Acoustic noise of massmarket equipment caused by supraharmonics in the frequency range 2 to 20 kHz

Supraharmonic emission in the frequency range 2 kHz to 150 kHz is growing since more and more electronic mass-market devices are equipped with energy efficient self-controlled switching topologies. Since the audible range up to 20 kHz is covered by supraharmonic emission, it raises the question if these devices are producing considerable disturbing noises. This paper gives an overview of the sound generation mechanism in electronic devices. The impact of supraharmonics on the noise emission of household equipment is studied by a measurement survey with 103 devices.