Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

This article provides an introduction to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). After presenting the notions of electromagnetic environment and compatibility, the main phenomena of natural and artificial electromagnetic disturbances are described, giving a few examples and considering the coupling of emitted disturbances (conducted and radiated) to their "victims". Until very recently, EMC has been approached from an experimental, even empirical angle, and it is now becoming necessary to predict EMC effects in equipment or systems by calculation. A few significant examples and some thoughts on simulation tools will help illustrate the methodologies specific to the EMC field.

This article is the first in a series dedicated to studying the various facets of this vast field, which concerns all low- and high-power electrical and electronic devices and systems, over a frequency range from a few hertz to a few tens of gigahertz (GHz). A number of articles are offered, based on the following general items:

• EMC measurements and standards ;

• transmission of conducted and radiated disturbances ;

• electromagnetic (EM) effects of lightning ;

• EMC in the field of high currents ;

• EMC of electronic boards ;

• methods and tools for conducted and radiated EMC simulations, from subsystems to complex systems ;

• means of reducing electromagnetic interferences: filtering, shielding.