The Environmentalist, 25, 209–214, 2005

C 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. Manufactured in The Netherlands.

Shielding from ELF Magnetic Fields Emanating from Power Plants

in Large Facilities

OREN HARTAL∗ , MOSHE MERZER∗∗ and MOSHE NETZER∗∗∗

Rafael Co., Ltd., POB 2250, Haifa, 31021 Israel

Summary. Large facilities frequently have internal power plants. High power transformers and low voltage cables
associated with these plants generate low-frequency magnetic fields of large amplitude, which can be above allowed
exposure levels. In order to shield against these magnetic fields large shields are used. These plates are finite and
their shielding effectiveness is compromised due to their finite dimensions. This paper evaluates the shielding
afforded by such a plate, as related to the geometry of the placement of the source and victim and the dimensions
and structure of the shield plate.

Keywords: magnetic shielding, finite barrier magnetic shields, power plants, ELF magnetic field

1. Introduction high current are tightly bundled together, the spacing

and area between them is small and hence the magnetic
Large facilities and buildings require local power field.
plants to provide power for heavy loads, such as air The arrangement of Low voltage—High current ca-
conditioning systems. To that end, high power trans- bles at the transformer’s low voltage terminals is not
formers are installed in the facility. The vicinity of so, as is depicted in Fig. 1.
persons working/living on the premises, in the pres-
ence of these high power transformers, has initiated a
search for practical solutions, to protect persons from 2. Analysis of the Magnetic Field from the low
the emanating ELF magnetic fields. voltage cables at the power transformer
Power plants in facilities contain high power trans-
formers, converting high voltage from the power line, Figure 1 depicts the arrangement of the three phase low
to low voltage three phase lines carrying high cur- voltage/high current cables at the transformer. It can be
rents, and power distribution cabinets, in which the seen that when the cables form a bundle, the spacing
high current bus bars are typically at the top of between them is small, while at the transformer ter-
the cabinet, and the neutral bus a the bottom, about minals the cables form large area rectangles, between
1.80 meters distant, creating large loops carrying high the cable of the phase and that of the neutral, simulated
current. As the magnetic field is directly related to the here by loops for simplicity of the analysis. As the cur-
current and the area of the loop carrying this current, rents in the three cables are 120◦ degrees out of phase
the source of magnetic fields from the power plant is the total current in them is zero, but the areas of the
from the low voltage/high current cables and cabinets. loops are not the same, as may be seen in Fig. 2, hence
The cables inside the building and facility carrying the there is an appreciable overall magnetic field. For the
simple analysis we will consider that the current in the
∗ E-mail:hartalo@hotmail.com
loops are equal to that of the respective phase current.
∗∗ E-mail:moshmr@rafael.co.il The magnetic flux density at every point is now
∗∗∗ E-mail: netzerm@netvision.net.il calculated based on the geometry of the low voltage
210 Hartal, Merzer and Netzer

Figure 1. Low voltage side cable arrangement.

Figure 2. Low voltage cable connection at transformer.

cables, the phase currents and the orientation of the of 1500A, with a phase current imbalance of 30% is
field point. given in Fig. 3.
A full description of this rather simple calculation Flux densities measured near transformer low volt-
is out of the scope of this paper, however, results of age cables verify these estimates, especially in the near
a calculation of the magnetic flux density 4 metres vicinity. When the intensity of these magnetic fields are
above a “dry type” transformer, with a phase current above a pre determined limit, such as recommended by
 Shielding from ELF Magnetic Fields Emanating 211

Figure 4. Geometry of a finite shield plate.

We assume, first, that the plate is a perfect shield and

that the shielding is determined only by the path loss of
the field around the edge of the plate, given by the dis-
Figure 3. Magnetic flux density above a power transformer, in a
tance d1 + d2 of Fig. 4. We also assume (based on mea-
plane parallel to the transformer’s base floor.
surement) that the field decreases as the square of the
distance from 1 m from the loop (as shown in Fig. 3),
so the shielding is the path loss around the shield.
ICNIRP or local governmental guides, steps must be The path lengths to the edge of the shield, above
taken to control these magnetic fields and limit them and below the shield plate are:
to the acceptable levels.


d1 = h 21 + L 2
2.1. Controlling the Magnetic fields from a power
transformer

d2 = h 22 + (L − x)2 (3.1)
The magnetic field can be controlled by distancing the
transformers and power cabinets away from areas of The path loss is the ratio of the field at 1 m from the
personnel activity or by reducing the area of the low transformer loops to the field in the path around the
voltage cable loops at the transformer. If this can not shield plate, or, the ratio of the square of these dis-
be achieved or is insufficient, further field reduction is tances:
obtained by magnetic shielding. (d1 + d2 )2
Normally, shielding is analyzed for infinite plates SEP = (3.2)
1 m2
of a given metallic material. In this analysis we will
first consider the shield to be a perfect barrier of finite This is a simplistic approach, ignoring the fringing of
dimensions. Then we will take the non-ideal charac- the field around the edge of the shield plate, which
teristics of the metal shield into account. adds to the attenuation. A more accurate method is
now proposed for the path loss, similar to that adopted
by Moreno and Olsen.
3. Analysis of a shield plate of finite dimensions
3.1. Analysis of the path loss shielding around
The metal barrier plate is finite, for practical reasons, a finite plate
and the magnetic fields will fringe around the edges
of the barrier and by-pass it, creating a field at the Solving the magnetic field around a discontinuity is
protected area that will be above the value predicted performed here by the conformal mapping method,
for an infinite plate. Figure 4 depicts an example of where the problem is solved in an easy to solve ge-
this condition where the transformer is a floor above ometry and mapped into the real world geometry by a
the work area containing a CRT computer monitor, as mapping formula. We use this method to map the mag-
a victim sensitive system. netic field from an infinite geometry in the z-plane to a
212 Hartal, Merzer and Netzer

Figure 5. The geometry for conformal mapping.

plate of a finite geometry in the “real world” w-plane,

as depicted in Fig. 5.
The magnetic field at Q in the z plane is: Figure 6. The magnetic field map around a finite shield plate.

HQ = Ih/(4π L2 ) (3.3) The point in the work area where the field is be-
low the sensitivity of CRT monitors of 2 mGauss
This expression is similar to that for a bifilar pair, as (6 dB/mGauss) is within a radius of about 4.5 m in any
the field here is the sum of the fields generated by the horizontal direction from just below the transformer.
wire above the plane and it’s reflection in the shield This condition exists if the minimum length of the
below. shield plate towards the right from the transformer is
The transformation formula enabling the conformal 12 m and the shield is a perfect barrier.
mapping of the z plane to the w plane is Binns and The simple geometrical path loss over-estimates the
Lawrenson (1963): field, compared to that obtained by conformal map-
ping as in Fig. 6. This geometrical path loss estimate
w = −(Z − 2L)2 (4L) + L@L >> h (3.4) method is simple and easy to implement, requiring
knowledge only of the field 1 m from the source and
Using this transformation, we obtain the magnetic field the geometry of the installation. With an average cor-
in the “real world” w plane: rection factor of 2 (or 6 dB) for the edge diffraction,
good results are obtained. This calculation provides
H p = HQ∗ dz/dw @w = (0, −ε), Z = (2L, 0) the field attenuation in one direction only. The mag-
netic field will propagate around the metal shield bar-
(3.5)
rier in all directions, and add at the point of interest.
Hence, the magnetic field in the w plane at point P is: Performing the same calculation for the 4 edges of a
square metal plate under the source, and summing the
H p = Ih/(16π L2 ) (3.6) field behind the plate, will provide a result of the type
given in Fig. 7.
The ratio between HQ and H P is 4 or 12 dB which the It may be noticed that the field at the edges of the
shielding efficiency due to the finite plate. This can be shield will show a step increase in the intensity, as may
explained as the diffraction loss effect around a 180 also be seen at the edge of the plate in Fig. 6.
degree bend.
As an example, the field from a transformer with a 4. Practical Shielding materials
phase current of 1500A, low voltage cable loops at a
height of 1.5 m from the semi infinite shield (except Shields are made of practical materials, such as alu-
towards the right), which is 12 m long (measured from minum, steel and their combinations. In extreme cases,
the transformer), was mapped. exotic materials with a high permeability are used.
 Shielding from ELF Magnetic Fields Emanating 213

Figure 7. Magnetic Flux Density from a source of 1Gauss, 2 m above a 50 × 50 meter perfect shield plate, at 4 meters from the shield.

Figure 8. The magnetic flux density behind a 2 mm thick aluminum plate 50 × 50 meters.
214 Hartal, Merzer and Netzer

Shielding of practical materials for magnetic fields to limit the exposure of the persons to these magnetic
at power frequency, is due to reflection and absorp- fields.
tion losses, which are a function of the conductivity, This paper evaluates the fields from low voltage
permeability and thickness of the metal plate, and the cables at the transformer and the method of controlling
distance between the source of magnetic field and the these fields by a finite metal plate as a shield.
shield. It has been found that Aluminum provides a 10 It is shown that the by passing of a finite shield plate
to 30 dB (3 to 30 times) of Shielding due to reflection by a magnetic field must be considered, as the infinite
effects, at almost any practical thickness, depending plate shielding model is incorrect for finite plates. A
on the distance of the plate to the source of magnetic calculation of the magnetic field for an ideal finite plate
field (should be above 1 m to be effective). Steel must and a practical finite metal plate for the reduction of
be a few mm thick to have any effect on reducing the magnetic fields is given. For small dimensions, the
magnetic field. This is contrary to popular belief than by-pass effect is dominant, for very large plates, the
steel is better than aluminum for magnetic shielding. metal properties dominate. The practical solution is
When using a simple 2 mm thick aluminum shield in optimizing the size of the plate and metal properties
the example above, the resultant magnetic flux density (type and thickness), for minimal cost.
will be as depicted in Fig. 8.
The penetration of the magnetic field through the
metal plate is evidenced by the increase of the field References
at the center, just below the source of the magnetic
Binns, K.J. and Lawrenson, A.P.: 1963, Analysis and Computation of
field, the low voltage power cables connected to the Electric and Magnetic Field Problems, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
transformer. Electromagnetic Shielding Materials and Performance.: 1980, Don
White.
Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics.: 1965, Ramo,
Conclusion Whinnery, Van Duzer, Wiley.
ITT Reference data for Radio Engineers, 4th Edition.
Power Transformers and their associated low voltage Mil Handbook 419-Grounding.: 1982, Bonding and Shielding.
power cabinets are known sources of magnetic fields. Moreno, P. and Olsen, R.G.: 1997, ‘A Simple Theory for Optimizing
Finite Width ELF Magnetic Field Shields for Minimum Depen-
When these are situated in the vicinity of areas occu- dence on Source Orientation,’ IEEE Trans. on Electromagnetic
pied by persons, whether in a residential building or Compatibility EMC-39, 340–348.
a commercial-industrial facility, steps should be taken Smyth, W.R.: 1950, Static and Dynamic Electricity, McGraw-Hill.