Circuitos de acoplamento para transceptores PLC (Power Line Communications)

Abstract

Currently, there is a great interest to develop power line communications (PLC) transceivers for broadband and narrowband data communications for smart grids and network access. However, for advancing PLC technologies, there is a great demand for introduction of couplers for connecting the PLC tranceivers to the electric energy circuits with minimum distortion. This contribution addresses the study, investigation, specification, design, and analysis of capacitive couplers for single input single output (SISO), broadband and narrowband PLC transceivers. Capacity and SISO PLC couplers covering the following frequencies bandwidth are addressed: from 9 kHz up to 2 MHz, from 1,7 MHz up to 100 MHz and from 1,7 MHz up to 150 MHz. The analysis performance of the designed and prototyped PLC couplers for operating in the aforementioned frequencies bandwidths, shows the inherent difficulties to guarantee that the design specifications are fulfilled when passive components are commercial ones and the frequency bandwidth increase. Additionally, the analysis confirms the need for taking into account advancing prototyping techniques for dealing with high-frequency signals. Finally, the measurements show that the discussed narrowband PLC couplers can be used in a PLC channel system.