<p>This thesis deals with the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems of distributed electrical networks, especially that caused by lightning to electrified railway. Lightning transients were found to damage important devices that control train movements, causing traffic stoppage and delays. This thesis attempts to develop computational models for identification of parameters influencing the coupling phenomena between those devices and lightning. Some supporting experimental investigations are also carried out. This thesis forms the groundwork on the subject of lightning interaction with the electrified railway networks.</p><p>Lightning induces transient overvoltages in railway conductor systems such as tracks, overhead wires, and underground cables, either due to direct lightning strike to the system or due to the coupling of electromagnetic fields from remote strikes. Models based on multiconductor transmission line theory were developed for calculating the induced voltages and currents. A transmission line return stroke model, that can predict the remote electromagnetic fields comparable to experimental observations, is also developed. </p><p>Earlier works on modeling earth return impedances for transient studies in power distribution systems are not readily applicable for railways for lightning transients, in cases of low earth conductivities found in Sweden and for large variation in conductor heights. For the wires above ground, the ground impedance models were modified for wide range of frequencies, soil conductivities and wide spread of conductor heights. Influences of pole insulator flashovers, pole-footing soil ionizations and interconnections between the conductors on the lightning surge propagation are studied. Wave propagation in buried shielded and unshielded cables with ground return is studied. Simplified, valid and computationally efficient ground impedance expressions for buried and on-ground wires are proposed. A model for the coupling phenomena (transfer impedance) through multiple cable shields with multiconductor core is also proposed. Besides, experimental studies on lightning induced transients entering a railway technical house, failure modes of relay and rectifier units used in the train position/signaling applications for lightning transients are performed. A high frequency circuit model for the booster transformer for lightning interaction studies is developed. The simulation models are being converted to user-friendly software for the practicing engineers of the railway industry.</p>

<p>The present society is highly dependant on complex electronics systems, which have a low damage threshold level. Therefore, there is a high risk of partial or total loss of the system’s electronics when they are exposed to a thunderstorm environment. This calls for a deep understanding on the mechanism related to the interaction of lightning generated electromagnetic fields with various large distributed/scattered systems. To accurately represent the interaction of lightning electromagnetic fields with electrical networks, it is necessary to have return stroke models capable to reproduce the electromagnetic field signatures generated by a lightning flash. Several models have been developed in the recent past to study the field-to-wire coupling mechanism. The most popular, simple and accurate among the available models is the Agrawal et al. model. On the other hand, ATP-EMTP is a well-known transient simulation package widely used by power engineers. This package has various built-in line models like Semlyen, Marti and Noda setups. There is a difficulty in applying the Agrawal et al. model with the built-in line models of ATP-EMTP, as the voltage source due to the horizontal component of electric field in Agrawal et al. model is in series with the line impedance and not in between two transmission line segments. Furthermore, when the electromagnetic field is propagating over a finite conducting ground plane, the soil will selectively attenuate the high frequency content of the electromagnetic field; causing a change in the field wave shape. A finite conducting ground will also produce a horizontal field component at the ground level. Several approximations are available in the literature to obtain the horizontal electric field; namely the wave-tilt and the Cooray-Rubinstein approximation. Consequently, it is important to investigate the change on the induced voltage signature when the power line is located over a finitely conducting ground. Additionally, to provide protection from lightning induced transients it is necessary to use Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) capable of diverting the incoming transients and provide protection level necessary to avoid damage in the equipment. However, standard test procedures of the SPDs do not take into account sub-microsecond structure of the transients. Therefore, to provide the required protection level to sensitive equipments connected to the low voltage power network, it is essential to understand the response of SPDs subjected to high current derivative impulses. This thesis is aimed to investigate the research problems as addressed above. Special attention will be given to a new proposed return stroke model, a simple circuit approach for efficient implementation of Agrawal et al. model using ATP-EMTP, the effect of the soil conductivity on the lightning induced overvoltage signatures and the response of surge protective devices subjected to high current derivative impulses.</p>

The present society is highly dependant on complex electronics systems, which have a low damage threshold level. Therefore, there is a high risk of partial or total loss of the system’s electronics when they are exposed to a thunderstorm environment. This calls for a deep understanding on the mechanism related to the interaction of lightning generated electromagnetic fields with various large distributed/scattered systems. To accurately represent the interaction of lightning electromagnetic fields with electrical networks, it is necessary to have return stroke models capable to reproduce the electromagnetic field signatures generated by a lightning flash. Several models have been developed in the recent past to study the field-to-wire coupling mechanism. The most popular, simple and accurate among the available models is the Agrawal et al. model. On the other hand, ATP-EMTP is a well-known transient simulation package widely used by power engineers. This package has various built-in line models like Semlyen, Marti and Noda setups. There is a difficulty in applying the Agrawal et al. model with the built-in line models of ATP-EMTP, as the voltage source due to the horizontal component of electric field in Agrawal et al. model is in series with the line impedance and not in between two transmission line segments. Furthermore, when the electromagnetic field is propagating over a finite conducting ground plane, the soil will selectively attenuate the high frequency content of the electromagnetic field; causing a change in the field wave shape. A finite conducting ground will also produce a horizontal field component at the ground level. Several approximations are available in the literature to obtain the horizontal electric field; namely the wave-tilt and the Cooray-Rubinstein approximation. Consequently, it is important to investigate the change on the induced voltage signature when the power line is located over a finitely conducting ground. Additionally, to provide protection from lightning induced transients it is necessary to use Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) capable of diverting the incoming transients and provide protection level necessary to avoid damage in the equipment. However, standard test procedures of the SPDs do not take into account sub-microsecond structure of the transients. Therefore, to provide the required protection level to sensitive equipments connected to the low voltage power network, it is essential to understand the response of SPDs subjected to high current derivative impulses. This thesis is aimed to investigate the research problems as addressed above. Special attention will be given to a new proposed return stroke model, a simple circuit approach for efficient implementation of Agrawal et al. model using ATP-EMTP, the effect of the soil conductivity on the lightning induced overvoltage signatures and the response of surge protective devices subjected to high current derivative impulses.

This thesis deals with the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems of distributed electrical networks, especially that caused by lightning to electrified railway. Lightning transients were found to damage important devices that control train movements, causing traffic stoppage and delays. This thesis attempts to develop computational models for identification of parameters influencing the coupling phenomena between those devices and lightning. Some supporting experimental investigations are also carried out. This thesis forms the groundwork on the subject of lightning interaction with the electrified railway networks. Lightning induces transient overvoltages in railway conductor systems such as tracks, overhead wires, and underground cables, either due to direct lightning strike to the system or due to the coupling of electromagnetic fields from remote strikes. Models based on multiconductor transmission line theory were developed for calculating the induced voltages and currents. A transmission line return stroke model, that can predict the remote electromagnetic fields comparable to experimental observations, is also developed. Earlier works on modeling earth return impedances for transient studies in power distribution systems are not readily applicable for railways for lightning transients, in cases of low earth conductivities found in Sweden and for large variation in conductor heights. For the wires above ground, the ground impedance models were modified for wide range of frequencies, soil conductivities and wide spread of conductor heights. Influences of pole insulator flashovers, pole-footing soil ionizations and interconnections between the conductors on the lightning surge propagation are studied. Wave propagation in buried shielded and unshielded cables with ground return is studied. Simplified, valid and computationally efficient ground impedance expressions for buried and on-ground wires are proposed. A model for the coupling phenomena (transfer impedance) through multiple cable shields with multiconductor core is also proposed. Besides, experimental studies on lightning induced transients entering a railway technical house, failure modes of relay and rectifier units used in the train position/signaling applications for lightning transients are performed. A high frequency circuit model for the booster transformer for lightning interaction studies is developed. The simulation models are being converted to user-friendly software for the practicing engineers of the railway industry.

Ο στόχος της διπλωματικής αυτής είναι η περιγραφή της αναδυόμενης τεχνολογίας PLC (PowerLine Communication). Η τεχνολογία αυτή με τη χρήση του πανταχού παρόντος ηλεκτρικού δικτύου προσφέρει ακόμα και σε απομακρυσμένους χρήστες πληθώρα ευρυζωνικών υπηρεσιών και πρόσβαση στο διαδίκτυο, αποτελώντας μια ανταγωνιστική επιλογή τρόπου επικοινωνίας. Για την κατανόηση της PLC τεχνολογίας αρχικά κρίνουμε απαραίτητη την λεπτομερή περιγραφή της δομής του ηλεκτρικού δικτύου, του εξοπλισμού που απαιτείται για την εφαρμογή της και των αρχιτεκτονικών της. Στη συνέχεια γίνεται αναφορά στα προβλήματα που παρουσιάζονται και χρήζουν αντιμετώπισης. Επιπρόσθετα, γίνεται σύντομη παρουσίαση των εναλλακτικών υπηρεσιών και σύγκριση των PLC με αυτές. Η μετάδοση μέσω ηλεκτροφόρων καλωδίων προσφέρει ένα μεγάλο εύρος ζώνης, παρέχοντας μία γκάμα πολυάριθμων υπηρεσιών, όπως το έξυπνο σπίτι ή το AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) για τη διευκόλυνση τόσο των οικιακών χρηστών όσο και των επιχειρησιακών. Η χρήση των γραμμών ηλεκτρικής ενέργειας ως τηλεπικοινωνιακό κανάλι απαιτεί την εφαρμογή των κατάλληλων τεχνικών πρόσβασης. Οι πιο διαδεδομένες τεχνικές είναι οι FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) και CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) . Η παρούσα διπλωματική επικεντρώθηκε στην TDMA και την FDMA με διαμόρφωση σήματος OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) η οποία ονομάζεται OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access). Πραγματοποιήθηκαν εξομοιώσεις σε Matlab διάφορων αλγορίθμων αναλογικής δικαιοσύνης με τεχνική OFDMA και ταυτόχρονη εξομοίωση της TDMA. Στόχος είναι να συγκρίνουμε τους αλγόριθμους αυτούς ως προς το συνολικό ρυθμό μετάδοσης και τη δικαιοσύνη κατανομής των πόρων στους χρήστες. Από τη σύγκριση αυτή προκύπτει ότι η τεχνική TDMA αποδίδει λιγότερο, ενώ από τους υπόλοιπους αλγόριθμους τα καλύτερα αποτελέσματα επιφέρει ο αλγόριθμος των Bill et al., με ισορροπία του συνολικού ρυθμού μετάδοσης και της επιθυμητής δικαιοσύνης. / Main goal of this diploma thesis is the description of the up and coming PLC (PowerLine Communication) technology. This technology offers access to the web and to several broadband services to even distant and isolated users, by exploiting the power line grid, widely spread to nearly all surface land sites, consisting this way a competitive communication alternative. For a better comprehension of the PLC technology, this work starts with a detailed description of the power line grid, the several PLC technology architectures and the necessary equipment for their application. Following this work, there is a reference to any possible problems that need to be overcome and a short comparative presentation of the PLC technology versus other alternatives to it. The data transmission over electricity lines offers a wide bandwidth and thus it may support a variety of applications, as the smart home and AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) for the proper service of either domestic or industrial users. The use of electricity power lines as a communication channel necessitates the application of multiple access Strategies as FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), which are currently the most popular. This thesis is focused on TDMA and FDMA with OFDM signal modulation. This technique is called OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access). Several proportional rate constraints algorithms were simulated in Matlab applying both OFDMA and TDMA strategies in order to compare these algorithms in terms of the maximized total throughput and the fair allocation of resources to the end users (fairness). From this comparison it comes up that TDMA technique is less efficient, whereas from the other algorithms the most efficient is the one of Bill et al., that offers a good balance between total throughput and fairness.

RCs (Reverberation Chambers) has historically been used mainly for aerospace and military purposes in EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) testing, but the interest also seems to increase in the automotive industry (the development of an international standard for vehicles is in progress). The vehicles of the future will most likely be electrified, wirelessly connected and autonomous, i.e., more control units, more communication systems, and more sensors, will be implemented in the vehicles requiring increased robustness against all possible electromagnetic interferences. EMC testing in an RC is a step in the direction of ensuring this robustness for the future vehicle platforms. Compared to a traditional EMC test method in a fully or semi-AC (Anechoic Chamber), testing in an RC has the advantage that the electromagnetic field will be isotropic, randomly polarized and homogeneous in a statistical sense, i.e., the exposed object will be surrounded by electromagnetic energy from all directions. It can be considered relatively expensive to build a brand new RC with motorized stirrers and associated measurement instrumentation, instead it would be desirable to perform immunity tests in a more cost-effective conductive fabric tent. The great advantage is the flexibility, the tent can be set up almost anywhere, even in already existing semi-ACs, such set-up is referred to as VIRC (Vibrating Intrinsic Reverberation Chamber). This thesis aims to develop a new test method in a VIRC environment. In order to achieve good RC conditions, the electromagnetic field must be statistically Rayleigh distributed. Furthermore, it is of great importance to avoid LoS (Line of Sight) between the antenna and the test object, and to achieve good stirring in the tent. Provided this can be achieved, there are still some challenges by testing in a tent. For example, the classical dwell time of two seconds for immunity testing in EMC is not possible to achieve in a VIRC environment. The validation in this thesis shows that the dwell time or the total exposure time in the tent might be enough to trigger possible malfunctions in today's modern high-speed communication vehicles. Furthermore, it is showed, testing in a VIRC gives good field uniformity and repeatability, and can trigger malfunctions that are not triggered in traditional EMC testing in semi-AC, i.e., ALSE (Absorber-Lined Shielded Enclosure) testing.

I detta arbete undersöks lämpliga materialval och tillverkningsmetoder för medicintekniska produkter, specifikt för SwiftVitals - en sensorenhet utvecklad för att mäta livsviktiga kroppsfunktioner som EKG och syremättnad i blodet. De vanligaste polymererna och tillverkningsteknikerna inom medicinteknik har analyserats med avseende på de höga krav som ställs på medicintekniska miljöer, däribland mekanisk styrka, kemisk resistens, vattenbeständighet, resistens mot UV-ljus och klimatavtryck. Särskild uppmärksamhet har ägnats åt att balansera tillverkningskostnader mot prestanda och hållbarhet för att föreslå de mest kostnadseffektiva och funktionella alternativen för serieproduktion. I rapporten förklaras även viktiga regulatoriska överväganden som CE-märkning och EMC-kompatibilitet, vilka är avgörande för medicintekniska produkters säkerhet och effektivitet på marknaden. Genom detta arbete ges Stixon AB konkreta rekommendationer för material- och metodval för prototypen av SwiftVitals. / This report examines suitable material choices and manufacturing methods for medical devices, specifically for SwiftVitals - a sensor unit developed to measure vital body functions such as ECG and blood oxygen saturation. The most common polymers and manufacturing techniques in medical technology have been analyzed with respect to the high demands placed on medical environments, including mechanical strength, chemical resistance, water resistance, UV resistance, and environmental impact. Focus has been placed on balancing manufacturing costs with performance and durability to recommend the most cost-effective and functional alternatives for serial production. The report also highlights important regulatory considerations such as CE marking and EMC compatibility, which are crucial for the safety and effectiveness of medical devices on the market. Through this work, Stixon AB is provided with concrete recommendations for material and method selection for the prototype of SwiftVitals.

The purpose of this thesis is to present solutions to overcome several key difficulties that limit the application of numerical modelling in communication cable design and analysis. In particular, specific limiting factors are that simulations are time consuming, and the process of comparison requires skill and is poorly defined and understood. When much of the process of design consists of optimisation of performance within a well defined domain, the use of artificial intelligence techniques may reduce or remove the need for human interaction in the design process. The automation of human processes allows round-the-clock operation at a faster throughput. Achieving a speedup would permit greater exploration of the possible designs, improving understanding of the domain. This thesis presents work that relates to three facets of the efficiency of numerical modelling: minimizing simulation execution time, controlling optimization processes and quantifying comparisons of results. These topics are of interest because simulation times for most problems of interest run into tens of hours. The design process for most systems being modelled may be considered an optimisation process in so far as the design is improved based upon a comparison of the test results with a specification. Development of software to automate this process permits the improvements to continue outside working hours, and produces decisions unaffected by the psychological state of a human operator. Improved performance of simulation tools would facilitate exploration of more variations on a design, which would improve understanding of the problem domain, promoting a virtuous circle of design. The minimization of execution time was achieved through the development of a Parallel TLM Solver which did not use specialized hardware or a dedicated network. Its design was novel because it was intended to operate on a network of heterogeneous machines in a manner which was fault tolerant, and included a means to reduce vulnerability of simulated data without encryption. Optimisation processes were controlled by genetic algorithms and particle swarm optimisation which were novel applications in communication cable design. The work extended the range of cable parameters, reducing conductor diameters for twisted pair cables, and reducing optical coverage of screens for a given shielding effectiveness. Work on the comparison of results introduced ―Colour maps‖ as a way of displaying three scalar variables over a two-dimensional surface, and comparisons were quantified by extending 1D Feature Selective Validation (FSV) to two dimensions, using an ellipse shaped filter, in such a way that it could be extended to higher dimensions. In so doing, some problems with FSV were detected, and suggestions for overcoming these presented: such as the special case of zero valued DC signals. A re-description of Feature Selective Validation, using Jacobians and tensors is proposed, in order to facilitate its implementation in higher dimensional spaces.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse concerne la mise en oeuvre numérique de techniques temporelles pour des applications en compatibilité électromagnétique (CEM) impulsionnelle, essentiellement pour des études en chambre réverbérante à brassage de modes (CRBM). Prenant le contre-pied des approches fréquentielles, adaptées par nature aux études de cavités résonantes, l’idée directrice de ce mémoire a été d’étudier des moyens temporels originaux d’investigation de CRBM en vue de proposer de nouveaux paradigmes pour la caractérisation d’équipements. Originellement développé en acoustique, le processus de retournement temporel (RT) récemment appliqué aux ondes électromagnétiques permet une focalisation spatiale et temporelle de ces dernières d’autant meilleur que le milieu de propagation est réverbérant. Les chambres réverbérantes (CR) sont ainsi des endroits idéaux pour l’application du processus de RT. Après une nécessaire étude des nombreux paramètres qui gouvernent ce dernier couplée à la définition de méthodologies numériques spécifiques, les applications du RT en CRBM sont exposées. En particulier, l’intérêt d’une focalisation sélective pour des tests en susceptibilité rayonnée est démontré. L’importance des coefficients d’absorption et de diffraction des équipements en CRBM justifie leur caractérisation précise et efficace. À cette fin, la mise en oeuvre d’un calcul temporel de section efficace totale de diffraction (TSCS en anglais) est détaillée. L’application de cette nouvelle technique à différentes formes de brasseurs de modes permet au final de confronter ces résultats avec ceux obtenus à l’aide de tests normatifs CEM. / The work presented in this thesis concerns the use of time techniques for impulsive ElectroMagnetic Compatibility (EMC) applications, mainly for Modes Stirred Reverberation Chamber (MSRC) studies. Contrary to approaches from frequency domain, obviously well-fitted for studies in resonant cavities, the main idea of this thesis was to study an original time method for MSRC investigation to propose new paradigms for equipment characterization. Originally developed in acoustics, the Time Reversal (TR) process recently applied to electromagnetic waves allows focusing it both in time and space. The process quality is even higher if the propagation environment is reverberant. Thus, the Reverberation Chambers (RC) are an ideal locations for TR implementation. After a study of parameters involved in the TR process coupled with the definition of specific numerical methods, the applications of TR in MSRC are exposed. In particular, the interest of selective focusing for radiated susceptibility tests is demonstrated. The importance of absorption and diffraction coefficients for MSRC equipment justifies their accurate and efficient characterization. To this end, the implementation of a temporal calculation of the Total Scattering Cross Section (TSCS) in RC is detailed. The application of this new technique to different forms of stirrers allows finally to face these results with those obtained from standard EMC test.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse a pour objectif de proposer et d'évaluer les performances de différentes techniques de suppression de bruit impulsif de type asynchrone adaptées aux transmissions sur courants porteurs en lignes (CPL) indoor. En effet, outre les caractéristiques physiques spécifiques à ce type de canal de transmission, le bruit impulsif asynchrone reste la contrainte sévère qui pénalise les systèmes CPL en terme de QoS. Pour remédier aux dégradations dues aux bruits impulsifs asynchrones, les techniques dites de retransmission sont souvent très utilisées. Bien qu'elles soient efficaces, ces techniques de retransmission conduisent à une réduction de débit et à l’introduction de délais de traitement supplémentaires pouvant être critiques pour des applications temps réel. Par ailleurs, plusieurs solutions alternatives sont proposées dans la littérature pour minimiser l'impact du bruit impulsif sur les transmissions CPL. Cependant, le nombre de techniques, qui permettent d'obtenir un bon compromis entre capacité de correction et complexité d'implantation reste faible pour les systèmes CPL. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons dans un premier temps d'utiliser un filtre linéaire adaptatif : le filtre de Widrow, nommé aussi ADALINE (ADAptive LInear NEuron), que nous utilisons comme méthode de débruitage pour les systèmes CPL. Pour améliorer les performances du débruitage effectué à l'aide d'ADALINE, nous proposons d'utiliser un réseau de neurones (RN) non linéaire comme méthode de débruitage. Le réseau de neurones est un bon outil qui est une généralisation de la structure du filtre ADALINE. Dans un deuxième temps, pour améliorer les performances du débruitage par un réseau de neurones, nous proposons un procédé d'annulation du bruit impulsif constitué de deux algorithmes : EMD (Empirical Mode Decomposition) associé à un réseau de neurones de type perceptron multicouches. L'EMD effectue le prétraitement en décomposant le signal bruité en signaux moins complexes et donc plus facilement analysables. Après quoi le réseau de neurones effectue le débruitage. Enfin, nous proposons une méthode d'estimation du bruit impulsif utilisant la méthode GPOF (Generalized Pencil Of Function). L'efficacité des deux méthodes, EMD-RN et la technique utilisant l'algorithme GPOF, est évaluée en utilisant une chaîne de simulation de transmission numérique compatible avec le standard HPAV. / The aim of our thesis is to propose and to evaluate the performances of some asynchronous impulsive noise mitigation techniques for transmission over indoor power lines. Indeed, besides the particular physical properties that characterize this transmission channel type, asynchronous impulsive noise remains the difficult constraint to overcome on power lines communications (PLC). Usually, the impact of asynchronous impulsive disturbances over power lines is partly compensated by means of retransmission mechanisms. However, the main drawbacks of the use of retransmission solutions for impulsive noise mitigation are the bitrate loss and the induced time delays that may be prohibitive for real-time services. Although several other countering strategies are proposed in the literature, only very few of them have a good compromise between correction capability and implementing complexity for PLC systems. In this context, we proposed an adaptive linear filter, the Widrow filter, also known as ADALINE (Adaptive LInear neurons), as a denoising method for PLC systems. To improve the performance of the denoising method using ADALINE, we proposed to use a neural network (NN) as a nonlinear denoising method. The neural network is a good generalization of the ADALINE filter. In a second step, to improve the performances of denoising by NN, we proposed a combined denoising method based on EMD (Empirical Mode Decomposition) and MLPNN (Multi Layer Perceptron Neural Network). The noised signal is pre-processed by EMD which decomposes it into signals less complex and therefore more easily analyzed. Then the MLPNN denoises it. Finally, we proposed an asynchronous impulsive noise estimation method using the GPOF method (Generalized Pencil Of Function). The performances of the two methods, EMD-MLPNN and GPOF technique, are evaluated using a PLC transmission chain compatible with the HPAV standard.