Stoorspanning

Stoorspanning is a term used in electrical engineering to describe unwanted electrical potential that accompanies a legitimate signal, effectively acting as interference in a measurement or control system. It is not a separate signal of interest but a disturbance that can alter accuracy, reliability, or readability of the intended signal. Stoorspanning can appear in analog measurements, digital inputs, and power electronics, and is typically characterized by its effect on signal integrity rather than its origin alone.

Causes of stoorspanning include electromagnetic interference from nearby equipment, switching transients in power supplies, conducted noise along cables, ground loops, crosstalk between adjacent conductors, and environmental factors such as radio frequency fields. Interference can be conducted (through conductors) or radiated (through air), and may be additive to the signal or alter it in a differential or common mode.

The impact of stoorspanning depends on the system’s susceptibility and the signal-to-noise ratio. In precision measurement, even microvolt-level disturbances can matter; in control systems, disturbances can cause erroneous readings, latency, or instability. Mitigation strategies focus on shielding, proper grounding, and thoughtful layout, along with filtering, decoupling, and isolation techniques. Practical methods include using twisted-pair wiring, shielding enclosures, ferrite cores, low-noise power supplies, and differential signaling with adequate common-mode rejection.

Standards and testing for stoorspanning fall under broader electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) frameworks. Engineers assess a system’s resilience to disturbances through immunity tests and by defining acceptable disturbance thresholds for the intended application.