What is EMI?

EMI can be defined as ectromagnetic energy which affects the functioning

of an electronic device. Sources of EMI can sometimes be naturally
occuring environmental events, such as electrical storms and solar
radiation; but more often than not, the EMI source is another electronic
device or electrical system. While EMI can be generated from any
electronic device, certain equipment and components – such as
cellphones, welders, motors and LED screens – are more likely to create
disturbances than others.
Because it is rare for electronics to operate in isolation, products are
generally engineered to function in the presence of some amount of EMI.
This is particularly important in military-grade and avionics equipment, as
well as devices requiring superior reliability in all situations.

What Is EMC?
EMC is a measure of a device's ability to operate as intended in its shared
operating environment while, at the same time, not affecting the ability of
other equipment within the same environment to operate as intended.
Evaluating how a device will react when exposed to electromagnetic
energy is one component of this, known as immunity (or susceptibility)
testing. Measuring the amount of EMI generated by the device’s internal
electrical systems – a process known as emissions testing – is another.
Both aspects of EMC are important design and engineering considerations
in any system. Failing to properly anticipate the EMC of a device can have
a number of negative consequences, including safety risks, product failure
and data loss. As a result, a wide range of testing equipment for EMC and
EMI has been developed to give engineers a clearer picture of how a
device will operate in real-world conditions.
Electromagnetic Interference Sources and Their
Most Significant Effects
May 5, 2011 Anthony A. DiBiaseArticles, EMC Directory & Design Guide, Lightning &
Surge, Markets, Medical, Military, Technologies, Telecom, Testing

As the density of the electromagnetic environment continues to increase, the concern

about its effects from sources producing EMI also increases. Advances in technology
and the number of products produced are having a significant effect on the efforts
aimed at maintaining the required operation and interoperability of products and
systems used in our society. These events had added challenges for those who are
responsible for keeping pace with the effort needed to maintain the required level of
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in these products and systems.

Sources
EMI sources, both natural and man-made, that compose the EME can be categorized
into several primary categories. Some of these classifications of sources are listed
below.

(1) Ambient EME that is composed of numerous sources of which the most significant
are:

 Television transmissions both analog and digital

 Radio AM, FM, and Satellite
 Solar Magnetic Storms which peak on a eleven year cycle
 Lightning which occurs as a very high voltage and high current event
 Utility power grid transmission lines which have high voltage, low current, and low
frequency characteristics. In this category is also the new technology of
Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) digital signals.
 Other ambient EME sources include airport port radar, telecom transmissions,
electrostatic discharge (ESD), and white noise. Also in this category is the earth’s
magnetic field flux which has a value of about 500 milligauss.
 Some other major product and system’s emissions sources include switching
mode power supplies, arc welders, motor bushes, and electrical contacts

(2) High Powered Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) threats which are intended to disable
electrical and electronic equipment. These sources are designed to be utilized by
terrorist and military organizations. Currently existing HEMP devices include the
following:

 Intentional Electromagnetic Interference (IEMI) source – a high powered pulse

device utilized by combat, sabotage and terrorist organizations
 High Altitude Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse (HNEMP) – produced by the
detonation of a nuclear device high above the earth’s atmosphere
  High Powered Microwave Weapon (HPM) – a device utilized by the military as a
combat weapon
 E-Bomb – a HEMP weapon employed by the military to disrupt an enemy’s intra
structure that is delivered by an aircraft.
 EMP Cannon – a military tactical weapon

(3) Power Quality degradation factors can effect the operation of equipment that is
powered by a mains power source. These mains degradation factors include:

 Voltage surges, sages, dips, spikes, and high and low voltage
 Brownouts and blackouts
 Power line faults
 Electrical Fast Transitions (EFT)
 Electrical noise superimposed on the mains power line

These power quality degradation factors can occur simultaneously or independently,

during any time interval.

(4) Railroad and Mass Transit Systems have some unique types of EMI source
problems. These include:

 Propulsion system’s high voltage and high current operational mode emissions
 Train signaling systems and their associated computer operating codes
 Third rail shoes arcing broadband emissions
 High voltage contact switching arcing broadband emissions
 Train control system’s emissions
 Track train control circuits
 Right away emission sources

(5) Medical equipment utilized in medical facilities has numerous EMI sources. Some of
the more prominent of these are listed below:

 Life support equipment such as ventilators, cardiac defibrillators, infusion pumps,

etc.
 Patient telemetry and assistance equipment which includes electrocardiographs
and motorized wheelchairs
 Electrical surgical units and their associated support equipment
 Magnetic Resonance Imagine (MRIs) systems
 X-ray units, both therapeutic and diagnostic
 Gamma Beam Electron Accelerators and Therapeutic equipment

SOURCES AND THEIR MOST SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS

(1) Ambient (EME) – Can affect sensitive electronic equipment in the vicinity of the EMI
sources. The closer the sensitive electronic equipment is to the EMI source, the higher
the source’s radiated power level, and its in-band frequency the greater is the
probability that the EMI will cause an interference problem.
In the case of the effects of ESD on sensitive electronic systems it can cause upsets,
burn outs, and latch-ups in these units.

(2) High Powered Electromagnetic Pulse effects – High powered electromagnetic

sources can totally destroy an electrical and electronic equipment’s function.

As an example, an HNEMP device detonation above the earth’s atmosphere of the

United States can totally immobilize the whole of the continental United State’s
infrastructure. IEMI, HPM, E-Bombs, and EMP Cannons can be utilized to disable
electronic systems at specific locations.

(3) Power Quality distortions and transits that are present on the power main systems
can affect the normal operation of the equipment that it supplies power. Transits such
as power surges are capable of destroying interface electronic circuits. EFTs can cause
electronic circuit upset conditions.

(4) Railroad and Mass Transit Systems have one primary source of EMI and that is the
transit and railroad engine’s propulsion systems, which operates with high voltages,
currents, and magnetic field levels. They have been known to affect other facilities that
contain sensitive electrical equipment that are located near the railroad or mass transit
systems right away. These propulsion systems have had EMI associated problems with
other elements of their systems. Train control electronics can be affected by EMI
sources such as third rail and other broadband frequency arcing sources if they are not
adequate designed for EMC.

(5) Medical equipment and facilities sources include patient monitoring systems

Those are very susceptible to EMI interactions. The human body signals that they
monitor are very weak. They are measured in unites of microvolts and micro-amps.
Among other devices that are susceptible to EMI are hearing aids, wireless patient
monitoring systems, magnetic resonance imaging systems, implantable cardiovascular
devices, drug pumps, and portable diagnostic meters. As new technologies are
developed and enter the marketplace at a fast pace the list will grow.

CONCLUSIONS

As new devices and new technologies enter the marketplace, many operating at lower
power levels and higher frequencies that make will make these devices more
susceptible to EMI effects. This will also increase the number of EMI sources in the
EME. The Functional Safety of a product (a hazard resulting from an EMI induced
failure in the operation of a product) becomes of increasing concern. EMI factors are
important consideration that must be taken into account when evaluating the reliability
and quality assurance status of electrical and electronic products and systems.