Spain) developed a software solution to automate emissions measurements in time-domain using oscilloscopes called emiGO®. Using such technology, they performed a time-domain in-situ measurement rapid emissions checks of a large photovoltaic system and have also collaborated with project chief stakeholder Fuji Electric Europe in measurement campaigns intended to support standardisation projects. This method allows industry to acquire short-duration/transient interference and worst-case emission measurements in harsh environments in real time. The results have been published in three papers: “Efficient In situ Assessment of Radiated Emissions using Time-Domain Measurements” at EMC Europe 2023 Conference (nominated as Best Student Paper) and “Strategies Using Time-Domain Measurements for Radiated Emissions Testing in Harsh Environments” at the IEEE Open Journal of Instrumentation and Measurement and “Rapid Emission Check of Photovoltaic Installations Using Time Domain Measurements” at the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Magazine . As part of this project, emiGO® has been calibrated by CMI showing compliance with CISPR 16-1-1 standard core parameters.
• A free software tool has been developed which calculates the uncertainty contribution of an Artificial Mains Network (AMN). This tool provides a more confident uncertainty calculation for the component values of AMNs and is actively being used by the EMC laboratory of project partner TUBITAK-UME. A paper titled as Investigation of AMN Impedance Uncertainty Contribution in Conducted Emission Tests has been accepted by IEEE EMC Magazine to be published in 2024.
• A new method for measuring conducted emission in the 30 Hz – 10 kHz frequency range has been developed by live impedance measurement. This was presented at EMC Europe 2023 Conference as “Improvement in Low Frequency Emission Test Method by Live Impedance Measurement”. Besides it is envisaged that this method may extend to in-situ harmonic esmission measurements of electrical/electronic equipment.
• TUBITAK developed a compact impedance measurement device. This device will enable in-situ grid impedance masurements to utilize the collected impedance data for in-situ conducted emission measurement.
• Investigations have been carried out to improve the definition of the Amplitude Probability Distribution function and its application as part of emissions assessment and interference impact on digital communication systems. Such improvements have been applied to wireless LAN as a key use case. Early results can be found in the “Redefinition of the Amplitude Probability Distribution Measuring Function for Electromagnetic Emissions Assessment” article included in the proceedings of the 2023 Photonics & Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS) (https://zenodo.org/records/8375638) and also in the “Electromagnetic Interference in Wireless Communications based on Software Defined Radio Platforms” final bachelor’s Thesis from Marc García-Bermudez, R&D engineer at EMC Barcelona, defended on July 2023 at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.
• All papers are available for free download at https://zenodo.org/communities/21nrm06-emc-std

Project Coordinator Serdar Büyük from UME said

'The EMC-STD project is effectively supporting the development of the target standardisation projects through the necessary research in metrology to develop and validate emissions test methods, mainly those required for in-situ testing and harsh electromagnetic environments. The evidence provided by our investigations allows for high confidence in the proposed methodologies so they can be embraced by the different stakeholders coexisting in the corresponding standards committees and working groups. We expect to continue and increase our contribution in that domain.’

This Metrology Partnership project has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed by the European Union Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and from the Participating States.

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