Power-Line Filters

 The power-line filter is a low-pass L–C topology.

 The source (the power supply) and the load (the LISN) impedances
determine the exact configuration of the filter.
 Because filter attenuation is a function of impedance mismatch, the role
of a power-line filter is to maximize the mismatch between the source
and load impedances.
 For common-mode noise,

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 Power-Line Filters
 The maximum value of the line-to-ground capacitors is limited because
of leakage requirements imposed by various safety agencies.
 To obtain the large inductance required to suppress the lower order
harmonics of the switching frequency, L1 is wound on a high
permeability core.
 Common-Mode Filtering
 In actual practice, the line-to-ground capacitors usually have a value of one half the
maximum allowable by the leakage requirements.
 Typical values for the choke are from 2 to 10 mH.

 Differential-Mode Filtering
 To differential-mode noise, the two Y-capacitors are connected in series.
 These capacitors only contribute to the differential-mode attenuation above about 10
MHz where it is usually not required. Therefore, they are usually ignored with respect
to differential-mode filtering.

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 Power-Line Filters
 To provide a significant amount of differential-mode capacitance, a line-to-line
capacitor C3 (X-capacitor) is added to the power line filter. Typical values for this
capacitor range from 0.1 to 2  F .
 For safety reasons, a resistor, typically 1 M , is sometimes added in parallel with
this capacitor.
 A second X-capacitor located across the power line and located on the power supply
side of the common-mode choke can be helpful.

 Leakage Inductance
 Leakage inductance of the common-mode choke is important in power line filters
because it determines the degree of differential-mode inductance present.
 As a result of leakage inductance, each winding of the choke will have in series with it
a small differential-mode inductance. This differential-mode inductance along with the
X-capacitor forms an L-C filter, which provides differential-mode filtering.
 Too much leakage inductance, however, can cause the common-mode choke to
saturate at a low value of ac power current.
 Typical power line chokes will have leakage inductances somewhere between 0.5 and
5% of their common-mode inductance.
30
 The leakage inductance of a common-mode choke can easily be measured by
shorting one of the windings and measuring the inductance across the other winding.

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 Power-Line Filters
 The common-mode filter is usually designed first and then the differential mode filter
is designed by starting with the leakage inductance of the common-mode choke, and
choosing a value for the line-to-line capacitor C3 , to provide the required
attenuation.
 If additional differential-mode attenuation is required,

 Values for these differential-mode inductors are typically a few hundred microhenries.
32
JHLin, AppEMC; Conducted Emission 33
 Power-Line Filters
 Filter Mounting
 The performance of this filter is as much,
if not more, a function of how and where
it is mounted, and how the leads are
routed, as it is of the electrical design of
the filter.
 Problem 1: the filter is not mounted close
to the point where the power line enters
the enclosure.
 Problem 2: the wire grounding the
filter to the enclosure has a large
inductance, which decreases the
effectiveness of the Y-capacitors in
the filter.

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 Power-Line Filters
 Problem 3: capacitive coupling occurs between the noisy power-supply-to-filter wiring
and the ac power line.

 The cable between the filter and the power supply should be routed close to the
enclosure to minimize any pickup.
 The filter’s input leads should also be kept away from any signal cables (especially
digital cables) and should not be routed over, or near, a digital logic PCB.

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 Power-Line Filters
 An additional improvement over the arrangement shown in Fig. 13-23 is to mount the
power supply directly adjacent to the power line filter.
 A power-line filter having an integral ac power cord connector as shown in Fig 13-24.

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 Power-Line Filters
 Power Supplies with Integral Power-Line Filters
 Some switched-mode power supplies have the power-line filter built into the supply
on the same PCB as the power converter. This is usually done to reduce size and
costs.
 However, this arrangement often violates some, if not all, rules for proper filter
mounting and wiring discussed above.
 Problem 1: long traces (too much inductance) connecting the Y-capacitors to the
enclosure.
 Problem 2: Magnetic coupling to the unshielded common-mode choke. This problem
can be overcome by proper layout and orientation of the common-mode choke on the
board, or by placing a shield over the choke or power line filter portion of the board.
 Problem 3: Input and output traces to the filter, routed in such a way as to maximize
the parasitic capacitance between the two, thus coupling noise around the filter to
the power line.
 Filters integral with the power supply can be effective, but only if all the issues
previously discussed relating to proper filter mounting and layout are considered
during the design process.
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 Power-Line Filters
 High-Frequency Noise (> 10 MHz)
 The high- frequency attenuation of the power supply noise is limited primarily by the
interwinding capacitance of the common-mode choke and the inductance in series
with the Y-capacitors.
 The best way to deal with this problem is at the source, the digital logic PCB.

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 Power-Line Filters
 The capacitor value should be chosen to have an impedance less than a few ohms at
the lowest frequency of interest. A 1000-pF capacitor is usually satisfactory, if filtering
is only required above 30 MHz. Below 30MHz, a 0.01-F capacitor would be
preferred.
 The ferrite bead material should be chosen to provide about 50  of impedance at
the lowest frequency of interest and the ferrite must be capable of carrying the
output current without saturation.

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 Primary-to-Secondary Common-Mode
Coupling


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 Primary-to-Secondary Common-Mode
Coupling


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 Primary-to-Secondary Common-Mode
Coupling
 Usually, a Y-capacitor is used with a value of 1000 to 4700 pF.
 To be effective, the bridge capacitor must be placed on the PCB in a
location that minimizes the trace inductance (use short, wide traces) in
series with it, and the traces must maintain a small loop for the
common-mode current.
 Other ways to eliminate or minimize this problem are by using a
transformer that contains a Faraday shield, or by adding a common-
mode choke in the dc output-leads to reduce the common-mode current.

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