EMI is electronic noise that interferes with electrical signals and reduces signal integrity. Every electrical or electronic device is a source of EMI. It is generated by cosmic energy like solar flares, lightning strikes, atmospheric noise, electronic equipment, power lines, and so on. A large part of EMI is generated along the power lines and transmitted to the equipment through it. EMI filters are devices or internal modules that are designed specifically to reduce or eliminate noise interference.
WHAT ARE EMI AND RFI FILTERS USED FOR?
Different EMI filters can be used in many ways to protect equipment from electromagnetic noise. They block different noise frequencies to meet regulations in different industries. Here are a few ways how these filters are used in residential and industrial applications.
HOME APPLIANCES: White goods electromagnetic interference filters suppress electromagnetic noise for home appliances like washing machines and treadmills. These filters ensure that devices meet electromagnetic compatibility regulations and protect them from EMI damage that can affect their performance.
SINGLE PHASE: Single-phase EMI RFI filters are effective for small electronic equipment like home appliances, electronics, and industrial applications like food-service equipment, power supplies, and telecommunications. A single-phase electromagnetic filter can also be used in fitness equipment and motor controls.
THREE-PHASE: For more stringent EMI suppression, three-phase EMI filters are used to block higher levels of noise through a three-stage filtration system. They are most commonly used in high power applications such as industrial machinery, motors, medical equipment, test equipment, and industrial tools.
MILITARY: RFI filters are used in military applications to meet regulatory and compliance standards for EMC of military devices. These filters protect aerospace and military communication systems from damage.
MEDICAL GRADE EMI FILTERS: Medical-grade electromagnetic filters meet the regulatory standards for medical applications and protect sensitive equipment from damage. Electromagnetic filters in MRI rooms are specifically built to create a secure test chamber that is free of EMI from lighting, intercoms, and other sources of outside noise.
AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS: The ever-growing automotive industry is creating more and more revenue streams for EMI/RFI filter manufacturers. Two-wheelers, cars, auto-rickshaws, and heavy vehicles are dependant on electro-mechanical components and sub-assemblies. Manufacturers are boosting their output to increase the production of active electronic components like ABS and ECO automotive powertrains, car navigation systems, safety equipment, and automotive infotainment devices.
Automotive components and assemblies emit RF noise and are also exposed to external sources of energy which results in unexpected changes in system operation. This is where manufacturers in the EMI/RFI filter market are stepping up their production capacity for single phase, 3 phase, and harmonic filters. Vehicle OEMs are addressing issues of broadband and narrowband EMI filters which build immunity characteristics in automotive systems and components.
NANOCRYSTALLINE MATERIALS: Compact nanocrystalline single-phase filters that suppress EMI provide greater design flexibility in applications. A highly connected world that is becoming increasingly dependent on electronic equipment and devices is fueling the growth of the EMI/RFI filtering market. One of the most popular types of EMI filters is mode chokes. Manufacturers are boosting their production capabilities for toroidal chokes with nanocrystalline metal cores which are useful in multiple noise countermeasure fields.
