| Abstract |
The context of the NET-EMC research project is EMC (ElectroMagnetic Compatibility) design issues.
Due to recent technological developments, in transportation, many mechanical mechanisms have been replaced or improved with electronic equipment, to the extent that petrol powertrains will be gradually replaced by electric power engines. In the aeronautic industry, electronic circuits are increasingly designed and used for critical flight control systems, due to their ability to accurately control complex functions and their superior reliability. Electronic circuits however, do not only react to their internal electrical signal flow, but may respond to any disturbing input signal (i.e. voltage, currents and Electromagnetic fields) which can couple into the wire bundles, integrated circuit leads and connectors. The electromagnetic environment (EM) is one of these inputs that by nature affects all these electronic circuits. It may result in disabling effects called electromagnetic interference that could jeopardize the correct functioning of the system.
As a consequence electromagnetic disturbance phenomena are logically increasing and, in the case of the aerospace industry, concern for safety in operations has increased substantially. This is due to the following principal factors:
• Greater dependence on electrical/electronic systems performing complex functions required for safe piloting, safe flying and landing.
• Reduction of EM shielding caused by composite material
• Potential decrease in the immunity of Integrated circuits due to their increased operating speed and density
• The expectation that the electromagnetic environment will become more severe due to a proliferation in the number and the power of RF emitters.
Accounting for EMC aspects of electrical/electronic systems should be recognized as a crucial issue by aerospace industries .The implication is that EMC should be addressed at the system level early in the aircraft or satellite design phase. Designing electrical/electronic systems immune to EMC effects from the beginning is the optimum approach to achieving qualification or certification and reducing costs.
In recent years, a number of computer tools have been developed for EMC design. Some of these tools attempt to predict the electromagnetic emissions and immunity from a detailed knowledge of the circuit layout and shielding. 3D (full wave methods) computational Electromagnetics can analyse potential electromagnetic issues and can therefore help in meeting EMC specifications. They are, however, very complex, time consuming and are dedicated to EMC experts.
This project has the ambition to develop a quick and easy simulation tool that can be operated at an early stage of system design, by non-expert EMC users and with a controlled level of accuracy. The gains provided by this tool are on the one hand to improve the quality of consequent EMC-related system design decisions and on the other hand to optimise traditional simulations and measurements performed at the next stages of development.
The problem to solve is very complex and requires a set of appropriate innovative methods. The overall complex problem will be decomposed into a set of simpler and well understood physical situations based on electrical networks. This approach will bridge the gap between component and system level understanding. A set of algorithms and models will be used to characterise the full range of electromagnetic behaviour of complex systems with a controlled accuracy level. |
