Suppression of common-mode input electromagnetic interference noise in DC-DC converters using the active filtering method

This study introduces a technique that combines passive and active electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering methods to attenuate the common mode conducted noise in the input bus of the DC/DC converter and to minimise the size and the cost of the existing passive EMI filters. The technique presented can be implemented in all DC/DC converters topologies to provide a level of compliance with the electromagnetic directives. The circuit analysis and the attenuation curves showing the performance and the viability of this technique is provided. The filter input/output impedance criterion is verified to ensure the stability of the converter, by measuring the gain and the phase margins of the open-loop frequency response of the converter. The proposed technique provides a valuable design solution for compliance engineers where the Printed Circuit Board real-estate is an issue. Experimental results reveal more than 30 dB attenuation across the electromagnetic compatibility spectrum. This method contributes to the reduction of the size and weight of the input passive EMI filter. The proportion of the passive filter as compared to the DC/DC converter device can vary from 5 to 3%, depending on the converter specifications. Experimental results to demonstrate the performance and the effectiveness of the input active EMI filter in DC/DC converters are presented.