Mark Steffka

High voltage automotive EMC component measurements using an artificial network

This paper investigates the adaptation of the standard 12V automotive conducted emissions component EMC measurement method, as defined in CISPR 25, to the ever increasing high voltage automotive components seen in hybrid electric, fuel cell, and the alike vehicles. Due to significantly higher voltages and currents and variations in shielding strategies, conventional automotive measurement methods do not always produce vehicle representative results. Experimental and simulation results are presented which show that artificial networks, as defined in CISPR 25, should not be used for validation of high voltage automotive components in either conducted voltage or current measurements.

A method for measuring partial inductance

This paper presents and validates a method for measuring partial inductance with a set of measurement data in comparison to their corresponding exact analytic solution for samples of round wires of different lengths. The concept of partial inductance was introduced and known as a mathematical concept and often perceived “not measurable”, which has been the primary reason for a debate on the existence of the partial inductance. This paper demonstrates that partial inductance exists and is measurable, and also validates the known analytic equations for self- and mutual partial inductance for wires having round and rectangular cross sections with a set of measurement data.

The Establishment of the “Clayton R. Paul Global University”

For those of you that have not had an opportunity to become familiar with the Clayton R. Paul Global University, I thought I would take this opportunity to describe its history and plans for the future.

On the interplay between the Engine Cooling Fan and Heat Exchanger for automotive AM band radiated emission measurement

Electrical interaction of Engine Cooling Fan (ECF) with Heat Exchanger would strongly influence the electromagnetic behavior, and hence the EMC test results. Motivation and Objective for extensive and exhaustive component-level Electro-Magnetic Compliance (EMC) tests relies on close correlation and harmony between the vehicle-level and component-level test results. In fact, comprehensive component-level tests are presumed to indicate that most stringent possible vehicle-level Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) scenario is exercised in order to relieve expensive vehicle-level tests. This paper examines a component-level test scenario for an ECF according to OEM approved EMC test-plan mandating non-conductive air-flow load, thus resulting in AM band (0.53 MHz - 1.7 MHz) radiated emission deviations. Radiated Emissions (RE) deviations root-cause studies and troubleshooting indicates Amplitude Modulated (AM) band radiated emission compliance would result when a grounded metallic heat-exchanger is used.

Modulation of 1 MHz clock with low frequency (LF) signals to analyze common-mode radiation from printed circuit boards

A practical methodology for measurements of common mode RF currents modulated with LF noise on cables for prediction of radiated emissions up to 500 MHz for automotive scenario is presented. More specifically, when microcontroller clock frequency operating at 1 MHz rate, is modulated with a low frequency (LF) signal, emanating from a 1.5 kHz pulse train, or a switch mode power supply (200 kHz), in a printed circuit board (PCB) resulting in RF interference is investigated. A measurement methodology in detection, isolation and mitigation of LF signal at high frequency spectral band is outlined.