Understanding the Impact of IEC 60747-17 on Capacitive and Magnetic Couplers

Abstract:
Capacitive and magnetic couplers are devices that provide safety isolation for high-voltage power systems. They have been around for more than a decade, yet the first international component standard that regulates these devices, IEC 60747-17, was published only 4 years ago. Before IEC 60747-17, these CMOS-based isolator devices were certified to various component and system standards, includ-ing VDE 0884-11 and IEC 62368-1. This paper discusses these past standards and how IEC 60747-17, with working voltage lifetime estimation and bipolar surge testing, marks a significant evolution in safety standards and isolation requirements for these devices.