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iMRS Prime system is a delicate system and should be operated in an environment observing the published electromagnetic interference guidelines below (Refer to operational manual section 2: page 6 – 12).
Electromagnetic tolerance (EMC)
Electric devices are subject to special precautions in terms of EMC and must be installed and placed in operation in accordance with the EMC instructions in the included documents. Electro devices are particular susceptible to the radio frequencies of portable and mobile communications equipment, such as cell phones and walkie-talkies.
Failure to comply to the EMC guidelines may cause the following issues to your Prime system:
- Premature failure of Prime components, especially connector box, control panel and applicators
- Intermittent connection issues / failures
In this article, we will extract some of the guidelines that is relevant to typical household and office environments.
1. Static Electricity
| Inteference Immunity Tests | IEC 60601 Test Level | Compliance Level | Electromagnetic Environment – Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discharge of static electricity (ESD) | ± 6 kV contact discharge | ± 6 kV contact discharge | Floors should be made of wood or concrete or covered in ceramic tiles. If the floor is covered with synthetic material, the relative air humidity must be at least 30 %. |
Interpretation
±6 kV means a static charge of 6,000 volts, either positive or negative. Most people can feel a static shock at around 2,000 volts. A typical static shock from walking on a carpet or taking off a sweater can be around 5,000 volts.
If you are operating the iMRS Prime system in an environment where you constantly experience static shocks, it is important to review the humidity and flooring. Low humidity and carpeted floors can increase the likelihood of static shocks.
2. Voltage Dips/Fluctuations
| Inteference Immunity Tests | IEC 60601 Test Level | Compliance Level | Electromagnetic Environment – Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage dips, short interruptions and fluctuations in the supply voltage Acc. to IEC 61000-4-11 | < 5 % Ut < (> 95 % dip in Ut ) for 1/2 period 40 % Ut (60 % dip in Ut ) for 5 periods 70 % Ut (30 % dip in Ut ) for 25 periods < 5 % Ut (> 95 % dip in Ut ) for 5 s | 0 % Ut < (> 95 % dip in Ut ) for 1/2 period 40 % Ut (60 % dip in Ut ) for 5 periods 70 % Ut (30 % dip in Ut ) for 25 periods 0 % Ut (> 95 % dip in Ut ) for 5 s | The quality of the supply voltage should correspond to that in typical business or hospital surroundings. If the user of the iMRS prime requires uninterrupted functioning, even when interruptions in the power supply occur, it is recommended to feed the iMRS prime from an uninterruptable power supply or a battery. |
Interpretation
According to IEC 61000-4-11, voltage dips, short interruptions, and fluctuations in the supply voltage are defined as follows:
- Voltage dip: A sudden reduction in the voltage level of a power supply system below a specified threshold.
- Short interruption: A sudden reduction in the voltage level of a power supply system to zero, followed by a restoration of the voltage level to its original value within a short period of time (typically less than 1 second).
- Voltage fluctuation: A continuous variation in the voltage level of a power supply system.
Voltage dips, short interruptions, and voltage fluctuations can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- Faults on the power supply system, such as short circuits or lightning strikes
- Sudden changes in load on the power supply system
- Switching operations on the power supply system
- Interference from other electrical devices
In the context of voltage dips, < 5 % Ut means that the voltage level of the power supply system is reduced to less than 95% of its nominal value for a short period of time.
Periods in the context of voltage dips refer to the number of cycles of the power supply system that the voltage dip lasts for. A cycle is one complete oscillation of the voltage waveform. The power supply system frequency in most Asian countries are 50 Hz, so one cycle takes 1/50 of a second.
For example, if a power supply system has a nominal voltage of 220 volts, a < 5 % Ut voltage dip would be a reduction in the voltage to less than 209 volts. A < (> 95 % dip in Ut ) for 1/2 period means that the voltage level of the power supply system is reduced to less than 5% of its nominal value for a period of 1/2 cycle. 40 % Ut (60 % dip in Ut ) for 5 periods, periods means that the voltage level of the power supply system is reduced to 40% of its nominal value for a period of 5 cycles.
3. RF Interference
| Interference Immunity Tests | IEC 60601 Test Level | Compliance Level | Electromagnetic Environment – Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conducted RF interference acc. to IEC 61000-4-6 Radiated RF interference acc. to IEC 61000-4-3 | 3 V effective value 150 kHz to 80 MHz 3 V/m 80 MHz to 2.5 GHz | 3V 3V/m | Portable and mobile radio devices should not be used at a distance from the iMRS, including the cables, less than the recommended safe distance calculated by the relevant equation for the transmitted frequency. Recommended safe distance: d=1,2(Square root of P) d=1,2(Square root of P) for 80 MHz to 800 MHz d=1,3(Square root of P) for 800 MHz to 2.5 GHz with „P“ as the rated power of the transmitter in watts (W) according to the information from the transmitter manufacturer and „d“ as the recommended safe distance in metres (m). The field strength of stationary radio transmitters should be investigated locally for all frequencies lower than the compliance level Interference is possible in the vicinity of devices carrying the following symbol |
Interpretation
Conducted RF interference according to IEC 61000-4-6 and radiated RF interference according to IEC 61000-4-3 refer to two different types of radio frequency (RF) interference.
Conducted RF interference is interference that travels along power lines and other electrical cables. It can be caused by a variety of sources, such as switching power supplies, electric motors, and radio transmitters (i.e. dirty electricity)
Radiated RF interference is interference that travels through the air. It can be caused by a variety of sources, such as radio transmitters, cell phones, and microwave ovens.
The IEC 61000-4-6 and IEC 61000-4-3 standards specify test methods and requirements for electrical and electronic equipment to withstand conducted and radiated RF interference, respectively. The standards are intended to ensure that electrical and electronic equipment is reliable and can operate safely in a variety of environments.
Recommendations
The following recommendations are for environments that are likely to be affected by non-compliant environmental factors.
A. Static Electricity:
Here are some tips to reduce static shocks in your environment:
- Increase the humidity in your environment by using a humidifier.
- Avoid wearing synthetic clothing, which can generate static electricity.
- Use anti-static products on surfaces and clothing.
- Ground yourself by touching a metal object before touching the iMRS Prime system.
- Ion generators, including those found in air purifiers, can significantly increase static electricity in the environment. Place ion generators at least 3 meters away from the Prime system.
B. Voltage Dips/Fluctuations
Install an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system to help regulate the voltage. Get those with EMI/EFI filter built-in to reduce RF interference due to dirty electricity.
C. RF Interference
Install a UPS / Power Surge Protector (with EMI/EFI filter built-in) or Dirty Electricity Filter to minimize the interference. A EMI/EFI (dirty electricity) filter can help reduce RF interference caused by harmonics and other high-frequency noise from the electrical power supply. This is likely the most common cause of premature failure of Prime components.