Principles of Electromagnetic Pulse Protection
(Room JW Grand Ballroom 7)
06 Jul 18
6:00 PM
-
7:15 PM
Modern electronic equipment is especially sensitive to electromagnetic (EM) pulses. Sources of EM pulses can be natural or manmade. Lightning and solar flares are natural sources, while EMP from a nuclear blast and intentional electromagnetic interference (IEMI) are manmade. The detrimental effects of these phenomena have been known for many years, and in the case of lightning and EMP, protection methods have been developed. This presentation will provide an overview of EMP sources, an introduction to the theory of EM protection, and tailored protection methods. The severity of destructive effects will vary depending on the EM pulse source. This is because their characteristics differ, such as frequency band and energy. These differences also impact design of EM protection. There are three basic approaches to reducing the impact of an EM pulse: reflect, redirect, and absorb. A metallic shield is the best protection method. The metal provides both reflective and absorption loss to the propagating EM pulse. Design of a protective barrier includes the overall shield and any penetrations through it. To protect from EM infiltration, penetrations, such as doors, HVAC, wires, and antennas, can be modified using transient surge protectors, filters, and waveguides below cutoff.