TDK Electronics · TDK Europe

EMC Output Filter Solutions

High-performance output solutions for frequency converters

Frequency converters are used for regulating the speed of AC motors. In applications, in which the converter and motor are connected by a longer cable, parasitic capacitances occur between the conductors and to ground. In addition, the rise time of the square-wave pulses of the converter output voltage is in the range from 5 to 10 kV/µs, which causes high-frequency currents in the cable on every switching operation. These have a whole range of negative impacts, which can be nearly eliminated by using EPCOS products such as motor chokes (dv/dt filters), sine-wave filters and SineFormer. Such adverse effects include:The superimposition of high-frequency currents on the cable reduces the amount of current available for operating the motor. To compensate for this, the converter must therefore be dimensioned for a higher power rating.

  • High-frequency currents, with their high switching frequency content, cause losses both in the cable and in the motor.
  • As a proportion of the high-frequency currents are conducted to ground, they cause asymmetric interference. If unshielded motor cables are used, this would consequently result in inadmissibly high interference fields. For this reason, expensive shielded motor cables are generally used.
  • Moreover, the steep rising edge of the converter voltage excites parasitic oscillating circuits that consist of cable and motor capacitances as well as line inductances. Their transient characteristics overlay the converter voltage. On the motor side, this primarily results in momentary voltage overshoots which can far exceed the rated motor voltage and exert a load on the motor insulation due to partial discharges, which in turn can cause a motor to fail.


Overall, this creates problems at the converter output:

  • Very high-frequency reactive currents in the motor cable
  • EMC problems
  • Overvoltage at the motor caused by steep voltage gradient and long motor cable
  • Damage to the motor insulation
  • Bearing damage due to leakage currents through the motor bearings
  • Motor noises

TDK offers a wide range of EPCOS filters and reactors:

  • Motor chokes (dv/dt filters)
  • Sine-wave filters
  • SineFormer

All reactors are manufactured with an UL-approved insulation system.



Portfolio

Motor Chokes for Drives

 Portfolio Chokes Pic

B86301U*R000 / *S000 keyboard_arrow_right

Features

  • 8 to 1500 A / 520 V
  • 1% impedance reactor
  • Easy to install
  • Low weight
  • Compact design
  • Design complies to IEC 60076-6
  • UL approved isolation system class F (155 °C)

Motor chokes reduce the voltage stress at the motor and the dv/dt increase at the frequency converter output.

Sine-Wave Output Filter Series

 Portfolio SineWave filter Pic

B84143V*R227 / *229 / *230 keyboard_arrow_right

Features

  • Complete design from 4 A up to 390 A / 520 V
  • 690 V version: up to 320 A
  • Designed for motor cables up to 1000 m
  • IP21 housing available for *229 / *230
  • UL approved isolation system

SineFormer

 Portfolio SineFormer Pic

B84143V*R127 keyboard_arrow_right

Best output filter solution – Features

  • Complete design
    6 A up to 320 A
    520 V AC  (up to 180 A) and 600V AC (320 A)
  • Commercial advantages
    System-cost savings due to the use of unshielded cables
    • Automatic cost savings from a motor-cable length of approx. 100 m
  • Technical benefits
    Longer life cycle of the motor, motor noise reduction, substantial compensation of bearing currents and eddy current losses, no forced ventilation necessary
    • Maintenance-free (fan would have a life cycle of 2 to 4 years only), no feedback to the DC link needed
    • Reduction of all kinds of radiation sources by easy installation
  • Installation advantage
    Unshielded cables are lighter and more flexible
    • Cost savings during installation
  • Logistics advantage
    Unshielded cables are standard products

Output Filter Concepts

Compared to the various concepts for output filters, the new SineFormer is both technically and economically the superior solution.

With dv/dt Choke

 Concepts A circuit

Advantages 

  • Reduces dv/dt peaks significantly
  • Low cost solution

Disadvantages

  • Motor cable is limited to approx. 100m
  • No reduction of noise
  • Shielded cable necessary

With Sine-Wave Filter

 Concepts B circuit en

Advantages 

  • Reduces dv/dt peaks significantly
  • Forms a sinusoidal wave between the phases
  • Reduces noise

Disadvantages

  • Reduces eddy currents
  • Relatively expensive solution because shielded cables still have to be used

With SineFormer

 Concepts C circuit en

Advantages

  • Motor size can be reduced
  • Motor operating life can be significantly increased
  • Unshielded motor cables can be used, thus reducing assembly expenditures, increasing the operating life and reducing cable costs
  • Longer motor cables possible (ub to 1000 m unshielded measured)
  • No maintenance costs, as the Sine Former is built without forced ventilation
  • Compact filter solution (not modular system) with lower volume and weight
  • Reduced requirements for the power line filter
  • Increased equipment availability
  • Also suitable as a retrofitting set

Measurement

Advantages of a SineFormer solution compared with other output filter solutions using examplary measurements

Without Output Filter

 Measurements A circuit

Measurements

High-frequency interference requires a shielded motor cable.

 Measurements A measurement1
Figure 1:

Phase-to-phase voltage

 Measurements A measurement2
Figure 2:

dv/dt

 Measurements A measurement3
Figure 3:

Asymmetric common mode current

With dv/dt Choke

 Measurements B circuit

Measurements

 Measurements B measurement1
Figure 1:

dv/dt

Steep current and voltage rises at the output of the frequency converter are evened out by the inductance, while the parasitic capacitances of the motor cable are charged and discharged less powerfully. Motor chokes are used mainly for protecting motor windings against voltage spikes.

With Sine-Wave Filter

 Measurements C circuit

Measurements

Sine-wave filters are designed as LC filters. Unlike motor chokes, however, their limit frequency, lies between the output frequency and the converter clock speed. As the sine-wave filter mainly suppresses the symmetrical interference between the lines, the interference acting on the phase-to-ground voltage is hardly reduced at all. Therefore, the motor leads still require shielding. Sine-wave filters reduce the motor noise and the eddy current losses and permit the use of motor leads much longer than 100 m.

 Measurements C measurement1
Figure 1:

Phase-to-phase voltage

 Measurements C measurement2
Figure 2:

Phase-to-ground voltage

With SineFormer

 Measurements D circuit

Measurements

 Measurements D measurement1
Figure 1:

Phase-to-phase voltage

 Measurements D measurement2
Figure 2:

Phase-to-ground voltage

 Measurements D measurement3
Figure 3:

Asymmetric common mode current – No shielded motor cable required

 Measurements D measurement4
Figure 4:

dv/dt – dv/dt peaks significantly reduced to uncritical values


Bearing Current

High frequency common-mode interference is generated by the switching behavior of IGBTs. This interference propagates over the motor cable and is conducted to ground via the parasitic capacitance of the cable and the motor. Currents flow through the bearings in the motor, which can lead to increased wear and tear and premature damage of the motor bearings.

Without Output Filter

 Currents A circuit

Measurements

 Currents A measurements

With Sine-Wave Filter

 Currents B circuit

Measurements

 Currents B measurements

The series inductor of the sine-wave filter mainly has a symmetrical effect and only to a small degree asymmetrical. For this reason the high-frequency interference continues to flow through the motor cable, meaning that it is still necessary to use a shielded motor cable. Moreover, bearing currents are only slightly reduced.

With SineFormer

 Currents C circuit

Measurements

 Currents C measurements


Presentation


EMC Output Filters Inquiry

Do you have any questions regarding EMC Output Filters? Please complete this form and send it to us. 

Accepting the data usage is required
First name is required
Last name is required
Company is required
Country is required
E-mail is required
Do you wish to be contacted by a distributor?

Explore more


Get in contact

Sales Network & Sites

If you are interested in our products, you will find here an overview of our worldwide sales offices, which you can contact quickly and easily

More

Product Inquiry

Are you interested in our solutions? Please do not hesitate to contact us! We will be glad to help you.

More

Tradeshows & Events

Experience TDK live!

More

Social Media

Follow us on

LinkedIn X (Twitter)