Risk-Based EMC Engineering for Susceptibility Exposure: Thinking Outside the Box
Vasiliki Gkatsi is a PhD student in the Department of Power Electronics. (Co)Promotors are prof.dr.ir. F.B.J. Leferink and dr. R.A. Vogt-Ardatjew from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.
The continuously growing technological developments over the past years require the use of more electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in everyday life applications such as cars, airplanes, etc. This results in more electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) challenges, which call for novel and efficient approaches that can cover a wide variety of applications and can ensure the expected operation of any equipment in its intended environment of use (IEME).
Up to now, EMC engineering has been conventionally applied by a series of regulations issued by each government, known as “EMC standards”. This way of assessing any EEE, though, has been legally referred to as “presumption of conformity” by the Guide for the European EMC directive (EMCD). Therefore, applying solely the EMC standards does not ensure EMC of any EEE in their IEME. Instead, as also advised by the EMCD, each manufacturer should apply an “appropriate” method of assessment, which shall account for potential risk(s). Therefore, a risk-based EMC approach should be adopted by the manufacturer. The reason(s) and proof that risk-based EMC engineering is required in today’s EMC assessment is the main focus of this thesis.
The thesis starts with an overall overview of the complete framework of risk-based EMC engineering. Academia as well as industry have already started using this approach via different types of procedures. A comparison between the so-far-used rule-based EMC engineering approach and the developing risk-based EMC engineering approach is presented. Focus is given to the accurate terminology of the latter, since different interpretations of EMC engineering practices have led to significant miscommunication within the EMC community. Further, the uniform methodology of risk-based EMC engineering is provided via processes that focus on the identification, analysis, evaluation, monitoring, and control of risks associated with EM phenomena. Lastly, the wide literature study provides a tool for understanding the role and function of the different risk-based EMC engineering processes while it contributes a good basis for engineers that want to be familiar with the subject.
The thesis continues with an investigation of real dynamic environments. A theoretical basis via a conceptual model of real-life scenarios is proposed for exposing potential vulnerabilities of EEE. Experiments in a semi-reflective environment and an actual automotive environment suggest the use of statistical tools instead of deterministic solutions. The complexity of dynamic environments is highlighted, emphasizing the need for risk-based EMC and setting the ground for an EM susceptibility investigation. Later, the probability of the risk of an EMC-compliant EEE failing - when it is placed in its IEME - is estimated via an uncertainty analysis regarding sampling in the laboratory conditions. This way, the difference between rule-based and risk-based EMC engineering is emphasized once more. Finally, the thesis ends with exposing the EM vulnerability of an actual electric scooter - which had fulfilled the EMC standards - by following the risk-based EMC engineering approach.
The work of this thesis is part of the EU-funded project PETER, which focuses on providing insight into risk-based EMC engineering approaches via 4 key areas: EMC, reliability engineering, functional safety, and risk management. The research in this thesis is conducted within the above key areas as it applies the risk-based EMC engineering approach by exposing the EM susceptibility of potential victims. The output of the thesis provides the complete framework of risk-based EMC engineering while it also experimentally proves its necessity.
