ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION COMPARISON

Usual electromagnetic radiation

This article provides a series of parameters on the level of electromagnetic radiation, trying to limit the data to the strictly measurable and objectifiable level.

Systematic OHS controls in industries and companies

K2 Ingenieros reserves its opinion on the healthiness of this type of emissions, since this assessment corresponds to specialties outside our field of action. The purpose of this article is informative and is not intended to constitute a rigorous study.

Our field of activity is the measurement and control of radioelectric emissions, with hundreds of actions. We share this informative summary based on our experience.

Power of some electromagnetic radiation sources

These are some of the most frequent sources of electromagnetic radiation, with the typical measurements we have obtained:

AM/FM/TV Radio Station

It is usual to be far away from these radiation emitters, so in reality this effect can be ignored in most cases. They are usually located at strategic points such as the top of a hill or the center of a plain. They emit with a very high power, but they are always far away from population centers.

Rural tower Mobile telephony

It is usual to be more than 10 meters away from these broadcasting centers. Again, they are located at strategic points, similar to those occupied by RTV stations.

Urban cell Mobile telephony

This type of installation is very common on the rooftops of cities, especially on the most prominent buildings in the urban landscape. Their location obeys to coverage needs and inevitably they must be placed forming a mesh in the urban centers.

Micro/peak cell Mobile telephony

These mobile telephone installations provide indoor coverage to companies, facilities, public buildings, theaters, stadiums, parking lots, basements and all types of buildings where telephone coverage is not available or where there are large crowds of people. Its power is very low, due to its reduced coverage area, which reaches, at most, a few tens of meters, usually inside buildings.

WiFi Access Point

The power of these emitters is very low and, contrary to some beliefs, should not be a cause for concern since it is comparatively much lower, or even similar to that emitted by other household appliances whose operating principle is not radio waves.

Microwave oven

At one meter from a microwave oven it is typical to measure electromagnetic radiation levels of 5 to 10 V/m which are, in fact, much higher than those usually found around emitting centers. This type of radiation has a frequency of about 2.450 Ghz, which corresponds to the resonance of water molecules (this is its operating principle) and is in the range of that of cell phone emissions.

Laptop computer

A laptop computer usually radiates between 1 and 3 V/m, measured at about 20 cm from its surface. Most of the radiation usually comes from the processor and the graphics card and depends very much on the computer model, its power, operating frequency and construction. It is a radiation that attenuates very quickly with distance.

CRT TV

These devices, now almost obsolete, had a typical emission of between 2 and 5 V/m at a distance of one meter. We should be more concerned about cathode rays, which are ionizing radiation.

The measurements provided by k2 are TYPICAL, meaning that this is the most frequent range, but that measurements well outside this range can be (and are) found.

Maximum levels of electromagnetic radiation

The limit in Spain is about 41.25 V/m (without considering frequency) and in Catalonia 27 V/m, without considering other distance restrictions and/or regulations. The main legislation can be consulted in this article.

The density decreases with the square of the distance, which is essential for power reduction. In reality, it is also very frequent that other obstacles (walls, slabs, etc.) are in the way, which decrease the power of the wave in a variable way, according to their thickness, shape and electrical characteristics.

For devices whose mission is not to emit (microwave ovens, laptop or TV) no calculations are made since emission is an undesired (or marginal) effect and no data are available.

For this calculation it has been assumed that the source is isotropic and that there is a direct view of the source. The formula d=Pe/(4*pi*r*r) has been applied for the emitted power.

If you have any doubts or wish to make any kind of verification on the level of radioelectric radiation, you can count on us. We offer objectivity, neutrality and rigor.