A Model-Based Approach to Evaluate Electromagnetic Responses in Vehicle Control Systems Influenced by Harness Shielding and Grounding

Modern vehicles are equipped with numerous electrical devices and instruments to function intelligently and facilitate daily life. However, this makes modern vehicles more sensitive to electromagnetic (EM) disturbance, so it is necessary to evaluate EM responses in vehicle control systems during design phases. This paper proposes a model-based approach to evaluate influences of harness shielding and grounding on induced EM responses in vehicle control systems. It takes the control system of a commercial aircraft engine as an example, and constructs the engine control system model integrated from electrical devices and interconnecting multi-branched cable harnesses. The control system is then grounded onto an engine casing serving as the conducting ground, and exposed to EM disturbances generated by plane waves from four directions respectively. Numerical experiment results conclude that: perfect electrical conductor (PEC) shall be used as the conducting ground for vehicle control system EM response evaluation processes; harness shielding may change control system resonant frequencies and shall be equipped for EM response reduction; the grounding of electrical loadings negates the harness shielding effects and amplifies the induced EM responses. These study results provide guidance for designing vehicle control systems immune to EM disturbance who improves the performance reliability of vehicles.