Assessment of Environmental Impact of Magnetic Fields

Industrial frequency Electrical and Magnetic Fields

BEShielding S.r.l. performs assessments of electric and magnetic fields generated by electrical infrastructure (lines, substations, industrial electrical equipment), and also monitors the territory aimed at ascertaining compliance with the exposure limits and the attention thresholds. The assessment of electric and magnetic fields is very often mandated by law.

BEShielding S.r.l. uses two-dimensional and three-dimensional computational codes to perform electric and magnetic field assessments, and the relevant calculation of first and second approximation buffer zones for the fields generated by electrical infrastructure such as:
• power lines (overhead and cable);
• electrical substations (primary and secondary);
• electrical industrial equipment (welding machines, induction heating, etc.).

The assessment of electric and magnetic field levels produced by electrical infrastructure must be carried out by law and the field levels to be complied with are set out by the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of 8 July 2003.

With regards to first approximation assessment of the buffer zone (first approximation distance FAD) in Italy it is possible to refer to the Ministerial Decree of 29/05/2008 "Approval of the calculation methodology for determining the buffer zones for power lines" with particular reference to art. 5 paragraph 5.1.3 "Simplified method: calculating the first approximation distance" that introduces the concept of first approximation distance (FAD) and the possibility of using the formulas specified by IEC standard 106-11 "Guide for the determination of the buffer zones for power lines pursuant to the provisions of Prime Ministerial Decree July 8, 2003 (Art. 6) Part 1: Overhead and cable power lines” of 1 April 2006.

It should be emphasized that the FAD (first approximation distance) assessment, according to the procedure outlined in Decree 29/05/2008 is difficult to apply to situations like electric substations or stations as these are characterised by layout and composition hardly related to the matter at hand.

The complexity of the source under examination requires a more accurate assessment which mainly takes into account the three-dimensionality of the single sources and the effect produced by the combination of the same (superposition of effects).

BEShielding S.r.l. has therefore developed a three-dimensional software: MAGIC® which takes into account all these aspects and makes it possible to perform an environmental impact assessment that complies with the needs outlined above.