Architectural Emi Shielding

Architectural Electromagnetic
Shielding Handbook
IEEE PRESS
445 Hoes Lane, PO Box 1331
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331
1991 Editorial Board
Leonard Shaw, Editor in Chief
William C. Guyker, Editor, Selected Reprint Series
1. E. Brittain
S. H. Charap
R. C. Dorf
1. 1. Farrell III
L. 1. Greenstein
1. D. Irwin
W. K. Jenkins
S. Luryi
E. K. Miller
1. G. Nagle
1. D. Ryder
A. C. Schell
M. Simaan
M. I. Skolnik
G. S. Smith
Y. Sunahara
R. Welchel
1. W. Woods
Dudley R. Kay, Executive Editor

Carrie Briggs, Administrative Assistant
Karen G. Miller, Production Editor
Architectural Electromagnetic
Shielding Handbook
A Design and Specification Guide
Leland H. Hemming
Engineering Consultant
I EEE
PRESS
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., New York
This book and other books may be purchased at a discount

from the publisher when ordered in bulk quantities. Contact:
IEEE Press Marketing
Attn: Special Sales
445 Hoes Lane
P.O. Box 1331
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331
Fax: + 1 732 981 9334
For more information about IEEE Press products, visit the
IEEE Online Catalog & Store: http://www.ieee.org/ieeestore.
1992 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.

3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016-5997
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form,
nor may it be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form,
without written permission from the publisher.
10
ISBN 0-7803-6024-9
IEEE Order No. PP2824
The Library of Congress has catalogued the hard cover edition of this
title as follows:
Architectural electromagnetic shielding handbook: a design and
specification guide / Leland H. Hemming, engineering consultant.
p.
em.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-87942-287-4
I. Shielding (Electricity) 2. Magnetic Shielding. I. Hemming,
Leland H. II. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
TK454.4.M33A77 1991
621.382-dc20
91-21458
CIP
Contents
Foreword
xiii
Preface
xvii
Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Scope
1.2
Chapter 2
Radio Frequency Shielding Definitions and Terminology
The Need for Radio Frequency Shielding
2.1
Introduction
2.2 The Electromagnetic Environment
2.2.1
2.2.2
2.2.3
2.2.4
7
7
Introduction, 7
Electromagnetic interference (EMf), 8
TEMPEST, 8
Electromagnetic pulse (EMP), 9
2.3 Facility versus Equipment Shielding

2.4
Shielded Anechoic Test Facilities
10
10
2.4.1 Introduction, 10
2.4.2 Shielding of anechoic facilities, 10
2.5
2.6
Chapter 3
3.1
3.2
Conclusions
References
Shielding Theory
Introduction
Shielding Effectiveness
11
11
13
13
15
vi
Contents
3.2.2
3.2.3
3.2.4
3.2.5
3.2.6
Reflection, 16
Absorption, 18
Internal reflection, factor B, 18
Total shielding effectiveness, 20
Performance degradation, 20
3.3 Typical Shielding Materials

3.4 Seams
3.4.1
3.4.2
3.4.3
3.4.4
Introduction, 26
Welded Seams, 26
Clamped seams, 26
Single-shield seams, 30
3.5 Conclusions
3.6 References
Chapter 4
25
26
33
34
Modular Shielded Enclosures
35
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Zinc/Galvanized Steel Modular Shielded Enclosures
35
36
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
Introduction, 36
System description, 36
Typical performance, 40
Procurement specifications, 40
4.3 Double-Isolated Shield System
40
4.3.1 Description, 40
4.3.2 Procurement specification, 43
4.4
Double-Isolated Screen Enclosure
43
4.4.2 Procurement Specification, 44
4.5 Single-Shield Modular Enclosure

4.5.1
4.5.2
4.5.3
4.5.4
4.5.5
44
Introduction, 44
Nonferrous NMR enclosures, 44
The Lindsay system, 46
Bolt-together wooden frame system, 50
Low-performance clamp-up shielding System, 50
4.6 Advantages/Disadvantages of Modular Enclosures

4.7 Critical Considerations
51
51
4.8
4.9
53
Chapter 5
5.1
Performance Specifications
References
Welded Shielded Enclosures

Introduction
52
55
55
5.1.1 Scope, 55
5.1.2 Defining the shielded volume, 55
5.1.3 Shield materials, 56
5.2 Welded Shield Design and Construction
57
5.2.1 General information, 57

5.2.2 Shield seam construction, 57
5.2.3 Corner seams, 64
5.3 Additional Shield Design Details

5.3.1 General discussion, 64
5.3.2 Shield wall supports, 65
5.3.3 Interior support columns and walls, 65
64
Contents
vii
5.3.4
5.3.5
5.3.6
5.3.7
5.3.8
Suspension of ceiling shield from roof joists, 66

Expansion joints, 66
Suspended acoustic ceiling, 70
Other equipment mounting, 70
Corrosion control, 70
5.4 Penetrations
5.5 Quality Control Recommendations
5.6 Shielding Effectiveness Performance
5.7 Sample Procurement Specifications
5.8 Conclusions and Recommendations
5.9 References
Chapter 6
Architectural Shielding
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Critical Considerations in Architectural Shielding
6.3 Aluminum Foil Shielding
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.3
6.3.4
6.3.5
6.3.6
79
81
Description, 81
Performance, 82
Material description, 82
Installation procedures, 82
Procurement Specification, 89
6.6 The Sandwich Seam Shielding System

6.6.1
6.6.2
6.6.3
6.6.4
6.6.5
75
75
76
Description, 79
Installation, 79
Performance, 80
Recommended Procurement Specifications, 81
6.5 Copper Alloy Shielded Enclosures

6.5.1
6.5.2
6.5.3
6.5.4
6.5.5
75
Introduction, 76
Shielding material, 77
Joining methods, 77
Shielded enclosure performance, 78
Procurement specification, 78
6.4 Copper Foil Shielded Enclosures

6.4.1
6.4.2
6.4.3
6.4.4
72
72
72
73
73
73
83
Introduction 83
Theory of operation, 86
Typical performance, 89
Procurement Specification, 89
6.7 Other Shielding Systems,
89
6.7. 1 Introduction, 89
6.7.2 Description of the INSTAR shielding system, 90
6.7.3 Copper Screen System, 91
6.8 Other Shielding Materials

6.8.1
6.8.2
6.8.3
6.8.4
6.8.5
91
Introduction, 91
Aluminum/Polyethylene material, 92
Nonwoven shielding materials, 92
Woven shielding materials, 93
Conductive copper paint, 93
6.9 Structural Considerations of Architectural Shielding
75
viii
Contents
6.9.2 Shielding of existing structure, 94
6.9.3 Decorative treatment of interior walls, 96
6.10 References
Chapter 7
7.1
Penetrations and Their Control

Introduction
7.2 General Design Criteria for Penetration

7.3
Doors
97
99
99
99
100

7.3.2 The important features of an RF door, 101
7.3.3 The ReM or knife-edge door, 103
7.3.4 The compression door, 107

7.3.5 Moderate-performance RF doors, III
7.3.6 Vestibule and waveguide tunnel entrances, 111
7.3.7 Special-purpose shielded door systems 115
7.4
Heating and Air Conditioning
118

7.4.2 Description and theory of operation, 118
7.4.3 Performance, 120
7.4.4 Procurement Specifications, 121
7.5
Piping
121

7.5.2
7.5.3
7.5.4
7.5.5
7.6
Pipe penetrations for welded enclosures, 123

Piping for modular shielding, 124
Piping for architectural shielding, 124
Fiber Optics and Nonmetallic Hoses 126

7.6. 1 Design guides,
7.6.2 Procurement specification, 127
126
7.7 Shielded Windows 127

7.7.2 Shielding effectiveness of windows, 127
7.7.3 Window installation, 128
7.8
Fire Protection Systems
130
7.9 References
Chapter 8
Electrical Filters
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Fitter Theory
130
131
131
131

8.2.2 Filter configurations, 132
8.3
Filter Characteristics
8.3.2 Frequency characteristic, 134
8.3.3 Impedance levels, 134
133
ix
Contents
8.3.4
8.3.5
8.3.6
8.3.7
8.3.8
8.3.9
Voltage rating, 134

Current rating, 134
Insulation resistance, 134
Size and weight, 134
Temperature, 134
Reliability, 135
8.4 Filter Specifications
135

8.4.2 MIL-F-15733 requirements, 135
8.4.3 UL 1283 filter requirements, 136
8.5 Power Line Filters,

8.5.1
8.5.2
8.5.3
8.5.4
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
Chapter 9
Communication Filters
Data Line Filters (Computers)
Control Line Filters
Reference
Enclosure Performance Specifications and Testing
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Performance Specification Review
9.2.1
9.2.2
9.2.3
9.2.4
9.2.5
9.2.6
137
Introduction, 137
Description of available configurations, 137
Duo-shield electromagnetic filters, 137
140
141
141
142
143
143
144
Introduction, 144
MIL-STD-285, 144
NSA 65-6, 145
NSA 73-2A, 145
IEEE 299, 146
Other specifications, 147
9.3 How to Select or Prepare a Performance Specification
147

9.3.2 Defining the shielding requirements, 148
9.4 Enclosure Performance Testing
9.5
Introduction, 149
Interpretation of text specifications, 149
Testing Considerations, 151
Accuracy of measurements, 154
Data presentation, 154
Common testing problems, 155
Recommended shielding effectiveness test specification, 156
Seam Leak Testing (SELDS)
9.5. I Introduction, 156
9.5.2 Principles of operation, 157
9.5.3 Recommended use, 157
149
9.4.1
9.4.2
9.4.3
9.4.4
9.4.5
9.4.6
9.4.7
9.6 Magnetic Particle Testing
156
158

9.6.2 Principles of operation, 158
9.7 Dye Penetrant Testing

9.8 References
159
159
Contents
Chapter 10
Grounding of Shielded Enclosures
10.1
10.2
Introduction
Grounding Principles
10.2.1
10.2.2
10.2.3
10.2.4
161
161
161
Introduction, 161
Fault protection, 161
Enclosure isolat ion, 163
Grounding of signal references, 163
10.3 Selecting the Grounding System

10.4 The Earth Ground Test
164
165
10.4. 1 Introduction, 165

10.4.2 The direct method, 167
10.4.3 Fall-of-potential method, 167
10.5 References 167
Design Checklists
Chapter 11
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Checklist for Modular Shielding
11.2.1
11.2.2
11.2.3
11.2.4
11.2.5
11.3
177
Introduction, 177
Architectural checklist, 177
Electrical checklist, 178
Mechanical checklist, 178
Shielding checklist, 178
Appendix A
A-I
A-4
174
Introduction, 174
Architectural checklist, 174
Electrical checklist, 175
Mechanical checklist, 175
Shielding checklist, 176
11.4 Checklist for Architectural Shielding

11.4. 1
11.4.2
11.4.3
11.4.4
11.4.5
169
169
Introduction, 169
Architectural considerations, 169
Electrical considerations, 170
Mechanical considerations, 171
Shielding considerations, 171
Checklist for Welded Enclosures

11.3.1
11.3.2
11.3.3
11.3.4
11.3.5
169
Additional Definitions and Terminology

Architects and Engineers Specifications
179
179
180
4.1 Galvanized modular enclosure procurement specifications, 180

4.2 Procurement specification for a version of the doubly isolated
modular shielded enclosure system, 182
4.3 Procurement specifications for a copper screened enclosure, 185
4.4 Sample NMR RF shielding specification, 186
4.5 Sample procurement specification for the Lindsay singleshield modular enclosure system, 187
4.6 Sample procurement specification for a single-shield modular
galvanized sheet metal shielding system, 188
A-5
Sample Specification for a Welded Enclosure
190
Contents
xi
A-6 Specifications for Architectural Shielding Systems

6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
198
Specifications for aluminum foil shielding systems, 198

Procurement specifications for copper foil shielded enclosures, 199
Specification for copper alloy Shielded Enclosures. 20 I
Procurement specifications for the sandwich seam
shielding system, 202
A-7 Shielded Penetrations
203
7. 1 Procurement specifications for ReM or knife-edge door, 203

7.2 Procurement specifications for doubly isolated shielded
door assembly, 204
7.3 Procurement specifications for moderate-performance
shielded doors, 205
7.4 Procurement specifications for electromagnet latched RF
shielded doors, 206
7.5 Procurement specification for doubly isolated shielded door
assembly, 207
7.6 Procurement specification for shielded vents, 208
A-8 Sample Procurement Specifications for RF Filters
209
8.1 Specification for RF power line filters, 209
A-9 Sample Test Specification
215
Appendix B
Appendix C
Index
212
Selected Bibliography
217
219
Foreword
As microcircuit technology has evolved, integrated circuits (ICs) have continued to increase in complexity and capability. Individual ICs can now process enormous amounts
of information in microseconds. By combining the capabilities of several ICs, electronic
devices and machines playing vital roles in medicine, finance, manufacturing, and national defense have been realized. These roles cannot be jeopardized either by upset or
damage from natural and manmade electrical signals. Unfortunately, the same technology that achieves high speed, high density processing capabilities tends to exhibit
heightened sensitivities to the extraneous voltages and currents from electromagnetic
fields, lightning, and switching transients. Consequently, there are many situations
where electronic equipment must be electromagnetically isolated from its surroundings.
For example, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) machines can be perturbed
by stray magnetic fields, and many patient monitoring instruments are upset by electrical transients. Computers are often damaged by lightning transients or they experience
data errors from strong radiated RF fields. Many other signal processors must be isolated from these effects as well as from others, and the electromagnetically shielded
room is an essential ingredient of the protection.
Defense and diplomatic information is often highly classified and must be protected against unauthorized interception. Communications and data processing centers
handling classified information must conform to TEMPEST requirements; these requirements are often met by installing appropriate shields around the processing equipment.
The principles behind electromagnetic shields have been known for over 50 years.
Specially constructed modular rooms based on these principles have been commercially
available for approximately 40 years. In the last 20 years, however, numerous applications have arisen where the traditional rectangular, double-walled, free-standing room
will not suffice. Particularly in the last decade, the requirement to provide an adequately isolated volume has become an integral part of the design and construction
xiii
xiv
Foreword
of many buildings. The need for a facility-integrated shield means that architects and
engineers must become familiar with the design, specification, construction, and testing
of electromagnetically tight enclosures.
The design, construction, and test of shielded rooms has traditionally been left to
specialists in electromagnetic interference (EMI), electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and
TEMPEST. As the need for protection has broadened to encompass all electromagnetic
concerns and to protect facilities much more diverse than military installations and EMI
testing rooms, other engineering specialties have begun to address electromagnetic
shielding. The results have been mixed, ranging from extreme overdesign to installations that are said to be shielded, but the materials and construction of which violate
many fundamental principles of shielding. Architectural Electromagnetic Shielding
Handbook provides the responsible designer with an understandable exposition of the
basics of the various aspects of realizing an effective shield: selecting a material appropriate for the application; joining the materials so that effective attenuation of electromagnetic fields is obtained; properly treating all necessary penetrations for power,
communications, HVAC, and personnel access; proper grounding; and correct testing to
verify that performance requirements are met.
The modular room is fabricated at the factory and erected at the designated location by factory personnel or specially trained installers. The architectural shield, i.e.,
one that is tailored to fit the structural constraints and user needs of a specific building,
however, must be constructed on site by normal building trades personnel who often are
unskilled in the unique assembly techniques required for seams, doors, and penetrations, or who do not appreciate the special care required, as for example, when erecting
interior finish walls of shielded rooms or installing air conditioning ducts. Therefore,
detailed instructions must be given, special construction must be detailed, training must
be conducted, and careful onsite inspection provided. Each of these needs is addressed
in this handbook.
As construction proceeds, carefully controlled tests of shield perfomance are required. Specialized test equipment not normally owned by construction companies must
be used; the equipment must be operated by test personnel who are well versed in the
nuances of radiated electromagnetic field measurements. Otherwise, test results can be
meaningless, potentially leading to costly overruns or to an ineffectively shielded installation. The tests must be performed at the time the basic shield is complete and again
upon completion of the shielded facility.
An essential element of the architectural design package for a facility is the
specification detailing construction and performance requirements. For a shielded facility, the specification must reflect the nature of the equipment or system to be protected.
For example, an EMP shield around a large communications complex will possess different requirements from the shield required around an operating room in a hospital.
The design specification must accommodate such differences. The specification must
be technically realistic, easily interpreted by the construction contractor, and legally
enforceable.
This handbook addresses the shielding needs of a wide range of facilities. It is
intended to assist architects and engineers in the design and specification of electromagnetically shielding rooms, whether encompassing only a small region inside the
building or the entire structure. It provides guidance in the unique assembly and testing
Foreword
xv
techniques to achieve and verify the required electromagnetic isolation of the volume.
Sample specifications are provided which may be tailored to fit a variety of construction situations.
Hugh
w. Denny, ~E.
NARTE Certified EMC Engineer

Director, Electromagnetic
Environmental Effects
Laboratory/GTR I
Preface
About ten years ago while writing procurement specifications for a number of shielded
radio frequency anechoic test chambers I became aware of the lack of published information on architectural electromagnetic shielding systems. This book was written to
fill that gap and I believe it is the first single-volume text covering all aspects of that
subject.
The purpose of the handbook is to provide the practicing architect/engineer with a
single source of information on electromagnetic shielding. Included are chapters on the
need for shielding, basic shielding theory, and complete descriptions of the three major
types of commercial shielding. Extensive supporting information on penetrations, such
as doors, vents, piping, and electromagnetic filters is provided for each type of shielding. Performance specifications and methods of testing necessary to prove performance
are detailed. Finally, a set of design checklists is provided for the three most common
forms of shielding so that the architect/engineer can be sure he has covered all aspects
of the shielded enclosure installation.
In Appendix A, suggested specifications are provided to aid the architect/engineer
with formulating a complete shielded facility specification. These are arranged in the
same order as the chapters that describe the various forms of shielding, supporting
hardware, and services.
This material was organized by the author who is solely responsible for all technical information included in the handbook. The presentation is made as factual as
possible and treats all shielding products in a fair and unbiased manner. For specific
products, services, and commercial shielding information, the reader is referred to Appendix B. This appendix describes an industry annual publication which lists most of
the currently active shielding suppliers and installers in the United States as well as
some overseas.
xvii
xviii
Preface
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank his wife, Valda, 'for her unending support during the four
years it took to complete this project. She was a great help in turning my long rambling
sentences into organized, readable material. Jeff Eckert was very helpful, and I thank
him for finding a publisher willing to put this handbook into print. Hugh Denny made a
series of excellent recommendations, most of which I incorporated into the technical
presentations and thus improved the professionalism of the book. I also wish to thank
my many work associates who made helpful suggestions, especially Tom Witkowski for
suggesting the arrangement of the appendices. Finally, my thanks to the staff of the
IEEE Press who worked with me in a very professional manner throughout the final
preparations and publication of this handbook.
POWAY, CA
Leland H. Hemming
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
1.1 SCOPE
The use of radio frequency shielded enclosures has become quite common in our increasingly electromagnetically crowded environment. Until recently, the design, manufacture, and installation of shielding was the province of a handful of specialty
contractors. Two basic systems were developed by the shielding industry: the modular
or clamp-up enclosure, and the welded structural steel enclosure, with the latter being
built in place. Only a few attempts at other types of shielding have been made. The
most notable was the aluminum foil system developed by the National Security Agency
as described in their detailed specification NSA 73-2A. However, the need for shielding has become so widespread that a number of companies have developed a variety of
single-skin shielded enclosures.
The purpose of this handbook is to provide architectural and facility engineering
personnel with the necessary information which will permit them to make informed
decisions on the different types of shielding and how to properly specify them sufficiently so that the constructed shield performs its intended purpose. As will become
clear from the text, the completed enclosure must be properly tested to ensure compliance with the desired level of performance. A second purpose is to point out the performance differences between the various shielding systems so that intelligent choices
are possible. In the past, it has been common practice by the shield-buying community
to request the highest performance specifications available, thus ensuring a safe decision, but in many instances, paying excessively for protection they did not need. This
handbook gives the shielding buyer a survey of the systems available, so that he can
select the best system for his particular application.
The next two chapters are introductory in that they establish what shielding is and
how it is used to control electromagnetic interference. The first part of the "Theory"
section has been provided to help bridge the gap between the layman's knowledge of
electricity and the deeper understanding necessary to appreciate how an electromagnetic
Chapter 1
Introduction
shield performs its function. It is not the purpose of this book to teach shielding design,
but rather how to select from existing systems the one best suited for the job at hand.
The next three chapters deal with shielded enclosures, first. those that are provided
by the speciality shielding contractor, and then those that are built into the structure of
a building. This is not an arbitrary selection, but is based on the current practices in the
shielding industry. Currently, the most common shielding systems provided by the established shielding manufacturers are prefabricated modular or "clamped-up" rooms
and welded enclosures which are built on site. These products have evolved with time,
and are proven systems available from a number of large and small companies worldwide. A newer class of shielded enclosure is the one that is built into the structure, i.e.,
within the walls of a building. This later class has been grouped in Chapter 6 under the
heading of "Architectural Shielding." Several variations of these shielding systems are
described. These are usually installed by a general contractor either as described by the
drawings or by subcontracting to a specialty contractor. The key to success in these
installations is how well they are detailed in the building drawings. Since the shielding
is built in, it must be done right the first time because retrofitting in the field is
extremely costly and time consuming. If the information given in this handbook is carefully considered and implemented, it will successfully aid those who have the responsibility to implement shielding in their facilities or design/specify them for a client.
The selection of the basic enclosure is very important to the overall performance of
the facility, but a shield is only as good as the treatment of the penetrations through it.
The next two chapters discuss how the designer selects methods of providing doors,
vents, piping, power, communications, and security to a shielded enclosure. Just how
badly an improperly installed penetration can degrade an enclosure is illustrated in the
theory section.
Another very important requirement is that of testing the facility while in the process of construction and finally on completion. The latter is absolutely essential. After
all trades have completed their work, the shielded enclosure must be tested to the applicable shielding effectiveness specifications. Chapter 9 details the common specifications, how to use them effectively, and how to write a test plan that will ensure that the
completed facility will perform its intended function. Drawing on the theory section,
each type of test is described, along with the common problems encountered in field
testing.
Accomplishing an acceptable grounding system for a shielded enclosure is often a
problem in the field. Signal security and electrical safety requirements do not always
appear to be compatible. Using MIL-HB-419A as a guide, guidelines are given on how
the various types of grounds can be designed to obtain a harmonious installation, one
which is safe for personnel and also meets the needs of the security community. Also
refer to MIL-HB-232 for grounding information.
The last chapter provides a series of design checklists for the. three types of
shielded enclosures, so the A&E can draw a complete enclosure specification together
for the various forms of shielding.
A number of appendices is provided for reference, such as a reference to an annual
directory that details shielding manufacturers, installers, designers, and consultants.
A large part of the material for this handbook was drawn from MIL-HB-419A,
which is entitled "Grounding, Bonding, and Shielding for Electronic Equipments and
Section 1.2
Facilities." This handbook is recommended reading for all who are concerned with
large industrial/government facilities. It is also useful for designing or specifying a
single room.
1.2 RADIO FREQUENCY SHIELDING DEFINITIONS

AND TERMINOLOGY
In any technical field of knowledge, a certain amount of special terms unique to that
field must be understood in order to comprehend what is being presented. Therefore,
this section is placed deliberately here in the first chapter so that a working vocabulary
necessary to understanding the material presented can be easily acquired by those not
familiar with shielding prior to the introduction of the technical concepts. Further definitions and supporting terminology are given in Appendix A-I.
Absorber. A material which absorbs electromagnetic energy by converting the wave

energy into heat.
Absorption Loss. The attenuation of an electromagnetic wave as it passes through a

shield. This loss is primarily due to induced currents and the associated heat loss.
Ambient Level. Those levels of radiated and conducted energy existing at a specified
location and time when a test sample is deenergized. Atmospheric noise signals, both
desired and undesired, from other sources and the internal noise level of the measuring instruments all contribute to the "ambient level."
Antenna. A device employed as a means for radiating or receiving electromagnetic
energy.
Aperture. An opening in a shield through which electromagnetic energy passes.
Attenuation. A general term used to denote a decrease in magnitude of power or field
strength in transmission from one point to another caused by such factors as absorption, reflection, scattering, and dispersion. It may be expressed as a power ratio or by
decibels.
Bond. The electrical connection between two metallic surfaces established to provide a
low-resistance path between them.
Bonding. The process of establishing the required degree of electrical continuity between the conductive surfaces to be joined.
Conductive Interference. Undesired signals that enter or leave an equipment along a
conductive (wire or metallic) path.
Coupling. Energy transfer between circuits, equipments, or systems.
Coupling, Free-Space. Energy transfer via electromagnetic fields not in a conductor.
Cutoff Frequency. The frequency below which electromagnetic energy will not propagate readily in a waveguide.
dB. Decibel, a unit of voltage or power ratio. Defined as follows:
dB = 10 log P'21P 1 for power or
dB
= 20 log V2IVI
for voltage.
HdB" is commonly used to specify shielding effectiveness since very large differences in the input/output fields are generally required by the shielding specification.
Chapter I
Introduction
Specifications on the order of 60-100 dB are typical. This means that if one watt of
power impinges on the shield, then only one millionth to one ten trillionth of a watt
exits on the other side.
Degradation. A decrease in the quality of a desired signal (i.e., decrease in the signalto-noise ratio or an increase in distortion), or an undesired change in the operational
performance of equipment as the result of interference.
Earth Electrode System. A network of electrically interconnected rods, plates, mats,
or grids installed for the purpose of establishing a low-resistance contact with earth.
The design objective for resistance to earth of this subsystem should not exceed
10 O.
Electric Field. A vector field about a charged body. Its strength at any point is the
force which would be exerted on a unit positive charge at that point.
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC). The capability of equipment or systems to be
operated in their intended operational environment at designed levels of efficiency
without causing or receiving degradation owing to unintentional electromagnetic interference. Electromagnetic compatibility is the result of an engineering planning process applied during the life cycle of the equipment. The process involves careful
considerations of frequency allocation, design, procurement, production, site selection, installation, operation, and maintenance.
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Any conducted, radiated, or induced voltage
which degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts the desired performance of electronic equipment.
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). A large impulsive-type electromagnetic wave generated by nuclear or chemical explosions.
Facility. A building or other structure, either fixed or transportable in nature, with its
utilities, ground networks, and electrical supporting structures.
Far Field. The region of the field of an antenna where the radiation field predominates, and where the angular field distribution is essentially independent of the distance from the antenna. A variety of guidelines is used; for some shielding
calculations, 1/6th of a wavelength has been found useful.
Fault. An unintentional short circuit or partial short circuit (usually of a power circuit)
between energized conductors or between an energized conductor and ground.
Field Strength. A general term that means the magnitude of the electric field vector
(in volts per meter) or the magnitude of the magnetic field vector (in ampere-turns
per meter). As used in the field of EMC/EMI, the term "field strength" shall be
applied only to measurements made in the far field and shall be abbreviated as FS.
For measurements made in the near field, the term electric field strength" (EFS) or
"magnetic field strength" (MFS) shall be used, according to whether the resultant
electric or magnetic field, respectively, is measured.
Filter. A device for use on power or signal lines, specifically designed to pass only
selected frequencies and to attenuate substantially all other frequencies.
Ground. The electrical connection to earth through an earth electrode subsystem. This
connection is extended throughout the facility via the facility ground system, consisting of the signal reference subsystem, the fault protection subsystem, and the lightning protection subsystem. These different systems are detailed in the following
chapters.
Magnetic Field. A vector field produced by a continuous flow of charge.
Multipoint Ground. More than one path to ground.
44
Section 1.2
National Electrical Code'", (NEC). A standard governing the use of electrical wire,
cable, and fixtures installed in buildings.
Near Field. The region of the field immediately surrounding an antenna where the
inductive and capacitive fields predominate. In this region, the angular distribution of
the field varies with distance from the antenna.
Neutral. The ac power system conductor which is intentionally grounded on the supply
side of the service disconnecting means. The neutral provides a current return path
for ac power currents, whereas the ground (or green) should not, except during fault
conditions.
Penetration. The passage through a partition or wall of an equipment or enclosure by a
wire, cable, pipe, or other conductive object.
Plane Wave. An electromagnetic wave which predominates in the far-field region of an
antenna, and with a wavefront which is essentially a flat plane. In free space, the
characteristic impedance of a plane wave is 377 O.
Radiation. The emission and propagation of electromagnetic energy through space.
Radiation Resistance. The resistance which, if inserted in place of an antenna, would
consume the same amount of power that is radiated by the antenna.
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). Synonymous with electromagnetic interference.
RF-Tight. Offering a high degree of electromagnetic shielding effectiveness.
Reflection Loss. The portion of the transition loss, expressed in decibels, that is due to
the reflection of power at a barrier or shield. Reflection loss is determined by the
magnitude of the wave impedance inside the barrier relative to the wave impedance
in the propagation medium outside the barrier.
Shield. A housing, screen, or cover which substantially reduces the coupling of electric
and magnetic fields into or out of circuits or prevents the accidental contact of objects
or persons with parts or components operating at hazardous voltage levels.
Shielding Effectiveness. A measure of the reduction or attenuation in the electromagnetic field strength at a point in space caused by the insertion of a shield between the
source and that point.
Shielded Enclosure. An area (box, room, or building) specifically designed to attenuate electromagnetic radiation, or electromagnetic radiation and acoustical emanations, originating either inside or outside the area. Necessary openings in shielded
enclosures, such as doors, air vents, and electrical feedthroughs, are specially designed to maintain this attenuat ion.
Signal Reference Subsystem. This subsystem provides the reference points for all signal grounding to control static charges, noise, and interference. It may consist of any
one or a combination of the lower frequency network, higher frequency network, or
hybrid signal reference network.
TEMPEST. A code word (not an acronym) which encompasses the government!
industrial program for controlling the emissions from systems processing classified
data. Individual equipment may be "TEMPESTED" or commercial equipment may
be placed in shielded enclosures.
Wave Impedance. The ratio of the electric field strength to the magnetic field strength
at the point of observation.
Wavelength. The ratio of C, the speed of light, to F, the frequency. Wavelength
(ft) = 984/F (MHz).
CHAPTER 2
The Need for Radio

Frequency Shielding
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The need for shielding has evolved with radio communications from the very beginning, but since World War II, the need has become critical because of the tremendous
growth of electronic devices in the home, office, and factory.
Today, shielding against EMI is being practiced by government, military, private
industry, medical facilities, and R&D laboratories. Shielding serves two basic functions:
that of preventing interference and preventing electronic eavesdropping. The type of
shielding required is a function of the purpose or use of the equipment within the
shield. High-performance shielding is required where sensitive equipment must be protected from a nearby high-power radar. But only moderate shielding may be required to
prevent eavesdropping on classified processing of data on a commercial computer. The
exact degree of shielding required is a function of many variables, among which are the
type of equipment involved, the distance between equipments, and the sensitivity of the
information being processed. In order to gain some insight into the type of situations
where shielding may be in order, the following sections outline the nature of electromagnetic interference, how it is generated, and how it reaches the equipment that may
require shielding.
2.2 THE ELECTROMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT

2.2.1 Introduction
The electromagnetic designer must consider various interference sources and threats
prior to specifying a certain shielding requirement for a given installation. Among these
are the spectrum to be covered, typically 1 kHz-40 GHz, local sources such as licensed
transmitters, government equipment such as radars, nearby local sources such as CB
equipment, walkie-talkies, and electronic test equipment. Threats may include light7
Chapter 2
8
TABLE 2-1
SOURCES OF CONDUCTED INTERFERENCE

Spectrum
Source
Circuit Breaker Cam Contacts
Command Programmer
Signal lines
Power lines
Computer Logic Box
Corona
Fluorescent Lamps
Heater Circuits (Contact Cycling)
Latching Contactor
Motor Armatures
Mercury Arc Lamps
Power Controller
Power Supply Switching Circuit
Power Transfer Controller
Vacuum Cleaner
10-20 MHz
50
50
50
50
0.1-25 MHz
1-25 MHz
kHz-20 MHz
0.1-10 MHz
0.1-3 MHz
kHz-25 MHz
kHz-25 MHz
2-4 MHz
0.1-1.0 MHz
2-15 kHz
0.5-25 MHz
kHz-25 MHz
0.1-1.0 MHz
ning, electromagnetic pulse, and finally, sensitive eavesdropping receivers. Knowing the
power levels and locations of interfering sources, a shielding effectiveness profile can
be determined versus frequency and type of field for a given enclosure. In a like manner, knowing the sources of emissions from a data processing system and the possible
location and sensitivity of a listening receiver, the amount of shielding effectiveness
required for a given TEMPEST enclosure can be determined. In order to have some
understanding of what is involved, consider the following.
2.2.2 Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)

EMI (RFI) can occur via conducted or radiated interference. The former is transmitted
by power, data, telephone lines, or just metallic paths connecting the source of the
interference and the equipment being victimized. Table 2-1 illustrates the types of
sources that commonly generate conducted interference.
As illustrated, the conducted spectrum extends over a wide frequency range. Not
shown is that many complex equipments can generate conducted interference well up
into the gigahertz frequency range. Conducted interference is controlled by filtering all
leads going into a shielded enclosure and ensuring that proper grounding and bonding
are achieved.
Radiated interference is any interference transferred through space by an electromagnetic field. The level of interference is a function of directivity of the energy as it
leaves the source, the losses in propagating to the device, the degree of coupling into,
and the susceptibility of the device to the characteristics of the energy. In addition
to the sources listed in Table 2-1, radiated interference is caused by atmospheric disturbances, cosmic noise, solar radiation, and manmade sources such as automobiles,
industrial, scientific, and medical equipment. Intentional transmitters from LF communications to millimeter radars and satellite communications also can interfere with other
services. Finally, two man-created threats of electronic eavesdropping and EMP must be
considered.
2.2.3 TEMPEST
Electronic eavesdropping on classified and sensitive information both in the defense and
general industry has, in recent years, become a real-world problem. As a result, the
Section 2.2
The Electromagnetic Environment

dB
o
-10
-20
-30
-40
-50
-60
-70
-80
-90
-100
10 1 10 2 103 10 4 10 5
10 6 10 7 108 10 9 10 10
Frequency (Hz)
Figure 2.1 EMP frequency versus energy spectrum.
government established a joint industry/government program for setting standards for

controlling the emissions from equipment that processed classified information. This is
generally known as the TEMPEST program. An elaborate set of information is available from the government on the control of emissions from equipment. A large number
of individual computing devices is now available which are TEMPEST certified. But
where a large amount of equipment is involved, it is customary to house them within
shielded enclosures. As a result, the whole defense industry in recent years has been
installing shielded computer centers which range from small room-size prefabricated
enclosures to multistory shielded buildings. The level of shielding varies from a low of
30 dB to 120 dB or from foil-covered walls to 1/4 in welded steel facilities. The amount
of shielding effectiveness is set primarily by the government agencies that are sponsoring the work being done by the defense contractor or other government agency.
2.2.4 Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP)

When even a small nuclear device is exploded, it is possible for a large amount of
electromagnetic energy to be released which can be very damaging to modern solidstate electronic equipment. A high-altitude nuclear explosion is considered to be the
most likely, since one weapon exploded at a height of 500 km could effectively paralyze
all communications or other unprotected digital equipment within the whole continental
United States. Protection from HEMP is best provided by a properly designed shielded
enclosure. The bulk of this energy, as shown in Fig. 2-1, is confined to the frequency
range below 100 MHz, and lies at the lower end of the frequency spectrum. Thus, both
magnetic and electric field coupling must be considered as threats to the equipment to
be protected. The shielding system must include devices which will protect against
large current and voltage surges, in addition to attenuation, to prevent radiated interfer-
10
Chapter 2
ence with the equipment within the enclosure. All leads must be especially designed to
prevent magnetic coupled energy from reaching the equipment via the power lines or
other conducted services. For a detailed description of the EMP problem, refer to [1,
Sect. 10].
2.3 FACILITY VERSUS EQUIPMENT SHIELDING

Because of the large number of electronic equipment now available, a large part of
which uses digital circuitry, the opportunity for electromagnetic interference has increased to the point that government agencies of all the large industrial nations have
found it necessary to set emission limits on most commercial electronic equipment. In
the United States, the limits are set by the FCC. As a result, all commercial equipment
must meet a given level of radiated emissions. But these levels are specified to prevent
interference with neighboring equipment, not to prevent electronic eavesdropping.
Therefore, the U.S. government has established another set of standards known as the
TEMPEST requirements. These requirements are classified, and can only be made
available to those working in the field and who require a need to know. But the requirements are very stringent, and as a result, add great expense to the cost of equipment
which meet the requirements. A qualified products list exists which contains a large
variety of office and data processing equipment. A brief review of the cost tradeoffs
clearly indicate that if more than a few equipments are going to be used in a given
office area, then a shielded enclosure should seriously be considered. First, the initial
cost of TEMPEST equipment is high; next, any upgrades or changes to the equipment
require recertification; and finally, the cost has to be repeated should the old equipment
be replaced with the next generation. On the other hand, standard commercial equipment housed in a shielded enclosure will meet the TEMPEST requirements regardless
of the equipment changes since the enclosure provides the protection for the equipment
and is a one-time cost. The U.S. Air Force in [1] has determined that the shielding
effectiveness of TEMPEST facilities need only be on the order of 50 dB within the
continental United States.
2.4 SHIELDED ANECHOIC lEST FACILITIES

2.4.1 Introduction
There exists a class of specialty facilities known as anechoic chambers which are commonly shielded. These facilities are used to test the electromagnetic properties of missiles, computers, televisions, microwave ovens, satellites, antennas, and aircraft.
2.4.2 Shielding of Anechoic Facilities

The shielding of anechoic test facilities can take almost any of the forms of shielding
discussed in the following chapters. The type of shielding required is a function of the
nature of the test facility. If it is primarily used to establish a reflective backing for the
anechoic material, then foil shielding is generally quite adequate. If it is to provide a
TEMPEST environment for the test equipment of the facility, then a more elaborate
shielding system may be required. If it is to test high-power equipment or the electromagnetic compatibility of an aircraft, then a welded enclosure probably is in order. The
Section 2.6
Reference
II
anechoic material is mounted to the interior surfaces of the chamber generally using
adhesives. The design of the geometry of the chamber and the types and locations of the
anechoic material are the purview of the design specialist, and it is suggested that if an
anechoic design requirement is needed, then an appropriate specialist should be enlisted
to perform the design.
Generally, the layout of the various services, lights, ventilation, power, and fire
protection require special consideration over and above the normal shielded enclosure
requirements.
2.5 CONCLUSIONS
Once the shielding effectiveness requirements have been defined either by edict or by
analysis, the latter being preferred since the cost of shielding is directly a function of
the amount and type of attenuation required, the following sections of this handbook
can be utilized to design, specify, install, and test a cost-effective shielding system.
2.6 REFERENCE
[1] USAF Handbookfor the Design and Construction of HEMP/TEMPEST Shielded Facilities, Dec. 1986.
CHAPTER 3
Shielding Theory
3.1 INTRODUCTION
When a shield encloses an EM source, as shown in Fig. 3-1, the field strength outside
the shield will be reduced. When the shield is used to enclose a sensitive (susceptible)
assembly located near an external EM source, the field strength inside the enclosure is
reduced substantially. Three types of electromagnetic fields exist, each of these act differently depending on the nature of the shielding material present. Magnetic shielding
below 100 kHz is difficult to achieve and requires very thick ferrous shields or high
permeability materials. Electric field shielding is relatively easy in that a thin metallic
barrier will normally suffice. Plane wave or far-field shielding is mainly a function of
maintaining an RF tight skin. All penetrations such as doors, vents, filters, and piping
must be carefully designed and constructed to maintain the RF-tight requirements.
The purpose of RF shielding is to confine or to prevent radiated energy from entering or exiting an enclosure. The mechanism of this radiated interference is by means
of electromagnetic coupling. Two forms of coupling take place, near and far field, the
difference being the distance between the circuits. The near field can be subdivided into
inductive and capacitive or low- and high-impedance coupling, according to the nature
of the electromagnetic field. In inductive coupling, a magnetic field linking the susceptible device is set up by the interfering source. In capacitive coupling, the electric field
transfers energy between the two circuits. In the far field, radiation of energy byelectromagnetic waves is the principle coupling mechanism.
When two or more wires or other conductors are located near each other, currents
and voltages on one wire will be inductively and capacitively coupled to the other
wires. The wire acting as the interference source for this near-field coupling may be any
conductor such as a high-level signal line, an ac power line, a control line, or even a
lightning downconductor. The currents or voltages induced into the other wires can fur-
13
14
Chapter 3
1.0
Shielding Theory
-t------~
Electric
Field
Strength
0.01 -
--------~
Figure 3-1 Shield enclosing an em source.
ther be conductively coupled into yet other circuits. In the far field, coupling is
achieved by radiation. The conductor does not have to be specifically designed to radiate energy; it may be any current-carrying conductor, i.e., a signal line, a power line, or
even a ground lead.
The equations defining these coupling modes are expressed as a sum of three
terms. Each term is inversely proportional to a power of the distance r from the currentcarrying conductor. These power terms of l/r, l/r 2 and l/r 3 determine the nature of the
field, as illustrated in Fig. 3-2. Close to the conductor (near field), the l/r and l/r
components dominate, and the electromagnetic energy oscillates between the space surrounding the conductor and the conductor itself; zero average energy is propagated by
the near-field terms.
In the far field, the I/r term dominates, and the energy escapes from the conductor
(antenna) into free space. This mechanism of radiation occurs as the frequency is raised
and the current in the wire cannot reverse as fast as the field is built up, resulting in the
field being released from the vicinity of the wire and propagating outward. On the
receiving end, the reverse occurs, i.e., the incoming wave induces charges in the conductor (antenna), and a current is created. The strength of this field is a function of the
distance from the radiating wire, the efficiency of the radiating wire as an antenna, and
the amplitude and frequency of the signal on the radiating wire. The efficiency is a
function of the wire's length in wavelengths. Wires on the order of a quarter wavelength
make excellent antennas; those less than one hundredth wavelength are poor radiators.
Section 3.2
15
Dipole
-...t
Near -Zone
Region
1',,--// '
Wave
Motion--+-
l--
---+-
J' "-
1\0 -
Far-Zon e
Region
Figure 3-2 Electromagnetic field about a conductor. (Courtesy of

Carl T. A. [ohnk, John Wiley and Sons.)
3.2 SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS

3.2.1 Introduction
The attenuation provided by an RF shield results from three mechanisms, as illustrated
in Fig. 3-3.
1. Incident energy is reflected by the surface of the shield because of the impedance
discontinuity of the air-metal boundary. This mechanism does not require a par-
Inside of Enclosure
Att enuated
Incident
Wave
Outs ide World
Metal Barr ier of

Thickness. t ----4~
Figure 33 Interaction of a barrier (shield) with an

electromagnetic field.
..........
16
Chapter 3
Shielding Theory
ticular material thickness, but simply an impedance discontinuity. A special case

exists when a gap in the shield has length, such as a honeycomb vent.
2. Energy that does cross the shield surface (i.e., not reflected) is attenuated (absorbed by turning into heat energy) in passing through the shield.
3. The energy that reaches the opposite face of the shield encounters another airmetal boundary, and thus some of it is reflected back into the shield.
The first reflection results in a "single-reflection loss" R. Absorption through the
shield is designated A, and subsequent reflections result in a "multiple-reflection correction term" B. B is significant only if A <= 15 dB. Thus, the shielding effectiveness
SE is
SE
= R + A + B.
(3-1)
Metals have a surface impedance that is comparable in value to magnetic field

wave impedance levels. Thus, in shielding against magnetic fields, the shielding effectiveness must be obtained largely through attenuation A. On the other hand, metals have
a much lower surface impedance than that of the high-impedance electric fields and shield
well against them. Thus, a large amount of surface reflection R naturally exists, and
appreciable shield thickness to achieve large values of absorption A is not normally
required.
3.2.2 Reflection
The reflection loss depends not only on the surface impedance of the shield, which is
given by
Z,
= UWJl
(a
+ jWE)] 1/2 fi,
(3-2)
but also upon the wave impedance Zw, which is a function of the type of source (electric or magnetic) and the distance from the source to the shield. In general, the singlebarrier reflection loss R is given by
(3-3)
For metallic shields, and for partially conductive materials below microwave frequencies, weo. For this condition, formulas have been developed for the reflection
loss as a function of the distance D (cm) from the source to the shield (point sources are
assumed). For plane waves, the impedance is a constant 377 0, so D does not appear in
the formula for R.
For a low-impedance (magnetic field) source,
R
= 20
log { [1.173 (~r/f(Jr)JI2ID]
+ 0.0535D
iffJr/~r)112
+ 0.354} dB.
(3-4)
For a plane-wave source,

R
168-10 log [f (J.Lr/(Jr)) dB.
(3-5)
For a high-impedance (electric field) source,

R = 362 - 20 log [(fL, f
3/(J,)
I12
D] dB.
(3-6)
When an inhomogeneous interface exists such as where shielding members are

joined by screws, rivets, spot welds, and the like, bowing or waviness results in the
Section 3.2
17
Largest Gap Dimensions g in Inch es
140
20 15
10
2 1.5
140
120
cD
"C
100
100
80
80
60
60
40
40
20
20
.s
c
.9
"c
Cll
o
300 MHz 500
1 GHz
2
3
5
7 10 GHz
Radio Frequency
20
30
60
Figure 3-4 Waveguide-beyond-cutoff performance. (Courtesy of

Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
interface connection . This, in turn, develops slits or gaps (small apertures) which lead
to radiation or leakage , the magnitude of which can reduce the shielding effectiveness
of the shield . For an estimate of the SE of these various types of apertures refer to the
detailed treatment in [I]. For the special case where the gap is small in terms of wavelength and has some length, then high shielding effectiveness (attenuation) can occur.
This fact is used in the design of waveguides and ventilation ducts. An estimate of the
shielding effectiveness of such structures is expressed by the equation [2).
(3-7)
where
J
fo
fe
= gap
=
=
depth in inches for overlapping members or the thickness of the material

for butting members or length of a hole such as a length of pipe.
operating frequency in megahertz.
cutoff frequency in megahertz*
= 5900lg for rectangular gap

= 6920lg for circular gap.
g = largest gap transverse dimension
in inches.
Typical applications of this relationship are illustrated in Fig. 3-4.

Where I.. is greater than four times f. then
RL
= 27//g dB*.
These approximat ions only hold when the impinging field is <<f...
(3-8)
18
Chapter 3
Shielding Theory
Figure 3-5 Honeycomb structure

(group of small waveguides).
Where there exists an array of waveguides such as a honeycomb vent, illustrated in
Fig. 3-5, then
RL == 27l1g - 20 log(n)
(3-9)
where n is the number of cells within a square wavelength or frame of the vent, whichever is smaller.
3.2.3 Absorption
Because absorption loss occurs after the wave has entered the shield material, and because the impedance of the shield material governs the EIH ratio, the absorption loss is
independent of the type of wave (electric or magnetic) that struck the shield. The absorption loss is
A == 1.314 (f.
IJ.r O"r)112
d dB
(3-10)
where
d == shield thickness in centimeters,

== conductivity relative to that of copper, o.,
u, == permeability relative to that of air.
Or
Table 3-1 gives the values of Or' Jlr ' and A for various metals. Values of u,> > I
for shield materials are only obtained up to several hundred kilohertz. Beyond 500 kHz,
u, == I for the materials listed in the table . The last columns of the table give the
absorption loss at 150 kHz for both I mm and I mil (0.001 in.) thick sheets for the
listed materials. The absorption loss for other thicknesses can be calculated by simply
multiplying by the shield thickness in millimeters or mils.
Table 3-2 provides further insight into how absorption of electromagnetic energy
can provide shielding protection. Note that only iron provides any degree of protection at the lower frequencies, whereas all of the materials provide high losses above
100 MHz .
3.2.4 Internal Reflection, Factor B

Each time a wave strikes a metallic barrier, a part of its energy passes into the barrier,
while part of the energy is reflected. This is also true on exiting the barrier. Thus ,
multiple reflections exist within the barrier. If the absorption loss is greater than 15 dB ,
then the effect of these internal reflections can be ignored. A review of Table 3-2 indicates that this is the case for most material above I MHz. If magnetic shielding is
Section 3.2
19
TABLE 3-1 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF SHIELDING MATERIALS

AT 150 KHZ
Metals
Relative
Conductivity (Or)
Silver
Copper, annealed
Copper, hard-drawn
Gold
Aluminum
Magnesium
Zinc
Brass
Cadmium
Nickel
Phosphor-bronze
Iron
Tin
Steel, SAE 1045
Beryllium
Lead
Hypernick
Monel
Mu-metal
Permalloy
Steel, stainless
Metshield
1.05
1.00
0.97
0.70
0.61
0.38
0.29
0.26
0.23
0.20
0.18
0.17
0.15
0.10
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.01
Relative
Permeability (J,tr)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1000
1
1000
1
I
80000
I
80000
80000
1000
60 000
Absorption Loss (dB)

1 mm
I mil
51.96
50.91
49.61
42.52
39.76
31.10
27.57
25.98
24.41
22.83
21.65
665.40
19.69
509.10
16.14
14.17
3484.0 *
10.24
2488.0 *
2488.0 *
224.4
3000.0 *
1.32
1.29
1.26
1.08
1.01
0.79
0.70
0.66
0.62
0.58
0.55
16.90
0.50
12.90
0.41
0.36
88.50*
0.26
63.20*
63.20*
5.70
75.00*
*Assuming that the material is not magnetic flux saturated. Taken from MIL-HB-419A.
TABLE 3-2 ABSORPTION LOSS A OF COMMON SHIELDING MATERIAL,

SINGLE LAYER
Frequency
60 Hz
1 kHz
10 kHz
150 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
15 MHz
100 MHz
I GHz
1.5 GHz
10 GHz
26 Gauge Iron
(dB)
(Pr)
1000
1000
1000
1000
700
500
400
100
50
10
1
5.2
21.6
68.4
265.2
572
1532
1680
2168
4844
2656
2160
3 oziSF Copper
(dB)
0.010 in.
Aluminum Foil
(dB)
0.1
0.4
1.3
5.6
13.1
41.6
50.9
131.0
416
509
1314
0.2
0.75
2.5
10.0
25.8
81.25
99.25
257.5
812.5
992.5
2575.0
Taken from MIL-HB-419A.
required, then even a single-layer 26 gauge iron will provide greater than 15 dB of
absorption loss down to 1 kHz. Thus, for practical purposes, only the reflection and
absorption losses need be calculated in most shielding situations.
20
Chapter 3
Shielding Theory
3.2.5 Total Shielding Effectiveness

When the reflection and absorption losses are added together to obtain the total shielding effectiveness of the shield, then the result is as shown in Figs. 3-6-3-8. These
curves were developed with test distances of 12 in. on either side of the shield for the
electric and magnetic fields and 72 in. from the shield for the plane wave conditions.
These are the requirements of most enclosure test specifications.
The traditional shielded enclosure is fabricated from sheet metal, typically sheet
copper, aluminum, or steel. The most common material is 24 gauge galvanized steel
laminated to plywood or particle board. Sheet metals are rugged and offer more shielding effectiveness (as can be seen from the performance curves) than is commonly specified. Where low frequency magnetic shielding is required, then sheet steel up to V4 in.
thick is commonly used. For plane waves, the sheet thickness can be very thin and still
provide an effective shield. (As will be demonstrated later, the key to plane-wave
shielding effectiveness is control of the penetration through the shield.)
Again the point is made, that most shield materials even in a single layer provide
more than enough shielding effectiveness for most of the enclosure specifications required by most users. For other source distances and materials refer to [2]. In large
facilities, it is relatively easy to obtain 40 dB of shielding effectiveness in a frequency
range above 100 kHz with a single shield, and levels as high as 100 dB are achieved
with careful attention to how it is installed. For shielding effectiveness levels up to
120 dB, welded facilities or double isolated shields are generally required.
3.2.6 Performance Degradation
All preceding discussions assumed that the shielding material was both homogeneous
and large in planar dimensions such that neither leakages nor edge effects took place. In
reality, all shields have finite leaks where penetrations and seams occur in the boundary
of the enclosure. The shielding effectiveness expressed by Eq. (3-1) may then be conceptually redefined:
SE = A + R + B - Leakage Effects - Standing-Wave Effects.
(8-11 )
Leakage effects may be identified as due to one or more of the following situations
which exist in any practical, real-world shield.
Seams
Mating Members
Screws
Crimps
Welds
Brazes
Silver Solder
Soft Solder
Doors
Vents
Ventilation
Air-Conditioning
Heating
Holes and Apertures for

Connectors
Power Line Filters
Signal Line Filters
Fiber-Optic Lines
Viewing Windows
Piping
Access Plates
Nonhomogeneous Areas
Screens
Cable Braids
Meshes, Including Gaskets
...
60 1
401
30
80
1001
=-:
100 Hz
.\f4 1:;7'
II
10 kHz
30
I,Q /
I'
C:><;:'
7 <.............
1"""
1""""<:/
l : t II
1><
I >1
I -,
10 MHz
f"~
100 kHz
300
1 MHz
30
t!:>:=(i~f
10 MHz
I'>~(\,I::?" .......
E><"
E><:
~-!
300
10 GHz
30
20
I
1 GHz
40
r-- .....
v-----rI-=:::::::
lX'" ...... 60
r---- "'r
I~
80
t.....,
1100
200
} I 220
240
1260
280
IV vv " "'I
,"""l
I _"!
I ==::::::
!I
IJ
I I
I!
.f I
I : -
1 GHz
1,
I ,ll!
, ..........
100 MHz
........... c:
t\"":"!/1
II
I I
300
I I ! I "1'
100 MHz
~'1"""'""ooc::>'
I I
II
JI I
30
1>"<..\ 1:7'--;; 1':>:7'0,1:;>'- l'><"' 1::::-<
t>
/l""'"ec::
T""'-d I
"1"""<:
II/If
fE,
1 MHz
r'~"'7:(\~::::;o::'5r,.>::\\I:.;;;',-
=l"'- .......--~.......
I \fT
100 kHz 300
r =----r=
I I
I'
30
Figure 3-6 Shielding effectiveness of copper, MIL-STD-285 Testing

Conditions. (Courtesy of Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
1:.;;;'<
1:><.
7'
_,< / I
1"'-.......
1/
~":""~ri'
c;_
l'=~AV~
11:"
10 kHz
r.. . . . . .
r!aq[D'/.21""'oc::
T""~rl
3001kHz
_A'\,~r?<
I .. _. . .;p.......-
Copper
=11 and J,LJ
l""!"-cC:t),,,.,............
I?-<! "I..............
200
-T
l"":<~'Rf"""-......:
F"........
I~<~,i
220
~.....::/C"Jl'"........
240 P;.~,i F.............
1........... ..:..:,g'1
300~\\
1 kHz
F""".........
Re-~'HI
~0q,
T"-<::::
26011?'.:c".....................
280 P'~,;
30
N
N
F"...ooc::
.......
40 I
sr==;:
100 Hz
mc=:::
o Hz
r=;;::;::
10
30
.....' . r
201
A\~<
t:""i
300
...-=::
Iq..T- <it
60
. _j;::>
1
I
~,I
801
1001
I1 and
c op per
ce;:;
1"""< ~; x 1""".......
200 f">z -ocr{.. i l"- :c::
.... J1
7<
1/
~.......'-'
I _ .,(,,1::;;7<
I i(! 7<
1">.......
I
7'
et==::
10 kHz
z'C""':
30
75T""'CI:
100 kHz 300
"'F"C":
Jf
_~ :;;'
-e=::
<
~.r_
10 MHz
30
ttl
I,,'
I',.c=:
,
300
YY
,
1 GHz
e><: F'::::> I"

C><:: I
rw
,
3
,
10 GHz
60
30
20
"I 40
"!I'I
80
.100
1 200
11220
1 240
1260
1 280
1-"
><1"
I _w I
- .. =1------ I
TO!
III'"
I""?I'I'~
II
I I
t:! I
I:
1 GHz
F..><::.....c= r =s-
'
100 MHz
I~'~.r
('f\:;:>".c=
h"""CI="""'
f> _~
~Pv
I'
I I
300
I I! I
.JI
r..... occ:::,< l:"bee::
t.
J'
::::;;a'"..c:~ I~
I=:><::
'!:P~~)}>..c:
I '>
.r=:
1 MHz
..c: I H,.r::Ar\:;;p,c
~I
II
I .:a },,'1
__ II
r:><: r SIC'
"
100 MHz
r.............
30
P"A::
:Y I
_til.
II
10 MHz
P':c>',1>'cc::
I cr." I
l7'"":.\.... I~. . . . . . . .,.... ft..~~;.c4
-17'
1':c:::if"'"ee::
...,J".="-..J I
II,'
I:I!:I
1 MHz
Figure 3-7 Shielding effectiveness of aluminum, MIL-STD-285 Testing

Conditions. (Courtesy of Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
........-
P' <VA ................. I''''"",...... It
1 kHz
et:=:::
dq
I I
....... J:"-<'~ Ir=---r=
I <;_
6:' I
100 kHz 300
:;>'< I "t"> .r<\t;: 5>< I:> _",\ I:;;,
~ ... 1""'" cc::
~ ........~
15<. I
I ><
1"""':"::
l""':.C<>"
30
I~-:>'I
10 kHz
I=""""-........
1::::::"'<"1
r::....::'I"',1>" . . . . ~ ,,["""" <11'/
1"< ~1Jrt"'-........
,=
1 kHz
cr"'... ...::"CJ.F.... cc::
F'!'-cC:~'hl
220 ~"..L~n1'"........
240 P"":<Q I I:""lt.........
2601>""
280 [">r:..i0 i' f'>'.......
30
1~
160
.~
30
c--
10Hz
.1
2a'AH
100 Hz
I:> ..........
I:;
40
1~'/
10 kHz
.'
Y.
o:fC'
I,
II
I I
...h ,
I"
: I
10 kHz
C).
I!
be /
! I
Ail?
'C
'::P"'fT
::;a
100 kHz 300
1 MHz
10 MHz
, I
'fG
'T
30
"AP-
300
".....
' I
oj
II
1 GHz
I A AA1
I PI.'''::::aoo4
~ /
I!'
1'1
r
III
1 GHz
300
~o:c::l
100 MHz
::;pa~1
:::'
........ cc:::: I
t;j 1/
III
100 MHz
o",;~"J.I"
FI
:""b.....c:S"
L: Pia'
9P::::>4Pli."~""":
"
I!
II
I!
r-'~
.. .
"!:oio-""""T
:">
30
I!!I
10 MHz
~<:~;Pf:::::""o:c::
I b n -,'
-P1l'
~.
30
V,.-,
I I
I ....... :....wl I -=>'C qy ;:>...; J
j,q
I - , ".V
/I
[,p.c= I-.:,."Ll>..c: 11,3' ...... 1
J'bi'/
I'
':31
1/
1 MHz
Figure 3-8 Shielding effectiveness of iron, MIL-STD-285 Testing Conditions.

(Courtesy of Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
100 kHz 300
II!~
30
kbi-.r7 L : I
I=""'-.......... I
I~
: I
J 1,"
a-fhes~ / I
I - --+::::
"I".c=
:; I
'
.,.
:;;;
,.. . . . . k
-1-
3001kHz
l.,q
,"~'/
;1
801
60 I "721'
100 I
~~ 120
~
2
>
~~
1:::'" <!' ':f; 1""..........
200 I> :C.::Qr,i 1"' .........
~
c
~ 1~
w
,$"'0<' -11-=
II
tcI
3001kHz
~b.-.?-<'/t=: .............
F' .......
.L'''i
- - .. OJ
~..........
100 Hz
2201=:-cllJrI F"".......
240 I ?"-.:e:
~:.:e:
I _----
260 1
280
30
10 GHz
30
20
40
60
80
(J)
.~
120 :
c~
1~ w~
.~
~O I>
, o
~r.4 AR"l1
.<
ro..
CD
~
.1M w
I 200
11220
II 240
1 260
I 280
() '7Q 100
I!
Chapter 3
24
Shielding Theory
EFFECTS OF LEAKAGES ON OVERALL SE

OF AN ENCLOSURE
TABLE 3-3
Basic Enclosure
Metal SE (dB)
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
Shielding for Total

Leakages L (dB)
Combined
Shielding SE'(dB)
76.8
76.8
76.8
76.8
76.8
76.8
76.8
58.8
66.7
72.2
75.1
76.1
76.7
76.8
Degradation due to standing waves involves resonance effects at higher frequencies

where enclosures act as microwave cavities. This results in areas or regions within a
shielded enclosure which exhibit poorer performance, i.e., lower shielding effectiveness. The maximum degradation from standing waves is on the order of 6 dB or, in
other words, if a reading is 100 dB and standing waves are present, the actual SE may
be 94 dB.
Equation (3-11) is expressed in conceptual rather than in explicit form. The
method of combining effects due to shielding leakages (L dB) and the base shielding
effectiveness (SE dB) is
SE
= -20 log{I/[log(-
SFJ20)
+ 1/[Jog(-U20)]} dB.
(3-12)
Note that Eq. (3-12) coherently adds all leakage effects together. This is a worst
case since the phases may range from nearly all in phase (coherent at low frequencies)
to approaching random phase (incoherent at high frequencies). However, usually one or
a few leakages predominate so that a coherent worst case combination is justified.
Let us assume that the total leakage from a filter/connector panel, a vent, and a
door yield is a combined SE of 76.8 dB. When combined with a basic shield SE of
different values, the combined SE is shown in Table 3-3.
The above serves to demonstrate the importance of controlling leakages in shielded
enclosures.
3.3 lYPICAL SHIELDING MATERIALS
Shielding materials commonly used in the construction of shielded enclosures consist of
the following.
a. Plywood/particle board panels laminated on one or both sides with various
grades of galvanized sheet metal: commonly used for prefabricated enclosures.
Other metals, such as copper foil and metal screening, are also fabricated in a
similar manner.
b. Various thicknesses of sheet steel welded into place on a steel supporting structure.
c. Aluminum foil installed with contact adhesive.
d. Copper foil with a paper backing installed with contact adhesive.
e. Copper screening mounted on wooden studs and spot soldered.
Section 3.4
Seams
2S
f. Galvanized sheet metal mounted to plywood walls, single-shield system.

g. A combination of the above for specialized applications.
Figures 3-9-3-12 illustrate the basic shielding effectiveness of these shielding materials; note that, in general, a solid skin of metal greater than 0.01 in. thick provides
more than adequate shielding effectiveness for most purposes. A good rule of thumb is
that the base shield should provide at least 20 dB of SE above the minimum requirements above 10 MHz, at least 10 dB below 10 MHz, and 6 dB below 100 kHz. The
need for low-frequency magnetic shielding should be carefully studied prior to specifying it since this type of shielding is the most difficult to achieve.
3.4 SEAMS
3.4.1 Introduction
As was illustrated in Tables 3-2 and 3-3, penetrations in the shield represent the most
difficult challenge to the shielding installer. These are so important that separate chapters are provided for each type of major penetration. This section discusses the various
seams used in the construction of shielded enclosures.
3.4.2 Welded Seams

The most reliable shielding seam is the one that is welded. It is also the most expensive
since the steel must have a minimum thickness, usually 16 gauge or thicker, and field
welding is very time consuming. A continuous metal inert gas (MIG) weld must be
made along every seam. The welding must be tank tight, i.e., no pinholes are permitted. With the aid of seam leak detectors, developed for this purpose, RF-tight welds
are routinely achieved by the shielding companies. Well-constructed welded enclosures
can provide over 120 dB of shielding effectiveness throughout the entire frequency
spectrum.
3.4.3 Clamped Seams
The next most common RF seam is the clamped seam. Of these, the geometry illustrated in Fig. 3-13 is used by most manufacturers of shielded enclosures. This design is
called hats and flats, in that the part that is used to hold the nuts, or that is screwed
into, is a form of a hat channel, whereas the interior strapping is flat, with holes spaced
along for the heavy screws used in these installations. As will be explained in Chapter
4, the shielding performance of these systems is very sensitive to how well they are
installed. Two other forms of clamped seams are illustrated in Fig. 3-14. The manufacturer maintains that these are more reliable than the more common type in that the
materials used are resilient and are less sensitive to workmanship problems.
The clamped seam is assumed to provide a continuous metal-to-metal seal along
every seam in the enclosure. Any deviations from achieving this ideal concept provide a
source of leakage under one of the three field conditions. The most difficult to achieve,
in general, is the plane-wave shielding effectiveness. Gaps and cracks in the clamping
hardware are commonly sealed with bronze wool and metal shims on the inside of the
enclosure in order to meet the high end of the plane-wave shielding requirements.
N
0\
~'7'
(/)
c~
:c
~
~
W
Q)
.~
/ I }
"1
II
If
I I
p-'; ,
l: I
I I
I
~~
r---
JI
II
I {
I .........-: I ... _
A
I x ee"'::;;"f!l:
orHz
10
30
100 Hz
z::=r:
300
'
3
,
10 kHz
'
30
,
100 kHz
,
300
,
1 MHz
{I
{I
I I
100 MHz
,
10 MHz
,
30
L.J
-::J
,
300
I' _.- "'1'
II
I 200
I 220
I 240
I 260
I 280
10 GHz
40
60
30
I 20
iS.4nm I
-:r=
I
120
I 80
h",:>"1
(/)
~
.s:
g'
:c
.~
>
Q)
~~
(/)
CD
140 ~
1100
>];.'
I }
I}
1 GHz
::* . . . .
1 GHz
I,'
I:
300
I e:.....?;..4
,
100 MHz
1""""'-:
30
1----- T-'
J>.......
10 MHz
Figure 3-9 Shielding effectiveness of permalloy. Source-to-metal distance of

1 km. (Courtesy of Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
1 kHz
~~~I=::::
~~('fl't...... ~\kd""":
==z:
I~t'lb""':
P> .......('(,I:::;:>' ........ l:><""
I ---- "T
l>~
-:P""
17"=-1'
II ...
{I
II
I I
I}
1 MHz
15 ~ 1:::;;",,""""- f5:::7\..\"l:;;7 e:: V;."A\\ l:;;;7""""- J><:: 1 ~ 1-----'To
.J\"j,
201,.'<'4. 1,."-
40
l';;e' t')~ <'J.,,'l' ~ ,h':'1'><C
~........
f I
100 kHz 300
I"- .... r
=t> ~l'
I /'
30
1---..[
I _tl'7'
601
80
100 r>-..r:',~
120
140
160
l"-..::q,,71'........
f 1i
10 kHz
160
I \
C21 fl
I}
I I
sf
L~J
3001kHz
180
200 I
'.,
If
I C\ I
100 Hz
~ ~
(/)
CD
~
(~
240 I
260 I
220 I
280 I
30
"'--I
~
~
~
00
"U
co
If
~":c.-~J);:=t::
::::;;;re~se~~~
or::
10
Hz
..............-
100 Hz
30
300
I...................
II
II
IV.",
""'1
I 1 mil
30
10 kHz
~ bC~
" "
} I
II
1 MHz
unit
~~'V
L~.q
Freque~y
,
'
100 kHz 300
HFleld
---t-
Iv.vv..'I....
f""">:::ss IY ' Y " ""
_($f
If
1 MHz
30
'
10 MHz
}I
II
30
l 1 O1i\
If
I t:i!
10 MHz
II
1I
I!
300
"r
100 MHz
300
I 160
10 GHz
40
60
80
30
I 20
I....,
1 ~nd fJ., =11
C~pper
eT, -::
.S
"U
CD
en
00
180 w
1200
11220
t 240
1 260
I 280
I
~y I
~
J::7''''f
1100
0.1 01\
1 GHz
I'--..r
I
I . _.-'''1'
I'
~I
1 __
"
I ~V!
I /1
I ~~ I
II
1/
I!
~{I
I J
1 GHz
11.62~~
I
II
I,:"V{
100 MHz
Figure 3-10 Shielding effectiveness of copper. Source-to-metal distance of

zd=::
1 kHz
!I
f""""=r=::sl---[
1:7'~
~ ~
:J><:
i~}
I!
100 kHz 300
1,1 I
J>< =<=
_...,.-
0.-'
JI p!
30
!! I
I'....'
10 kHz
_.1/
I I
:;;;tIP" I :.>'.,-
:>,C'":l~"'>~1
7""'T"'":
20 IQ:Jp41
........... '92:~~:7".
I 7-:7= I ........... '90~ :;':!"""I 7~
401?7:1l
60
801~:...r=
100 ~ ~SC'''''':sc'9'''SiE~
200~tLf),.,~ .......
220~';h.~
I!
I ~~~ I
F""-....L'~
240
I - .. _.- r--.,e
260 I
3001kHz
100 Hz
280 I
30
I
I
I
II
I:
I
If
I" ' : ~
....... cc::1 , ' ....... cc::: I
I/
II
I(
I
I
I In"
Ie.
ba
I I
100 kHz 300
1::=1
I :
/I
_ # I
I If' /
1 MHz
;'1
J.
10 MHz
II
30
1/
I!
r:"" /
I !
II
-_I I
I -/
r
II
1 GHz
300
I _' 1 I
100 MHz
t'JV"
"0
C
en
>
00
~~~
~O .-~~
180
I 200
1 I 220
II 240
I 260
I 280
(/)
Q)
~c
:.c
.-
l:~d\J."""-=::=:J><... J><
L./:
6OL'/~
10 Hz
20""'-=
"
30
jC:
z:
100 Hz
:3i"'!'T q
s""W
300
10 kHz
,,s.""'Sc.......
30
I"., r=181QI
I:::~l;
.l
100 kHz 300
J:::-e
L~ .
,I
1 MHz
1-.:-:""]"
I~_.
10 MHz
30
lilhi:J.,
fPuj,L
Lx.
100 MHz
300
l.LA_ I
t_~
Figure 3-11 Shielding effectiveness of iron. Source-to-metal distance at

, kHz
;:=re=::r:
'P""s c:
40~J.~::>~\~J~~i~J.~
. . . P'Cd.-2"
J2<...cc:::P<cc::a;oj.><J.:::> IA".
f"=>.
I /
801
~cc::
r:c..--''( ....... cc:: A
100 I
, GHz
l.,nlliOCJI
~le'co1.V=
4'"
10 GHz
30
20
40
.1.,,,,,, I
I
60
80
I
I
A 100
120
00
.!!e
w
140 :::
c
i:i
....... L I
;: #
I I
!! :
30
:""b-cc:: I
I ! :
I I
10 kHz
1W
WO
=r===
"
I{
~U MO
00
~~
~
~
rn
.~Ii
220 I
200 I
to ,"'ollt
240 I
'=# I
II
3001kHz
I ,-11"/ I
260 I
IrOr:l
100 Hz
280 I
30
N
\C
.s
"0
co
:>:=7"" I
0'
10 Hz
30
2011J';'~ll
40 I
601:7~
Ir-=
l'><:"'""
1
, ......... ~
300
30
"..,ii
- -Of
1-----"
II
25.4
I !
I fa f
1 MHz
300
1 MHz
Frequencv
100 kHz
I"'''''-'r-
f - --
I" .......1
11
HFleld
, ........... ::sa
,==-=-
I ==--
,...........
I:::::;p::..........-.......
10 kHz
....... ~
7'~ ~
l><::
J:><:::
.~~-~
f~:
II
I {I
100 kHz 300
'Ii
If I
30
u.nh
! I
II
II
IJ
30
10 MHz
l 1 mi\
Ir
I!
30
I J I
10 MHz
,:..v f
'
roo MHz
,
300
1- --- __ . or
lJ,
,
1 GHz
,---- -1
~I
I!
1 GHz
_~
I I
It
I!
300
t
I
I !
100 MHz
Figure 3-12 Shielding effectiveness of aluminum. Source distance of 1 km.

(Courtesy of Interference Control Technologies Publishers.)
1 kHz
zr=:=""",.......-
100 Hz
"-f
0' I
/i@{
I"
10 kHz
i!
.I /
....... .c= I:::::;p::..r: I
~,=
g==z:
~"""""'FbP':ia:ord"5c1
::::Illi""'..r:rt~-:=
::::Illi""'.c=t:9>::=17'=~
-":sc
: I
11
{I
~S?~SC"<: l""SiE~
~4'h __T =
80 r"5*df\ I :;"~sc::~
100 ~
200 ~""'-f"J'}JI;--;"""'"
, I
t~'lTi.7'........
220
I ~'O:>< I
I - - ---- r--..,e
3001kHz
P'..-LY:} I
260 I
100 Hz
240
280 I
30
=11
,
30
20
I 40
I 60
80
1100
I 200
11220
~ 240
I 260
I 280
1-'
,
10 GHz
1 pnd J.J.,
I ie !
...........,..
I
C~pper
:.1
II
II
I!
30
Chapter 3
Inside Shielded Room
Wall Seam-Typical
////////////////. /z '//
Shielding Theory
'/-
."
Z/, 'l////////.
'l/.'l////////-
'l/////
'////////.
:-,:,,"'''''''''''''''''''''',,'\.
~""',"
' l / / / / / / / / / / 'l////////
Figure 3-13 Clamped seam (hat I flat) .
..-'
Figure 3-14 Alternative clamped seams.
3.4.4 Single-Shield Seams

Various means are used to seal the seams of single-shield systems. The clamped seam is
used in some cases by the major suppliers of modular systems, but the most common is
the field-installed system. With two exceptions, these are lower performance shielding
systems. The exceptions are illustrated in Fig. 3-15. The sandwich seam is a patented
concept [3] which uses the waveguide-beyond-cutoff principle to achieve the RF seal,
whereas the other seam is flame-sprayed with zinc to achieve a metal-to-metal seal
across the lap joint. The sandwich seam has been successfully used by the author in
over a dozen large 26 gauge galvanized single-shield enclosures.
In copper foil installations, continuous or spot-soldered seams are used. The latter
should only be used in low-frequency, below 100 MHz installations since higher frequency energy will pass through the joints where the spacing exceeds 0.1 wavelength.
In foil systems, it is absolutely essential that the material be lapped so the solder has a
chance to properly seal the joint. A good method of sealing is to use copper tape that
has been pretreated with a solder coating. A hot iron can then be used to seal the
seams. Care must be exercised to prevent air bubbles from forming when using this
method, and cold joints are often a problem.
With the exception of the waveguide-beyond-cutoff seal, all seaming approaches
rely on achieving a continuous metal-to-metal seal. The degree to which it is achieved
determines the effectiveness of the construction method in accomplishing the overall
#10 Pus h Point :Y. in.

Self-Tapp ing
Sh eet Meta l Sc rew
He x Head
,
6 in. jl - - --
% in. Plywo od
Clea rance Hole

Cover Plate Only
I
I
-0
2.5 in.
I' .---r
(9
Hex Head
w ith Slot
'7
-0
I
I
I
I
I
I
3B
(a)
(q)
U!
J O W:>
9>
Figure 3-15 (a) Sandwich seam, (b) tack-welded seam.

31
32
Chapter 3
Shielding Theory
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~ Cop per Foil
. :. ' .
... .. : .
..
.. . .
.... .
Hig h-St rengt h
~ 'd~~:~!:;~:~:~
Metal Subst rat e
Figure 3-16 Conductive adhesive shielding tape .

shielding performance. At 10 GHz, the high end of most specifications, a very slight
crack in a solder seam will cause a leak of 20 dB or, instead of measuring 100+ dB, the
test will yield 80 dB . This is especially true around the seams at doors and other penetrations.
For moderate performance installations 60 dB) another method of sealing seams
in shielded enclosures is to use various forms of copper tape. Three forms of this tape
currently exist. The most common is copper foil or tinned plated copper foil with a
conductive adhesive . The conductivity of the adhesive is provided by filling the adhesive with metal particles. The most effective form uses silver-plated copper particles.
This is illustrated in Fig. 3-16. Another form of the tape is the embossed tape, shown in
Fig. 3-17. Here , conductivity is achieved by a metal-to-metal contact between the
Foil Cross Section
Me tal- to-Metal
Contact
Adhe sive
Metal Substr ate
Figure 3-17 Embossed pattern impressed onto the foil backing of

shielding tape . (Courtesy of Electrical Specialties, Div. 3M Co.)
Section 3.5
33
Conclusions
Solder Plate
Adhesive
Figure 3-18 Waveguide-beyond-cutoff shielding tape.

patches of adhesive. A third form is illustrated in Fig. 3-18. This tape relies on the
waveguide-beyond-cutoff principle. The waveguides are formed by the ridges in the
tape; one form uses adhesive to hold the tape foil in intimate contact with the shielding
surface, and the other has solder on the ridges. This concentrates the heat during soldering along the ridges and improves the metal-to-metal seal. For further details on this
patented shielding tape, refer to [4].
Other methods of sealing seams are illustrated in Fig. 3-19.
3.5 CONCLUSIONS
Shielded enclosures can be made of just about any type of metal foil, screen, metallic
cloth, or metal sheet, the degree of shielding depending on the frequency and field type
to be attenuated. The real key to an effective shielding system is how the sheets are
seamed together and how penetrations are controlled through the shield. The next chapter .iiscusses commercial shielding systems and how they are designed and specified to
achieve their stated performance.
Chapter 3
34
Shielding Theory
Weld Material
No~step
Type
Step Type
Weld Material
=
Continuous Butt Weld
Fused Material
cL
Spot Weld
Formation of Permanent
Overlap Seam
Note: Soldering or Welding

Is Desirable for
Maximum Protection
---1L
CD
Figure 3-19 Other methods of sealing seams.

3.6 REFERENCES
[I] D. R. 1. White, "Shielding design, methodology and procedures," Interference
Control Technologies, Inc., 1986.
[2] - - , "Electromagnetic shielding materials and performance," Interference Control
Technologies, Inc., 1975.
[3] "Shield system and sandwich seam for attenuation of electromagnetic energy,"
U.S. Patent 4 733 013, Mar. 22, 1988. Technology licensed to author by ALCOA.
[4] "Radio frequency shielding tape," U.S. Patent 4 977 296, Dec. II, 1990. Inventor:
author.
CHAPTER 4
Modular Shielded
Enclosures
4.1 INTRODUCTION
A shielded enclosure is a six-sided structure with all doors, vents, and other items
which penetrate the shield treated to maintain shielding integrity. It may be a freestanding structure, such as the modular clamp-up structure, or a welded steel room built
in place on the site. A more recent advent in shielding is the architectural shielding
system, where metal foil or sheet metal is built into the walls, floor, and ceiling of
existing or new construction. This chapter reviews the modular shielded systems commonly provided by the commercial shielded enclosure manufacturer. Both performance
and procurement specifications are provided for the various types of modular enclosures. These range from the most popular form, a galvanized steel paneled room, to
copper screen wire mounted on wood frames. Single- and double-shielded systems are
available in modular form. The latter provide high levels of shielding effectiveness and
are the most common. The single-shield systems provide moderate amounts of shielding
effectiveness, and have become popular in recent years.
The choice of which type of shielding system to use in a given application is a
function of several factors. The first factor is performance. Only performance levels
which are actually needed in terms of shielding effectiveness for each type of electromagnetic field and frequency range should be specified. The required shielding effectiveness is primarily based on the operational purpose of the facility. Hospital and
secure communication facilities generally require shielding for different reasons. The
operational purpose also determines the other physical factors required for the shielded
enclosure such as appearance, HVAC, physical layout, and environmental requirements.
All of these factors must be taken into account when selecting the type of shielding
system for a given application. After all the requirements are clearly defined, the data
given in this handbook can be used to select or specify a particular shielding system.
The most common form of modular shielded enclosure is the clamp-up system
using galvanized sheet metal bonded to both sides of a wood core and tied together by
3S
36
Chapter 4
Emergency Lights
Outlet Box
Electrical Outlet
for Door
Emergency
lights
~~--RFDoor
Platform
Ground Stud
Extractor Fan
Figure 4-1 Modular, clamp-up, demountable shielded enclosure.
a framework made of plated steel. This form of modular system will be discussed first.
The remaining types of premanufactured or prefab structures will follow. The choice of
which system to select is mainly based upon the need for the shielding. The galvanized
panel system is the most common because it is readily available from a large number of
suppliers and provides good performance over a broad frequency range. The remaining
modular shielding systems described and specified provide a variety of capabilities,
each of which depends upon the type of shielding material to be used and the method of
their construction.
4.2 ZINc/GALVANIZED STEEL MODULAR

SHIELDED ENCLOSURES
4.2.1 Introduction
The majority of shielded enclosures sold by commercial shielding companies is of a
modular, demountable, and clamp-up design. They consist of plywood or particle board
laminated on both sides with galvanized or zinc-plated steel. They are assembled into
enclosures using strapping systems which are known as hats and flats. This type of
construction is illustrated in Fig. 4-1.
4.2.2 System Description

The shielding panel generally consists of a 3/4 in. plywood or particle board panel sandwiched between two sheets of galvanized or zinc-plated steel. The sheet metal is most
often 24 or 26 gauge. These are bonded together using adhesives developed to adhere
metal to wood. The sheets are fabricated into panels 4 ft wide by 8, 10, and 12 ft in
length.
The strapping material or hat and flat assemblies are made a variety of ways. Each
manufacturer uses the same basic method to achieve the bolted seam. The fabrication
Section 4.2
37
Zinc/Galvanized Steel Modular Shielded Enclosures

Floor Seam-Typical
Inside Shielded Room
Wall Seam-Typical
Insi de Sh ield ed Room
Figure 42 Clamping unit using captured nuts .

techniques vary between manufacturers; thus, the individual parts are not interchangeable. Figs. 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4 illustrate the various techniques used. All achieve the same
end, i.e . , they provide a continuous metal-to-metal seal between the panels of a modular shielding system . Since the performance of a given enclosure is dependent on the
degree of continuity between the panels and the absence of cracks or breaks between the
panels, installation workmanship is critical. Because of this dependence on workmanship, it is difficult to determine if anyone joining system is inherently more reliable
than another. To achieve an even clamping pressure, the strap should be on the order of
1/8 in. thick, a minimum of 21/2 in. wide and the screw spacing not more than 4 in.
Clamping pressure is supplied by 1/4-20 bolts or screws torqued to a specified amount,
thus assuring maximum metal-to-metal continuity and an RF-tight seam.
Most clamping systems are designed to permit the room to be totally assembled
from the inside and located within an inch or two of existing walls.
Counter Sunk
Screws
Used For
Floor
2 in .
Flat Channel
Both Sides
Hat Channel
Plyw ood o r
Nov aply
Ceil ing or Floor Section
Figure 4-3 Clamping unit using self-tapping screws.
38
Chapter 4
Str ap
'/.- 20 Screw
Chan nel
Nut
St rap
Shield ing Panel
Figure 4-4 Clamping unit using floating nuts.

Floor panels are the same as the wall and ceiling panels and provide the same RF
shielding properties. Floor panels will support a total floor loading of 1200 lb/ft 2 provided the parent building floor is rated to support that loading. The additional loading
of the enclosure, which typically runs about 12 lb/ft 2, must be included.
The corner assemblies vary, depending on the manufacturer, and the three most
common designs are illustrated in Figs. 4-5 - 4-7. Again , very little commonality exists
between manufacturers on framing systems; thus, if a shielding kit is ordered, the buyer
must coordinate carefully with the vendor to ensure that adequate supplies of all parts
are ordered; otherwise, expensive delays in the field can result.
Water is the worst enemy of modular shielding systems. A vapor seal must be
installed between the enclosure floor panels and the floor of the parent building. The
"Users of the enclosure must be warned not to spill liquids on the floor, and care must be
taken to prevent water spillage during sprinkler tests because even the smallest amount
of water will cause contamination of the clamped seams. Waterproof adhesive used for
laminating the steel sheets to structural core material in some shielded systems is not a
complete answer to the issue of moisture damage. It is the core material itself that
swells with moisture and causes the damage. All manufacturers of these types of
RC Channel
Corner Cap
(Cast Bronze)
Encl osure
Figure 45 Corner unit using

bronze cap .
Section 4.2
Zinc/Galvanized Steel Modular Shielded Enclosures
3 in. Overlap
39
Corner Clamps
I~_ _
Inside
Clamp
Welded
Seam
Outside
Clamp - -.........
V4-20 Phillips Head
Screw
Plywood
Inside Shield
Floor
Tile
Outside
Shield
Masonite
Figure 4-6
Corner unit using welded strapping.
Figure 4-7 Corner unit formed from shielding panels.
Outside
Clamp
40
Chapter 4
shielded enclosures are aware of this limitation, but no solution has been offered other
than installing a pan-type floor; i.e., the floor must either have all seams solder sealed
or welded.
The weight of plywood/particle board systems is about 12 lb/ft". This may be a
problem on the upper floors of office buildings. The other systems described in this
handbook should be considered where weight is a problem. Also, when the ceiling is to
be hung off the parent building, then the effect of that loading must be evaluated. If the
loading exceeds the rated load of the parent building, then the enclosure must be specified to be self-supporting, and will therefore require a steel support structure to carry
the weight of the ceiling panels.
If the climate where the system is to be installed has continuous high humidity,
then the shielding panels cannot be made of particle board, which has a tendency to
swell with moisture and destroy the shielding integrity. A very good grade of marine
plywood should be used in this type of application.
The U.S. Army [I] determined during a long-term stability test of several modular
enclosures that their service life is limited without extensive maintenance, especially of
the RF doors. Another concern is the floor panels. These tend to work loose under
varying loads and the constant stresses caused by people moving about the enclosure.
Modular enclosures should be recertified at least every three years.
4.2.3 Typical Performance

The galvanized sheet metal modular enclosure, when properly installed, meets most of
the current specifications for shielding. It has a moderate amount of magnetic field
shielding effectiveness, as illustrated in Fig. 4-8, and generally exceeds 100 dB for
electric and plane-wave fields. The actual measured performance of these enclosures is
a function of the installation workmanship; therefore, careful selection of a qualified
installer is very important.
140
130
120
Cii 110
90
~<U
80
(/)
.~
u
Q)
/'
70
60
g> 50
:2
.s
40
63
30
~ 100
PW
H./
/
IT
20
.----
-- ------------- _.--
10
o
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-8 Typical performance of galvanized modular shielded enclosure.
10 GHz
41
Double-Isolated Shield System
Section 4.3.
4.2.4 Procurement Specifications

Refer to Appendix A-4, paragraph 4.1 for detailed specifications on the galvanized
modular shielded enclosure system.
4.3. DOUBLE-ISOLATED SHIELD SYSTEM

4.3.1 Description
The differences between the double-isolated shield system and the standard doubleshield system is illustrated schematically in Fig. 4-9. The design goal is to isolate
the outer and inner shields, and thus prevent coupling and conductive paths between
the two shields from reducing their shielding effectiveness which, as illustrated in
Chapter 3, can be quite high, even for a single shield. The method of achieving the
isolation is illustrated in Fig. 4-10. Special treatments are required for all penetrations
in order to maintain the desired physical isolation between the shields. The advertised
performance of this type of modular enclosure is illustrated in Fig. 4-11. The design is
covered under a number of u.S. Patents [3]. When a reliable high-performance modular
shielded enclosure is required, this system has proven to meet its advertised capabilities.
TI
TI
.....-.
Figure 4-9 Schematic difference between double-isolated shield

and conventional cell-type shield.
Several versions of the system are available. The principal difference between each
version is the shielding performance, as illustrated below. All versions require special
door treatment to attain the highest performance in the microwave frequency range.
a. 24 Gauge Galvanized Steel
This system has 24 gauge galvanized steel on the exterior and interior surfaces of
the enclosure. The performance of this model of enclosure is as follows.
TYPICAL ATTENUATION CHARACTERISTICS
Magnetic
60 Hz
14 kHz
15 dB
80 dB
Electric
14 kHz
110-120 dB
Plane Wave
450 MHz
100-110 dB
I GHz
100-110 dB
Microwave
10GHz
90-100 dB
Chapter 4
42
Figure 4-10 Construction method for achieving

double-isolated shielding system.
140
130
120
co
"'0
110 ~
100
en
en
90
en
~(l)
80
.~(,J
70
<U
ffi
60
50
s:
40
30
:.c~
CJ)
~,
20
,"
-- ----
, ~'
,
..
----- -- 100-----
tiI"I-
~---
-- .... -
NS ~65-6
"'"
./
/'
" /'"
-----.l -- ""- ----
,1
J~
:~'
1
/
I
,..--
-:
//,
-- - -1-.----
10
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-11 Performance of double-isolated shielding system.
b. 24 Gauge Galvanized Steel and 3 Oz Copper

This is a cost-effective high-performance system using an outer galvanized shield
and an inner 3 oz copper shield. The latter is protected by a masonite interior wall
treatment. The performance of this model is as follows.
43
Double-Isolated Screen Enclosure
Section 4.4
14 kHz
75-80 dB
60 Hz
8 dB
Plane Wave
Electric
Magnetic
14 kHz
120 dB
450 kHz
120 dB
Microwave
1 GHz
120 dB
10 GHz
104-112 dB
c. 3 Oz Copper Shielding System

The 3 oz copper double-shield system provides high performance in the plane wave
and microwave frequency ranges. This is illustrated by the following typical specifications.
Magnetic
60 Hz
2-3 dB
Electric
14 kHz
64 dB
14 kHz
120 dB
Microwave
Plane Wave
450 MHz
120 dB
I GHz
120 dB
10 GHz
110-120 dB*
d. 24 Gauge Galvanized Steel and 24 Oz Copper

This combination of shielding material provides the following performance.
Electric
Magnetic
60 Hz
18-25 dB
14 kHz
86-93 dB
14 kHz
120 dB
Plane Wave
Microwave
I GHz
120 dB
450 MHz
120 dB
10GHz
106-120 dB*
e. Four-Shield System
This system consists of dual layers of 24 oz copper and 24 gauge steel on both the
inner and outer shields. The performance of this system is as follows.
Magnetic
60 Hz
30-36 dB
14 kHz
110-120 dB
Electric
14 kHz
120 dB
Microwave
Plane Wave
450 MHz
120 dB
I GHz
120 dB
10 GHz
120 dB*
4.3.2 Procurement Specification
A suggested procurement specification for a selected version of the double-isolated

modular shielded enclosure system is given in Appendix A-4, paragraph 4.2.
4.4 DOUBLE-ISOLATED SCREEN ENCLOSURE
4.4.1 Description
These special-purpose enclosures are made of wooden frames covered on both sides
with metal screen. The seams are sealed with solder, either continuously or spot sol* Doors require special treatment to achieve the high levels of shielding effectiveness.
Chapter 4
44
140
130
120
co
"0
110
100
CJ)
90
80
.~
70
H/
/'
en
cu
60
50
:c
(/)
t-,
~J
Q)
ffi
~ ~ PW
~/
(J)
-,
<,
"
/
/'
40
30
20
10
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-12 Typical performance of double-isolated

copper screen shielding system.
dered, depending on the manufacturer and the high-frequency performance requirements. Typical shielding effectiveness performance is shown in Fig. 4-12 for a welldesigned system. Screening is useful for factory testing where a "hear through, see
through" environment is desired. Both bronze and copper screening are used, with the
latter providing better magnetic and plane-wave shielding effectiveness.
4.4.2 Procurement Specifications
Refer to Appendix A-4, paragraph 4.3 for a suggested format for procurement specifications.
4.5 SINGLE-SHIELD MODULAR ENCLOSURE
4.5.1 Introduction
A variety of single-shield modular enclosures is available, each having different performance characteristics. NMR enclosures are available from a number of suppliers. These
enclosures are designed to provide electric and plane-wave shielding for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging systems used in hospitals. They are built from nonferrous materials so that the enclosure does not bias the magnetic fields developed in the imaging
equipment. A variety of single-shield modular systems is available for moderateperformance TEMPEST applications. A high-performance single-shield all-steel system
is also available.
4.5.2 Nonferrous NMR Enclosures
4.5.2.1 Description. The most common materials used in these enclosures are
copper and aluminum. Both are nonferrous and will not disturb the magnetic fields
Section 4.5
Single-Shield Modular Enclosure
4S
Typical Shielding Effectiveness
140
130
120
Cii 110
"C
Electric Fielc Plane We ve
100
~ 90
,/
(/)
~Q)
80
.~
70
ffi
60
50
U
Q)
~
:c
CJ)
r-,
-,
~~
,/
D~V~
~~~/'
40
,/
,/
30
~.
20
/'
10
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-13 Required shielding effectiveness of NMR facilities.
developed by the imaging equipment. Copper shielding is normally specified since it

does provide some magnetic shielding at the lower frequencies without disturbing the
MRI equipment. The shielding performance for electric and plane waves is normally
specified from 1 through 100 MHz.
The key to a good design is the construction of the shielded door to the facility. It
must maintain its performance under high usage and still be easy to operate. The threshold must be designed to have a minimum step so that gurneys can be easily moved in
and out of the equipment room. Chapter 6 discusses in detail the types of doors that are
available from the various shielding manufacturers. The performance for NMR facilities
is illustrated in Fig. 4-13 and is tabulated in Table 4-1.
4.5.2.2 Procurement Specification for NMR Shielded Enclosures. A suggested procurement specification for NMR RF shielded enclosures is given in Appendix
A-4, paragraph 4.4.
4.5.2.3 Magnetic Shielding for NMR Systems. The MRI equipment uses a
very large electromagnet which produces a high static magnetic field. This field is
potentially hazardous to cardiac pacemakers, and the HEW has established that the
magnetic field should not exceed 5 G in areas adjacent to the MRI facility. In some
instances, magnetic shielding may be required in the design of the MRI facility. This
information is obtained from the planning departments of the respective MRI equipment
TABLE 1 RECOMMENDED SE PERFORMANCE FOR NMR FACILITIES

Magnetic
10 kHz
40 dB
100 kHz
60 dB
Electric
1 MHz
85 dB
10 kHz
100 dB
10 MHz
100 dB
Plane Wave
100 MHz
100 dB
1 GHz
80 dB
46
Chapter 4
Panel Layoutand
Assembly
Figure 414 Lindsay shielded enclosure system.
manufacturers as part of the marketing service. This may entail as much as 20-100 tons
of steel, depending on the location and particular model of MRI equipment.
4.5.3 The Lindsay System

4.5.3.1 Description. The Lindsay system [2] illustrated in Fig. 4-14, is a galvanized steel sheet metal panel stretched between metal clamping bars which form the
skeletal support structure for the system. Greater than 100 dB performance is advertised
up to 10 GHz for this single-shield system. This system should be considered when
weight is a limiting factor. It is an all-metal system which weighs about 8 Ib/ft 2
The advantage of the Lindsay system is that the assembled framing and panels
provide a lightweight wall construction that is very strong and rigid. The tension panels
spread the load across the entire structure such that the panel sheets carry the frame
rather than the frame carrying the sheets. This method of construction resists vibration,
temperature changes, and contraction and expansion.
4.5.3.2 Procurement Specification. Refer to Appendix A-4, paragraph 4.5 for
details on a suggested procurement specification.
Section 4.6
Advantages/Disadvantages of Modular Enclosures
47
4.5.4 Bolt-Together Wooden Frame System

4.5.4.1 Description. The single-shield bolt-together systems use wooden frames
with the shielding material stretched over the outer surface and bolted together, as illustrated in Fig. 4-15. The interiors or exteriors of the shield can be finished off with
standard wall treatments, as illustrated in Fig. 4-16. The performance of a single-shield
24 gauge galvanized steel system is shown in Fig. 4-17.
4.5.4.2 Procurement Specifications. Sample procurement specifications for a
single-shield modular system are given in Appendix A-4, paragraph 4.6.
4.5.5 Low-Performance Clamp-Up Shielding System
4.5.5.1 Description. A lower performance version of the double-sided steel
modular is available. This consists of lightweight panels made of wood composite clad
on one side with a 26 gauge galvanized steel panel. It is designed to be compatible with
all the penetration hardware used in the double-clad system, including doors, vents, and
power line filters. This type of system is specified to meet the performance curve shown
in Fig. 4-18.
4.5.5.2 Procurement Specifications. The procurement specifications are the
same as the double-clad panel system, except that the panel system consists of a composite wood panel with one side covered with 26 gauge sheet metal. It is recommended
that this side of the panel be installed on the inside of the enclosure for ease of inspection. Care must be taken when installing attachments to the interior surfaces of this type
of shielding so that "antenna effects" are not created. The performance of these enclosures is in accordance with NSA 73-2A (see Chapter 9 for details).
4.6 ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES
OF MODULAR ENCLOSURES
The modular enclosures are ideal for small test chambers or work spaces that require
modification for shielding. They are readily available from a number of manufacturers,
either as kits or installed. If demountability is important, then they are the only type of
shielding suitable. If the size of the enclosure exceeds 240 ft2 , then the other types of
shields described in this handbook should be considered. As the size of the space to be
shielded increases, the modular system becomes less cost effective. For large ceiling
spans, special steel structures or support from the parent building must be provided.
Finishing the modular room with conventional wall coverings must be done very carefully to ensure that the integrity of the shield is not compromised. Painting of the
shielding panels is not recommended since the paint capillaries under the strapping and
negates the shielding properties of the system. Water is an absolute enemy of modular
shielding. Normal city water is loaded with minerals, and if spilled (coffee, etc.), the
runoff can get under the strapping and form a deposit which would insulate the strap
from the shielding panel and degrade the shielding effectiveness of the system. If carefully installed a sealing material called "kobakoat" can be used to seal the floor of
modular systems, preventing damage in the case of a sprinkler discharge.
48
Chapter 4
Shield
Material
Wood Frame
12 in.
1
Plan View
~12in.~
12 in.
n
u
J
72 in.
I
I
1
Elevation
View
Figure 4-15 Single-shield bolt-together system.
Section 4.6
49
AdvantagesIDisadvantages of Modular Enclosures
Galvanized
RC Channel
&
Galvanized
RC Channel
&
Drywall
Drywall
l'
LD
Notes:
Use minimum number
of screws penetrating
shield.
RC channel to be
unpainted galvanized
steel.
Double Shield
Screws Only
Penetrate
Interior Shield
Drywall
Steel Stud
Galvanized Steel
Shield Panel
Figure 4-16A Methods of interior finishing.
50
Chapter 4
24 x 48 x % in. Thick Suspended Ceiling

Tile with " T" Bars & Wa ll Ang les
7/8
in. x 25 Gauge Plated Metal Furring Channel , Continuous at Base

3/ 8 in . Large Pan Head
(Phill ips) Drywall Self-Dr illing Screws 24 in. a.c.
& Head Wall , Fasten to RF Panels w ith # 6-20 x
~----
48 x 4 in. High Rubb er Base
Raised Access Floor System
-,--
Wall Panels (314 in . Thick)

2 ft., 6 in . x Full Height
Shim with '18 in. Hard Board as Required
Figure 4-168 Methods of interior finishing.
Section 4.7
Critical Considerations
51
140
130
120
co
110
"0
;:; 100
90
80
.~
70
(/)
(1)
U
(1)
ffi
60
g>
50
"0
~
.I:.
en
-:
r-,
<, PW
r-,
~~
H I
,I
40
/'
30
20
.-"---~----_.
-----
-_.._---
10
o
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-17 Performance of single-shield 24 gauge galvanized

steel shielded enclosure.
4.7 CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

When considering modular shielding systems, be aware that the ultimate performance
of the enclosure is directly dependent on the skill of the installer. The shielding supplier
should be held accountable for the performance of the enclosure after all work is completed. It is well established that the proof of shielding is in the performance test. This
should be conducted by an independent testing service, and should be performed after
all work which has an impact on the shielding is completed.
As mentioned above, water is an enemy of modular shielding; therefore, if sprinklers are to be installed in the enclosure, it must be made clear to the sprinkler contractor that no water spills, not even a cupful, are permitted during the testing of the
sprinkler system. For computer facilities, it is recommended that a dry pipe system be
installed. This system is activated by smoke detectors, with built-in delays, and alarms
so that if any personnel are available, it can be verified that water is needed. A halon
system is best for computer centers, but halon is on the endangered list since it contributes to the "greenhouse effect" on the earth's atmosphere. See Chapter 7 for additional
information on fire protection systems.
Also, be aware that when installing a modular system, absolute cleanliness is required around the edges of the shield panels and the clamping hardware. Careful monitoring by the purchaser is recommended. If the vendor's installer does not clean the
panels and hardware prior to assembly, then stop the work and demand that the vendor
justify his installation method.
On the hat and flat modular installed systems, make sure that the installer uses
shims at every joint in the strapping system on the inside of the enclosure. When seams
must be stuffed, bronze or stainless steel wool should be used, not ordinary steel wool.
The latter will rust and ruin the shielding in very short order, even under the driest
conditions.
S2
Chapter 4
140
130
120
Cii
110
'0
~ 100
~ 90
(/)
~Q)
80
.~
70
Q)
:::
60
w
g>
:0
Q)
:.c(/)
~ r--......
50
40
H .--'" .,,'-
30
..,.,.-' ~_-- ----
~..,.,. ..
20
~".
-_._-
10
o
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 4-18 Performance of single-shield clamp-up shielding system.
All penetrations in the shield should be made and installed by or under the supervision of the shielding installer. This includes all piping, electrical filters, and ventilation ducts.
Repairing or fixing faulty shielding is a very time-consuming and expensive proposition, especially if the shielding is covered up by interior finishes. If there is any
doubt as to how reliable a supplier or a given system of shielding is, then specify that a
preliminary performance test be conducted upon completion of the enclosure. Temporarily set the RF doors and perform a plane-wave test of the basic enclosure, with
special attention given to any penetrations in the shield. A good indication of the integrity of the basic shell is to perform a seam leak test (described in Chapter 8). A
knowledgeable tester can soon debug most shield systems in a few hours.
Also be aware that two different methods exist for fastening the hat and flat systems together. The preferred method is to attach a nut plate or threaded fastener to the
hat section of the clamping system. A less desirable method is commonly used where
self-tapping screws are threaded into prepunched holes in the framing. These are prone
to stripping and do not have the compression strength of the threaded insert.
4.8 PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS

Four government specifications are commonly used to define the shielding performance
of a shielded enclosure. The oldest and most common is MIL-STD-285. The next specification that is commonly specified is NSA-65-6. Another NSA specification that is
being used more frequently is NSA 73-2A. Finally, Air Force Class I and MIL-E4957 A are also used. All but NSA 73-2A requires 100 dB performance for plane-wave
and electric fields. NSA 73-2A was developed for an aluminum foil system, but some
Section 4.9
References
53
modular systems have been tailored for its moderate performance requirements, which
are on the order of 50 dB. All of the above specifications are discussed in detail in
Chapter 8.
4.9 REFERENCES
[1] U.S. Army Corps of Engineering Res. Lab. Tech. Rep. M296, "EMIIRFI shielding
effectiveness evaluation of bolt-together rooms in long-term aging," June 1981.
[2] U.S. Patent 2 017 629.
[3] U.S. Patents 2 765 362; 2 853 541; 2 860 176; and 3 009 984.
CHAPTER 5
Welded Shielded
Enclosures
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.1.1 Scope
This chapter details recommended design practices for welded shielded enclosures. A
large part of the material was drawn from [1] which is entitled USAF Handbook for the
Design and Construction of HEMP/TEMPEST Shielded Facilities.
Well-constructed welded enclosures are the ultimate in shielded facilities. They are
built where a long-term high-performance shielding requirement is needed. Thirty (30)
year life spans and 120 dB electric and plane-wave performance are typical. The principal disadvantage is cost. Therefore, careful planning is essential to obtain the optimum amount of shielding for a given installation.
5.1.2 Defining the Shielded Volume

The initial steps in designing the RF shield are choosing the spaces to be enclosed and
the basic layout of the barrier surface. On the first issue, some alternatives available to
the architect-engineer are the following.
Shield only sensitive equipment areas.
Shield only the electronic equipment, and place the motor generators, heating/
ventilation/air conditioning equipment external to the shield.
Shield only mission-essential systems, and exclude administrative spaces such as
offices and lavatories.
Shield the entire facility.
The amount of space to be shielded depends, first, on the purpose of the facility,
and second, on the cost factors. If HEMP is the main purpose, then a totally enclosed
55
56
Chapter 5
installation should be considered since selective treatment of individual equipment is

very difficult. However, if TEMPEST is the main purpose, then enclosing only the data
processing equipment within a smaller shielded enclosure is practical.
There are a few technical reasons for the choice between the third and fourth alternatives. A single overall shield of the entire facility is likely to require a smaller
number of shield penetrations and produce a lower cycling rate for the entryway doors,
but the selection should also be based on the cost issue. The floor plan should be
analyzed to determine which option offers the least total shield surface area.
5.1.3 Shield Materials

Steel, copper, and aluminum are the most commonly used shielding materials. Because
of high material and assembly costs and oxidation characteristics, the selection of aluminum is usually restricted to applications with weight constraints, such as aircraft and
mobile systems. It is not recommended for fixed ground-based facilities. The major
advantage of copper is its workability, and for this reason, it is frequently the first
choice in retrofit shielding. A low carbon steel is preferred for new construction because of its relatively low material cost and excellent shielding properties, particularly
for low-frequency magnetic fields.
The only disadvantage of steel is its tendency to corrode when exposed to moisture. Galvanized steel can overcome this problem, but it is difficult to weld because it
produces a toxic gas, and a very good ventilation system is required for protection of
the construction crew. Generally, welded steel is protected by a paint containing a large
amount of zinc.
The critical factor of any shielding system is the method of sealing the seams between the shielding panels. Welded seams provide the most homogeneous RF seal obtainable and the most structurally reliable.
All other methods of employing bolts, clamping systems, or rivets obtain an electromagnetic seal by metal-to-metal contact of clean, unpainted, and unoxidized surfaces
or by using special gaskets designed for shielding applications. Inherently, such methods
produce joints with lower shielding quality than the basic sheet material. Furthermore,
corrosion, vibration, and abuse associated with normal operation may degrade the performance unless a thorough and active monitoring/preventive maintenance/corrective
maintenance program is practiced. Available data on life cycle attenuation of mechanical joints are relatively unfavorable [21, and the cost and operational impacts of a major
shield refurbishment in a functioning facility would be intolerable.
Welded or brazed joints, in contrast, are potentially as high in technical quality
and as undemanding of maintenance as the sheet material. By nature, they are much
less susceptible to gradual, unseen degradation. Thus, while the initial investment may
be greater for these methods, the life cycle costs are likely to be less.
The thickness of the steel sheet is a function of the amount of magnetic shielding effectiveness required and the ease of welding. The minimum thickness that can
be reliably welded is on the order of 16 gauge. Many military installations use 10
gauge [I].
Where vaults need to meet the requirements of DIAM 50-3 [5], in. steel is used
and a class A door is added external to the RF doors.
An architect-engineer can produce large cost savings by careful attention to how
the shield is designed. The designer should consider the following.
Section 5.2
Welded Shield Design and Construction
57
Use the largest steel plates practical in order to minimize the total length of seam
welds.
Select materials and design assembly details for ease of welding.
Where possible, employ assemblies which can be prefabricated in the shop.
Investigate the possibility of using robotized welding or other innovative techniques.
It is also suggested that the specifications permit minor deviations from the drawings by the shielding contractor (with approval of the purchaser) for improved shield
construction.
5.2 WELDED SHIELD DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

5.2.1 General Information
The overall building shield concept employs a high-quality peripheral steel shield with
continuously welded seams and joints (and protection at aperture and conductive electrical penetrations). For a facility in its earliest design phase, the topology is controllable so that the entire shield can be readily integrated into the facility plans. It is
essential that the shield configuration be among the first items considered by the A-E;
otherwise, the cost and problems greatly increase as time goes on.
The suggestions in this section are site independent, and since a shielded enclosure
is a building within a building, it is not dependent on the type of construction used for
the exterior of the facility.
The construction of welded enclosures is not a new technology. Many facilities
exist that have been built to counter electromagnetic threats or emissions. But many
were bad experiences because of the lack of attention to proper shielding design and
poor field practices. The keys to a successful program have shown to be designing for
constructability, specifications with unambiguous performance requirements, good quality control provisions, well-qualified welders, and properly trained quality control inspectors. Areas requiring particularly close attention include the following.
Floor shield design. Buckling of the floor shield due to the heat applied during the seam welding process has been the single greatest construction difficulty in many projects. Innovative approaches to avoid this problem should be
investigated.
Corner seams. The designer should carefully detail all corner seams, particularly
where three shield surfaces join. The designer must ensure that access is available to complete welds at these locations.
In-process weld testing. An active in-process weld testing program is absolutely
necessary during shield assembly to avoid systematic procedural mistakes which
will lead to costly repairs later.
5.2.2 Shield Seam Construction

Three basic approaches for joining and electrical bonding at the seams between adjacent
steel sheets, as identified in Table 5-1, will be discussed. Overall, the "pan" technique
illustrated by Figs. 5-1 and 5-2 is preferred.
QC
(It
Low
None
Yes
Not required
Yes
With plugs welds
Lap Welded
Sheets
Low
Drilling
Yes
Cutting and
drilling
Cutting
Low
Moderate
Greatest
With plug welds

(Fig. 5-4)
With backing
structure
(Fig. 5-5)
Basic (Fig. 5-7)
None
Not required
Least
Basic (Fig. 5-3)
Cutting, bending,
and welding
Potential for
Buckling
Butt Welded
Sheets
Not required
Shop Fabrication
Required
(Figs. 5-1 and

5-2)
Anchored to
Subfloor
Pan Technique
Variations
SHIELD SEAM CONSTRUCflON METHODS
Basic Techniques
TABLE 5-1
Welds are easier than butt welds

Largest available sheets can be
used
Additional plug welds and weld
tests
Welds easy to perform and inspect

Simplifies shield layup
Materials cost highest
Sheet size may be limited
Largest available
Sheets can be used
More difficult welds
Additional plug welds and weld
tests
Welds are simplified but two
beads may be required
Advantages and
Disadvantages
Section 5.2
59
Squar e
Flange Weld
Steel
Shieldin g
Figure 51 Pan weld shield seam.

Wearing Slab
5-6 in .
Typical
~~_l
Steel
Shield in g
Structural
Subfloor
Figure 5-2 Typical pan weld floor shield joint.

Figure 5-1 shows the installation of the shield using a sheet metal pan which is
formed by cutting and bending the sheet stock and welding at the corners. This technique has several advantages.
The square flange weld at the seam is very easy to make and to inspect.
60
Chapter 5
The ability to clamp adjacent pans together prior to welding will simplify the
initial shield layup.
Settling, seismic, and thermal movement are unrestrained because it is not necessary to anchor the floor shield.
The standard seam design can also be used as an expansion joint.
Because of the shape factor, which provides enhanced rigidity of the pan, the
often observed problem of buckling will be greatly reduced.
Buckling, particularly in shield floors, has been extremely troublesome with other
designs, and has often required the driving of large numbers of anchors. Additional
welding around the head of each anchor was required, and numerous electromagnetic
leaks needed repair.
The principal disadvantages are the amount and cost of required shop fabrication
and reduced density for transportation. Because hydraulic brakes larger than 12 ft to
perform the bends are uncommon, material costs will be a larger factor in a competitive
environment.
To minimize buckling between adjoining pans, an offset, as illustrated in Fig. 5-2,
is recommended. Experience is required to evaluate the tradeoffs between this advantage and the increased complexity of the shield layout caused by this design concept.
As shown, the concrete wearing slab above the shield is typically 3-4 in. thick for
support of equipment or raised flooring pedestals.
At the discretion of the designer, the pans on the walls can face inward or outward
for welding convenience. Inward is probably the most efficient in concrete and concrete
masonry buildings. Upward facing pans in the ceiling eliminate overhead welding. Assembly techniques where the ceiling can be welded at floor level and then hoisted into
position should be investigated.
Only metal inert gas (MIG) or shielded metal arc welding processes are recommended because they produce welds with high-quality electromagnetic properties. Good
welding practices are essential to the achievement of high shielding effectiveness. Surfaces are prepared by removing rust, scale, oil, and other foreign materials. It is essential to produce a continuous full penetration weld free of slag, inclusions, gas pockets,
worm holes, cracks, or incomplete fusion. Stresses in the welds should be relieved by
skip welding to minimize buckling. The welding and welder qualification procedures
should comply with the structural welding code of the American Welding Society [3]
and military standards [4].
An in-process welding inspection program should require 100% inspection of all
weldments.
The butt-welding technique is shown in Fig. 5-3. This method uses rectangular
sheet stock in the largest available size and requires no shop fabrication, which results
in the lowest material costs. It is this method which has the highest degree of buckling
during shield assembly. The buckling tendency can be reduced or eliminated with carefully arranged plug or puddle welds to some type of backing structure. Three methods
are illustrated in Figs. 5-4, 5-5, and 5-6. The cost savings will be offset by the additional structure.
Another method is known as lap welding. This method is shown in Fig. 5-7. It is
less difficult than butt welding, and large sheets can be used with much looser tolerances, but past projects have shown moderately severe buckling on the floors. This can
be eased by tack welding along the seams prior to running a continuous bead.
Section 5.2

Steel Shielding
Figure 5-3 Basic butt-welded shield seam .
Steel Shielding
Figure 5-4 Butt-welded shield seam with plug welds .
61
62
Chapter 5
Steel Shield ing
Steel Backing Structure

~~~--- (Embedded in Concrete Slab)
Figure 55
Butt-welded shield seam with steel backing structure.
Plug
We lds
-"-:::::~~~7':?'~----=7'''--- Steel Tubing Backing

Structure (Embedded
in Concrete Slab )
Figure 5-6 Plug weld, continuous seam weld, with

steel tubing backing structure.
Section 5.2
63
Steel Sh ieldin g
Cont inuous
Lap Weld
Figure 5-7
Basic lap-welded shield seam.
--1_---++-.,-- -
Steel Shieldi ng
Gypsum
Wall bo ard
" C" St ud
Stee l Angl e
Structural Subfloor
Stud
Channe l
Con tin uous Fil let W eld
Figure 5-8
Wall-floor shield joint .
Chapter 5
64
"C" Stud
(Heavy Gauge)
Continuous
Fillet Weld
Steel Shielding
"C" Stud
(Light Gauge) - - ....- ..-----
Tack Weld as Required
~_--
Stud Channel
Steel Angle
Figure 5-9 Wall-ceiling shield joint.
5.2.3 Corner Seams

Figure 5-8 illustrates a recommended method of joining the wall and floor shields. The
corner is formed by a steel angle of heavy gauge steel with an overlap of at least I in.
This technique requires that the pan sections be unbent where they intersect at the
walls. The relative positions between the angle and sheet (inside versus outside) are not
critical and should be chosen for welding convenience.
Although not a subject of this handbook, one possible method of interior finish is
indicated in Fig. 5-8. Appropriately spaced metal studs are encased in the wearing slab
and may be tack welded to the shield for stud support and shield rigidity. Gypsum
wallboard is then attached to the studs. The studs and stud channels may also lie on the
wear slab and be anchored to it.
In a like manner, the wall-ceiling is formed by the same method of construction,
as illustrated in Fig. 5-9. Wall-wall intersections are also formed in the same manner.
Three-way corners are difficult to form in the field, and should be prefabricated in a
shop to avoid difficult field welds.
5.3 ADDITIONAL SHIELD DESIGN DETAILS
5.3.1 General Discussion

There is a wide variety of details that must be incorporated in a shield design, all of
which should be specified in the design drawings. These include structural tie-in to the
parent building, treatment of interior support columns, expansion joints" suspended ceilings, ceiling suspension from overhead roof joists, and equipment mounting on the
Section 5.3
Additional Shield Design Details
65
Steel Shielding
Fillet Weld
Adjacent
Canst.
Angles Fastened Through Slot

(Hand Tighten and '/2 Turn)
Figure 5-10 Typical shield anchoring bracket.
shield. The goal is to surface weld all mounting brackets and minimize penetrations
through the shield.
5.3.2 Shield Wall Supports
It is common practice to insert support brackets between the shield and the parent
building. One method is illustrated in Fig. 5-10. This allows freedom of motion in the
event of settling, a seismic occurrence, or differential thermal expansion between the
two structures. Spacing between the anchoring brackets can be quite large, but should
be specified by the structural designer.
5.3.3 Interior Support Columns and Walls

Interior support columns which are anchored in the structural slab and attached to the
building roof must be encased by the shielding, as illustrated in Fig. 5-11. This arrangement permits movement between the shield and the column. A cross section of the
installation is shown in Fig. 5-12. All of the brackets used to support the shield to the
parent building structure can be shop fabricated. Methods using anchor bolts through
66
Chapter 5
Steel Colum n
Cont inuous
Ceiling
Shield ing
Structural Slab
Below Shielding
Figure 5-11 Shield configuration at an interior support column.
the shield are not recommended since circumferential welds around the anchors weaken
an area where high stresses normally exist. Where the shield can be tied directly to the
building support columns. the method shown in Fig. 5-13 is recommended.
5.3.4 Suspension of Ceiling Shield from Roof Joists

Two methods of suspending shielded ceilings from the parent building are illustrated in
Figs. 5-14 and 5-15. Either method is acceptable. It is important to provide a crawl
space above the shielded enclosure for inspection and testing. Insulation should not be
laid directly on top of the shield .
5.3.5 Expansion Joints

The shielded enclosure must be designed to accommodate the same types of movement
as any other structure. including settling, seismic activity. and thermal expansion. The
design problem is complicated slightly by the fact that the shielding must retain its
electromagnetic integrity in addition to being able to sustain movement.
Section 5.3
67

Continu ous
Fill et W eld
Steel Colu m n
o
St eel Shieldin g
Cont inuous
Seam We lds
Figure S-U Support column shielding cross secti on .
W ear ing Slab
Structural Slab
Below Sh ielding
Figure 5-13 Alternate shielding configuration at an interior

support column.
68
Chapter 5
Insulation
Built-Up Roofing (Sloped)
M etal
Deckin g
JOist /
Sag Rod Susp ens ion
Craw l Space
~ l m
Lock Wash er
Steel Sh ield in g
Figure 514 Shield ceiling sag rod suspension.
Sag Rod Susp ens ion
Unis trut Chann el
U--l---
"C " Stud
Tack Weld
==JI:::~~i:==~~~E~Steel Shielding
Figure 515 Alternate shield ceiling suspension.
Structural movement due to thermal cycling will be gradual. Expansion coefficients
of common construction components are well known. and are routinely considered in
the normal course of determining building designs and in developing construction details . Two common building materials likely to interface in the design of a shielded
enclosure are ordinary A-36 steel and concrete with respective coefficients of expansion
of 1.2 x 10- 5 and 1.39 x 10- 5 em/ern . "C. The respective movements to be expected
by virtue of a 1000 temperature differential (T) are 3.6 cm (steel) and 4 .17 cm (concrete) per 30 m or 98 ft of length .
Section 5.3
69

Square Flange Weld
Sealant and Backer Rod
W ear ing
Slab
.; :.:
::.:.". . .
. ....
"
~: .~ .
.;. ;
"
".- .
. .: :.~ y.. ::.; .:::,:.:.. .,

.
, in.
' . :. ~ . Minimu m Moveme nt,
.'. . .
. ... .
Steel Shielding
Str uctural Subflo or
Figure 5-16 Expansion joint in sheet floor shield.
While it is unlikely that any of the components contemplated for use in shielding
construction will experience a 100C temperature change during actual usage. it is
conceivable that a significant range of temperatures might be experienced during construction. particularly with direct solar exposure. It is therefore recommended that provisions such as those proposed be integrated into the design of all larger shielded
installations.
Figures 5-16 and 5-17 illustrate provisions to allow thermal cycling in the floor and
ceiling shields. respectively. The stamped fitting for expansion in edge angles may be
Steel Shielding
Inverted "V "
Cont inuous W elds
Figure 5-17 Ceiling shield expan sion joint.
Chapter 5
70
Shop -Stamped
Expans ion Joint
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
----------- I
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -J
Steel Ang le
Figure 518 Expansion joint in edge angle .
thinner stock than the angle material. When floor shield seams are chosen to also function as expansion joints. a concrete expansion joint is also created. If the form material
is removable. the void is then filled with a flexible elastomer and sealed to prevent
water accumulation . Virtually all shield seams in the ceiling serve this purpose. Where
it is necessary to connect to a sag rod at the expansion joint, the design shown in Fig.
5-17 permits both vertical and lateral motion. A method to permit expansion in the
walls is illustrated in Fig. 5-18.
5.3.6 Suspended Acoustic Ceiling

Figures 5-19 and 5-20 illustrate methods of attaching acoustic ceiling tile to the shield.
Variations on this method are used for HVAC ducts. sprinkler systems, and other hardware above the acoustic tiles. Welding these short lengths of angle to the ceiling prevents any penetrations through the shield.
5.3.7 Other Equipment Mounting

In general. the basic mounting method is to weld short lengths of unistruct on the
shield and then attach the equipment. The designer should ensure that excessive stress
on the shield is not created by the weight of the attached equipment.
5.3.8 Corrosion Control

The standard corrosion-proofing techniques of galvanizing and/or painting are the most
effective and economical means of protection. and these treatments can be done either
Section 5.3
71
Tack W eld
Susp ensi on
Cable
Suspended
Ceiling
Figure 5-19 Typical suspended acoustic ceiling .
by the supplier of the steel or at the job site. If coatings (paint) are shop applied before
shield assembly. then it should be recognized that the welding process may be contaminated and will degrade the shielding effectiveness at the seams.
Painting with a zinc-rich paint after installation should be performed for corrosion
protection of shield surfaces. Care must be taken during painting to prevent the paint
from reaching metal mating surfaces which form part of the shield. This is especially
true around door frames and at EMI filter installations.
Suspended
Ceiling
" C" Stud
----ttt--+---
Steel Shielding
Gypsum
Wallboard
Figure 520 Typical suspended acoustic ceiling at wall.
72
Chapter 5
5.4 PENETRATIONS
The shielded enclosure must be penetrated for a variety of services in order that the
shielded space provide a useful working space. Each of the penetrations made for these
services must be carefully designed and properly installed if the overall shielding effectiveness of the facility is to be achieved. Each of the various types of penetrations is
discussed in Chapter 7.
5.5 QUALITY CONTROL RECOMMENDATIONS

Quality assurance during construction of the RF shield should accomplish the following.
Ensure that proper materials are used.
Ensure that proper processes are employed for welding. This includes a program
of qualification and certification of welders.
Ensure that all welds are of shielding quality and mechanically sound.
Demonstrate that shielding performance has not been compromised by work of
the other crafts.
The third and fourth items are assured by the use of in-process and final testing of
the welds and total enclosure. These procedures are discussed in the chapter on testing.
5.6 SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS PERFORMANCE

The typical performance of the welded enclosure is illustrated in Fig. 5-21. This is
based on 14 or 16 gauge steel and meets NSA 65-6 performance requirements. Some
government facilities require high degrees of magnetic shielding. This is obtained by
140
130
CD 110
'L/!'
~en 90
~
80
70
~I
,I
Q)
ffi
~
~
60
50
40
30
20
~~
,
I
./
-:
PW
NSA-65-6
~ 100
Q)
PW
'0
.~
Typical Periormance
120
----
/'
10
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
Frequency
Figure 5-21 Typical performance of welded enclosure.
1 GHz
10 GHz
Section 5.9
References
73
140
130
120
en
110
"'0
100
~ 90
~
80
,~
(J
70
Q)
60
50
~
~
~.
40
30
20
""
10
I I
/ I
/ V
/ )
/ /
-:'0/
~ ~o/ /
/ ~ V A.~
V V /' ~
--'
/
V)
Q)
r
J
1 Hz
10 Hz
'I
.f'.
/'f"
100 Hz
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
Frequency
Figure 5-22 Magnetic shielding effectiveness versus sheet thickness.
using thicker sheets of steel. The magnetic shielding performance versus sheet thickness
is illustrated in Fig. 5-22.
5.7 SAMPLE PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION

A detailed procurement specification ,is given in Appendix A-5 as an example of a very
extensive government specification for a large welded enclosure designed for HEMP
and high-level TEMPEST. This specification should be modified for less exacting requirements.
5.8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A properly constructed welded enclosure is the most effective method of achieving electromagnetic shielding. But since it is the most expensive, careful design practices must
be used to achieve the most shielding for a given investment. Hopefully, the material
presented in this chapter will supply the conscientious A-E with the necessary information to make good design tradeoffs and decisions.
Once a given design is worked out, it is absolutely imperative that good installation methods be used in the construction of the enclosure. Therefore, careful specifications must be included in the procurement documents to ensure that only qualified
shielding installers be used.
5.9 REFERENCES
[I] USAF Handbookfor the Design and Construction of HEMP/TEMPEST Shielded Facilities, AF Regional Civil Engineer Central Region, Dallas, TX, 1987.
74
Chapter 5
[2] U.S. Army Corps of Engineering Res. Lab. Tech. Rep. M296, "EMIIRFI shielding
effectiveness evaluation of bolt-together rooms in long-term aging," June 1981.
[3] American Welding Society (AWS), A5.18-69, "Mild steel electrodes for gas
metal," and DI.I-81, "Structural welding code."
[4] MIL-STD-248C, "Welding and brazing procedure and performance qualification."
[5] DIAM 50-3 Physical Security Standards for Sensitive Compartmented Information
Facilities (SCIF), Defense Intelligence Agency, March 1980.
CHAPTER 6
6.1 INTRODUCTION
Architectural shielding is defined as that shielding which is built into the structure of
the parent building. This does not include welded enclosures, which are discussed in
Chapter 5. A variety of shielding systems has been developed which fits this category.
One of the older systems utilizing aluminum foil had a series of performance failures
which resulted in it falling into disuse. However, due to recent advances in installation
techniques and shielding tapes, it has once again become a viable method of low-cost
shielding, especially for computer installations.
New copper foil materials have been developed which make these materials attractive for moderate- to high-performance architectural installations. For electric and
plane-wave shielding, most continuous metal shields provide good shielding properties.
The key to all of these applications is how well the material is joined together to form
a continuous barrier. Architectural shielding is only as good as its joining method and
its RF integrity once it has been penetrated for the various services required to make an
enclosed space useful. The following sections will describe in some detail the various
shielding materials and how they are seamed to accomplish their stated shielding effectiveness. First, a section is devoted to describing what factors are critical in a "builtin" shielding system. If low-frequency magnetic shielding is required, then some form
of ferrous material must be used.
6.2 CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN

ARCHITECTURAL SHIELDING
As was pointed out in Chapter 3, a shielded enclosure is only as good as the seams and
penetrations through the barrier. The best seam is one that is continuous both in terms
of metal composition and continuity of the seam. Such a seam is the welded or brazed
seam. The next best method is a seam that is soldered. Copper shielding lends itself to
75
Chapter 6
76
this method of seam sealing, but aluminum and steel do not. Unless the seam is welded,
the latter requires mechanical methods to seal the seams. The most common method
currently used for aluminum foil shielding is to lap the joints and then tape them. Stainless steel foil is installed in a similar manner. Galvanized steel sheet metal is also used
in architectural shielding and is seamed with a variety of techniques. All of these techniques degrade the shielding effectiveness of the basic shielding material. Therefore,
care must be exercised in selecting the shielding method for a given application. Penetrations for piping, power, heating, and air conditioning must be carefully designed;
otherwise, the performance of the shield will be seriously compromised. These latter
problems are discussed in the next chapter. Another important problem common to most
architectural shielding is protecting the shield from accidental or intentional penetrations after installation. The last section in this chapter discusses methods of installing
the shielding so that it remains protected, but still permits the installation of electrical
wiring and other services within the shielded enclosure. The following sections describe
in detail a variety of architectural shielding systems which can be built into new and
remodeled construction.
Another very important problem in single-skin shielding systems is the "antenna
effect." This occurs when a penetration such as a nail, bolt, screw, or other attachment
penetrates the shield, but is not "grounded," i.e., the penetration does not have a
metal-to-metal seal at the point of attachment. Energy is then coupled from one side of
the shield to the other, forming an antenna. This is especially important where the
penetration exceeds 0.01 wavelength in size. For common nails and screws, this can
reduce the shielding effectiveness at frequencies as low as 100 MHz. Any fastener
which penetrates the wall must achieve a metal-to-metal seal at the shield. The best
way, in general, to achieve this is to have the fastener, such as a screw, pull into a solid
structure and compress the screw head against the shielding material. This is especially
critical when using the fasteners for ceiling hangers or other load-bearing situations
where the screws are being pulled out by a dead load. The fasteners must be compatible
with the shield material so that corrosion does not negate the metal-to-metal seal.
6.3 ALUMINUM FOIL SHIELDING
6.3.1 Introduction
Aluminum foil shielding has been criticized as a poor system, unreliable, and difficult
to maintain, but recent advances in materials, and especially in shielding tapes, have
lent new life to this low-cost method of attaining a moderate amount of electromagnetic
shielding.
Originally, aluminum foil shielding was conceived in the 1970s as a low-cost alternative to welded steel. The recommended construction methods were somewhat elaborate and difficult to implement in practice [I]. As a result, not many of the installations
were implemented, and the technique fell into disrepute. The recent heavy demand for
large enclosed shielded spaces of moderate shielding performance (approximately
50 dB) has given new life to this form of shielding. Aluminum foil systems are now
available from a number of experienced suppliers who can provide reliable shielding
systems [2].
Section 6.3
Aluminum Foil Shielding
77
6.3.2 Shielding Material

The recommended material for aluminum foil systems is a foil of at least 0.006 in.
thick, corrosion resistant, and soft annealed. A common width for these foils in roll
form is 36 in.
6.3.3 Joining Methods

The basic procedure is to lap the joints by at least 6 in., and then tape the seam with
shielding grade aluminum tape. For the best high-frequency performance, the tape
should be embossed so that a metal-to-metal contact is made along the taped seam.
Figure 6-1 illustrates a number of methods of joining the aluminum foil, all of
which will provide 50 dB performance through I GHz. For shielding effectiveness in
excess of 1 GHz or where low-frequency magnetic protection is required, other shielding materials are recommended.
6.3.4 Installation Procedures

The space to be foiled should first be completed using drywall, then taped, and sanded
smooth, i.e., paint ready. A good industrial grade of water-resistant contact adhesive is
---12 in.~ RF Shielding Tape
Lap Seam
---l
~ . / Aluminum Tape
3in. ~
Folded Seam
n
2.5 in.
n
~
6 in.
T
r--
Sandwich Seam with Staples
Figure 6-1 Methods of joining aluminum foil.
78
Chapter 6
oJ
,.:
..
oJ
-:
V2 in. Dryw allr:
.,
..
.'
::tl
~ Acoustical Ceiling
- - - 1 % in. Steel Studs
'12 in . Drywall
/
..-
. .
-:
I
0
V2 in Drywa ll
3 % in. Steel Stu ds
Alu m in um RF Shi eld ing
Access Flooring if Requ ir ed
'
'.
Figure 6-2 Overall method of installing aluminum foil.

(Reprinted from ITEM 1988 with permission. e 1988. R & B
Enterprises, a Division of ROBAR Industries.)
next applied to the walls of the room and to the foil. Beginning in one corner, the sheets
are applied around the walls from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. The ceiling is
treated in the same manner, at each joint, either parallel or endwise, and a minimum 6
in. overlap is made between sheets. Figure 6-2 illustrates the overall method of installation. The corner seams are provided with a 12 in. wide strip of foil, 6 in. along each
leg of the corner, and the seams are taped. The three-way corners are formed by overlapping from the two intersecting walls and then taping all seams. Care must be taken to
prevent adhesive getting into the 6 in. lap area . Metal-to-metal contact between the foil
panels is essential in providing the optimum shielding performance.
6.3.5 Shielded Enclosure Performance

The aluminum foil enclosure shielding effectiveness is illustrated in Fig. 6-3. This level
of performance has been documented in [2]. Very careful treatment of all penetrations is
required to attain the performance shown. A good metal-to-metal seal is required between the penetrations and the aluminum foil shield. In general, this is obtained by
using a metal plate with the penetration welded into it and the plate taped into the wall
of the foil enclosure. Mechanical support is given to the penetration to prevent any
strain being placed on the foil. An example of this method is illustrated in Chapter 7.

Appendix A-6.1 provides a suggested procurement specification for aluminum foil
shielding.
Section 6.4
Copper Foil Shielded Enclosures
79
The data represented in this chart are the average
attentuation measured at all test points on three
accredited aluminum foil rooms. At 10 kHz, 100 kHz,
and 1 MHz in the electric field, all measurements
exceeded the dynamic range (75 dB) of the
receiving equipment.
Shielding Effectiveness Measurements

Test Specifications
NSA 732A (50 dB)
Measured Attenuation ------::.-;::
NSA Specification
130
120
110
100
en
90
80
fa
70
.g
:J
C
Q,)
Electric Field Attentuation
Mrrrrnr-ri1-rr . . ....
~.
~
~.lIIII
Magnetic Field Attentuation
III I, I,~~
::: 60
Plane Wave Attentuation
4:
50
1,'- l"""
40
Electric Field Specification
_<Il~
30
"
20
./
. /~
~il'''
""I'--~~"
Magnetic Field ----------Electric Field _.-_.-----
I ~t-'
~Magnetic Field Specification
Plane Wave
IIIII
0.001
0.01
0.1
Plane Wave Specification

I)
III
III
1.0
10.0
100
1000
~.--.-._._._._.-
10 000
'00000
Frequency (MHz)
Figure 63 Performance of well-installed aluminum foil shielding system.

(Reprinted from ITEM 1988 with permission. 1988. R & B Enterprises, a
Division of ROBAR Industries.)
6.4 COPPER FOIL SHIELDED ENCLOSURES

6.4.1 Description
A variety of copper foil systems exists. The most durable systems are those made from
foil backed with kraft or sisalkraft paper. These have a good tear resistance, and the
material is readily available. For good durability, it is recommended that the foil weight
should be at least 3 oz/ft". The principal advantage of copper is that it can be easily
soldered. The best seam is one that is continuously sealed with no pinholes or cold
joints. A good method of sealing the seams is to use a presoldered seaming tape. It is
applied by carefully cleaning the seam area and the 2 in. tape. The tape is then applied
with a noncorrosive flux and heated with an industrial iron. If properly performed, a
continuous electrical permanent bond is achieved. Soldering is labor intensive, and even
in a moderately sized enclosure, can mean hundreds of feet of seam requiring careful
soldering. As discussed in Chapter 3, high-performance shielding tapes are available for
these types of installations, but they must be chosen and used with care to attain good
seam performance.
6.4.2 Installation
The layout of the foil installation is shown in Fig. 6-4. The foil is installed by using an
industrial-grade contact adhesive. The three-way corners are formed as illustrated in
80
Chapter 6
90 Corner
~ Solder-Plated Tape 2 in. Wide
Copper Foil
Door
Metal Door Frame
RF Shielding Tape
Copper Foil
Figure 64 Layout of copper shielding foil.
Fig. 6-5. The two-way corners are formed by creasing the foil and forming a 900 bend.
The material is cut to fit the pattern shown in Fig. 6-4. The joints are made to fit
tightly, but not overlap. All seams are then sealed with the 2 in. wide solder seal tape.
6.4.3 Performance
Properly constructed, using high-quality doors and other penetrations, the performance
of a single-shield copper enclosure can provide the following levels of performance.
Magnetic Field
14 kHz
30 dB
200 kHz
50 dB
Electric Field
10 kHz
100dB
100 MHz
100dB
Plane Wave
50 MHz
100dB
100 MHz
100dB
Microwave
1 GHz
100dB
10 GHz
100dB
Section 6.5
81
Copper Alloy Shielded Enclosures
12 in.
1
-----------:--------- T
II
\ 3 in .
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I"
RF Tape
Figure 6-5 Preformed three-way

corners.
6.4.4 Recommended Procurement Specification

Appendix A-6.2 provides a suggested detailed specification for the procurement of copper foil shielded enclosures.
6.5 COPPER ALLOY SHIELDED ENCLOSURES

6.5.1 Description
In recent years, new EMI shielding materials. including several varieties of clad metals,
have been developed. These new materials satisfy normal room shielding requirements
and are useful when dealing with magnetic fields . The 3 oz copper foil system described above does not meet the magnetic shielding requirements commonly specified
in either MIL-STD-285 or NSA 65-6. However. there is a variety of laminated copper
alloys which will meet those requirements [3].
This new class of shielding material consists of three-layer foils with a core of
ferromagnetic alloy metallurgically bonded to outer layers of high-purity copper. This
82
Chapter 6
TABLE 6-1
MEASURED SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS

OF Cu-49-Cu LAMINATED SHIELDING
MATERIAL (4]
Frequency
Field Type
I kHz
3 kHz
10 kHz
30 kHz
100 kHz
200 kHz
1 kHz
10 kHz
200 kHz
I MHz
400 MHz
I GHz
18 GHz
M
M
M
M
M
E
E
E
E
P
P
P
Cu-49-Cu (dB)
31
49
76
87
>100
>100
93
>101
>130
>130
115
105
110
NSA 65-6 (dB)

20
34
56
74
90
96
70
100
100
100
100
100
100
approach produces good EMI shielding properties for a wide frequency band. The material works well from the kilohertz frequency range up to the microwave frequencies. A
single-shield enclosure exceeds the requirements of NSA 65-6 when good construction
methods are implemented and properly designed doors and other penetrations are used.
6.5.2 Performance
The performance of a Cu-49-Cu alloy 0.012 in. thick is listed in Table 6-1. It is
compared to the requirements specified by NSA.65-6.
6.5.3 Material Description
The Cu-49-Cu alloy comes in 24 in. wide rolls and in several thicknesses. A common
thickness is 0.010 in. A variety of preformed materials is available, as illustrated in Fig.
6-6. These are a help in achieving a high-performance shielded enclosure.
The installation details are shown in Fig. 6-7. The shielding material should be installed on the floor first. The foil is cut to the length of the floor plus a minimum of 6
in. The latter will be bent and run up the wall to form the lap joint illustrated in
Fig. 6-7. The floor is soldered in place using the 2 in. wide solder strips. It is recommended that an 800-1000 W soldering iron with a built-in thermocouple and a temperature controller be used. The iron is set in the 350C range for optimum soldering
operations. A good grade of contact adhesive is recommended to hold the shielding foil
in place. The floor should then be covered with some form of protective covering.
Plywood held down with a thick construction grade mastic works well. It is important
that the shielding foil has no penetrations or holes, but if such exist, they should be
patched with the solder tape. When the floor is in place and covered with plywood, the
ceiling foil should be installed, again bringing the foil down the wall on all sides by at
least 3 in. After the seams are sealed with the 2 in. solder tape, the wall material is
Section 6.6
83
The Sandwich Seam Shielding System
Sn/Pb
::
Cu
Tinned Strip
2.0 i n . - . j
Sn/Pb
Two-Dimensional
Contoured Corner
Strip
Three-Dimensional
Corner Closure
"U't-Shaped
Structural
Material
Figure 6-6 Preformed alloy shielding materials. (Reprinted

from ITEM 1988 with permission. 1988. R & B Enterprises, a
installed. Overlap the material from the floor and ceiling onto the wall, as illustrated in
Fig. 6-8. Finally, the doors and other penetrations are installed. This particular material
lends itself to building double-isolated shielded enclosures with high performance if the
interior shield is properly isolated from the outer shield. One form of this could be
drywall" mounted on furring strips so that the inner shield would be well isolated
from the outer shield. It is important that the penetrations, such as doors and EMI
filters, be of the proper type for double-isolated installations. See Chapters 7 and 8 for
the appropriate types of supporting equipment. For other details, see [4].

Appendix A-6.3 provides a suggested specification for the procurement of copper alloy
shielded enclosures.
6.6 THE SANDWICH SEAM SHIELDING SYSTEM

6.6.1 Introduction
A shielding system that uses ordinary construction skills and materials was patented in
1988 [5]. This system is known as the sandwich seam shielding system since the seams
of sheet metal are sandwiched between two layers of sheet metal. This seam design is
Gypsum Wall or Plywood
Shielding Foil
Floor
Solder
Figure 6-7 Installation detail for laminated foil. (Reprinted from

ITEM 1988 with permission . 1988. R & B Enterprises, a Division of ROBAR Industries.)
Wall
....
co
::
~
0
" ,
.; ',
... ,
. ' ~.
..
12 in .
:::.
2 in.
-i IFloor
Figure 68
84
Ceiling/waIVfloor overlap .
Section 6.6
85
- - - - 6 in. j-
CIearance
- --
oe
I
I
II'
I ! I
II;
I : I
i I
I: !
---r-.
0 --
I II
I, I
I
0- -- --,
_J __
r------ -
I
I
I
I
I
I
1.25 in.
7'
,i
)
Figure 6-9 Sandwic h seam.
illustrated in Fig. 6-9. Thi s technique of electromagnetic sealing is based on the

waveguide-beyond -cutoff princ iple . Tha t is, the width of the seam and the screw pattern
form gaps with length (waveguides) , thus cutting off the electromagnetic energy below
a given frequency. This cutoff performance is illustrated in Fig. 6-10 and demonstrates
the calculated versus measured perfo rmance of a commonly constructed version of the
sandw ich seam . Over a dozen of these sys tems have been constructed to date by a
variety of sheet meta l installers without any seam failures reported . The pr incipal use
has been for TEMPEST facilities where NSA 65-6 performance was required up to 400
MHz . These were achieved with a single shield of 26 gauge galvanized sheet metal
mounted over plywood. High-performance doors and EMI filters were used to ensure
that full performance was achieved by the total enclo sure . The system is cost effective
and lends itself to common construct ion method s. As is common with all sing le-sh ield
system s, care must be taken to ensure that the shielding effect iveness is not compromised by improper pene trat ions. Sect ion 6.2 discusses the limitations of single-shield
systems. The sandwich seam is compatible with any type of shielding material, and
enclo sures can be constructed to meet a varie ty of shielding requ irement s. The most
86
Chapter 6
150
140
0- - - - -0 Measured
130
- - - - Calculated
120!~......
110
Cii'
.s
~,
6 in. Seam Width

1'--- ...... _
100
90
2.5 in. Screw Spacing

~,-
~ ~~
<,
"~
r', '0-_ --
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
1 GHz
100 MHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 6-10 Calculated and measured sandwich seam performance.
common material is 26 gauge galvanized sheet metal since this material is corrosion
resistant and provides good magnetic shielding properties. It is also readily available
and very cost effective.
6.6.2 Theory of Operation
The sheet metal selection is based upon the information given in Chapter 3 on the basic
properties of shielding materials. The geometry of the seams is based upon the following formula:
A
156 - 10 log [645 L S
f~] + 0.0046 W/2 fO( ~r
- yl2
I
dB
where L = length of seam between junctions in inches,

S = gap between shielding panels (typically 0.25") inches,
fo = operating frequency in megahertz,
f.. = cutoff frequency in megahertz = 5900/g,
W = width of seam,
g = distance between screws.
The calculated performance of a variety of seam designs is illustrated in Fig. 6-11.
The significance of the screw spacing is that the amount of labor to install the system is
directly related to the number of screws per linear foot. For a shielded enclosure involving 20 000 surface ft2 for a computer center using torque-limited screw guns and a
screw spacing of 2.5 in., four installers were able to complete the entire sheet metal
installation is less than three weeks.
Section 6.6
87

150...----~---.......--~-- ........- - -.......- -....
140 t - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - - f - - - - - - + - - - - - . l
130 t - - - - + - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - 4 - - - - - 4 - - - - - . l
Seam Width = 6 in.

Screw Spaci n9
--~---+--6
in.
co
----+-----+--5 in.
t-.;;;;;~~:r_~..........;;;:-~;;;;;:_- ...'""__::::rr__:7"""--_:::==t::====::::::l.- 4 in.
J---=~~~~~~~~_P!~...,2S~,.L..__,..c=:.=t::=====::::t-3 in.
.s
o
.~
.--+-----t--2.5 in.
C'O
='
.__-t-----t-- 2 in.
Q)
t::
4:
60 t-----r-----+----i--..L---f--+-+---+-----.!
50 t----+-----f-----i----+----~--~
40t----+-----+----f------+-----+---~
30t-----+-----..........--~--~-----+---~
--...-.---....Io-----..---.
...
GHz
---~--
20 .....
100 MHz
...
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 6-11 Calculated sandwich seam performance

versus screw spacing.

The sandwich seam system is designed so that all seams occur as flat seams. To achieve
this, all surfaces of the space to be shielded are laid out as illustrated in Fig. 6-12. At
the wall/floor and wall/ceiling junctions, sheets formed into 90 bends are used. In the
corners, preformed three-way sheet metal corners are shop fabricated such that all the
seams fall at least 12 in. away from the corners, as illustrated in Fig. 6-13. The advantage of this system is that it can conform to the existing geometry of the building. It can
be formed around corners, down halls, and wrap around ceiling beams or columns. Add
ons are easily made, and changes in design are rapidly incorporated as the shield system is being built. With proper design, standard shielding components such as doors,
vents, etc., are compatible with the system.
The key to a good installation is to have the cover strips prepunched to the 2.5 in.
hole spacing. This speeds installation. Flat-head drywall screws are used, which form
metal-to-metal seals underneath the head of the screw when the screw is pulled up tight
against the plywood. This prevents the screw from acting like an antenna. The metal
sandwich is held tight along the length of the seam, ensuring the waveguide-beyondcutoff effect. Since the butting sheets of metal are held about 1/4 in. apart, a gap exists
between the sheets forming a small waveguide, and these are terminated at the seam
junctions by shims. (See illustration in Fig. 6-12.) This is especially important for operation above 400 MHz.
Since it is not cost effective to extend the performance of the system up to the
higher frequencies using tighter spacing on the screws, other means are needed to at-
88
Chapter 6
I ,
- - II
, -
I~
- - - - -
1-
1-
I I
I,
I
II
I
I
- - - - - I
- -I- ...1--
@- -
-I-
'
~)ID
I- -
- I T~L_
I I
~ I
- - -
I
"I
1I
I,
J
I'
I I
,I
I
-- - - ,
,I
'I
I,
,
-1-
-I
I,
"
II
,..
- -
'I
I
I
I
, I
; I
I
1-
I~
II
I
I,
:!
I. - -,-:1 -'- - - -- -- --I..J
-I
1-
- I "-
View of Wall Layout

A Three-way corners preformed. 12 in. on each side. All seams soldered. Solder
joints on outside of corner.
S Two-way corners, 12 in. on each side.

C Panel of sheet metal running from floor to ceiling. Held against wall by strips of
adhesive.
o Seam line consisting of sandwich seam.

26 gauge backing strip, held in place by adhesive butting panels, 26 gauge, and
24 gauge cover strip. The latter is prepunched and used as a drill guide for the
screws along the seams.
E 2 mil copper brass foil to be inserted at all butt joints under the 24 gauge cover
strip.
Figure 6-U
Layout of sandwich seam shielding.
~r----.- _
~---12 in.---~
12 in.
12 in.
All Seams Soldered

and Exterior to
the Corner
Cut Line
3 in. Lap Joint
Figure 6-13 Three-way corner construction.
140
130
~
120
Cii
110
/~ T.--E
"C
~ 100
90
~
<U
f/)
7((
60
t)
W
g'
:.0
5o
/"'/
H/
rill'
.",;a.;.
"
~,
--
t}--_
~-.ot..
.... fO
~-
-f=
~--~
PW
...... ..(
~,
~---- - --tl
'~~
'/
,,
,
3
0/
20
'i
'-'\
en.. . /-..;'
Qj
CJ)
:c
~/
.~
""1;,.
_ _ - - ~-E
",'- ~~ ~
/~
//
rt'l.
,,
0
0
1 kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
Frequency
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
0-----0
with absorber
t:r - - - 6
without absorber
Figure 6-14 Measured performance of several sandwich

seam shielded enclosures.
tenuate the plane-wave energy through the seams. A cost-effective method has been
found using absorbing material sandwiched underneath the outer seam cover. Several
rooms were built using this technique. All exceeded the plane-wave requirements of
NSA 65-6 [6], [7].
6.6.4 Typical Performance

Figure 6-14 illustrates the measured performance of several enclosures built using this
method of construction. The excellent low-frequency magnetic performance is attributed
to the fact that the seams are triple the thickness of the basic material and overlap such
that no cracks appear at the joints which, in the usual clamp-up enclosure, are weak
points for magnetic fields.

Appendix A-6.4 details a suggested procurement specification for the sandwich seam
shielding system.
6.7 OTHER SHIELDING SYSTEMS

6.7.1 Introduction
A variety of single-shield systems has been developed and used. One of the newer
systems, the INSTAR system, is briefly described, as well as one of the older systems.
The latter is copper screen wire stapled to the walls of a room.
89
90
Chapter 6
6.7.2 Description of the INSTAR Shielding System

The INSTAR shielding system uses a patented snap-in panel composed of standardized
factory prefabricated components to form the shielded enclosure. The basic technique is
illustrated in -Fig. 6-15. Special floor and ceiling transitions and factory-built threedimensional corner units allow easy assembly and maintenance. Integrated acoustical
treatments are available for 30-60 STC. Interior treatments on the panels are available.
The system consists of structural framing, wall and ceiling furring, prefabricated
intersections and corners, barrier panels, door mountings, power and signal filter
Predecorated
Gypsum Panel
Wall System
Acoustical
Blankets
INSTAR RF/EMI shielding system consists of integrated ceiling,

walls, and floor with built-in acoustical treatment.
Factory-Installed
Metal Gasket
Snap-In
Furring
Channel
Snap-In
Panel
Patented snap-in panel detail speeds assembly of system, and has

flexibility to maintain joint integrity.
Figure 6-15 INSTAR shielding system.
Section 6.8
91
Other Shielding Materials
Stud
Sheet ro ck
'h in . plywood
".
,...
"
". 0
." .
Copper Screen
3 in .
Figure 6-16 Copper screen seaming method.

mountings. and HVAC penetrations. Doors . filters, and other devi ces must be obt ained
from other sources. The door mounting kits will accommodate the RCM doors described in Chapter 7 .
The performance of INSTAR enclosures is co nsistent with the requirements of
NSA 73-2A and, to some extent, NSA 65-6.
6.7.3 Copper Screen Systems

Copper screening is often used to provide shielding for moderate requirements. It is
difficult to properly seam. Many installations have attempted to just overlap and solder
the seams. Unless this is done continuously, very poor performance is normally found.
A better seam is illustrated in Fig . 6-16. Thi s seam works well up into the UHF frequency range. It is similar to that of the sandwich seam discussed in Section 6.6. The
nails form the wall s of the guide .
6.8 OTHER SHIELDING MATERIALS

6.8.1 Introduction
There is a large variety of materials that can be used with varying degrees of shield ing
effect iveness. The se include kitchen aluminum foil, frame-sprayed metal, metallized
cloth, various grades of screen wire , hardware cloth, and woven materi als. A se lection
of these materials and their publ ished performance is given . Many materials. as long as
they are highly conductive , act as barriers to electromagnetic energy. The key to the ir
successful use is in how effectively the seal is maintained where seams and penetrations
are made in the shie ld ing material. A very critical seam is where the shie ld ing material
92
Chapter 6
TABLE 6-2 THE ELECTRIC FIELD

SHIELDING EFFECTIVENESS OF 0.00035-0.002
ALUMINUM FOIL
Frequency
Shielding Effectiveness (dB)
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
I GHz
100
75
70
65
60
55
10 GHz
interfaces with door frames. Thus, it is not sufficient to coat the walls with a shielding
material; a complete methodology of electromagnetic energy containment is required.
Further information on installation methods is given in Section 6.9.
6.8.2 Aluminum/Polyethylene Material

A range of foils which are laminated to polyester film is available for shielding use.
These consist of aluminum foil, and are supplied with varying thicknesses of acrylic
pressure-sensitive adhesive supported by a 90 Ib polyethylene-coated kraft release liner.
The material comes in rolls 40 in. wide and can be installed like wallpaper. Using a
good grade of shielding tape, the shielding effectiveness given in Table 6-2 can be
achieved.
6.8.3 Nonwoven Shielding Materials

A recent advent in shielding materials is wet-laid nonwoven materials using conductive
fibers. A variety of metallized fibers is available. A material made of nickel-coated
graphite fibers formed into a 1.5 ozlyd2 material when installed in a test cell 10 x 20 x
8 ft high demonstrated the shielding effectiveness shown in Table 6-3. The seams were
lapped I in. and then stapled.
TABLE 6-3
ELECTRIC AND PLANE-
WAVE SHIELDING
EFFECTIVENESS OF
NONWOVEN NICKEL
COATED GRAPHITE
Frequency
10 kHz
50 kHz
100 kHz
2 MHz
50 MHz
400 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz

116
109
102
76
53
57
62
73
Section 6.8
93
Other Shielding Materials
TABLE 6-4
PROPERTIES OF METALLIZED WOVEN FABRICS,

MULTIFILAMENTS
Type of Cloth
Property
Substrate
Construction
Metal
Plastic
Weights
a. Substrate (g/rrr')
b. Metal (g/nr')
c. Finished Material (g/rrr')
d. Plastic Coating (g/rrr')
Width (inches)
de Resistance (mfl/sq)
Frequency (dB)
10 kHz
100 kHz
I MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
I GHz
10 GHz
40 GHz
Flammability
Polyester
Plain Weave
Nickel
Kevlar 49
Plain Weave
Nickel
Polyester
Plain Weave
Nickel
Polyurethane
100
25-35
125-135
100
45-55
145-155
58-63
85-125
39-55
50-100
100
25-35
225-235
100 one side
55-60
85-125
>50
>50
>50
>50
>50
>55
>60
>40
Flammable
>50
>50
>50
>50
>50
>55
>55
>50
Will burn, but
with some
difficulty
>50
>50
>50
>50
>50
>55
>60
>40
Flammable
This level of performance is consistent with the requirements of most TEMPEST

applications. No magnetic field shielding effectiveness has been reported.
6.8.4 Woven Shielding Materials

A large number of metallized cloth materials is also available for constructing low performance shielded enclosures. Tables 6-4 and 6-5 list a variety of these materials with
their respective properties. The most common metal used in metallized fabrics is nickel.
The shielding effectiveness data were acquired using coaxial or waveguide transmission
test fixtures. No magnetic field data have been reported.
6.8.5 Conductive Copper Paint

A number of conductive paints is available on the market, all of which claim to be an
economical method of obtaining moderate shielding. As with the case of any shielding
it is not the barrier material that sets the level of shielding actually achieved, rather it is
the methods used to control the penetrations in conjunction with the shield. In the case
of painted systems it is very important that all penetrations have some form of metal
flashing around the penetration in which the pipe/venUfilter is mounted and then the
paint is applied over the flashing so that a continuous film of material is present from
the penetration to the painted shield surface. This is especially important around door
frames and very important at the door threshold.
94
Chapter 6
TABLE 6-5
PROPERTIES OF WOVEN MATERIALS, MONOFILAMENTS

Property
Substrate
Construction
Metal
Nominal Thread
Diameter (JLm)
Nominal Mesh
Opening (JLm)
Nominal Mesh
Count/inch
Nominal Open
Area (%)
Weights
a. Substrate (g/rrr')
b. Metal (g/rn'')
c. Finished Material (oz/yd ')
Width (inches)
Thickness (urn)
dc Resistance
(rnfl/sq)
Frequency (dB)
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
I GHz
10 GHz
40 GHz
Flammability
Type of Cloth
Polyester
Plain Weave
Nickel
Polyester
Plain Weave
Nickel
Polyester
Twill Weave
Nickel
103
41
42
307
41
21
61
305
420
58
27
9.5
90
20-30
3.24-3.54
40-59
225
35
30-40
1.92-2.21
40-59
62
45
40-50
2.51-2.80
40-59
73
120-160
60-100
40-80
>50
>50
>50
>50
>50
>50
>35
>20
Flammable
>55
>55
>55
>55
>55
>60
>65
>50
Flammable
>55
>55
>55
>55
>55
>70
>80
>80 (26 GHz)
Flammable
One form of copper conductive paint is reported to have a shielding effectiveness

in excess of 60 dB through 1000 MHz. It consists of a water-based resin system.with a
copper filler. It is formulated to maintain its conductivity and has a surface resistivity of
O. 10 fl/ft 2 for a 2-mil coating.
6.9 STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS OF

ARCHITECTURAL SHIELDING
6.9.1 Introduction
Most architectural shielding employs foil installed onto an existing structure. Careful
methods are required to protect the shielding from accidental or intentional penetration.
6.9.2 Shielding of Existing Structures

Figure 6-17 illustrates various methods of mounting architectural shielding on existing
exterior walls. The key to maintaining the shielding is to minimize the penetrations
necessary to hold the shielding in place. For foil shielding, a good grade of adhesive is
Section 6.9
Structural Considerations of Architectural Shielding
.:*-
11-'1--
- - Masonry Outer Wall
. --
95
Moisture Barrier
Dryw all Att ach ed to Out er W all
1-- - - Shield ing Foil (Coppe r/A luminu m)

Steel Studd in g (Sup ported Top /Bott om Only )
Dryw all
+- - - - a..-- - - . --
-..-
Outer Mas onry W all

Marin e Plywo od
Sheet M etal Shield ing (Sandwi ch Seam )
- - Dryw all
t:1:::+---- RC Channel
Figure 6-17 Installing architectural shielding on exterior walls .

best since no penetrations are required. Figure 6-18 shows methods of mounting the
shielding material on interior walls. such as stud walls of various kinds .
To ensure that the integrity of a single-shield system, especially a lightweight material such as foil. is maintained during use, it is necessary to use special techniques for
installing interior walls and decorative treatments inside an architectural shielded enclo-
96
Chapter 6
.If-Jv
- - - - - -
~----
Exte rior Drywall

Steel Stud
~---- ';' in . Plywood/Drywall
..-
Shielding -Foil/Drywall
Sheet Metal / Plywood
o fr .;
RC Channel
1'- ";,
::f - -
Drywa ll
~ .:
rJ :.
/
Figure 6-18 Installing architectural

shielding on interior walls.
sure . For discussion purposes, a copper foil system is assumed , which has been installed over a drywall interior wall/ceiling, and Y4 in. plywood has been installed with
an industrial grade mastic adhesive over the floor shielding. This is illustrated in
Fig. 6-19.
6.9.3 Decorative Treatment of Interior Walls

In an installation as described above , Y4 in. wood furring is adhered to the ceiling
around the perimeter of the room and across the ceiling where interior partitions are to
be installed . Metal studding track is then screwed down to the floor and ceiling using S/s
in. drywall screws, and metal or wood studs are then installed . Electrical, alarm, and
telephone wiring is then installed, and the interior walls are finished out in the usual
manner. The important advantage of this design is that no nails or screws will penetrate
the shielding. If penetrations must be made into the shielding, a metal-to-metal seal
must be maintained since if a screw or a nail passes through the shield without the
Plywood
Floor
Wood Furring
IHeid by
Construction
Adhesive)
~~~:r
Seam
Copper
Folded
Shield ing
Foil
.l IVt?J~ /
Tile
Plywood
/ ; Me;"",,
I / Barrier
f f ( :)i:j/ .:;: ).;::":.;.<:;:::.....::.>:..::..:.;:..:. .~...:.:.:.:".:;::: : .~. :..':.;.:"'::...... ~. : : :\.:;~::::c.~.~c~~ie;:

Figure 6-19 Example of a copper foil floor installation.
Section 6.10
97
References
Ceil ing
Lead
Lead
Steel
Washer
Shield
CAD Plated
Drywall Screw
Concrete
Figure 620 Interior wall treatment in a sheet meta l

shielded enclosure .
metal-to-metal seal, it becomes an " antenna," and will couple energy from the inside
to the outside or vice versa .
In galvanized sheet metal facilit ies, such as the sandwich seam system, the meth ods shown in Fig . 6-20 have been used success fully. Here, the " antenna effect" is
killed by using the soft lead to provide a metal-to-metal seal wherever a screw is used to
penetrate the shielding. In these installations. it is important that the screw be securely
fastened, and that the metal under the screw be under compression . If the screw spins
out, then a larger screw must be used or the hole patched and the fastener moved to
another location .
6.10 REFERENCES
[I) NSA 73-2A, "National Security Agency specification for aluminum foil shielded
enclosures," Nov. 15, 1972.
(2) S. C. Jewell , "Aluminum foil RF shielding systems." ITEM. pp. 64-71.1988 .
[3] G . Trenkler and L. McBride, " Composite metal shields for electromagnetic interference," ITEM. pp. 242-246, 1987.
(4) G . Trenkler and R. Delagi, "The application of clad metals for EMI room shielding," ITEM . pp. 222-226, 1988.
[5] "Shield system and sandwich seam for attenuation of electromagnetic energy ,"
U.S . Patent 4 733 013 issued Mar. 22, 1988.
(6) Tech . Rep. 87.6.4., Ark Electronics, Inc., " Shielding effectiveness measurements
of electromagnetic shielded enclosure."
[7] Test Rep. ERC Corp., "Shielded enclo sure performance test report for Rantron systems," Sept. 1987.
CHAPTER 7
Penetrations
and Their Control
7.1 INTRODUCTION
A six-sided metal room is not very practical. Many penetrations must be made to develop it into a useful working shielded enclosure. Doors, heating and air conditioning
ducts, piping, fiber optics, electrical power, telephone lines, and other services must be
provided. Each of these have special design requirements, and must be treated with as
much care in the design phase of the project as the overall enclosure. Figure 7-1 illustrates a variety of penetrations. First, criteria will be discussed for effective RF-tight
penetrations, and then a thorough treatment will be given on each type of penetration
commonly encountered. Guidance will be provided for mounting the various penetrations in welded, modular, and architectural shielded enclosures.
7.2 GENERAL DESIGN CRITERIA FOR PENETRATION

As discussed in the "theory" chapter, there are two basic methods of obtaining shielding effectiveness. The first is to have a continuous barrier of the right material and
thickness. The second is to have any penetrations in the shield be small in cross section
(in terms of wavelength) and have a gap/length ratio greater than 7. Degradations to a
shield include breaks in the continuity of the shielding material, changes in the composition (homogeneity) of the material, corrosion to mating members, and lack of metalto-metal contact of mating materials. Each of these problems behaves differently,
depending on the type of electromagnetic fields present and the frequency of operation.
All of these concerns must be considered when designing or selecting a given penetration for a shielded enclosure.
When making penetrations through a welded enclosure, a good practice is to provide the penetration with a sufficiently large flange around the device so that the heat
of the welding does not distort the shop-made welds. Also, adequate support structure
99
Chapter 7
100
Antenna
Honeycomb
Vent
Welded
Seam
Shielded
Lead-In
Shielded
Lines
Gasketed
Seam (Service Panels)
I
~
Fingerstock
Seam (Doors)
Filtered
Lines
Insulated
Water Pipe
Metallic
Waveguide
Clamped
Seam
Coaxial
Line
Figure 7-1 Types of penetrations.
be provided around the location of the penetration to maintain the physical integrity of the system.
Penetrations through modular shielding must be made so that a metal-to-metal seal
is obtained on both sides of the shielding panel. For connector panels, vents, and other
penetrations of large size, it has been found best to use frames made from the hat and
flat material used in the panel framing. These should be formed into picture frames
using welded corners. These frames must be flat and square.
Single-shield enclosures require additional care since the usually thin materials,
foil or sheet metal, will not physically support the penetrations. Therefore, it is essential
that additional support structure be supplied for each type of penetration. Large flanges
must be provided to ensure that a low-impedance junction is provided between the
shield and the penetration.
The following sections discuss doors, heating and air conditioning, piping, and
fiber optics. Chapter 8 discusses electromagnetic filters.
Blust
7.3 DOORS
7.3.1 Introduction
The radio frequency shielded door is the most important of the penetrations in a
shielded enclosure. It is generally the weakest link in the system and the most difficult
Section 7.3
Doors
101
to maintain due to its high usage. It is a precision device, and must be designed and
manufactured to maintain its mechanical and electrical functions under the most demanding circumstances that may be encountered in the installation. High shielding effectiveness can only be maintained if the structure of the door and frame is strong
enough to maintain the tight tolerances needed to achieve the RF seal around the perimeter of the opening.
Various techniques and methods of construction are used in the manufacture of
doors, depending on the shielding specifications, door use, size, and environment. Each
of the most common designs is described with their advantages and disadvantages.
One of the most difficult requirements for an RF door is that of handicap access.
Various solutions to meeting this requirement are incorporated, but no one solution has
been completely satisfactory in meeting the full NSA 65-6 performance requirements.
Generally, the performance is limited to the requirements of MIL-STD-285 in that the
magnetic field shielding effectiveness is lower and the plane-wave performance is limited up to 400 MHz. The various designs currently available will be illustrated.
In high-traffic areas, such as shielded buildings or computer centers, it is necessary to provide a vestibule with double doors or a waveguide or sinuous tunnel entrance. These are described in Section 7.3.4.
7.3.2 The Important Features of an RF Door

A metal-to-metal seal must be obtained around the perimeter of the door opening. This
seal must be maintained under thousands of door operations with a minimum of service.
Experience has shown that it is necessary that the RF seal consist of two rows of contacts when the plane-wave performance must exceed 60 dB. The three basic highperformance RF seal configurations are illustrated in Figs. 7-2 and 7-3. The first
configuration is based on compressing two rows of RF gasket material between the door
leaf and the door frame. It requires a great deal of clamping force to achieve the seal,
and it is commonly achieved using a rack and pinion closure system at three points
opposite the hinge side. The hinges are designed to provide the necessary closing force
as the door is latched. The second form of RF seal is also illustrated, and it is called the
ReM or recessed contact mechanism or knife-edge door seal. It is now the most common form used because it is the most reliable and the easiest to maintain. The third
version of a door seal is illustrated in Fig. 7-3. The advantage of this version is that a
low threshold is possible for certain types of installations. Another version of the compression door is illustrated in Fig. 7-4. Here, a metal-to-metal seal is obtained by air
pressure holding the door leaf in contact with the door frame. This form of door is very
useful for welded enclosures requiring very good low-frequency magnetic shielding effectiveness.
Figure 7-5 illustrates door seals that are commonly used for low-performance (60
dB) doors. These doors are commonly found in high-use areas in vestibules (two-door
systems) where the two-door combination can approach the performance of the single
high-performance door.
All of these configurations meet the following electromagnetic requirements. First,
metal-to-metal contact is maintained around the perimeter of the door. Properly designed and constructed, the electrical contact is continuous and provides minimum distortion to the current paths in the wall of the shielded enclosure. This is necessary in
order to maintain a good magnetic seal. No unsealed gaps are permitted through the
102
Chapter 7
Fingerstock Gasket
Under Cornpression
Door Leaf
(a)
Recessed Contact
Mechanism (RCM)
Fingerstock
RF Gasket
----~e
~---
Knife Edge
on Door Leaf
(b)
Figure 7-2
Door seals: (a) compression; (b) ReM.
Section Through Door and Jamb
Figure 7-3 Wedge RF seal.
Section 7.3
Doors
103
Welded
Door Frame
Metal-to-Metal
Seal
~---
,..L..-.;::::"_~~~'----';~-""'-....;:=II~---.;:lIC..-_~-~-~~~"-"_""'--a,
Air Bladder
Sliding Door
Figure 7-4 Sliding door compression seal.

Holder
RF Gasket
Metal Clad Door

' - - - - - - - - - Metal Door Jamb - - - - - - - - '
___ Door
Fingerstock
........
.....-...:~
Figure 7-5
~~""""'-'-
....~-- Brass Threshold
Common low-performance door seals.
door or the frame, such as the bolts used to mount the hinges, where microwave energy
could leak. Another important design consideration is how the door handle is designed.
Since a shaft must penetrate the door leaf, it must be designed so that the shaft is
grounded so that it does not become an antenna.
It is also important that the door frame tie well into the surrounding shielding.
This is especially important for single-shield systems. Special care must be taken for
foil systems since any strain placed on the foil near a door opening could fracture the
foil and degrade the shielding effectiveness.
The most common RF doors are next described with their advantages and disadvantages. Procurement specifications for each of the types described are given in Appendix A-7. The most commonly specified door is the ReM design.
7.3.3 The ReM or Knife-Edge Door

The simplest form of the ReM door is illustrated in Fig. 7-6. It consists of a shielded
panel (particle board with 24 gauge steel laminated to both sides) framed with an ex-
104
Chapter 7

Hinge
Handle in
Closed Position
Surface Latch
(Two Point)
Door Elevation
Door in RF Shielded
and Closed Position
Gasket
,
,,
\
,
, ,\
I
Door Frame
\
I
Removable Contact Fingers
r-- L
'1-\'
\ \
"
\ \\
\\
t \\
---
\\
f\
\ \\
~~~~
- - - - -
\\
, ..1 L_l
L---r----
--- ---- .... ---
t.------
Figure 7-6 Basic ReM door geometry.
truded phosphor bronze knife geometry and mated with a pocket in the door frame
containing the beryllium fingerstock RF gasket. One of these extrusions is soldered to
the perimeter of the door leaf, and the other to the inside of the door opening made in
a shielding panel. The door assembly is mounted in the enclosure wall using the same
hat and flat assemblies used for the remainder of the enclosure.
Each manufacturer has a variation of the ReM design, with the method of attaching the fingerstock being the largest difference. Several of these are illustrated in Fig.
7-7. This is the only patentable feature since the ReM concept is now part of the
public domain. Several companies have introduced the double-knife-edge concept illustrated in Fig. 7-8. The double knife edge is primarily useful for very high performance,
Doors
Section 7.3
105
Fingerstock
Sheet Metal
~-+-+---
Fingerstock
Fingerstock
Brass Extrusion
Fingerstock
2-56
Screw
Sheet Metal
Bronze Extrusion
Fingerstock
Figure 7-7 Other forms of ReM door seals.

i.e., 120 dB requirements, and is generally very heavy, on the order of 700 lb. Most of
these types of doors are used on welded facilities.
The ReM door has several advantages, the best of which is that the RF seal is
recessed and protected from wear and tear because the fingerstock is mounted perpendicular to the door leaf, the threshold height is minimized, and the wiping action of the
knife against the fingerstock helps keep the contact resistance at a minimum. The disadvantage is that the construction tolerances are very tight, and the door must be realigned regularly or the knife edge soon destroys or cuts up the RF gaskets in the ReM
pocket. Weekly maintenance is usually required to keep the doors up to full RF perfor-
106
Chapter 7
---------------------,
0
0
___
___
_ _ _0
_ _ _ _---i 0
--------------------,
Figure 7-8 Double knife-edge door seal.
Door Leaf
Bottom Plate
Finger sto ck
Brass Th resho ld
Figure 7-9 Low-threshold geometry for ReM door.
Section 7.3
107
Doors
mance. An obvious disadvantage is that of handicap access. A lip must exist at the floor
level to accommodate the ReM pocket. The most common solution is a poor compromise, as shown in Fig. 7-9. This design is subject to dirt, high maintenance, and poor
magnetic and microwave shielding effectiveness. Some suppliers have a ramp option,
which automatically positions a short ramp up to the lip of the door as the door is
opened, rather than compromise the performance of the door.
Refer to Appendix A-7.1 for suggested procurement specifications for the RCMtype shielded door.
7.3.4 The Compression Door

A variety of compression doors is commercially available. The most common variety is
a door leaf which extends around the perimeter of the door opening by about 3 in. The
door frame is designed to be very flat, and two rows of fingerstock are mounted to the
face of the door leaf. The door leaf is mounted on three or four very heavy hinges, and
the door is closed using a very heavy rack and pinion closing mechanism that clamps
the door leaf against the door frame. Very high closing forces are required to achieve
the necessary RF seal, especially at the microwave frequencies.
The advantage of the door is its simplicity. Its disadvantages are the height of the
doorsill, somewhat like a ship's hatch, the exposed fingerstock which catches on clothing and breaks off, and the weight of the door and frame which must be very strong to
achieve the necessary closing forces. A better version of the compression door is illustrated in Fig. 7-10. Here, the fingerstock is recessed in a channel on the frame of the
door, protecting it from accidental damage common to the standard compression door.
The door leaf and frame must be precision made so that proper compression of the
fingerstock is achieved.
The third form of a door seal is a variation of the compression door, where the
fingerstock is mounted on the edge of the door as illustrated in Fig. 7-11. This door
must be thick to provide the mounting surface for the fingerstock, and it is subject to
the same limitations as the standard compression door. The door frame is designed to
mate with the door leaf, which must fit very closely to achieve the tight RF seal around
the perimeter of the door leaf. Several versions of this door are made: a highperformance version for NSA65-6 operation, a very high-performance door (doubleisolated system; see the example of procurement specifications for details), and a
moderate-performance type with a low threshold for hospitals. The door is made of a
honeycomb construction, which makes it lightweight, and it uses a three-point closure
Door Frame
Door Leaf
Figure 7-10 Improved compression RF door seal.
108
Chapter 7
/-:-'.
--L.
figure 7-11
Wedge-type RF door seal.
system which reliably pulls the door leaf into contact with the door frame . A version of
this door is used in MRI installations which do not have the high-performance requirements of the other installations. This door geometry is illustrated in Fig. 7-12; note the
low threshold , which is suitable for hospital gurneys. These doors also come in very
attractive finishes suitable for the hospital environment.
A fourth form of the compression door is the sliding pneumatic door, which is
illustrated in Fig. 7-13. The RF seal is obtained either by the air pressure expanding the
thickness of the door leaf, making contact with the door frame, or the door frame
expanding, providing a metal-to-metal seal with the door leaf. This door configuration
is only suitable for welded installations since the door and frame are extremely massive
in order to attain the extreme forces required for this type of RF seal to function prop-
ac.
<
.S
/
.~
Grounded Threshold
figure 7-12
Low-threshold medical RF door.
-. .:. '.
. '
Section 7.3
109
Doors
Track
Ground Steel
Box Beam
Shield
Track
Metal-toMetal
RF Seal
Air Bladder
Shield
Track
Section A-A
Figure 7-13A Sliding compression RF door.
erly. The disadvantage of this type of construction is its cost, on the order of six times
that of the ordinary ReM door. The advantage is that it is an extremely highperformance door system, capable of very high magnetic shielding, very low in frequency, and also of very good performance, well up into the millimeter frequencies.
Two versions are available: the fully automatic door which operates by air pressure at
the push of a button, or the manual door which must be slid manually (very difficult in
most instances; the doors are extremely heavy) and then sealed by pushing a button. A
back-up air cylinder is recommended in case a factory power failure shuts down the
building air system. This is recommended for critical installations where the shielding
must be maintained, even under emergency conditions. It does not meet the fire codes
since they require a breakout hinged door. A swing-out version of the pneumatic door is
110
Chapter 7
Electric Field
Plane Wave
110
100
90
80
70
60
Attenuation in Decibels
50
40
30
20
,/
Magnetic Field
10
a
1
kHz
10
100
10
100 400
MHz
10
GHz
Frequency
Guaranteed Performance When Tested To NSA 65-6 Specifications.
Electromagnetic Door
Frame Contact Area
Trim Plate
Door Leaf
Door Frame Steel Tubing Stiffener
V2 in Square Tube Spacer
3/4
Door Frame V4 in Thick Steel Plate
in Shielded Panel
Thin Gauge Steel

(One or Two Sides as Applicable)
Figure 7-138 Electromagnet compression RF door.
now available, suitable for fire exits. Sample specifications are given in Appendix A-7
for both versions.
A form of the compression door is those that are required to be compatible with
the double-isolated modular shielding systems described in Chapter 5. A procurement
specification for this type of door is described in Appendix A-7, paragraph 7.3.
Section 7.3
Doors
III
Another form of compression door is the permanent magnet or electromagnetoperated shielded door. Various forms of the permanent magnet type have been available for several years; generally they are only useful for moderate shielding
effectiveness installations. A high performance electromagnet-operated door [I] is now
available that meets the full NSA 65-6 performance requirements; that door is specified
in paragraph 7.4 of Appendix A-7. The advantage of this door is that it does not have
any fingerstock that requires servicing and the door is rated for 500,000 operations with
minimum service, making it useful for high use installations. The door operates with
fingertip control and comes standard with push bar exit operation. A slightly lower
performance version that meets Title 24 requirements for handicapped operation is also
available. The geometry and performance of this door is given in Fig. 7-13B.
7.3.5 Moderate-Performance RF Doors

For moderate-performance shielded enclosures, such as those designed to meet NSA
73-2A or its equivalent, doors are available that have been adapted from a good grade
of metal industrial door. Figure 7-14 illustrates how these doors are made to meet the
required shielding effectiveness. Performance on the order of 60 dB is advertised. It is
very important that galvanized plated steel be used for both the door frame and the door
leaf. With care, these can be painted after installation. To achieve the stated performance, the doors must be very carefully connected into the surrounding shielded wall,
especially at the floor; otherwise, the desired performance will not be achieved. A
metal-to-metal seal between the door frame and the door leaf is essential. The frame
must also have a metal-to-metal seal from the frame to the surrounding walls and floor.
A sample procurement specification for moderate-performance shielded doors is
given in Appendix A7, paragraph A7.5.
7.3.6 Vestibule and Waveguide Tunnel Entrances

7.3.6.1 Introduction. In TEMPESTED facilities where high traffic is expected,
a means must be provided to overcome the fact that the doors must be opened extensively, with the risk of compromising the shielding effectiveness of the facility. This is
accomplished in two ways. The simplest is to provide a vestibule with two doors. The
distance between the doors should be such that it will hold a number of people, and the
doors must be interlocked so that only one door is open at a time. Because of the high
traffic use, it is desirable that these doors operate easily and not be susceptible to damage. Criteria are given and doors are described that have been used in these types of
installations. Another form of high-traffic entrance is the waveguide-beyond-cutoff or
sinuous entrance. These are especially useful when an entire building is a shielded enclosure, as it saves on the number of doors and their subsequent maintenance.
7.3.6.2 Double-Door Vestibule. The principal TEMPEST threat due to an
opened door is in the plane-wave region; therefore, the vestibule system must provide
adequate protection from 50 MHz up in frequency. Because the common shielded door
is subject to very high maintenance with use, i.e., the fingerstock of all standard commercial doors is subject to damage in high-use areas, they do not perform well in highuse applications. In addition, where the people count is high, wheelchair access is
generally essential; thus, a low threshold door is required. Fortunately, most of the
high-use areas are for TEMPEST, and in the continental United States, the shielding
112
Chapter 7
~-----
3 ft
------41-..
7ft
Metal
Door
8
RF Gasket
Section A-A
Ball Bearing Hinges
k:;
".-_______
4110.-/
F GaSket
Brass Threshold
Section B-B
Figure 7-14 Moderate-performance shielded door.
effectiveness requirements are usually specified to meet NSA 73-2A, which calls for a
moderate level of shielding. A conservative level of 60 dB-l GHz is acceptable, which
means that the doors discussed in Section 4.3.3.4 are usable. The double-door arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 7-15. The doors are provided with electric locks which are
Section 7.3
113
Doors
!
RF Door SW
Outside
Shield
I
I
I
x
-
Fire Door
With Controlled Access
Safety
Mat (Required)
"~::-::=======:::::J Shield
Control
Mat (Option to Door Switch)
RF
Door
SW
Notes:
1. Doors are electrically
interlocked, with only one
open at a time.
12 ft
Safety Mat (Required)
Shield
RF Door
Switch
Inside Shield
Figure 7-15 Vestibule entrance.
interlocked so that one of the doors must be in the closed position before the other is
opened. It is recommended that the distance between the doors be a minimum of 6 ft
for low-traffic enclosures and 12 ft for high-traffic facilities. The minimum width should
be on the order of 4 flo For high-performance, high-use facilities, it is recommended
that the sliding air-operated door be used in the vestibule system if the fire code will
permit its use. If not, it is common to add a fire door at another location in the facility
to meet the code requirements, thus maintaining the high level of performance without
serious degradation due to high usage normally experienced by the conventional RCMtype RF door.
7.3.6.3 Waveguide Tunnel Entryway. Inspections of actual electromagnetic

shielded facilities reveal that entryways are the most commonly abused elements of
shielding. Because of heavy traffic, normally closed doors are found broken or blocked
in the open position and interlocks are subverted. Waveguide entryways constitute an
114
Chapter 7
Notes:
1. Labyrinth Footprint
Approximately 32 x 42 h.
2. Mean Path Through
Labyrinth A to 8 = 58 ft.
10 Gauge Welded
Steel Shield Plane
\
10 in'.
Microwave Absorbers
20 h, 6 in.
-~-
: - 11 ft,10in.
8tt,Oin.1
....
20 tt
l=ijilllllllll"iIiIii:'~::I~j::j:'::j::::::'iIIi"'ii"'ii"iir
10 Gauge Welded
Steel Shield Plane
Figure 7-16 Waveguide-beyond-cutoff entrance. (Reprinted

from ITEM 1989 with permission. 1989. R & B Enterprises, a
alternate and possibly better approach, implementing a passively failsafe penetration

protection method to the maximum extent possible. They permit the use of lower quality (60 dB nominal) and faster acting doors which can be more easily maintained.
A waveguide entryway is achieved when the entryway shield walls are configured
to form a hollow tube. The height and width of the waveguide should be as small as
possible, and the length should be made as long as possible. The height should be the
minimum value which will permit personnel to comfortably stand within the guide,
about 86 in. The width must allow side-by-side passage, but should be about half the
height. The length along the shortest path must be at least five times the height.
A new form of waveguide entry is the sinuous path entrance, which is a waveguide
entry that is lined with absorbing material and has no doors. This form of entry is
Section 7.3
Doors
us
illustrated in Fig. 7-16. The design of these entrances is still in the formulative stages,
and the designer is referred to the current literature such as that given in [2].
7.3.7 Special-Purpose Shielded Door Systems

A variety of special-purpose RF shielded doors has been developed and is available on
a special-order basis. These include automated doors, semi-automatic doors, doors with
permanent magnets to seal the doors, doors with electromagnet RF seals, and special
large doors for a variety of electromagnetic test chambers.
The semi-automatic doors are equipped with an automatic unlatching device which
aids operation in high-traffic areas. This door is illustrated in Fig. 7-17.
The automatic version of this door is outfitted with operating and safety mats, as
illustrated in Fig. 7-18.
A fire rating of shielded doors is very difficul t to obtain. While a few suppliers can
provide 45 min doors, only a small number of configurations have been tested and rated
by Factory Mutual.
A number of special-purpose RF doors use permanent magnets to hold the door
closed with metal-to-metal seals. No known systems are fully qualified to NSA 65-6
performance requirements. A door using electromagnets is available, and it is being
used in vestibule applications where semi-automatic operation is required.
Large doors are usually sealed with pneumatic seals, as illustrated in Fig. 7-19. A
double row of fingerstock is mounted around the perimeter of the door leaf, and it is
compressed against the door frame by means of air pressure when the door is in the
closed position.
7.4 HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

7.4.1 Introduction
One of the major penetrations that must be considered is how to handle the need for
conditioned air within a shielded enclosure. Small rooms generally are tied to the existing building air for supply and return, or they are just vented to the room in which it
is placed. The penetration used for ductwork has several names; among them are
waveguide vent, honeycomb vent, or shielded vent. The first name is related to how the
device behaves electromagnetically, the second to its appearance, and the final to the
fact that it maintains the integrity of the shield while permitting the flow of air in/out of
the enclosure. In larger enclosures, conditioned air may be by ductwork, but it is most
often accomplished using heat pumps or air handlers which are controlled by an overall
heating/cooling system from the main building. The general piping guidelines are used
for these types of penetrations.
7.4.2 Description and Theory of Operation

Honeycomb vents are structures which appear as shown in Fig. 7-20. Equation (3-9)
expresses the shielding effectiveness of these types of penetrations. With an inch of
thickness over 100 dB attenuation is achieved up to 30 GHz with a 3/16 in. cell size.
The most common form of construction is honeycomb made from steel or brass
and then hot solder plated. Panels up to 2 x 3 ft are available. The most important
Door Closer
-HH-+t-t-----.~
Door
Door Frame
Emergency
Release
Unlatch and
Stop Buttons
latch Unit
Adjustable Hinges
Figure 7-17 Semi-automatic ReM RF door.
Overhead Opener
Emergency
Release
Door
Door Frame--_--.u..-
Adjustable Hinges
latch Unit
Key Switch (Hold Open)

Opening Mat
Opening Mat
Figure 7-18
Automatic ReM RF door.
116
Section 7.4
Heating and Air Conditioning
117
aspect of these vents is how they are mounted in the wall or ceiling of the enclosure. In
modular enclosures, it is common to solder the honeycomb directly into the galvanized
steel shielding panel. These panels must be preengineered so that they get placed in the
right location of the shielded enclosure. In welded enclosures, the honeycomb is factory
mounted into a frame, which is then welded in the field in a rough-cut opening in the
shield. The frame must be designed so that field welding will not damage the vent
material. For single-shield systems such as in architectural shielding, the vents are
mounted in clamp-up frames, which are then bolted into place at the job site. Some
preparation of the rough opening must be done to ensure that a proper RF seal is
achieved around the perimeter of the vent frame. Also, provision must be made to
support the weight of the vent since the single-shield system usually is not capable of
providing support.
Three different forms of vents are available, depending on the type of shielding to
be installed. The most common is steel honeycomb with 3/16 or 1/8 in. cells, 1 in. thick.
This is either soldered into a shielding panel or mounted in a frame. For 60 dB requirements, the frame can be screwed into the shielded wall using gasketing, but for higher
performance enclosures, a clamping arrangement such as the hat and flat is recommended. For welded enclosures, the frame should be of steel and designed to be field
welded into place in a rough opening cut out of the enclosure; a large overlap is recommended. The vent frame must be plated prior to installation. The second most common vent material is made of brass. These are recommended for NMR installations
where nonmagnetic materials are usually used. They are also recommended in applications where the humidity is high; experience has shown that the steel types will rust out
in the presence of high levels of moisture. These vents provide excellent electric and
plane-wave shielding, but the magnetic shielding effectiveness is lower than the steel
versions. For very high-performance installations (120 dB), a composite version of the
brass and steel is recommended. This consists of a sandwich of the two types of honeycomb mounted in the same frame. The brass version should be located on the exterior
side of the frame. In the doubly isolated enclosure, two frames are used, isolated from
each other.
Provisions shall be made to attach ductwork to the vent, and this normally takes
the form of a flange located around the perimeter of the clear opening. The size of the
vents is usually selected to be 15% larger than the size of the ducts to reduce the blockage provided by the honeycomb cells. For more precise sizing, the pressure drop data
given in Table 7-1 and Fig. 7-21 should be considered in the design of these devices. In
those installations requiring electrical isolation, a dielectric break in the form of an
insulated sleeve is provided by the mechanical contractor.
7.4.3. Performance
The vent performance shall be the same as that of the shielded enclosure. If lowfrequency magnetic field requirements are necessary, then the vent must be fabricated
from steel.
The typical performance of these devices is shown in Table 7-2.

A sample procurement specification is given In Appendix A-7, paragraph 7.6.
Chapter 7
118
Brass
Air
Bladder
Fingerstock
Gasket
Door
Leaf
---...,tt---::J.....
Air Bladder
----' f.-l.25in.-.j '----Section A-A
Figure 7-19 Large door RF seals .
7.5 PIPING
7.5.1 Introduction
Pipe penetrations in shielded enclosures must be designed so that a metal-to-metal seal
is achieved at the point of penetration. The size of the piping and how it is terminated
inside the enclosure is critical to maintaining the overall shielding effectiveness of the
enclosure. The three different types of shielded enclosures, welded, modular, and architectural, require different forms of the penetrations.
Electromagnetic energy will pass through a pipe that is large in terms of wavelength , and will provide leakage paths into a shielded enclosure unless the proper design
procedures are not invoked . If the piping is continuous and completely sealed, such as
a gas or water pipe inside a shielded enclosure, then the piping need only be metalto-metal sealed at the wall entrance to the shielded enclosure, regardless of pipe size . In
119
Piping
Section 7.5
Duct Work
__
by Others
Canvas Connector and
Collar When Required
l~
Vent Size
Equal to Scheduled Duct Size
CLR Opening
(See Penetration
Schedule for Size)
Duct by Mech.
1in. Thick Tin-Plated Brass
Honeycomb Air Vent with Va in.
Cells, Size Same as CLR
Opening. Solder to Collar
11 Gauge Hot-Rolled Steel

Bent Collar
Reference
Symmetrical
~ of Duct
No Plating on this
Flange (Either Side)
RF
_----a...~_ _--+"\.)
Va
Inside
Shielding
RF Shield
Outside
Shielding
va
Note: Collar corners to
be mitered & cont. RF
Welded.
See
L:R
= 0.08
11 Gauge Hot-Rolled
Bent Collar Where Required
for Duct-Work
Dielectric Flex
Connection 6 in.
Minimum Length
by Mechanic
RF Air Vent Installation Detail
Figure 7-20 (a), (b) Honeycomb shielded vent.

very high-performance enclosures, it may require that all the pipe joints be welded or
solder sealed rather than using plumbers' dope or teflon tape in the pipe joints since the
normal method of sealing the pipe does not provide a high-performance RF seal.
Where the piping is not terminated in a sealed system within the shielded enclosure, then the size of the pipe must be limited to a maximum size, as illustrated in Fig.
7-22. If the pipe size cannot be reduced, then a honeycomb union must be placed in
120
Chapter 7
TABLE 7-1
HONEYCOMB VENT STATIC PRESSURE DROP
Inches of water:
F/min:
(Multiply by area to
obtain CFM.)
0.015
0.025
400
600
0.042
800
0.065
0.30
1000
2000
.06
.05
Q.
0OS .04
~
Q)C'O
:;~
(/)'t-
(/)0
~ ~
.03
Q...r:.
.~
--
(0(J)
.02
.01
O-+---+----+----t--+---+---+----+---.1
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Velocity FPM
Figure 7-21 Static pressure versus air flow.

series with the line, as illustrated in Fig. 7-23. This special fixture will act like a physical filter in the line, and it must be periodically cleaned out. The best method to
achieve this is to provide an auxiliary fixture connected to an air line. Then the filter
can be periodically cleaned out with air pressure just by cracking the valve mounted
adjacent to the filtered pipe. This is especially important on air conditioning units with
drip pans or stand-alone NC units for computers. For piping carrying heated or cooled
liquids, special insulated penetrations such as is shown in Fig. 7-24 must be used.
7.5.2 Pipe Penetrations for Welded Enclosures

The welded penetration takes the form illustrated in Fig. 7-25. For a copper pipe, it is
first brazed into a steel plate, and then welded into the wall of the enclosure. For steel
TABLE 7-2 PERFORMANCE OF SHIELDED VENTS 3/16 IN. CELLS,

I IN. THICK
Steel Honeycomb:
Magnetic Fields
I kHz
20 kHz
100 dB
25 dB
Brass Honeycomb:
Magnetic Fields
I kHz
20 kHz
20 dB
70 dB
100 kHz
120 dB
Electric Fields
10 MHz
120 dB
100 MHz
120dB
Plane-Wave Fields
I GHz
10 GHz
120 dB
120 dB
Electric Fields
10 MHz
120 dB
120dB
100 MHz
120dB
Plane-Wave Fields
1 GHz
10 GHz
120 dB
120 dB
100 kHz
Section 7.5
121
Piping
piping, it is shop welded into a plate, and then the plate is field welded. The two-step
setup procedure is highly recommended since it is very important that the weld around
the pipe be of the very highest quality and be done under controlled conditions. The
field weld also must be very carefully done. A 2 in. overlay between the penetration
plate and the shield is recommended since this will provide a waveguide-beyond-cutoff
effect, thus enhancing the shielding effectiveness of the enclosure. The pipe should have
connections on either side of the wall, and the outside connection may require a dielectric decoupler installed so as to isolate the enclosure from the rest of the building.
7.5.3 Piping for Modular Shielding

The piping for modular shielding should be arranged so that the shielding panel is
compressed between flanges mounted on either side of the enclosure wall, as shown in
Fig. 7-26. This arrangement provides the best overall shielding performance since it
seals at both sides of the panel.
7.5.4 Piping for Architectural Shielding

The same type of fixture can be used with single-shield systems if sheet metal is used as
the barrier. The only additional requirement is that the penetration be supported independently of the shield. For foil installations, the penetration should be mounted in a
fairly large plate and the plate mounted in the wall of the enclosure so that the foil is
160
150
= 5 * 1.0.
'~
140
130
,'
~ 110
w
~en 100
~
>
.~
80
,
,
I
\ ~ 0.5"
70
~ 60
:.c
Qi 50
:c
en
\'
90
Q)
ffi
"'" i\.
\ \\
\
\ \~ \
\0.25"
\ \
~\
\
iii 120
Q)
~ ~~~
~0.75"
40
1"
30
20
10
o
10 kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
Frequency
Figure 7-22 Waveguide cutoff versus pipe size.
10 GHz
122
Chapter 7
RF Gasket
11 in min I
Thread
1.5 in
l-
-r
0.5 in
Weld or Braze
Shield
RF
Gasket
Honeycomb
Core
(Brass)
1116 in Cell Size
> 10 GHz Operation
Air Fitting
RF
Gasket
Thread
Weld or Braze
T
r--1in~
~--Shield
Piping> 0.5 in 1.0. for 100 dB SE

Through 10 GHz
Figure 723 Honeycomb pipe union.
not stressed. If copper foil is used, then the plate should be made of brass and then
solder sealed to the foil on the wall. If other foils are used, then it should be RF taped
into place with a high-performance shielding tape. These techniques are illustrated in
Fig. 7-27.

The only requirement is that the piping be RF sealed around the perimeter of the pipe
where it passes through the shielded wall. If used as a waveguide, then the length must
Section 7.5
Piping
123
Shield
Insu lation
---t
..--~
D = 3d
Figure 7-24 Insulated pipe penetration.

be seven times the inside diameter of the pipe to achieve waveguide-beyond-cutoff performance . The diameter of the pipe is selected to cutoff above the operating frequency
of the shielded enclosure.
Installati on
by Mechanical
Inside
Shield ing
-t-I
Installation by
Shielding Install er
8 Diameters
or 12 in. Wh ichev er
is Greater
--t-I
_
Installati on
by Mechan ical
Outsid e
Shi eld ing
2 in
Ma x
6 in M in
Schedule 40 PVC
Pipe Sectio n
RF
Shielding
- - - - - ----1
Typical Wet Pipe & Drain Penetr at ion
Figure 7-25A
Welded pipe penetration
124
Chapter 7
Inside
Shielding
Outside
Shielding
Installation by Shielding
Installed by Mechanical
24 in Min
6 in Min
Fire Protection
4:JPiPing by Mecha1nical
RF08 M22
3/16 in Mild Steel

Backing Plate
PolypropyleneLined Steel Pipe

Spool by Mechanical
150 Ib Raised Face
Steel Flange Pipe,
Furnished by Mechanical
RF
Shielding - - - - - - . ...
Fire Protection Penetration
Figure 7-258
Welded pipe penetration.
7.6 FIBER OPTICS AND NONMETALLIC HOSES

7.6.1 Design Guides
Fiber optics and other forms of nonmetallic conductors can be taken through the wall of
a shielded room by means of a short length of pipe called a waveguide. The fiber optic
cable must be all dielectric. No wire or shielding is permitted. The length of the pipe
must be a minimum of seven times the diameter. The diameter must meet the requirements of Fig. 7-25. Multiple fibers or small plastic tubes can be run through a fitting
illustrated in Fig. 7-28. In some installations, it may be desirable to bring water service
in by rubber hose. Waveguides can be used for this application, but if the water contains a high mineral content, then the water may act like a conductor, picking up and
carrying RF currents. Then the hose will behave like an antenna or wire stuck through
the wall of the shielded enclosure. Distilled water is preferred since it is a nonconductor. Care must be taken to ensure that nonconductive rubber is used in the hose. Experience has shown that a large number of commercial hose designs use carbon black as a
reinforcing agent, and the rubber becomes conductive and therefore acts like an antenna
if run through a waveguide in a shielded enclosure.
The only requirement is that a good RF seal be obtained around the outside of the pipe
as it passes through the enclosure wall. The best seal is welded or brazed.
Section 7.7
125
Shielded Windows
RF Panel
Copper
Tub ing
Contin uously Sw eat

Solder Both Sid es
Fixed Flang e
Brass Hex NUl
Solder (Sw eat )
13 /16 in .
I~
-\
RF Panel
Flanged Brass
Hex Nuts
----tnT
1\\\\\\\\\
\
11 \\11\ 1 \\
I 111 I
Wavegu ide W it h
Cont inuou s N.P.T.
Tapered Ends
Thr eaded Type
Figure 7-26 Modular pipe penetration.
7.7 SHIELDED WINDOWS

7.7.1 Description
Some installations require the use of a shielded window, such as hospital operating
rooms and NMR examination areas . Shielded windows are expensive , and should only
be used where absolutely required . Generally, they are limited to low-frequency or lowperformance applications. Two forms of shielded windows are commercially available .
The most common form is a sandwich made of copper screen and glass or plastic . The
copper screen must be well attached (low conduct ive path) to the window frame , which
in turn must be bonded to the surrounding shield. Two layers of coppe r screening are
best , with different threads per inch . The second form of shielded window relies on the
conductivity of vapor-deposited metallic film to provide a means of reflecting the elec tromagnetic energy. Both of these techniques are discussed .
Chapter 7
126
Foil
Solder
Outside Shield
Brass Plate
Inside Shield
Dielectric Union
Where Required
Metal Union
Nut
Metal Clamp
l/e Steel Washer

RF Gasket
Metal Support Bracket

Plywood
1/16in. Lead Seal
Screws as Required
Clearance Hole
in Metal Bracket
Solder
Figure 7-27 Foil pipe penetrations.
7.7.2 Shielding Effectiveness of Windows

Copper screening provides a higher degree of shielding effectiveness than does the continuous film systems for the same degree of optical transmission at the lower frequencies, but it rolls off in performance in the plane-wave region. This is shown by
comparing Fig. 7-29 and 7-30. The data shown are for a single screen. It is common to
install two screens separated by an air space. The disadvantage of the mesh is that it
forms a moire pattern, which can be objectionable to the viewer.
As indicated in the performance curves, high levels of shielding effectiveness are
not possible for windows. Therefore, they should not be used unless they are necessary,
such as for patient viewing in MRI examination rooms where the shielding performance
is generally needed at 100 MHz and below.
Section 7.8
127
0.375 in. 1.0.
----------- T
Shield
Figure 7-28 Multiple-waveguide penetration

for fiber optics.
7.7.3 Window Installation

It is essential that the conductive mesh or film be terminated completely around the
perimeter of the window frame with a metal-to-metal seal. The frame, in turn, must be
terminated into the shielded wall with a metal-to-metal seal. Soldering or a good gasket
seal are required; just clamping the frame to the shield is not adequate unless the clamping system is similar to that of the hat and flat design.
7.8 FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

7.8.1 Introduction
Two forms of fire protection are commonly used in shielded enclosures. The most common is the sprinkler system, but it is also the most risky in terms of accidental damage.
Water is an enemy of shielding, as described elsewhere. Only welded rooms are immune to the effects of water since these enclosures behave as welded tanks. The other
form of fire protection is a halon gas system. These are normally used where computer
systems are installed since, again, water damage is a greater risk than fire. But halon is
a CFC-based chemical, and it will soon be unavailable because of the ozone risk. As of
this writing, no known safe substitute has been found.
In lieu of halon, which is the best fire protection for shielded enclosures, it is
recommended that a dry pipe system be used, triggered by the use of smoke detectors.
This minimizes the risk of accidental discharge, ruining both the equipment within the
shield, and potentially damaging the shielding system as well.
128
Chapter 7
100
90
80
Spectral
Characteristics
70
60
c:
'Ci)
V)
'E
50
c: 40
V)
Note: All coatings on 5 mil polyester.
.=
30
20
10
0.35
0.60
0.85
1.10
1.35
1.60
1.85
2.10
UV Visible
I
Near Infrared
Wavelength (um)
m 100 -
90
-~ - " , -
80
70
60
.~
~
:
~
Q)
50
40
30
20
10
_r---. ~~
-- ~"'"" ""
r-i"lIIIII
~ ~
~ ~I-~ ~
~ ~~
jIIIl
-......
~ ~~r-~~r-~
~r---
~~
~~
100 kHz
, MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
Optical grade polyester thicknesses of 5 and 7 mil.
Figure 7-29 Shielding effectiveness of continuous

film window material.
..
r-- ...
5 {liD
10 HID
10 !lID
10 GHz
Section 7.8
129
120
110 ~~ ~
~~
r----..~
100
NSA 73-2A
Electric Field/Plane Wave
~~
100 Mesh Copper 0022
20 x 20 in Aperture
90
80
'-
70
<,
-,
-, r-,
60
50
40
<,
~
30
20
10
lOOK
10K
1M
10M
100M
1G
10G
Frequency
120
I I
110
I I
NSA 73-2A
Magnetic
100
100 Mesh Copper 0022
90
)V
80
(
./
70
,,/
60
50
40
30
20
20 x 20 in Aperture
,/
",
~V
10
10K
lOOK
1M
10M
100M
1G
Frequency
Figure 7-30 Shielding effectiveness of copper

screen window material.
lOG
Chapter 7
130
7.9 REFERENCES
[1] U. S. Patent 4 490 710.
[2] C. Robinson and E L. Helene, "Satisfying NSA 65-6 shielding requirements without shielded doors," ITEM. pp. 198-208, 396-398, 1989.
CHAPTER 8
Electromagnetic Filters
8.1 INTRODUCTION
Electromagnetic filtering is required on all wiring that enters a shielded enclosure. All
electronic equipment can be sources of interference or can radiate signals which can be
picked up and decoded. What may be a desired signal in one path may be an undesired
signal or "noise" in another path due to inadvertent coupling. A relatively small arc
associated with power switching may result in a serious disturbance to a sensitive (i.e.,
lower power level) circuit. All electronic devices can be a source of interference.
Conducted interference is interference that propagates through a metal conductor
such as wiring or any metallic structure. This includes all forms of electrical equipment
such as transformers, inductors, capacitors, and power distribution equipment. A wire
that carries interference also produces interference in the radiated environment.
Conducted interference is controlled in shielded enclosures by means of electromagnetic filters. All wires that pass through a shield must be filtered. The design of the
filter is a function of the type of service being performed by the wiring. These roughly
break down in three areas: power line, communication, and control line filters. Each of
these types will be discussed in detail in the following sections.
An electrical filter is a network of lumped or distributed circuit elements such as
resistors, inductors, capacitors, or their equivalents or any combination of the various
elements. These networks offer comparatively little opposition to certain frequencies or
de, while blocking or shorting out the passage of other frequencies.
8.2 FILTER THEORY

8.2.1 Introduction
To gain some insight into the proper selection of a filter for a given application, the
following brief discussion on filter theory should be reviewed. For a more detailed discussion, refer to [1].
131
Chapter 8
132
L/2 = 1 h
1n
L/2 = 1 h
10
Figure 8-1 "T" type filter. (Courtesy of Interference

Control Technologies Publishers.)
8.2.2 Filter Configurations

The filter configuration for a given application is a function of the source and load
impedances associated with the application. Most filters used in shielded enclosures
consist of reflective filters which are formed of various combinations of capacitors and
inductors mounted in a sealed metal can.
A reflective filter consists of an inductance and capacitance combination designed
for high series impedance and low shunt impedance in the stopband, while providing
low series impedance and high shunt impedance in the passband. A reflective filter
functioning with relatively low source and load impedances (e.g., well below 50 !l)
often will use a T (tee) configuration, as illustrated in Fig. 8-1, while a filter designed
for use with relatively high source and load impedances often will have a 3t (pi) configuration, as shown in Fig. 8-2. These configurations help to reduce the influence of
the source and load impedances on the frequency behavior of the filter. Figure 8-3
shows the filter configuration for use with a low source impedance and a high load
impedance, while Fig. 8-4 is for the opposite.
Low-pass filters are used most often in EMC applications. The capacitive low
pass, illustrated in Fig. 8-2, has an insertion loss given by
IL
10 log (1
+ F 2) dB
(8-1)
= 3t f R C
f = frequency in Hz,
where F
R = source and load resistance, n (ohms),
C = filter capacitance, F (farads).

10
L= 2h
CI2 = 1 f
CI2 = 1 f
Figure 8-2 "Pi" type filter. (Courtesy of Interference

Control Technologies Publishers.)
1H
Section 8.3
133
Filter Characteristics
I
I
I
I
Ii
.....
Source
n
...J
Optional
Load
Figure 8-3 Low/high-impedance match.
I
I
I
I
I iI
L
Optional
Source
10
Load
Figure 8-4 High/low-impedance match.

The inductive low-pass filter, shown in Fig. 8-1, has an insertion loss also given by
(8-1), but the parameter F is
F=
1T
f . UR
where L = filter inductance, H (henries).

These basic equations are combined in various ways to accomplish the design of
the various filter configurations. For complete details on filter design, refer to [I].
8.3 FILTER CHARACTERISTICS

8.3.1 Introduction
As pointed out previously, electromagnetic filters take different forms, depending on the
application. The most significant characteristic of a filter is the insertion loss it provides as a function of frequency. Insertion loss is defined as 20 log (2/1) where 2 is
the output voltage of a signal source with the filter in the circuit, and E I is the output
voltage of the signal source without the filter in the circuit. The insertion loss versus
frequency is often called the filter's frequency characteristic. This and other filter characteristics are discussed in the following sections.
134
Chapter 8
8.3.2 Frequency Characteristic

In specifying a filter's frequency characteristic, consideration must be given to both the
operating (functional) frequencies of the circuit and the frequencies to be attenuated. If
the desired and undesired frequencies are in close proximity, a large slope versus frequency may be required. However, high slopes require large numbers of precisely valued components, and thus high costs. Also to be considered is the use of a bandpass or
other filter selective for the undesired noise. The maximum allowable voltage drops or
passband attenuation should be determined and taken into account in the design.
8.3.3 Impedance Levels

For a filter to function as designed, it must operate from the design-level source impedance and into the design-level load impedance. If the source and load impedances are
not known or are highly variable, the filter should be terminated in fixed impedances to
stabilize its performance.
8.3.4 Voltage Rating

Filter voltage ratings must be sufficient to provide reliable operation under all expected
conditions. Excessive voltages may damage the capacitors and resistors within the filter.
The voltage rating of a filter is especially important where large voltage deviations or
short-duration pulses may be encountered.
8.3.5 Current Rating

A filter's current rating calculation should be based upon the maximum expected continuous operation of the filter in order to avoid damage to resistors and inductors in the
filter. To the extent possible, a filter's current rating should be consistent with the current rating of the wire, circuit breakers, and fuses with which the filter is used. Needlessly high filter current 'ratings may result in unnecessary weight and space occupancy.
An inadequate rating may result in poor reliability and make the filter a safety hazard.
The safety factor used in rating the filter should be consistent with that used for the
other circuit components.
8.3.6 Insulation Resistance

The insulation resistance of the filter may vary during its lifetime. The maximum allowable variation of this resistance for proper filter operation should be determined and
accounted for in the circuit design.
8.3.7 Size and Weight

Size and weight are generally not a problem for shielded enclosures, although it may be
better for very high current services to parallel several lower rated filters than to attempt to have one large unit built for the installation. Any service over 400 A should be
considered for a paralleled arrangement.
8.3.8 Temperature
The filter must be able to withstand the environmental operating ranges of the installation. Also, the design must be such that the internal temperature rise is held within
certain limits for a given load.
Filter Specifications
Section 8.4
135
8.3.9 Reliability
Filter component reliability must be commensurate with the associated equipment
requirements. Generally, the reliability should be high with respect to other equipment. Site faults in EMI filters may be more difficult to locate than faults in other
components.
8.4 FILTER SPECIFICATIONS

8.4.1 Introduction
Two filter specifications are commonly called out for filters used in shielded enclosure
. applications. The older and most commonly used specification is MIL-F-15733, entitled
"Filter, Radio Interference, General Specification for." This is a broad specification
that is used for power line, communication, signal, and control line filters. A more
recent addition to facility specifications is UL 1283, "Electromagnetic Interference Filters." This specification is limited to power line filters, and is now recommended for
use in new construction since most building codes require the use of UL listed devices
when they are generally available. To be UL listed, the device must meet the physical
and electrical requirements of UL 1283, but UL is permitting devices to be UL rated.
The UL listed units are recommended.
8.4.2 MIL-F-15733 Requirements

The following is a summary of the filter parameters detailed in the specification. As can
be seen, it is very thorough and specific about the filter requirements; thus, if referenced in a procurement specification, the vendor is held to a specific set of requirements. Only the specific number of lines, current, and voltage requirements and the
type of case or cabinet need be specified.
1. Rating. These filters are designed for continuous operation at rated current and
voltage.
2. Operating Temperature Range. These filters are designed to operate over a temper3.
4.
S.
6.
ature range of -55 to + 85C.

Working Voltage. The working voltage is the maximum operating voltage for continuous duty at the rated temperature.
Insulation Resistance. The insulation resistance from either terminal to case shall
be greater than 2000 M n mF at 25 C. Measurements shall be made after a 2
min charge at rated de working voltage.
Dielectric Withstanding Voltage. The filter shall withstand a dc potential of twice
the rated voltage applied between either terminal and case for 1 min.
Voltage Drop. The maximum voltage drop shall not exceed 1.0% of the rated
voltage.
7. Insertion Loss. The filters shall meet the specified insertion loss when measured in
accordance with MIL-STD-220A and at full-rated load.
8. Seal. The filters shall withstand the seal test specified when tested in accordance
with MIL-STD-202, Method 112, Test Condition B.
9. Barometric Pressure. The filters shall withstand the barometric pressure specified
when tested in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 105, Condition C.
Chapter 8
136
10. Terminal Strength. The filters shall withstand the pull test as specified in paragraph
4.6.11 of the specification.

11. Resistance to Soldering Heat. The filters shall withstand the resistance to soldering
12.
13.
14.
IS.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
heat in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 210, Test Condition B.

Corrosion. The filters shall withstand corrosion in accordance with the test requirements of MIL-STD-202, Method 101, Test Condition A.
Temperature Cycling. The filters shall withstand the specified temperature cycling
in accordance with the test requirements of MIL-STD-202, Method 1023, Test
Condition D.
Immersion Cycling. The filters shall withstand the immersion cycling tests specified when conducted in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 104, Test Condition A.
Overload. The filters shall withstand the overload test of 140% rated current for
15 min.
Shock. The filters shall withstand the specified shock requirements when tested in
accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 205, Test Condition C.
Vibration. The filters shall withstand the vibration requirements specified when
tested in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 204, Test Condition B.
Moisture Resistance. The filters shall withstand the moisture resistance requirements specified when tested in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 102, Test
Condition D, and Method 106.
Life Test. The filter shall withstand the life test requirements specified when tested
in accordance with MIL-STD-202, Method 108, Test Condition B.
Marking. The units shall be marked with the filter type description, voltage, rated
current, and EIA date code.
Comment: The bulk of the above tests is only required on newly designed filters.
The key tests that must be performed are the breakdown tests since these will eliminate
any potential faulty components in the construction of a given filter. Certificates of
Compliance are adequate with regard to most of the above requirements. Further discussion will be given in the following section on what should be specified in a procurement document.
In addition to the above specification, NACSIM 5203 requires that bleeder resistors be installed such that the residual voltage is reduced to 50 V or Jess within I min
after the filter is disconnected from the source of the supply. NACSIM 5203 also specifies that the individual filter shall be mounted in a ferrous filter cabinet which has a
clean end formed by a welded barrier plate within the filter cabinet.
8.4.3 UL 1283 Filter Requirements

The Underwriter's Laboratory filter requirements are detailed in their specification UL
1283. UL maintains a list of qualified products under this requirement. Each manufacturer must submit samples of his products for test. If they pass, then they may be sold
as UL listed filters. The tests are similar to those required by MIL-F-15733, with the
following exceptions.
Section 8.5
137
Power Line Filters
a. Dielectric Voltage Withstand Requirement

Filter Rating
MIL-F-15733
UL 1283
277/480 V ac
1165 V de for 5 s minimum,

60 s maximum
2200 V de for 60 s
b. Current Overload Requirements

Rated Current
140% all current ratings

for 15 min
Short Circuit
No Requirement
135% up to 81 A for 60 min

135% over 81 A for 120 min
Fault, 5000 A six cycles, 50/60 Hz
8.5 POWER LINE FILTERS

8.5.1 Introduction
Power line filters run the full range from 5 to 600 A. The stopband insertion loss is a
matter of design. For shielded enclosures, two levels are available, 60 and 100 dB. The
former has only recently been available, and only from a few suppliers. For shielded
facilities, the most common requirement is for the stopband to extend from 14 kHz to 10
GHz. Some manufacturers have filters that cover the 100 kHz-tO GHz frequency range,
and both of these provide over 100 dB of attenuation. The UL rated facility filters
provide 100 dB performance from 14 kHz to 10 GHz.
8.5.2 Description of Available Configurations

The filters are available in a variety of physical configurations, current, and voltage
ratings. For small enclosures, individual filters are grouped together and mounted on the
side or top of the enclosure, and the wall of the enclosure is penetrated using a threaded
conduit section between the clean end of the filter and a junction box on the inside of
the room. For large shielded facilities where the power requirements exceed 100 AI
phase, the individual filters are mounted in a compartmented cabinet, and a single pipe
penetration is used to carry the wires from the clean compartment of the filter to a
distribution panel mounted on the inside of the enclosure. These two installations are
illustrated in Fig. 8-5.
8.5.3 Duo-Shield Electromagnetic Filters

A filter is required for all wires penetrating an RF enclosure to prevent conducted signals from entering or leaving.
The double-isolated shielded enclosure requires the use of two filters in series to
take full advantage of the shielding effectiveness provided by the double-isolated design. Any RF interference bypassing the first filter must enter the second filter/shield
combination and be attenuated, resulting in maximum effectiveness for the overall system. Figure 8-6 illustrates the performance of this filter combination, and Fig. 8-7 illustrates the method of mounting.
138
Chapter 8
r
D
Warning :
RF Flang e Must
Be in Contac t w it h
Shield ing (Flange
Nut Must Not Be
Used to Fasten
Junction Box to
Shield ing I
BI
-r~ I--
" . ,16;0.
R,'
Jun ction Box or W irew ay
and Lock Nut
ii L
: ~--::..J
-r:..~
Tw o (2) W ir es
36 in Long , Typi cal
.--------
-(t,,-
1in. NPS Continuo us

Thread ed UL Listed
Penetra tio n w it h
Flanged Hex Nut
~--==:J
I
I
I
I
Nameplat e
Removabl e Cov er
I ..
I
I
I
I
U'4-t-j-- - - l in. Knock ou t (Three Places)
!i
Indi vidual Leads to Standoff

Insula tor s
Not e: If d ielect ric coupli ng needs

to be in stalle d, install in
condu its connect ing to
filt ers.
Ind iv idual Leads to Standoff

Insula tors
Lift ing Hooks
o
o
o
o
B
Removable
Ind iv idua l
Phase Filters
Ar ea fo r Cond uit Penetration
Figure 85
Power line filter configurations.
Approximate Filter Insertion Loss Characteristics
140
130
Above
120
co
110
100
en
90
c
(1)
>
";:;
80
~
(J)
f/)
(1)
CJ
70
(1)
C)
60
50
:0
CD
40
(J)
30
:.c
jlf
""Q.;
tJ&A../
120 dB
j"
sr
'v/
/
v'j
/
I
- - - - - o - f--
20
10
1 kHz
10
kHz
100 kHz
1 MHz
10
MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10
Frequency
Figure 8-6 Performance of duo-shield RF filter.
Duo-Shield Filters
Mounted to Both Inner
and Outer Shields
--~~~-+t-+-.-++t-~
Lock Nut B/O
Dielectric Coupling BID
Figure 8-7 Duo-shield RF filter mounting.
Conduit BIO
GHz
Chapter 8
140

In Appendix A-8, paragraph 8.1, a detailed example of a procurement specification for
UL listed power filters suitable for a government installation is provided. For commercial installations, it is adequate to specify that UL listed filters be used and to specify
the voltage and current ratings required for the installation.
8.6 COMMUNICATION FILTERS

Communication filters include telephone line and general communication filters. Their
typical specifications are detailed in Table 8-1.
TABLE 8-1
TYPICAL TELEPHONE AND COMMUNICATION

FILTER SPECIFICATIONS
Type
Telephone
Impedance L-L
600
L-G
Voltage, Max
Current, Max
dc Resistance
Passband
Insertion Loss
Frequency Range
Communication
600
50 n
25 n
300 0
300 0
400 V de
400 V de
200 V de
125 V ac
125 V ac
500 mA
30 V ac
IA
500 rnA
<60
<60
<10
0-4 kHz
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
0-4 kHz
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
0-3.5 kHz
>100 dB
50 kHz-IO GHz
8.7 DATA LINE FILTERS (COMPUTERS)

Data line filters need to be selected based upon the baud rate of the line to be filtered.
The higher the baud rate, the broader the passband requirements and the higher the
cutoff frequency must be made for the filter, as can be seen in Table 8-2.
TABLE 8-2
TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR DATA FILTERS

(DUAL CIRCUIT)
Baud Rate*
Impedance, L-L
L-G
Voltage, Max
Current, Max
de Resistance
Passband
Insertion Loss
1.2K
9.6K
6000
6000
300 0
300 0
400 V de
125 V ac
400 V de
125 V ac
400 rnA
400 rnA
<150
<1.2 0
0-24 kHz
>100 dB
150 kHz-IO GHz
0-3 kHz
00 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
128K
1240
620
400 V de
125 V ac
IA
<0.25 0
0-256 kHz
>100 dB
5 MHz-IO GHz
*2.4. 4.8. 19.2. 38.4. and 56K baud rates also available.
8.8 CONTROL LINE FILTERS

This group of filters includes public address systems, fire alarm, and thermostat/relay
filters. Tables 8-3 through 8-5 tabulate typical specifications for these types of filters.
Section 8.8
141
TABLE 8-3 TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS

SYSTEM FILTERS
Type
Impedance, L-L
L-G
Voltage, Max
Current, Max
de Resistance
Insertion Loss
Cutoff Frequency
Low Z
160
80
100 V de
1.5 A
<0.50
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
4.0 kHz
High Z
320
16 n
100 V de
1.5A
<0.5 n
>100 dB
14 kHz-tO GHz
4.0 kHz
TABLE 8-4 TYPICAL FIRE ALARM FILTER SPECIFICATIONS

(DUAL CIRCUIT)
Impedance Type
Low
Impedance, L-L
L-G
Voltage, Max
640,
320,
400 V dc
125 V ac
IA
<2.0
>100 dB
Current, Max
dc Resistance
Insert ion Loss
Frequency Range
Cutoff Frequency
14 kHz-IO GHz
3.5 kHz
High
1500
75 0
400 V de
125 V ac
IA
<0.7
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
3.0 kHz
TABLE 8-5 TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THERMOSTAT/RELAY FILTERS

(DUAL CIRCUIT)
Impedance Type
Low
Impedance, L-L
L-G
Voltage, Max
Current, Max
de Resistance
Insertion Loss
Frequency Range
Cutoff Frequency
100,
50
125 V de
High
1000
500,
4.0 A
400 V de
400 rnA
<0.30
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
1.0 kHz
<9.00,
>100 dB
14 kHz-IO GHz
2.0 kHz
The correct filter is the one that matches the impedance of the input of the device being
filtered. Generally, the service is either a high-impedance or a low-impedance device.
Check the device's specifications prior to selecting a matching filter.
All of these types of filters are available as units that can be grouped in a single
cabinet or mounted separately.
8.9 REFERENCE
[1] D. R. 1. White, Electrical Filters, Synthesis, Design, and Applications. Don White
Consultants, 1980.
CHAPTER 9
Enclosure Performance
Specifications and Testing
9.1 INTRODUCTION
Shielding performance specifications specifically refer to the shielding effectiveness of
a shielded enclosure, that is, the amount of attenuation of unwanted energy required
versus the type of field (electric, magnetic, plane wave, or microwave) and frequency.
Generally, a curve for the three fields is given in a figure, and then spot test frequencies
with their respective attenuation requirements are given by field type.
Several government specifications are used to specify shielding performance and
its measurement. Among these are MIL-STD-285, NSA 65-6, and NSA 73-2A. The
IEEE has a measurement standard on shielding effectiveness testing known as IEEE299. These documents are used extensively in the preparation of specifications for the
procurement and testing of shielded enclosures.
The purpose of these standards has often been misinterpreted or misused by architectural engineering firms designing shielded facilities, general contractors installing the
facilities, and test companies certifying their compliance. This has led to the improper
construction and testing of many shielded enclosures.
The first specification of any general use was created by the Department of Defense in 1954 and was known as MIL-A-18123 (Ships). It was superseded by MILSTD-285 in June 1956. A large part of MIL-STD-285 was derived from a specification
known as MIL-S-4957A, which was a specification for screen mesh enclosures written
to procure some rooms for a research project. MIL-STD-285 has remained, to this date,
unchanged. However, MIL-STD-285A is in preparation, and substantial changes are
expected with the new specifications reflecting some of the features of NSA 65-6. NSA
65-6 was published by the National Security Agency in 1964 to fill the need for a very
thorough test of enclosures used for protecting communication systems used in intelligence activities, and it has remained unchanged to date. Finally, another document often seen in shielding work is NSA 73-2A, published in 1972. This specification details
the method of construction and test of aluminum foil enclosures. The performance of
143
144
Chapter 9
these enclosures is in the moderate range of 50 dB. This specification is often called
out for shielded enclosures where a moderate amount of performance is acceptable.
TEMPEST facilities for computers within the continental United States have been found
to be acceptable at this level of shielding.
9.2 PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION REVIEW

9.2.1 Introduction
A brief review of each of the common specifications is given so that a judgment can
be made as to which one is applicable to the facility being considered by the architect
or engineer.
9.2.2 MIL-STD-285
This specification, written in 1956, is entitled "Military Standard Attenuation Measurements for Enclosures, Electromagnetic Shielding, for Electronic Test Purposes,
Method of."
This document was originally a set of test methods for evaluating shielded enclosures of the mesh screen variety, but it has been adopted for use on all types of
facilities and is limited to the test requirements given in Table 9-1. No performance
curve is given.
The equipment called for in the specification is obsolete. Modern spectrum analyzers, solid-state generators, and broad-band RF amplifiers are now used in shield
testing. The requirement for a calibrated external attenuator is still valid and should be
used. The basic procedures using the specified types of antennas and their separation
distance is the standard method used in all testing. This specification calls for the receiver (spectrum analyzer) to be located inside the enclosure, with the transmitter external. During the calibration of the equipment, the receive antenna is located outside
the enclosure, and the cable is run through a feedthrough connector in the enclosure
wall. The advantage of this procedure is that the sensitive receiver is protected from the
field of the transmitting antenna, and since it is very difficult to provide over 100 dB of
shielding effectiveness in an instrument, it protects the equipment and keeps it operating in the linear part of its operating range.
MIL-STD-285 is the most common method of performing shielding effectiveness
testing, but the number and location of test points are left up to the tester at the time of
the test. The result is that the quality of the testing varies considerably.
TABLE 9-1
MIL-STD-285 TEST REQUIREMENTS
Frequency (MHz)
Field Type
0.100-0.200
1.0
18.0
400
Magnetic
Electric
Electric
Plane Wave
70
100
100
100
145
Performance Specification Review
Section 9.2
140
130
120
Qj 110
""0
~ 100
~ 90
U)
~Q)
.~to)
/'
t>
70
.-~----~
~/
80
//
Q)
ffi
~
:c
en
60
H/
50
20
/'
~)'
40
30
PW
.... -
/'
~/
/
..
_~.
10
1 kHz
100 kHz
10 kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
1 GHz
10 GHz
Frequency
Figure 91 NSA 65-6 performance requirements.
9.2.3 NSA 65-6

This specification, entitled "National Security Agency Specification for RF Shielded
Enclosures for Communications Equipment: General Specifications," was a document
drawn up to completely specify the purchase and test of modular enclosures used to
house and protect communications equipment used in the transmission of intelligence
information. It details all aspects of demountable (clamp-up) shielded enclosures, including a very detailed procedure for testing their shielding effectiveness. It has become
the most quoted specification since it requires the highest performance and the most
thorough testing of the unclassified specifications. The performance curve is illustrated
in Fig. 9-1.
The test methods are essentially the same as MIL-STD-285, with two notable exceptions. In the magnetic test, the loop antenna orientation is planar versus collinear,
and the receiver is located outside the enclosure. The latter was chosen to simulate the
classified emitter being inside the enclosure and the eavesdropping receiver being outside the enclosure.
The specified test frequencies and respective shielding effectiveness requirement
are quite extensive, as shown in Table 9-2.
The following sections detail the measurement procedures and their significance.
The largest performance difference between MIL-STD-285 and NSA 65-6 is the
magnetic field attenuation shielding effectiveness. The former was based on screen wire
performance at 150 kHz, whereas the latter is based on what magnetic attenuation can
be obtained from a solid shield of galvanized sheet metal.
9.2.4 NSA 73-2A
This specification, entitled "National Security Agency Specification for Foil RF
Shielded Enclosures," was issued November 15, 1972. It details in step-by-step fashion
Chapter 9
146
NSA 65-6 TESTING REQUIREMENTS
TABLE 9-2
Frequency
Type of Field
I kHz
Magnetic
Magnetic
Magnetic
Magnetic
Electric
Electric
Electric
Electric
Electric
Plane Wave
Plane Wave
Plane Wave
Microwave
10 kHz
100 kHz
I MHz
I kHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
I MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
400 MHz
I GHz
10 GHz
23
56
90
100
70
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
a method for constructing an aluminum foil shielded enclosure. The performance requirements are considerably lower than the other specifications, and they are illustrated
in Fig. 9-2.
The test frequencies and levels are given in Table 9-3.
9.2.5 IEEE 299

The recent IEEE STD 299-1991 in final preparation entitled "Standard Method of Measuring the Effectiveness of Electromagnetic Shielding Enclosures" is proposed to replace MIL-STD-285. It delineates a set of measurements practices for loop, dipole, and
horn antenna configurations. Each of these is specific for antenna geometries and equipment configurations. No performance specifications are given and they must be speci140
130
120
iii'
"C
~en
110
100
90
~
Q)
80
.~
(J
70
Q)
ffi
60
50
40
(J)
30
:c
20
H
.,,-'
- - ' .......-
.".--
PW
~ r---....
-,-' -'
-'
~-
1----.--.- ..-
1---- ..
10
o
1 kHz
10 kHz
ioo kHz
1 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
Frequency
Figure 9-2 NSA 73-2A performance requirements.
1 GHz
10 GHz
Section 9.3
Selecting or Preparing a Performance Specification
147
TABLE 9-3 TESTING REQUIREMENTS PER NSA 73-2A

Frequency
10 kHz
100 kHz
I MHz
10 kHz
100 kHz
I MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
400 MHz
1.0 GHz
Field
20
30
40
E
E
50
50
50
50
E
E
P
P
P
50
44
40
fied separately. The document points out the difficulties of performing reliable
measurements from 20 to 300 MHz. Care should be used in specifying this standard in
that it is overkill in terms of the amount of testing required at each test frequency. The
equipment callouts are too specific, it would have been better to generalize and specify
that the dynamic range of the test equipment should exceed the measurement requirement by a minimum of 6 dB. The door test positions are not those which generally
leak, testing should be required in the corners of the shielded doors. Otherwise, this is
a very good measurement standard and should be considered for the testing of new
installations.
9.2.6 Other Specifications

Among the various other specifications that are used on occasion is NSA 65-5. This is
a classified specification which sets performance requirements for welded enclosures
requiring high-attenuation to low-frequency magnetic fields.
At the time of publication of this handbook, the National Security Agency was
considering issuing a new test specification entitled "Specification NSA NO. 89-X,
National Security Agency Specification for Shielded Enclosures." This document sets
two user-specified requirement levels for shielded enclosures. Figure 1 of the specification is taken from NSA 65-6 and increases the electric and plane-wave attenuation requirements by 10 dB. Figure 2 of the specification is taken from NSA 73-2A and
reduces the electric and plane-wave attenuation requirements by 5 dB. Two other notable features of the specification are that the shielded enclosure attenuation characteristics shall not be adversely affected by accidental spills within the enclosure or
from the presence of water or moisture on the parent room floor. Another addition is
provisions shall be made for grounding the outside of the shielded enclosure surface to
earth ground.
Some references have been given to an Air Force requirement called Class I. It
appears to be somewhat similar to NSA 65-6 in its magnetic field requirements.
9.3 HOW TO SELECT OR PREPARE A PERFORMANCE

SPECIFICATION
9.3.1 Introduction
The path of least resistance in specifying the performance of a shielded enclosure is to
select one of the above which best matches what the client has requested and call it out
Chapter 9
148
in the plans and specifications. In some cases, this is the only way that is acceptable,
especially if the enclosure is to be used for government contract work. However, if the
client is concerned about doing the right shielding job for the problem, controlling costs
on the initial installation, and more importantly, providing a versatile building adaptable
for many uses, then the architect-engineer must seriously consider what is really required in a shielded enclosure performance specification.
9.3.2 Defining the Shielding Requirements

The performance requirements for an RF shielded enclosure, whether it is a small test
enclosure or a complete building, are set by what function the shield is to perform.
Shield performance can range from 30 dB, a very low level of shielding, to 120 dB,
which is a very high level of performance. In all cases, a six-sided enclosure must be
considered in the design, with proper attention given to how penetrations are specified.
The suggested levels that should be considered are as follows.
a. 30-50 dB Electric and Plane Wave, some Magnetic
Where only moderate shielding is required or where a large control zone exists
around the shielded enclosure, a moderate level of shielding can provide the necessary
protection. Such a specification is NSA 73-2A. In the Continental United States, this
specification has been found satisfactory for most TEMPEST installations.
b. 50-80 dB Electric and Plane Wave, and higher Magnetic
Where a higher level of magnetic and a control zone cannot be established, then
50-80 dB of shielding performance should be considered. This would be up through
I GHz. It is suggeste-d that a modified form of MIL-STD-285 be used to specify the
testing of this level of shielding.
c. 100 dB-I GHz

The next level of shielding is 100 dB-I GHz. This level of shielding is recommended for TEMPEST installation where a good safety margin is required to protect
the processing of classified information. The limitation to 1 GHz is suggested since
most computer equipment does not emit compromising energy above this frequency. A
modified form of NSA 65-6 is recommended as a specification model.
d. FulJ NSA 65-6 Requirements
A full NSA 65-6 specification level is recommended where a government program
requires it, or where top secret classified data are being routinely processed, or where
the facility is used to develop equipment which would be interfered with by microwave
energy from surrounding laboratories, or where equipment within the enclosure might
cause interference with other laboratories.
e. High-Performance Enclosures
120 dB performance enclosures are used for very sensitive installations. These consist of welded facilities for large enclosures and doubly isolated modulars for small
enclosures.
Section 9.4
Enclosure Performance Testing
149
In addition to the above performance considerations, does the enclosure require a

high degree of low-frequency magnetic protection or physical security? If the magnetic
attenuation levels are in excess of NSA 65-6, then welded enclosures must be considered with their inherently high performance. If physical security such as a vault requirement exists, then, again, the welded facility is best since it provides the most
protection. An alternative method to the vault is to place a shielded enclosure inside a
poured concrete enclosure.
In summary, the level of shielding performance specified should be a function of
the protection required, not on what a specification readily at hand provides.
Finally, since the performance of all shielded enclosures is a function of the workmanship of the construction, a detailed quality assurance and testing requirement must
be specified along with the performance requirements. The next sections detail how a
shielded enclosure should be tested during construction and upon completion.
9.4 ENCLOSURE PERFORMANCE TESTING
9.4.1 Introduction
As discussed above, it is very important that an enclosure be properly evaluated using a
test procedure which will ensure that the enclosure is adequate for its intended purpose.
In Chapter 3, the point was made that an enclosure is only as good as its worst
case leakage location. It was also pointed out that the penetrations in the shield represent the risk, not the basic shield material. Therefore, all penetrations through the enclosure and all seams must be evaluated during the testing phase of the contract. Two
tests are recommended. The preliminary should be of sufficient number and points of
test so that a tight performing room can be assured after all of the final finishes are
applied. Upon completion, an independent final test should be performed and the enclosure certified.
9.4.2 Interpretation of Test Specifications

9.4.2.1 Introduction. MIL-STD-285 and NSA 65-6 are the two key documents
that specify standard methods of test. MIL-STD-285, being the first, set the basic pattern, and NSA 65-6 extended the test requirements. Some refinements were made in the
IEEE-299 since the government procedures were first introduced in 1965. This section
will discuss the background of each type of test, and why the procedures in the next
section reflect the best evaluation of the enclosure under test. All of the suggested
procedures are within the scope of the existing specifications.
9.4.2.2 Magnetic Field Measurements. Magnetic field leakage is a localized

phenomenon and commonly occurs at seams and penetrations. Since it is not possible to
scan all of the seams of an enclosure with a pair of loops 12 in. on either side of the
enclosure, another method of achieving the same result is to use a seam leak tester. This
is a device which sets up a 150 kHz current in the exterior walls of the enclosure with
a small transmitter. A small hand-held receiver is then used to scan the seams of the
enclosure on the inside. If a discontinuity exists in a seam, an electric field is developed
in the discontinuity and is detected by the receiver. The system is so sensitive that voids
and small pinholes in a welded seam are detected. This same test system can be used on
clamp-up enclosures, but because of the nature of the system, the results must be care-
150
Chapter 9
fully considered since what may appear as a leak may be just a change in the homogeneity of the wall materials and not really an energy leak. For a full description of the
tester and its use, refer to Section 9.5.
The bulk of the magnetic field testing is usually accomplished using a pair of loop
antennas. The usual size diameter is on the order of 12 in. These are located 24 in apart
during calibration, and are then placed on either side of the shield and the shielding
effectiveness is recorded. These measurements are usually conducted from 1 kHz to 10
MHz in decade steps.
MIL-STD-285 states that, for the magnetic field, a measurement shall be taken on
all four sides of the enclosure and the minimum attenuation recorded. Measuring the
shielding effectiveness on four sides of a small-screen room may have been adequate,
but with the large structures built today, a more thorough approach is required. NSA
65-6 goes a little further and states that, "Leakage checks must be made all around the
door frame, through accessible joints, around the filters and all around the air ducts. In
addition, the magnitude and location of the maximum signal level emanating from the
enclosure should be found by moving the antennas to at least four locations, preferably
on different walls."
Both of these specifications were written for small enclosures that were being procured at the time the specifications were written. The test methods and specified test
points implied by both of these documents are not adequate representations of a large
shield's performance. When specifying attenuation requirements and methods for verifying compliance, the documents by themselves are not sufficient. Delineation of locations to be tested and specific testing requirements must be added for the shield to be
tested properly. By providing this in the procurement specifications, the contracting
entity can ensure that the shielding effectiveness requirements will be met. This is reflected in the recommended specifications in Section 9.4.3.
In some cases, especially for very low-frequency magnetic testing, a procedure
similar to the method given in IEEE-299 is used. This consists of wrapping the entire
enclosure in a loop of wire which is excited by a generator operating from 100 Hz to
200 kHz. A small pick-up loop is then used on the inside of the enclosure to detect any
leaks in the enclosure shield.
9.4.2.3 Electric Field Measurements. The electric field is measured with the
41 in. rod antenna and, in effect, is a near-field evaluation of the enclosure. The pair of
antennas is located 12 in. on either side of the enclosure walls at the same points as
were specified for the loops. Experience has shown that this measurement only detects
"antenna effects," i.e., if a wire of some length is penetrating the shield, then this test
will detect it; otherwise, the measurement will reflect the dynamic range of the testing
system. MIL-STD-285A, the new revision of the test procedure, recognizes this limitation of the method and is dropping the bulk of the requirements.
9.4.2.4 Plane-Wave and Microwave Measurements. These measurements require that the antennas be located 6 ft or a minimum of two wavelengths apart, and that
the receiving antenna probe the enclosure not less than 2 in. from the surface of the
shield at the same test points as specified for the other field tests. This procedure is still
applicable when a careful set of test points is made for a given shielded enclosure.
Section 9.4
151
9.4.3 Testing Considerations
9.4.3.1 Introduction. When preparing a testing specification, a number of requirements need to be considered. These are first discussed, and then a sample test
specification is given.
9.4.3.2 Equipment. The equipment available for shielding effectiveness testing
is quite extensive. A variety of receivers and spectrum analyzers, along with a large
variety of signal generators and amplifiers, provide the test technician with many
choices to set up a satisfactory test system. To ensure that an adequate choice is made,
the procurement specification should require that an external calibrated attenuator be
provided with a minimum range of 10 dB over the performance specification. The dynamic range of the test system should have a minimum capability of 6 dB over the
specified performance. During calibration, the linearity of the system shall be demonstrated with the external and internal attenuator and the display on the receiver/
spectrum analyzer. All equipment shall be in current calibration. Table 9-4 is a representative list of equipment that is useful for shielding effectiveness testing.
9.4.3.3 Test Configurations. Figures 9-3 - 9-5 are illustrations of the equipment configurations for a typical NSA 65-6 test. The system configurations for the
magnetic field and electric field are reversed from the plane-wave configuration. This is
because it is quite common for there to exist high-level ambients in these frequency
ranges. Thus, it is best to place the receiver on the inside of the shield, even though
NSA 65-6 requires that the transmitter be on the inside of the enclosure, except in the
presence of high ambients.
MIL-STD-285 requires that the transmitter be located external to the shield for all
configurations. Both methods are accurate. The one drawback to using the MIL-STD285 method is that standing waves are developed as the receive antenna is moved about
the enclosure during the test. This is the result of several leaks phasing in and out, and
it can lead to errors in the measurement. This behavior is primarily noticeable in the
plane-wave measurements.
9.4.3.4 Magnetic Field Measurements. As required by NSA 65-6, the loop antennas are placed parallel to each other at a distance of 24 in. (0.61 m) plus the thickness of the shield under test. The calibrated attenuator is placed between the receive
TABLE 9-4
REPRESENTATIVE TEST EQUIPMENT FOR SHIELD

EFFECfIVENESS TESTING
Critical Parameter
Description
Frequency Range
-110 dBm sensitivity

+ 10 dBm output
+ 10 dBm output
10 dBm output
10 W output
10 W output
Spectrum analyzer
Signal source
Signal source
Signal source
Power amplifier
Power amplifier
I kHz-22 GHz
10 kHz-l GHz
2-18 GHz
I Hz-4 MHz
10 kHz-12 MHz
dc-I MHz
152
Chapter 9
rv
12 in Diameter
loop
12in-~~"
-,.....1---12 in
D
Figure 93 Magnetic field test.
41 in Rod
Antenna
k---12 in -------
12in
Figure 9-4 Electric field test.
Section 9.4
153
...-----72 in or
I~
2~---~l~'"
2in
Figure 9-5 Plane-wave test.
antenna and the preamplifier, which, in turn, is connected to the spectrum analyzer. It is
recommended that an active loop such as the EMCO 6505A be used as the receive
antenna in order to minimize the amount of transmitter power needed to achieve the
required dynamic range.
The output of the transmit system is a CW signal set at the frequency under test.
The calibrated attenuator is set at the required performance level, and the spectrum
analyzer is tuned to the same frequency. A convenient level is established on the display, such as the middle of the scope, and the linearity of the system is checked by
clicking the external attenuator on either side of the set point. A 10 dB change on
the display should occur. The noise level on the display should be at least 6 dB below
the specified performance level. This calibration procedure is performed at each test
frequency.
With the external attenuator set to the specified level and the system checked out,
the transmitting antenna is placed 12 in. from the external surface of the test point, and
the receive antenna is placed 12 in. from the inside surface. The room is sealed and the
attenuation is removed from the external attenuator. The resultant signal level is noted.
If the level is below the reference level, then the point is passed and the level is recorded. If the signal level is above the reference point, then the performance does not
meet the specifications. The reading is noted and the test is discontinued until repairs
are made. If the signal is in the noise, then the point is noted as ~ to the dynamic range
of the system at that test frequency.
154
Chapter 9
The shield is tested at each penetration. The doors are evaluated at a minimum of
six points around the perimeter. The walls and ceiling are tested at points not exceeding
10 ft apart. Seams should be chosen as the preferred test points.
9.4.3.5 Electric Field Measurements. The same procedures are used for the
electric field as described above. The 41 in. (1.04 m) rod antennas are substituted for
the loop antennas. All distances and testing procedures are the same. Filters and
waveguide penetrations should be carefully evaluated during the testing.
9.4.3.6 Plane Wave, 100 MHz-IO GHz. The plane-wave measurements are performed with the antennas located a minimum of two wavelengths apart or a maximum
of 72 in. (1.83 m). The source antenna is located outside the shield (MIL-STD-285
procedure) by two wavelengths or 72 in. (if practical), and the receive antenna is
scanned not less than 2 in. from the inside surface of the shield, with the wall test
points not exceeding 20 ft apart along a given wall. The doors are tested at a minimum
of six points around the perimeter.
9.4.3.7 Microwave Testing. Testing at 10 GHz and above is in the microwave
frequency range, and horn antennas are usually used to improve the dynamic range of
the measurement. These antennas are very directive, and thus alignment of the antennas
on either side of the barrier is critical. Care must be taken to ensure that the worst case
reading is found. This is accomplished by slowly moving the receive antenna in a circular motion about the test point and peaking the signal on the spectrum analyzer. This
point is then recorded as the SE reading. All penetrations must be evaluated at these
frequencies.
9.4.4 Accuracy of Measurements
If the procedures outlined herein are carefully followed, then the accuracy of the measurements is as good as the calibrated attenuator since the antenna gains, cable losses,
amplifier gains, and receiver characteristics are calibrated out of the measurement when
the system reference levels are established. The overall accuracy will be on the order of
2 dB, including antenna positioning.
9.4.5 Data Presentation

The data and test results should be presented in the final report in tabular and graphic
form. A table should contain the test frequencies and the minimum attenuation recorded
at each test point. The worst case data for each frequency and type of measurement
(magnetic, electric, or plane wave) should be displayed on a graph, and the specified
performance levels given as a reference.
A diagram of the enclosure with all penetrations, filters, waveguide vents, doors,
and other test points should be provided.
A statement to the effect that the tester certifies that the measurements were made
in accordance with the performance specifications and the approved test procedure
should be placed in the front of the test report. All raw data should be included in the
appendix of the report.
Section 9.4
155
9.4.6 Common Testing Problems

9.4.6.1 Introduction. The following information is given so that the A-E will
have some insight as to what can be learned from the various shielding effectiveness
tests. Half the battle in any project is knowing what questions to ask when dealing with
a particular narrow area of technical expertise.
9.4.6.2 Electric Field Testing. As indicated above, only limited information is
obtained from this test. The electric field is essentially shorted out by the presence of
the shielded wall, and the wavelength is so long at these frequencies that any cracks or
breaks in the shield do not let energy penetrate the shield. Experience has shown that
these tests are failed only if an "antenna effect" is found. This can occur if a conductive hose is run through a waveguide or if a metallic wire is found wound around a fiber
optic cable thought to be only a dielectric covering. In extreme cases, water running
through a rubber or plastic pipe having a high mineral content can perform like an
antenna. In this case, it is best to run the water through a copper pipe and have the pipe
decoupled outside the enclosure. This involves running a short run of plastic pipe between the enclosure wall and the main water pipe. If proper electromagnetic filters are
not chosen and the low-pass characteristics start at too high a frequency, then the filtered wire can act like an antenna, and energy can be coupled from one side of the
shield to the other. See Chapter 8 for filter selection criteria.
Only a limited number of test frequencies need be performed using this procedure.
A suggested frequency is 10 MHz since this frequency is good at determining the presence of "antennas."
9.4.6.3 Magnetic Field Testing. Magnetic field testing is very sensitive to localized breaks in a shielded enclosure. Improperly installed penetrations such as pipes,
vents, clamping hardware, and door frames are detected by this measurement procedure. A particularly good test frequency is on the order 100 kHz.
Dirty-door fingerstock commonly shows up when tested using this method. It is
recommended that all doors be thoroughly cleaned prior to acceptance testing. Most
commercial shielded doors will just narrowly pass this test, particularly at 100 kHz; a
dirty door will fail.
At the low frequencies, it is advisable that battery-operated equipment be used to
perform the magnetic measurements since power transformers usually associated with
the power distribution systems can interfere with the shielding effectiveness measurement.
The full set of test frequencies given in NSA 65-6 is recommended on facilities
where magnetic shielding effectiveness is important.
9.4.6.4 Plane-Wave Testing, 100 MHz-l GHz. Passing the plane-wave test is
the most important requirement of a shielded enclosure. Shielding is primarily needed
because of radiated emissions either from a computer system processing classified information, or from a high-power transmitter interfering with other sensitive electronic
equipment. Thus, it is important that the enclosure provide good plane-wave shielding
effectiveness.
Only a very poor shield will fail at 100 MHz, but at 400 MHz, it is common to
find penetrations causing trouble. A filter not properly tightened will act like an an-
Chapter 9
156
tenna, and energy will be coupled around the filter and into the enclosure. An improperly installed door handle is often found at this test frequency. Improperly installed
corner pieces in a clamp-up structure often show up at this frequency. Only in extreme
cases do seams leak at this frequency.
The best test frequency of the plane-wave tests is I GHz for preliminary evaluations and troubleshooting. Its wavelength is on the order of I ft, and if a shield has
problems, testing at this frequency generally uncovers it more rapidly than any other
test. Leakage at doors, vents, and strapping is usually found at this test frequency. If the
shims used in the clamping system are not tight, leakage will be detected. As a result,
most experienced testers will conduct a preliminary test at this frequency prior to running a full certification program. If a room is tight at I GHz, then, generally, it will
pass the entire test.
A good method of evaluation is to set up a log-periodic antenna as the source
antenna and use a ridged horn as the receive antenna. The latter is a somewhat directive
antenna which can pinpoint leakage locations. The LPA has a broad beamwidth which
illuminates a large area of the shield, minimizing the number of test points required to
run a thorough evaluation of the enclosure.
9.4.6.5 Microwave Testing. For the purposes of this discussion, we have chosen
to call all frequencies above I GHz the microwave frequency range. Horn antennas are
commonly used at these frequencies, and the shielding behaves differently because of
the narrow beamwidth of these antennas. At these frequencies, shield failures occur if
energy gets into the strapping on one side of the shield, propagates down in the
strapping, and finds an opening on the other side. Bronze wool is often used in the seams
of the clamping system to block this type of leak from occurring. Cracks in the soldering of the bronze door extrusions can cause problems, and poor contact in the door
handle bearing can often result in leakage at the point where the shaft operating the
door passes through the door. Improper clamping of vents, poor welds around piping,
and other penetrations often result in microwave leakage, especially at 10 GHz.
9.4.7 Recommended Shielding Effectiveness
Test Specification
Appendix A-9 contains a recommended shielding effectiveness test specification.
9.5 SEAM LEAK JESTING (SELDS)

9.5.1 Introduction
The seam leak test system known as the "shielded enclosure leak detection system"
(SELDS) or "sniffer" was developed specifically for use in evaluating welded joints in
a shielded enclosure. It is a nondestructive test that pinpoints magnetic discontinuities
in most types of metallic shielding systems. Because of its high sensitivity, it is absolutely essential that all the seams in a welded enclosure be evaluated with the' 'sniffer"
prior to conducting any of the shielding effectiveness tests. However, care must be taken
in evaluating data taken on other forms of shielded enclosures, especially any clamp-up
system, since false indications of leaks can be given because the clamp up consists of a
series of inhomogeneous joints and penetrations which may be RF tight, but still appear
Section 9.5
Seam Leak Testing (SELDS)
IS7
as discontinuities to the "sniffer." In order to use the equipment properly, it is necessary to understand its principles of operation.
9.5.2 Principles of Operation

The seam leak detector system consists of a transmitter and hand-held receiver. The
transmitter is a current-limited amplifier driven by a 150 kHz oscillator. The current is
set at approximately 2 A rms. This is accomplished by setting the current level using a
calibrated output meter. To achieve the proper current, the transmitter's output is tuned
since the load can vary greatly, depending on the size of the enclosure under test and
the type of leads used to connect to the shield. If the load is too inductive, then series
capacitors are used to help match the load to the generator. Once the transmitter current
is within its specified level, then the hand-held receiver is calibrated by placing the tip
of the antenna boom in the calibration port on the transmitter. The level on the receiver
is set at zero using one of the two scales, high- or low-level settings, that were made on
the generator. The receiver output is then roughly calibrated so that the readings have a
relative value. The system does not lend itself to absolute measurements. One cannot
say that a shielded system has a certain shielding effectiveness based on seam leak
measurements; only relative measurements are possible. The purpose of the equipment
is to set an acceptable level of leakage based upon what signal level will ensure that the
final result will be a shield system capable of meeting the system specifications. As
explained above, welded enclosures should not have any signals penetrate the welded
seams, but clamp-up structures will have a finite amount generally acceptable midscale
on the most sensitive range of the receiver. A skilled operator can swiftly locate pinholes and other discontinuities in a welded enclosure.
9.5.3 Recommended Use

The transmitter leads are connected diagonally across the outside of the enclosure, as
illustrated in Fig. 9-6. The maximum area that should be tested is on the order of
to4r---
20 ft Max ---~
Figure 9-6 SELDS transmitter lead placement.
158
Chapter 9
500/ft2 Large shields should be broken down into sections and tested piece by piece. It
is recommended that each area be tested from two directions, 90 apart. Sections
should also overlap to ensure that all areas of the shield are checked.
Inhomogeneous construction such as surrounding structural beams supporting the
shield can cause anomalous readings. Objects such as large steel beams, sharp corners,
or sniffer lead placement can cause current bunching and lead to false indications.
Where this occurs, the sniffer leads should be relocated and the test repeated. If the
problem repeats and no clear structural problem is evident, then an H-field loop antenna test should be conducted at that point.
The same testing procedures are used for other shielding systems, but care must
be exercised in interpreting the results because, unless the shield is a continuous sheet
of metal such as the welded enclosure, inhomogeneities in the joints exist which may
show up as discontinuities in the shield, but may otherwise provide adequate shielding
effectiveness.
9.6 MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING

9.6.1 Introduction
In very high-performance welded installations such as HEMP facilities, it may be necessary to require another form of test known as the magnetic particle test. The advantage of magnetic particle inspection is that it can detect all surface and most subsurface
discontinuities in ferromagnetic metals. By examining the indications, an experienced
inspector can determine their cause. Not all indications are the result of weld defects;
sharp edges, corners, and irregular geometry also cause indications because these are
discontinuities as far as the magnetic field is concerned. Each discontinuity in effect
sets up a small magnetic dipole; the magnetic particles collect and form a pattern
around this pole. Surface defects produce patterns that are sharp because the particles
are tightly held by the leakage flux. In contrast, subsurface defects produce a rather
fuzzy pattern.
9.6.2 Principles of Operation

There are many methods of setting up a magnetic field in ferrous materials. For shield
testing, the most practical method is using an electromagnet or yoke.
Current for the electromagnet can be ac (60/50 Hz), de, half-wave rectified ac, or
full-wave rectified ac. Half-wave rectified ac current is the most effective for the detection of surface and subsurface defects. It imparts a very noticeable pulse to the particles, giving them mobility and aiding in the formation of indications.
The actual magnetizing current level should be established experimentally. Factors
such as the metal gauge, presence of backing strips, geometry, and size of the yoke all
have an effect on the current needed. If the current is too low, the field generated is not
strong enough to form particle patterns. If the current is too high, patterns may form
when no discontinuities are present, and they will be difficult to interpret.
In general, defects are detectable if the magnetic field lines are perpendicular to
the axis of the defect. For this reason, a thorough MP inspection of welded sheet metal
requires two yoke orientations-one at right angles to the other. Most defects, such as
a lack of weld fusion, will be parallel to the weld line, and hence, will be detectable by
Section 9.8
References
159
placing the yoke across the weld. This single-yoke orientation is probably sufficient for
most situations. The exception might be the floor shield where the shielding effectiveness tests of MIL-STD-285 type tests often cannot be done.
There are also variations on how the particles can be applied. Particles can be dry
or in a liquid suspension-either is acceptable, but dry is preferred because they have
less tendency to be held by surface roughness. Wet particle application may have an
advantage in overhead work. Particles can also be applied during or after the magnetizing operation. The first technique is known as "continuous," while the latter is
known as "residual." The continuous technique is preferred because it is more sensitive. Dry particles are best applied above the test area. This gives the particles an
opportunity to line up with leakage flux as they approach the weld. Excess powder is
removed with low-velocity air. The remaining particles are indications of discontinuities-possible defects. In general, particles should be very fine and have high permeability and low retentivity. The color is chosen to provide maximum contrast.
Magnetic particle inspection can be done from one side of the shield, and if properly conducted, can be an excellent test of both the mechanical and electrical soundness
of the shield welds.
9.7 DYE PENETRANT TESTING

Dye penetrant inspection should be used if magnetic particle examination is not possible or is impractical. Such situations might include testing of nonferrous components,
RFI gasketed enclosures, shop-fabricated parts, any brazed-soldered joints, or complex
sheet metal shapes that may give false magnetic indications.
A two-part dye penetrant, a very effective method of seam testing, is recommended. Experience has shown that if the two-part method is applied with one part on
either side of the joint to be tested, then any pinholes or other discontinuities which will
leak will become readily apparent. When the two parts meet through the discontinuity,
then the color will change and the leak location will be clearly identified. If it does not
leak air/liquids, than it is also RF tight.
9.8 REFERENCES
[I] G. P Condon, "Shielded enclosures leak detection: A simplified method," ITEM
1989.
[2] V. W. Groh "Shielded enclosure leak detection testing," EMC Technology, vo1. 7,
no. 5, July-Aug. 1988.
CHAPTER 10
Grounding of
Shielded Enclosures
10.1 INTRODUCTION
The grounding of shielded enclosures is a function of technical requirements and government security regulations. If the enclosure is used for communications security or
emissions security (TEMPEST) of data processing equipment, then special physical requirements must be made in the grounding of the facility in addition to the usual
grounding requirements for safety or noise reduction.
10.2 GROUNDING PRINCIPLES

10.2.1 Introduction
It is assumed that the shielded facility is enclosed within an existing building, and that
the building has a proper ground system as detailed in MIL-STD-419. Therefore, only
fault protection and signal reference ground systems need be considered as part of the
shielded enclosure design.
10.2.2 Fault Protection

The fault protection requirements ensure that personnel are protected from shock hazard, and that equipment is protected from damage or destruction resulting from faults
that may develop in the electrical system. It includes deliberately engineered ground
conductors (green wire) which are provided throughout the power distribution system to
afford electrical paths of sufficient capacity so that protective devices (fuses and circuit
breakers) can operate promptly. If at all possible, the equipment fault protective conductors should be physically separate from signal reference grounds, except at the equipotential plane. The equipment fault protection provides grounding of ventilation
system ducts, conduits for signal conductors, and all other structural metallic elements,
161
162
Chapter 10
as well as the cabinets or racks of equipment. Detailed design requirements are available in [1] and (2].
For effective fault protection, a low-resistance path must be provided between the
location of the fault and the transformer supplying ~e faulted line. In a building containing a properly installed third wire grounding network as prescribed by MIL-STD188-124, faults internal to the building are rapidly cleared regardless of the resistance of
the earth connection.
There are many reasons that faults occur; in the power system, they either are a
direct short or an arc in a power distribution system or its associated electrical equipment. These faults can cause a variety of personnel hazards from electrical shock to
fire. Tbe causes of faults range from improper installation to rodents and system age
deterioration.
The grounding conductor (green wire) in a single-phase ac power distribution system in a facility is one of four leads, the other three being the two "hot" leads (black!
red) and the neutral lead (white wire). The green wire is a safety conductor designed to
carry current only in the event of a fault. The "hot" leads are connected to the high
sides of the secondary of the distribution transformer, and the neutral is connected to
the center tap. When a single transformer supplies power for only one shielded enclosure, for fault protection, the neutral lead shall be grounded at the service disconnect
lead on the source side and also at the distribution transformer. A four-wire system
should be used at facilities employing single-phase 115/230 V ac power ground connections. The hot and neutral leads should pass through identical power line filters, and the
safety ground should be terminated in the filter barrier wall, as illustrated in Fig. 10-1.
For wye systems, a five-wire service entry cable shall be employed. The safety ground
(green wire) should be grounded at that point also, as shown in Fig. 10-2. Again, all
wires except the safety wire are connected to filters in order to pass through the wall of
the shielded enclosure.
To protect personnel from exposure to hazardous voltages, all exposed metallic
elements of electrical and electronic equipment are connected to ground with the green
wire. Then, in the event of inadvertent contact between the hot lead and chassis, frame,
or cabinet through human error, insulation failure, or component failure, a direct fault
clearance path is established to quickly remove the hazard.
Power Entrance Panel

Distribution Transformer
Primary
Neutral
Grounding
(Green) Wire
Figure 10-1 Four-wire filter configuration.
Shield
Section 10.2
Grounding Principles
163
Power Entrance Panel
Secondary
Primary Power
Generator
or
Transformer
__- - - - - - L, - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - 0
,.---,.-- L
----11"-0
Neutral
~----
L3
-------I~
'-+-----.......
Grounding (Green)
Wire
Shield
Figure 10-2 Wye filter configuration.

The grounding of a three-phase wye power distribution system is done similarly
to the single-phase system. The connections for a typical system are also shown in
Fig. 10-2. As in single-phase systems, the neutral lead is bonded to the green wire at
the service disconnecting means. It should always be grounded on the supply side of
the service disconnect means. The green wire passes through the filter cabinet via a
grounding stud, whereas all of the remaining wires are passed through filters.
10.2.3 Enclosure Isolation

Experience has shown that it is only practical to isolate small modular enclosures such
as described by NSA 65-6. Larger facilities, and especially welded enclosures, do not
lend themselves to isolation. Experience has also shown that enclosure isolation, nor
the lack thereof, does not affect shielding effectiveness. Where very low ambient levels
are required below 10 MHz some evidence has been reported that room isolation can be
of help.
Small shielded enclosures used for secure communications facilities and for preventing emissions from data equipment conducting classified processing may require
that the enclosure be isolated, although a number of the security agencies have determined that it is not necessary except in special cases, from ground and terminated with
a single point grounding strap. This isolation is obtained by electrically insulating the
entire enclosure from the surrounding support structure and putting dielectric breaks in
all conduits, piping, and HVAC ductwork that connects to the enclosure. All wires are
filtered and no parent building framework is permitted to be connected to the enclosure
except through dielectric insulators. This permits the enclosure to have a single-point
signal ground. The arrangement of insulation, dielectric breaks and filtering is illustrated in Fig. 10-3. For details about this isolation requirement refer to [3].
10.2.4 Grounding of Signal References

Signal circuits are grounded and referenced to ground to I) provide fault protection,
2) control static charge, or 3) establish signal return paths between a source and load.
The desired goal is to accomplish each of these three grounding functions in a manner
that minimizes interference and noise.
For a detailed discussion on the theory and application of signal ground design,
see [I] and [2J.
Chapter 10
164
Shield
Clean
End
/_--- /
':::......
of Filter -+-----+-I~ J--d-71-rf--r~--,.r~-Cabinet
./ /,J
r : 1. ./ I //.1. / I /
Ground
/ /~./ }'!':>/.r ~/ y
/ /
/ / I
/ / I
/
/1
..,..--+-,........-.-t=~- Stud
-f---(--(-I- f 1-'--,'- L
I I I I
I I
I I I I : I I
I I I I 1 I I
I
I I I I I I 1
I
I I I I I I I
I F1 I I F2 I I F3 I
-1
o I
-1
I
,..-1
I I
I I
I
I
1/)
I I
1)1
I
I
+-
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I 1/
:
/)
~-f
I /{
I ./(
I .//
LJL.-VL-..Y
Green Wire
If
~und
Signal
to
Earth
Ground
Shield
Dielectric
Coupler
To Ground
Stud
Shield
_______
~.
Dielectric
Layer
Under Shield
Floor
of Parent Bldg.
Chemical
Ground
Unit
Figure 10-3 Single-point signal ground system

for tempest enclosures.
For small shielded enclosures a single-point grounding system is practical, and it is

provided by attaching a single, very large conductor from a grounding stud attached
near the electromagnetic filters, and then routed by the shortest path to a separate
ground located within the perimeter of the building shell. This ground wire shall have
less than 1 n of resistance between the enclosure and the ground connection. The
ground connection must have less than 10 n of resistance under all-year conditions.
Controlled multiple-point grounding is recommended for very large enclosures so
that dangerous voltage potentials do not develop due to the large capacity effect of
floating a large steel box above ground. This technique is illustrated in Fig. 10-4.
10.3 SELECTING THE GROUNDING SYSTEM

It is recommended that the design information given in MIL-HDBK-419A be used in
the design of the grounding system for shielded enclosures.
165
Section 10.4
Shielded
Enclosure
Grounding Stud
< 1 11 Resistance
, ......1 - - - - -
to Ground
Chemical
-=-~ Ground
Nonisolated Shielded
Enclosure
Figure 10-4 Multiple-signal grounds used to

ensure low-resistance signal path to ground on
nonisolated shielded enclosure.
Where a single-point ground system is dictated for security reasons, the configuration shown in Fig. 10-3 is recommended. Note that all conduits have dielectric
breaks, that the filters are mounted to the exterior of the shielded room, and that an
extra wire is run along with the signal ground to an electrode installed near a chemical
ground connection which is provided for the single-point signal ground. Note also that
the green wire is connected via a stud in the interior barrier of the RFI filter cabinet.
This configuration meets the following criteria.
a. The National Electrical Code for fault protection.
b. The requirement for a single-point ground.
c. Provides a method of checking the ground which is to be monitored and logged
on a quarterly basis.
d. The chemical ground unit ensures that the ground will measure less than 10 {l,
which is the standard requirement. The cables from the enclosure ground connection and the earth ground are selected to have less than 1 n of resistance.
e. The shielded enclosure is isolated from its surroundings by building the shield
on top of a dielectric substrate, and all connections to the shield are isolated using
dielectric breaks in all piping and HVAC systems. All electrical leads are filtered.
10.4 THE EARTH GROUND lEST

10.4.1 Introduction
There are two basic earth ground test methods, shown in Figs. 10-5 and 10-6. The first
method is the direct or two-terminal test; the second is the fall-of-potential method or
three-terminal test.
166
Chapter 10
Building
Ground Stake
Water
Pipe
Figure 10-5 Two-terminal earth ground test.
Voltage
Source
-------4
Ammeter
1......--- ---4
Voltmeter
~
c
Earth Resistance
sen
'Ci)
Q)
a:
Potential Probe Positions

(b)
Figure 10-6 (a) Three-terminal or fall-of-potential method of

earth ground test. (b) Earth resistance versus distance.
Section 10.5
167
References
10.4.2 The Direct Method

When using a four-terminal instrument, P and C terminals connect to the earth electrode under test; P and C terminals connect to an all-metallic water-pipe system. With a
three-terminal instrument, connect X to the earth electrode, and P and C to the pipe
system. If the water system is extensive, its resistance should only be a fraction of an
ohm. The instrument reading can be taken as the resistance of the electrode under test.
The direct method is the simplest way to make an earth-resistance test. With this
method, the resistance of two electrodes in series is measured-the driven rod and the
water system. But there are three important limitations.
1. The water-pipe system must be extensive enough to have negligible resistance.

2. The water-pipe system must be metallic throughout, without any insulating couplings or flanges.
3. The earth electrode under test must be far enough away from the water-pipe system to be outside its sphere of influence.
In some locations, the earth electrode may be so close
that the two cannot be separated; under these circumstances,
met, the water-pipe system can be used as the ground. As
possible future changes in the water-pipe system, an earth
installed.
to the water-pipe system

if conditions 1 and 2 are
a precaution against any
electrode should also be
10.4.3 Fall-of-Potential Method

This three-terminal test is the method shown in Fig. 10-6a. With a four-terminal tester,
P and C terminals on the instrument are jumpered and connected to the earth electrode
under test. With a three-terminal instrument, connect X to the earth electrode. The
driven reference rod C should be placed as far from the earth electrode as practical; this
distance may be limited by the length of extension wire available or the geography of
the surroundings.
Potential-reference rod P is then driven in at a number of points roughly on a
straight line between the earth electrode and C. Resistance readings are logged for each
of the points. A curve of resistance versus distance, like Fig. 10-6b, is then drawn.
Correct earth resistance is read from the curve for the distance that is about 62% of the
total distance from the earth electrode to C. In other words, if the total distance is D,
the 62% distance is 0.62D; for example, if D is 120 ft, the distance value for earth
resistance is 0.62 x 120 or 74ft.
10.5 REFERENCES
[1] MIL-HDBK-419A.
[2] C. S. Snow "Grounding of RF shielded enclosures," ITEM 1982.
[3] H. W. Denny "Grounding for the control of EMf," Interference Control Technolo-
gies, 1986.
CHAPTER 11
Design Checklists
11.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides a set of checklists as a guide for developing a complete design for
each of the three basic types of shielding: modular, welded, and architectural. Part of
the material in the checklists refers to normal architectural design considerations required in any facility. Some overlap exists between the three examples, but all three
should be studied prior to finalizing a given specification.
11.2 CHECKLIST FOR MODULAR SHIELDING

11.2.1 Introduction
For the purposes of this example, the galvanized panel modular enclosure has been
selected. The checklist is divided into four sections normally found in architectural
specifications. These are architectural considerations, electrical considerations, mechanical considerations, and shielding considerations. The shielding specifications are
normally found in Section/Division 13 of a project's specifications, although Section 17
may be used for TEMPEST shielding. Cross references should be made in the early
sections of the shielding specifications to support requirements in the electrical, mechanical, HVAC, door, and hardware sections as necessary to ensure clarity of the complete enclosure requirements.
The format of the checklist is an item number, followed by a dash, and then the
recommended item to be considered.
11.2.2 Architectural Considerations

ITEM NO.
ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED:
1__
Floors: The floor slabs under a shielded enclosure should be
recessed if a flush threshold is desired at a door opening. The depth of the recess
depends upon the floor finishes. The slab must be smooth and level to I/S in.110 f1.
169
170
Chapter II
Design Checklists
2__
Interior Partitions: May not be required if formed by the RF
shielded construction. If standard partitions are to be used, then care must be taken in
their design and installation so that the shielding is not compromised.
3__
Wall Finishes: Care must be exercised in finishing exterior or
interior surfaces of shielded enclosures. The best method is to provide furring channels
for the application of standard wallboard-finished interiors or to provide steel studding
to mount the electrical power and interior finishes.
4__
Ceilings: A conventional suspended ceiling may be used. Special hardware is required to interface with the ceiling of the shielded enclosure.
5__
Door and Frames: All doors, frames, and hardware for doors
in shielded rooms must be part of the complete RF shielded construction.
6__
Enclosure Isolation: If required, the shielded enclosure shall
be isolated from the building or earth ground by constructing the shield on a dielectric
insulator such as a heavy plastic film or sheet, and ensuring that the shield does not
come in contact with the building steel. See Chapter 10 for a discussion on the need for
enclosure insulation.
11.2.3 Electrical Considerations

ITEM NO.
1__
Filters: All electrical power, alarms, HVAC control lines, intercoms, telephone lines, or any other service requiring wiring are to be filtered utilizing electromagnetic filters, each selected for the particular type of service involved. A
full line of these filters is available from a number of sources. Under the electrical
section of the specifications, it should be stated that all power for the shielded enclosure is to be fed through filters installed on the shield. For TEMPEST enclosures, all
filters are to be installed in a cabinet, with provisions for an internal ground stud for the
safety ground. Each leg of the power, including the neutral, shall be fed through filters,
individually or in a common cabinet. Conduits feeding the filters may require dielectric
fittings.
2__
Drawings: The electrical drawings should indicate the requirements of filters by symbol or note. They shall indicate in the details a typical hook up
of the filters from the main feeders and distribution of the electrical conduits within the
shielded rooms. In enclosures where ground detection and isolation transformers are
used, these components must be mounted within the enclosure.
3__
Lighting Fixtures: For EMI enclosures or for enclosures to be
used for EMI testing, incandescent lights are used. Fluorescent-type lighting should
only be used in TEMPEST or communication facilities. These light fixtures should be
specified under the electrical section of the specification.
4__
Grounding: Each shielded enclosure shall be provided with a
ground stud adjacent to the filters on the outside of the enclosure. A size 2/0 AWG
minimum grounding wire shall be provided from the grounding stud to the building or
earth ground. This shall be done prior to power hook up to the filters.
5__
Power Distribution: For the most economical power distribution within the shielded enclosure, only the main feeder should be brought in through
Section 11.2
Checklist for Modular Shielding
171
power line filters to a distribution panel inside the shielded enclosure. All internal circuits for conventional distribution should originate from this panel. Only one power
penetration should be made.
6__
Explosive Installations: Light tubes with exterior lamp fixtures
should be considered to prevent RF or electrical voltages from igniting explosives. In
most cases, standard explosion-proof light fixtures are acceptable.
11.2.4 Mechanical Considerations

ITEM NO.
1__
Penetrations: The shielded enclosure shall have special penetrations to receive all required mechanical inputs such as water, gas, air, or waste. From
the outside, the mechanical line may require dielectric connectors, and then be attached
to the special fitting in the wall of the enclosure's wall. The attachment shall provide a
metal-to-metal seal both inside and outside the shielded panel. Piping distribution
within the enclosure can be performed in a conventional manner.
2__
Drawings: Mechanical drawings shall indicate on the floor
plan which rooms are to be shielded. A typical detail should be added, showing the
method of connecting building ductwork to the waveguide vents in the shield. Details
should also be provided specifying how pipes penetrate through the shielded walls using
the details provided in this handbook.
3__
Doors: The door schedule should indicate the type of doors to
be used in the shielded enclosure. These should be selected from Chapter 7 and described in the specifications.
11.2.5 Shielding Considerations
ITEM NO.
1__
Scope of Work: Ensure that all work necessary to accomplish
the shielding task is properly delineated. The scope should include furnishing all labor,
material, equipment, plant tools, scaffolding, and all incidental and related items to
provide, fabricate, deliver, and test all radio frequency shielded rooms as shown on the
drawings and specifications. Only experienced installers should be used in the installation of radio frequency shielding.
2__
Applicable Specifications: The A-E should select from the
following the appropriate specifications for the installation being specified.
a) MIL-STD-285-Method of Attenuation Measurements for Electromagnetic
Shielding Enclosure for Electronic Test Purposes.
b) NSA 65-6-RF Shielded Enclosure for Communications Equipment: General
Specifications.
c) MIL-STD-220A-Method of Insertion Loss Measurements for Radio Frequency
Filters.
d) UL 1283-Standard for Safety-Electromagnetic Interference Filters.
e) ASTM E90-83-Recommended Practice for Laboratory Measurements of Airborne Sound Transmission Loss of Building Partitions.
f) ASTM E413-73-Standard Classification for Determination of Sound Transmission Class.
172
Chapter 11
Design Checklists
g) Federal Specification SS-A-118B-Flame Resistance Test.

h) ASTM E84-81 A-Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials.
3__
Functional Performance: The function of RF construction is to
permit an interference-free environment with a dedicated point ground and/or to retain
RF signals inside the shielded environment.
4__
Shielding Effectiveness: The shielding effectiveness of the enclosure, as a minimum, shall be as follows.
Magnetic Field; 56 dB at 14 kHz, increasing to 100 dB at 200 kHz.
Electric Field: 100 dB from 200 kHz to 50 MHz.
Plane Wave: 100 dB from 50 MHz to 10 GHz.
(NOTE: The above specifications are only applicable to the standard clamp-up or modular shielded enclosure.)
5__
If applicable, panels and doors shall have sound transmission
class (STC) 30 when tested per ASTM E90-83.
6__
If applicable, panels shall have a flame spread rating of Class
A, UBC class one when tested in accordance with ASTM method E84-81.
7__
Work Included: The shielding installer as a minimum shall
install within the building in sizes detailed, with all accessories and facilities required,
fully tested to meet the performance requirements specified, and shall include the
following.
a) All floor, wall, and ceiling-shielded panels and RF framing members, including
all necessary supports, fasteners, etc.
b) RF door unit including frames and hardware.
c) Waveguide-type air vents for supply and return air.
d) RF filter for all electrical, control, and communications services.
e) All necessary waveguide-type shielded fittings for all pipes penetrating the
shield, including any required dielectric decouplers.
f) All hangers as may be required for the suspension of the RF enclosure ceiling
from an overhead structure.
g) Provision to receive conventional finishes, both inside and outside the shielded
environment.
h) Coordination of other building and mechanical trades, including equipment suppliers.
i) Performance test and guarantee.
8__
Work Not Included: The work listed below is not normally
included, but should be supervised by the RF shielding contractor.
a) Electric wiring and wiring materials such as lighting, outlets, and receptacles
both inside and outside the shielded environment.
b) Any duct work to and from the waveguide-type air vents.
c) Any piping to and from RF penetrations.
d) Field painting or any other finishes.
e) Any construction work in connection with preparing surfaces to receive RF
shielded environment and/or conventional construction enveloping the shielded
rooms.
Section 11.2
Checklist for Modular Shielding
173
9__
Shielding Panels: The wall, floor, and ceiling panels shall be
rigid laminated panels, faced with heat-treated, annealed steel, treated to resist corrosion without degrading the electrical continuity or RF attenuation. Panels shall also be
of such design that the core material is water resistant. The sheet steel shall be 24 gauge
minimum.
10__
The framing system shall consist of Vs in. thick zinc-plated
steel, a minimum of 3 in. wide. The shapes of the framing members shall provide a
clamping action of panel edges with uniform and constant pressure contact against the
shielding panels. Provisions shall be made for fasteners of a maximum distance of 4 in.;
blind inserts or "weld nuts" are the preferred method of attaching the cadmium-plated
V4-20 screws which should have a minimum tensile strength of 135 000 lbf/in. 2 .
11__
Corners: The corners shall consist of prewelded framing
members or preformed shielded panels.
12__
Mechanical Performance: The deflection of the walls under a
static load of 75 lb applied normal to the wall surface shall cause a deflection not to
exceed V250 of the unsupported span. The RF ceiling shall be supported from the parent
room overhead construction by means of adjustable-type hangers, unless specified
otherwise. The deflection of the panels, including finishes, lights, and diffusers, shall
not exceed 1/270 of the span.
13__
Doors: The door unit shall be factory assembled, consisting
of a removable door leaf, door frame, threshold, hardware, and electrical contacting
strips. The door and frame perimeters shall be rugged and provide for the recessed
contact mechanism consisting of a fingerstock RF gasket held in a groove, making contact with a knife-edge contact on the door leaf. The gasket is to be mechanically
mounted.
14__
Door Hardware: The door hardware shall consist of the following. Two radial and thrust-bearing hinges, with provisions to adjust the door in the
hung position. The locking device shall consist of cam-actuated type latch. It shall be
operable from both sides of the door. It shall have permanently lubricated bearings at
all points of pivot or rotation. Contact with the strike shall be by a cam roller bearing.
With the door leaf at rest with the fingerstock in light contact with the frame, the
mechanism shall, on rotation of the lever handle, draw the door into its final closing
RF-tight position with an operating pressure of not more than 20 lb.
15__
Ventilation: Waveguide-type air vents shall be of such design
as to provide air passage for cooling and ventilation and still maintain the specified
shielding effectiveness. Flexible dielectric connectors shall be supplied on enclosures
requiring isolation.
16__
Mechanical Penetrations: Provide waveguide-type pipe penetrations for all pipes or tubes entering the RF shield. Insulated-type penetrations shall
be used where condensation may occur on the piping.
17__
Electrical Service: All incoming electrical power shall be
provided with UL listed radio frequency filters. The filters shall be provided on each
electrical conductor. The filters shall be designed to attenuate RF energy on the incom-
174
Chapter 11
Design Checklists
ing power by 100 dB from 14 kHz to 10 GHz when tested in accordance with MILSTD-220A.
18__
Ground Provisions: A single-point signal ground shall be
provided by means of a brass stud located as near as possible to the power line filters.
19__
Installation: Only experienced installers should be used in
the installation of RF shielding.
20__
Floor Installation: The floor panels shall be laid on 6 mil
dielectric film placed on the structural floor of the parent room. Over this film, additional I/s dielectric filler material shall be furnished to provide uniform support of the
panels.
21__
Cleaning: All exposed surfaces shall be thoroughly cleaned
of all dirt, finger marks, and foreign matter resulting from handling or installation, and
all areas shall be left free of defects. The edges of all shielding panels shall be thoroughly cleaned prior to the assembly of the shielding.
22__
Preliminary Performance Test: A preliminary test shall be
performed after the enclosure is installed and before any other finishes or building construction are erected within the shielded enclosure. As a minimum, the test should be
conducted at 100 kHz magnetic and 1 GHz plane wave.
23__
Acceptance Test: Upon completion of the facility and just
prior to occupancy, a full test shall be conducted to the applicable performance specification such as MIL-STD-285 or NSA 65-6. A test plan shall be submitted by the installer and approved by the purchaser. The final acceptance test shall be conducted by
an independent testing contractor, and it shall be witnessed by a representative of the
purchaser.
11.3 CHECKLIST FOR WELDED ENCLOSURES

11.3.1 Introduction
The welded enclosure can attain the highest performance of all the methods of achieving
shielding. The welded seam, if properly done, is the optimum method of achieving a
seam in a shielded enclosure. Assuming that the welding is done properly, which only a
good quality assurance program can ensure, the performance of a welded enclosure is
determined by the penetrations used to provide the various services. Each type of penetration must be designed for the overall performance requirement; this is especially true
of the doors. Shielding suppliers advertise 120 dB welded enclosures, but they put 100
dB filters on the power lines; thus, care must be exercised in specifying this level of
performance since, in reality, it may not be practical. This section provides a checklist
of items that should be considered when specifying welded enclosures.
11.3.2 Architectural Checklist

ITEM NO.
ITEM OF CONCERN:
1__
Shielded Volume: The cost of field welding is very high; thus,
the A-E must carefully consider the total volume, floor space, and types of work areas
to be included within the shielded volume.
Section 11.3
Checklist for Welded Enclosures
175
2__
Submittals: Define all deliverables such as shielding specialist credentials, welder certificates, material certifications, test reports, and shop
drawings.
3__
Shop Drawings: State that shop drawings of the shielded
enclosure with all details, materials, and erection data shall be submitted to the purchaser for approval. All pertinent details shall be supplied.
4
Welds: Full penetration butt welds or lap welds shall be
used, as illustrated in Chapter 5. Where backing material is required, it is recommended
that it shall overlap by at least I in. on both sides of the weld location.
5__
Welder Qualification: Ensure that welders shall be qualified in the specific procedures as detailed in MIL-STD-248B. Require that welders supply qualification certificates to the builder.
6__
Entries: The method of entry into the shielded enclosure
needs to be selected carefully. High-traffic facilities may require the use of vestibules or
waveguide entrances. Normal traffic or low-use facilities should consider using single
doors, with their performance level consistent with the overall requirements of the
enclosure. A safe guide is to require the doors to be specified to have a minimum of
10 dB performance above that of the basic enclosure.
7__
Door Design: Mechanical design of an RF shield door is
extremely important for maintaining the electromagnetic performance over the life of
the facility. The mechanical strength of the hinging mechanisms and the resistance to
warpage must be demonstrated. See Chapter 7 for suggested methods of evaluation.
Sliding doors with air bladders and steel-to-steel RF seals provide the best lowfrequency magnetic shielding.
11.3.3 Electrical Checklist

1__
For HEMP facilities, electrical surge arresters (ESA) shall be
installed at the filter terminals which connect to the exterior wiring.
2__
The conduit from the filter/ESA assembly to the RF shield
shall be a rigid steel conduit, circumferentially welded at all joints and at the penetrations into the RF filter cabinet and RF shield.
11.3.4 Mechanical Checklist

1__
Materials: Ensure that the necessary specifications for sheet
stock, welding rods, and other steel elements used to fabricate the RF shield comply
with ASTM, AWS standards, and other requirements as needed. Require the installing
contractor to certify to the purchaser that the material meets the requirements.
2__
Penetrations: All penetrations must be designed to maintain
the integrity of the shield; a note should be made to the drawings to the effect that all
known penetrations are identified on the drawings, and no additional penetrations
should be made without the approval of the purchaser.
3__
Special Door Hardware: When security locks, such as card
keys, are installed in shielded doors, the installation should be conducted by the door
supplier. This applies even if the locks are customer supplied.
176
Chapter 11
Design Checklists
4__
Door Alarms: Emergency exit/equipment access RF doors
should be alarmed to indicate an open condition. Vestibule doors should be alarmed to
indicate when both inner and outer doors are open simultaneously. Electrical interlocks
on vestibule entrances are recommended.
5__
Ventilation Penetrations. Honeycomb vent structures must be
used for these services. The frame of the vent structure must be welded into the RF
shield with continuous seam welds.
6__
Piping Penetrations: For 100 dB performance up through
10 GHz, all piping should be circumferentially welded to the steel liner at the penetration. The penetration stub shall have an unbroken length at least five times the inside
diameter of the pipe, and it shall form a waveguide beyond cutoff with a minimum
cutoff frequency of 15 GHz (inside diameter less than 0.39 in.). Dielectric linings are
not permitted in the penetrating pipe stub. If an adequate fluid flow cannot be achieved
with a 0.39 in. diameter pipe, a honeycomb waveguide insert in the pipe should be used
for penetration protection.
11.3.5 Shielding Checklist

1__
Scope: The scope of the type of enclosure should be carefully
defined, especially if the facility is for HEMP protection.
2__
Shielding Specialist: Welded enclosures require an on-site
specialist who oversees the RF welding and ensures that proper techniques are employed.
3__
Applicable Specifications: Ensure that the proper specifications have been referenced, especially those that require special testing or welder qualifications.
Shield Requirements: Define the shielding performance requirements; this should be based upon a thorough evaluation of the facility needs, not
on just choosing a blanket specification. The performance requirements may be stated
in a tabular or curve format, but it must be stated that the performance throughout the
entire frequency spectrum must meet the minimum requirements. The recommended
useful life of a welded shielded enclosure shall be 30 years, and the shielding effectiveness shall satisfy the shielding performance requirements for a minimum of three years,
when maintained using the procedures supplied by the installation contractor. The
shielding effectiveness requirements shall apply to the finished structure, with all electrical and mechanical penetrations installed and operating.
4. _ _
5__
Welding: The quality of the welding sets the performance
achievable by the shielded enclosure. The steel sheets must be assembled into an RFtight shield by continuous welding of all seams, joints, and corners. The metal electrode
inert gas (MIG) process has been found to be the best. The surfaces of the metals must
be prepared by removing rust, scale, and other foreign materials, and completed welds
must be free of slag, gas pockets, wormholes, cracks, or incomplete fusion.
6__
Require that an in-process testing program be provided, and
that all welds shall be 100% tested using the methods described in Chapter 9.
Section 11.4
Checklist for Architectural Shielding
177
7__
Preliminary Shielding Effectiveness Testing: An empty shell
test should be conducted prior to installing the final finishes. This should include doors
and other mechanical penetrations; a temporary filter installation is acceptable. As a
minimum, a magnetic field test at 100 kHz and a 1 GHz plane-wave test should be
conducted using the procedures of MIL-STD-285 or NSA 65-6.
Final Acceptance Testing: After completion of the RF shield
8__
and all finishes, the entire shielded enclosure should be tested in accordance with the
full performance requirements. The electromagnetic filters should be installed and under
load. An independent testing service shall perform all final acceptance testing using a
contractor-prepared, customer-approved test plan.
9__
Door Frame Welds: Welds between the door frame and the
RF shield are primary shield welds, and they should be inspected in accordance with
the provisions discussed in Chapter 9.
11.4 CHECKLIST FOR ARCHITECTURAL SHIELDING

11.4.1 Introduction
Architectural shielding must be detailed very carefully since it is designed into the
structure of the facility. It is especially important that every penetration be defined and
detailed since the overall shielding integrity is directly related to the soundness of the
penetrations. Copper foil shielding is assumed for this example. A performance of
80 dB is assumed through 1 GHz.
11.4.2 Architectural Checklist

1__
Layout: The floorplan of the space to be shielded should be
laid out with consideration being given to minimizing the number of penetrations and
RF doors required. If the space is to be divided into a number of rooms, plan on using
nonshielded interior walls, and only shield the outer envelope. In high-traffic facilities,
vestibules using a pair of RF doors are recommended.
2__
Floor: A plywood floor should be first installed, and then the
shielding foil applied. All seams are sealed with solder-coated shielding tape. The foil
is then covered with another layer of plywood, and glued down with a good grade of
construction adhesive.
Interior Partitions: Ensure that the design of the interior par3_ _
titions does not compromise the floor and ceiling shielding.
4__
Wall Finishes: The wall finishes should be mounted on furring
strips which have been glued to the face of the shielding. Nails and screws are not
compatible with foil shielding since it is difficult to get a long-lasting metal-to-metal
seal at each fastener location.
5__
Ceilings: Acoustical ceiling tile can be used, but the hangers
mounted in the shielded ceiling must be arranged so that the dead weight of the suspended ceiling does not pull out the ceiling fasteners.
178
Chapter 11
Design Checklists
6__
Doors and Frames: The door performance must be at least
10 dB better than the enclosure requirements. The door frames must be solder sealed
around the perimeter of the frame to ensure an RF-tight installation. This is particularly
true at the door threshold.
7__
dc Isolation: If the enclosure must be isolated from the parent

building, then special care must be exercised to ensure that all fasteners do not reach
building steel.
11.4.3 Electrical Checklist

1__
All RF filters should be mounted in filter cabinets, and a
single penetration should be passed through the shield and clamped on both sides of the
foil shield. The penetration should be solder sealed on the inside.
2__
Foil is not a good surface to mount mechanical devices. It is

recommended that an interior stud wall be installed around the perimeter of the shielded
space. Conduit, receptacles, and light switches can then be mounted without disturbing
the shield.
11.4.4 Mechanical Checklist

1__
All penetrations through the foil shield must be mechanically
supported, and a good solder seal must be made between the flange of the penetration
and the foil shielding. It is recommended that penetrations be grouped using a common
metal plate for the penetration.
2__
The junctions between the foil shielding and the door frames
are especially critical. Care must be taken to see that a good solder seam is made
between the door frame and the shielding foil. This is especially true at the door threshold.
11.4.5 Shielding Checklist

1__
Scope of Work: Ensure that all work necessary to accomplish
the shielding task is properly defined; this includes the shield, all supporting structures,
finishes, mechanical items, electrical items, and testing.
2__
Performance specifications need to be carefully drawn and
specified. Foil shielding exceeds NSA 73-2A, but will not meet NSA 65-6.
3__
Preliminary performance testing must be conducted prior to
adding final finishes to the shielded enclosure. All doors must be installed, and a power
line filter also must be installed. It is suggested that shielding effectiveness testing be
conducted at I GHz as a minimum.
APPENDIX A
A-I ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS AND TERMINOLOGY

BLACK Designation. A designation applied to electronic components, equipment, and
systems which handle only unclassified signals, and to areas in which no classified
signals occur.
Radiation Resistance. The resistance which, if inserted in place of an antenna, would
consume the same amount of power that is radiated by the antenna.
REDIBLACK Concept. The concept that electrical and electronic circuits, components, equipment, and systems, which handle classified plain language (not encrypted) information in electric signal form (RED), be separated from those which
handle encrypted or unclassified information (BLACK). Under this concept, RED
and BLACK terminology is used to clarify specific criteria relating to and to differentiate between such circuits, components, equipment, and systems and the areas in
which they are contained.
RED Designation. A designation applied to: 1) all communication electronics (CE)
within the terminal or switching facility carrying classified plain language, 2) all
(CE) between the encrypted side of the on-line crypto equipment used and individual
subscriber sets or terminal equipment, 3) equipment and sets originating or terminating classified plain-language processing equipment, and 4) areas containing these
wire lines, equipment, and their interconnecting and auxiliary equipment.
A-2
No appendix material.
A-3
No appendix material.
179
180
Appendix A
A-4 ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS SPECIFICATIONS

The following is a selection of architectural and engineering specifications for a variety
of modular RF shielded enclosures.
4.1 GALVANIZED MODULAR ENCLOSURE
PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS
The following detailed specification is suggested as a model for specifying the enclosure
portion of a galvanized modular enclosure specification suitable for insertion in Section
1300 of an overall architectural specification. Doors, filters, and other penetrations used
in enclosures are discussed in their respective chapters.
1.0 General
The radio frequency shielded, solid wall enclosure described and specified herein shall
be designed and installed for the containment and/or exclusion of radio frequency energy
and shall be manufactured by a qualified supplier.
2.0 Applicable Specifications
MIL-E-18639A:
MIL-E-8881:
MIL-E-4957A:
MIL-STD-285:
MIL-F-15733:
MIL-STD-220A:
NSA 65-6:
Enclosures, Electromagnetic Shielding, Knockdown Design.

Enclosure, Electromagnetic Shielding, Demountable, Prefabricated.
Enclosure, Electromagnetic Shielding, Prefabricated, Demountable.
Method of Attenuation Measurements for Electromagnetic
Shielded Enclosures for Electronic Test Purposes.
Filter, Radio Frequency Interference, General Specification for.
Method of Filter Insertion Loss Measurement.
National Security Agency Specification for RF Shielded Enclosures for Communications Equipment; General Specification.
3.0 Materials
All materials used in the enclosure, including all ancillary equipment, shall be new,
undamaged, installed, and used in such a manner that the normal operation does not
affect the specified shielding effectiveness.
Shielding Panels: Shielding panels shall be low carbon electrical steel, zinc clad,
per specification QQ-S-775. All shielding panels shall have a base of % in. CCX exterior grade plywood or equal, unless otherwise specified. Plywood and particle board
ratings shall be in accordance with requirements of the U.S. Plywood and U.S. Particle
Board Associations.
Framing Members: The electrical shielding panels shall be connected to each
other using suitable clamps to provide a continuous electrical bond from panel to panel.
The clamps shall be made of heavy duty, I/S in. steel. Suitable prefabricated plated steel
clamps shall be provided in matched sets to meet the structural and electrical requirements for the walls, ceiling, and floors. Walls, floor, and ceiling shall use suitable
Section 4.1
Galvanized Modular Enclosure Procurement Specifications
18t
"hats" and "flats," and all corner sections shall be of a matching HW" and HU"
configuration. The structural framing members shall be electrically and mechanically
secured to each other with a 1/4 -20 plated machine screw installed at 4 in. maximum
intervals along all framing members. The screw shall mate up with a threaded insert or
nut attached to the hat section. All clamping action machine screws shall be set at a
torque of 70-80 in. Ib to assure electrical bonding and structural firmness. All structural steel clamps shall be zinc plated per QQ-Z-235, Type II for maximum electrical
continuity.
All three-way corners shall have suitable assemblies to ensure electrical bonding,
mechanical, and structural strength.
4.0 Construction
The shielded enclosure shall be of the prefabricated, modular type, and shall be fully
capable of being assembled and disassembled without the use of special tools. The
shielded enclosure shall be capable of being assembled/disassembled from the inside.
The completed enclosure, when specified, shall be capable of being electrically
isolated from the parent building floor and walls.
The enclosure shall be rigid and plumb with good installation procedures, and shall
be such that the maximum sag of the ceiling is less than V240 of the ceiling span.
The enclosures will be subjected to various live loads, repetitious usage of the
shielded door(s), and continuous use of the electric power, light, and other accessories.
The design of the shielding system must tolerate these requirements.
The shielded room floor shall be supplied with suitable hardboard subflooring to
provide leveling when necessary, and to provide for electrical isolation from the parent
room floor. When specified (single-point grounding), the subflooring shall be insulated
and moisture protected by a suitable layer of heavy-duty plastic film.
The shielded room floor, when suitably supported by the parent room floor, shall
be capable of supporting a total floor load of 1200 lb/ft".
The completed shield room shall be provided with a suitable floor of asphalt tile in
a neutral color. The tile loading shall be suitable for a loading of 300 Ib/ft 2 and concentrated loads of 1000 Ib on suitable casters. Vinyl tile shall be supplied when specified.
Each shielded room shall be supplied with an instruction handbook and a complete
set of assembly and disassembly drawings.
5.0 Doors
(Select from the door specifications in Chapter 7 the type and size that meet the intended use.)
6.0 Accessories
Vents. (See Chapter 7 for waveguide air vent specifications.)
Grounding. Each shielded enclosure shall be supplied with a permanently installed grounding stud of solid brass or bronze of not less than V2 in. diameter. The
grounding stud shall extend a suitable distance both inside and outside the shielded
enclosure for installation of ground leads. The ground stud shall be provided with its
own washers and locking nuts.
182
Appendix A
Penetrations. All necessary penetrations for specified services shall be supplied

and installed, and with suitable caps where necessary, on a permanent base and in such
a manner that the total shielding effectiveness shall not be degraded. Where single or
controlled grounding is specified, then dielectric decouplers shall be inserted in all pipe
penetrations. The shielding installer shall provide or supervise all penetrations in the
shielded enclosure.
Access Panels. When specified, suitable coaxial access panels shall be supplied
as part of the shielded enclosure. All access panels shall be of suitable plated steel or
brass so that electrical connectors can be soldered to the panels. When specified, the
panels shall be removable, supplied with their own RF gaskets, and shall meet the same
shielding effectiveness of the shielded enclosure.
Filters. (Filters should be selected from Chapter 8.)
7.0 Shielding Effectiveness

The shielding effectiveness (attenuation) shall be equal to or greater than (choose from
Chapter 9, typically NSA 65-6) and be conducted on the completed installation. An
independent testing service shall conduct the test. All penetrations shall be tested.
Doors shall be tested at a minimum of ten points around the perimeter. Depending on
the size of the enclosure, tests should be conducted at 15 ft intervals around the perimeter of the entire enclosure. Power line filters shall be in place and under load.
8.0 Quality Assurance

An independent testing service shall conduct shielding effectiveness tests in accordance
with the applicable testing specifications (see Chapter 9 for details) and certify that the
enclosure was so tested. If the interior surfaces of the enclosure are to be architecturally
treated, then a preliminary test of the enclosure shall be conducted prior to their installation. After all work is completed, the final test shall be conducted.
4.2. PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR A VERSION

OF THE DOUBLY ISOLATED MODULAR SHIELDED
ENCLOSURE SYSTEM
A suggested procurement specification is as follows.
1.0 General
The shielded enclosure shall be constructed with prefabricated, modular panels consisting of interior and exterior 3 oz copper and 24 gauge galvanized steel which shall be
electrically isolated to provide maximum attenuation of radio frequency signals. Panels
shall be capable of being assembled, disassembled, moved, and reassembled without
suffering a degradation of shield effectiveness. Panel-to-panel seams shall provide solid,
continuous, low-resistance electrical contact between respective shields. To the extent
consistent with the required dimensions and configuration of the enclosure, all like
components shall be interchangeable. The enclosure shall be self-supporting up to a
width of 12 ft. Enclosures exceeding 12 ft in width shall be provided with a ceiling
support system.
Section 4.2.
Procurement Specification
183
Field soldering and/or welding shall not be required for assembly or maintenance
of the shielding integrity of the enclosure. All accessories and components necessary to
maintain attenuation and other requirements shall be as specified herein. All components shall maintain isolation between shields. There will be no penetrations of shields,
except as specified herein.
2.0 Applicable Documents

MIL-E-18639A:
MIL-E-888I :
MIL-E-4957A:
MIL-STD-285:
MIL-F-15733:
MIL-STD-220A:
NSA 65-6:

Enclosure, Electromagnetic Shielding, Demountable, Prefabricated.
Enclosure, Electromagnetic Shielding, Prefabricated, Demountable.
Method of Attenuation Measurements for Electromagnetic Shielding Enclosures for Electronic Test Purposes.
Filters, Radio Interference.
National Security Agency Specification for RF Shielded Enclosures for Communications Equipment: General Specification.
3.0 Materials
Shielding materials shall be 3 oz solid copper FED UU-P-147B Type V182, C 1, A,
B, C, or equivalent, and 24 gauge steel zinc galvanized FED QQ-S-775-D, Type I,
Class D.
All frames shall be 13/4 in. thick D-select kiln-dried pine or better in accordance
with FED SPEC MM-L-751-H.
Plywood used for the floor shall be a minimum of Type A-D fir, Type II waterresistant in accordance with FED SPEC NN-P-530 and covered with vinyl tile ComNBS L-T-00345.
Pressure clamp angle bars shall be cold-rolled angles MI020 (Merchant Quality) in
accordance with FED SPEC QQ-S-630 and zinc dichromate plated in accordance with
FED SPEC QQ-Z-325.
Fasteners shall be steel and shall be plated with the same basic metal as that of the
parts connected. When fasteners make contact with steel, they shall be zinc coated or
cadmium plated.
Solder shall be in accordance with FED SPEC QQ-S-571-D Type RA 50 SN and
FED SPEC QQ-S-571-D Type RA 60 SN.
Brass fittings shall be in accordance with FED SPEC QQ-B-626.
4.0 Construction
Panels shall be of wood frame construction, with shielding materials covering one side
of the frame, but electrically isolated from each other. Frames shall be constructed with
plate-forming techniques using wood plates and adhesive to prevent "antenna action"
caused by metal fasteners. Frames shall have cross braces, glued solid at one end and
left floating at the other, so that panels can "work" as ambient conditions change
without degrading shielding integrity and effectiveness.
Panels shall be joined, and their support shall be augmented by specially designed
pressure clamps fastened to the panel, and by cover shield seams to provide continuous,
constant, and uniform shield contact pressure to prevent electromagnetic energy leaks at
seams.
184
Appendix A
Wall panels shall be 40 x 96 in., except as required to meet specified enclosure

sizes. Wall panels will have horizontal braces spaced nominally 32 in. on center, and
shall have a V4 in. thick wood grained protective paneling on interior surfaces.
Service panels will be provided with solid sections as required to furnish proper
mounting surfaces for power filters, telephone filters, RF connector assemblies, and
waveguide feedthroughs. Service panels shall have 32 in. high wood grained wainscoat
kick panels on interior and exterior surfaces.
Ceiling panel frames shall have cross members spaced nominally 30 in. on center.
Floor Panels: Cross braces spaced 12 in. on center. Floor panels shall have a
2
3/4 in. plywood overlay capable of supporting a uniform load of 1200 Ib/ft
All panels shall be set in a straight, true line, with level and even surfaces, such
that all panel seams will be in alignment and provide electromagnetically tight seams.
Exposed surface areas shall be thoroughly cleaned of all foreign matter resulting from
handling.
All contacting surfaces shall be free from defects which may inhibit good contact
between panels.
The manufacturer shall provide assembly instructions for the shielded enclosure.
5.0 Doors
(See Chapter 7 for a discussion on double-isolated door specifications.)
6.0 Accessories
Filters: The filters are to be "duo-shield" filters as described in Chapter 8.
Waveguide Air Vents: A pair of vents shall be used: one on the interior shield,
and the other on the exterior shield. They should be of brass material as described in
Chapter 7.'
Feedthrough Connectors: Special double-shield connectors shall be used.
Grounding: A standard V2 in. brass grounding stud shall be used, connecting the
two shields together, thus providing a single grounding point.

The shielding effectiveness of the enclosure, when properly assembled, shall be as
follows.
Magnetic Field
Electric Field
14 kHz
75 dB
120 dB
14 kHz
Microwave
Plane Wave
450 MHz
120 dB
I GHz
120 dB
10GHz
110 dB

Experience: The shielding room installer must have at least three years' experience in the RF shielding industry. A written guarantee of workmanship, materials, and
attenuation for a period of at least three years, except for working parts such as the
door, shall be provided by the manufacturer. All working parts, doors, EMI filters, etc.,
shall be warranteed for a period of one year after acceptance of the installation.
Section 4.3
Procurement Specifications for a copper screened enclosure
185
Testing: After assembly, the enclosure shall be tested for shielding effectiveness
per the specifications using MIL-STD-285 test methods at the frequencies specified in
NSA 65-6. An independent experienced test service shall be used, under a separate
contract.
4.3 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR A COPPER
SCREENED ENCLOSURE
The following specification is suggested for use in specifying copper screen enclosures.
1.0 General
The radio frequency shielded enclosure described and specified herein shall be designed
and installed for the containment and/or exclusion of radio frequency energy, and shall
be manufactured by a qualified supplier.

MIL-STD-285.
3.0 Materials
The copper screen shall be 22 x 22 x 0.015 in. copper wire mesh mounted on wood
frames. All wood framing shall be in accordance with FED SPEC MM-L-751-H.
See Section 4.3.2 for remainder of material specifications.
4.0 Construction
Same method as described in Section 4.3.2.
A "kick" panel shall be installed on the lower portion of the enclosure, inside and
out, for physical protection of the screening. A minimum height of 24 in. is recommended.
5.0 Doors
(A suitable door from Chapter 7 should be selected.)
6.0 Accessories
Filters, vents, feedthrough connectors, and grounding studs should be selected from
Chapter 7.

The shielding effectiveness of the enclosure, when properly assembled, shall be as
follows.
Magnetic Field
14 kHz
68 dB
Electric Field
14 kHz
100 dB
Plane Wave
450 MHz
100 dB
Microwave
1 GHz
90 dB
10 GHz
50 dB
186
Appendix A

Same requirements as given in Section 4.2.
4.4 SAMPLE NMR RF SHIELDING SPECIFICATION

The following detailed specification is suggested as a model for specifying the enclosure
portion of a copper single-shield NMR facility suitable for insertion in Section 13000 of
an overall architectural specification. Doors, filters, and other penetrations used in enclosures are discussed in their respective chapters.
1.0 General
The radio frequency shielded, single-shield enclosure described and specified herein
shall be designed and installed for the containment and/or exclusion of radio frequency
energy and shall be manufactured by a qualified supplier.

MIL-STD-285.
3.0 Material
Shielding materials shall be 3 oz solid copper FED UU-P-147B Type V182, Cl, A, B,
C, or equivalent, such as 3 oz copper bonded to sisalkraft paper (see Chapter 6 for
material specifications).
4.0 Construction
Wall Panels: The wall panels shall be constructed from solid wood frames with 3
oz copper exterior surfaces. Interior surface to be treated conventionally. Framing materials shall be in accordance with FED SPEC MM-L-751-H.
Ceiling Panels: The ceiling panels shall be similar to the wall panels. Include
wood frame backing at the light fixture locations. Wood mounting pads shall be provided for the light fixtures. Include structural supports as needed to maintain a span
deflection of less than L/240.
Floor Panels: The floor shall be of one-piece pan construction. This is achieved
by solder sealing the seams between the copper sheets. A covering shall be provided to
protect the copper shield and support the floor covering.
5.0 Doors
(Select from the door specifications in Chapter 7 the type and size that meet the intended use.)
6.0 Accessories
Each shielded enclosure shall be supplied with a permanently installed grounding stud
of solid brass or bronze of not less than 1/2 in. diameter. The grounding stud shall extend
Section 4.5
Sample Procurement Specification
187
a minimum of 1.0 in. inside and outside the shielded enclosure for installation of
ground leads. The ground stud shall be provided with its own washers and locking nuts.
Air vents are to be 3/16 in. brass cell size, 1 in. thick, as described in Chapter 7.

The shielding effectiveness shall be equal to or greater than the following:
Electric Field
Magnetic Field
I kHz
20 dB
10 kHz
40 dB
I MHz
80 dB
10 kHz
100 dB
10 MHz
100 dB
Plane Wave
100 MHz
100 dB

An independent testing service shall conduct the shielding effectiveness tests in accordance with the applicable testing specifications (see Chapter 8 for details) and certify
that the enclosure was so tested.
4.5 SAMPLE PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION

FOR THE LINDSAY SINGLE-SHIELD MODULAR
ENCLOSURE SYSTEM
1.0 General
The radio frequency shielded, all-metal single-shield enclosure described and specified
herein shall be supplied and installed for the containment and/or exclusion of radio frequency energy.

NSA 65-6.
3.0 Materials
The flanged gavannealed RF panels shall be die drawn to ensure a proper fit with the
framing system.
The panel tensioner and channels shall be cold formed on roller dies, precision die
cut, die punched, and die notched for a proper fit with the RF panels.
Tensioner screws and spline nuts shall be used to assemble the RF panels and
framing members.
4.0 Construction
The panel sheet flanges fit into the frame channels and are gripped by the panel tensioners. When tensioners are tightened with the tensioner lock screws, the panels are
pulled into uniform tension in all directions, affecting a solid and continuous metalto- metal contact.
188
Appendix A
5.0 Doors
(Doors shall be selected from Chapter 7 and shall be consistent with the performance
capability of the shielding system.)
6.0 Accessories
Electromagnetic filters shall be consistent with the enclosure performance and shall be
selected from Chapter 8.
Venting shall be accomplished using the waveguide-beyond-cutoff honeycomb
structures described in Chapter 7.
A V2 in. diameter brass grounding stud shall be located near the EMI filters.
All pipe penetrations should be compatible with the single-shield concept and have
a supporting structure on one side of the shield, as described in Chapter 7.

The shielding effectiveness shall be in accordance with Fig. I of NSA 65-6.
8.0 Quality Assurance Requirements

The shielded room installer shall have a minimum of three years' experience in the RF
shielding industry. A written guarantee of workmanship, materials, and attenuation for
a period of at least three years, except for working parts such as the door, shall be
provided by the manufacturer. All working parts, doors, EMI filters, etc., shall be warranteed for a period of one year after acceptance of the installation.
After assembly and prior to final finishes, the enclosure shall be tested for shielding effectiveness at a minimum at 100 kHz magnetic and I GHz plane wave. Upon
completion of all work, an independent experienced test service shall test and certify
the enclosure to the test and performance requirements of NSA 65-6.
4.6 SAMPLE PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR A
SINGLE-SHIELD MODULAR GALVANIZED SHEET
METAt SHIELDING SYSTEM
1.0 General
The shielded enclosure shall be constructed with prefabricated, modular

panels consisting of 24 gauge galvanized steel exterior shield.
MIL-E-18639A:
MIL-STD-285:
MIL-F-15733:
MIL-STD-220A:
NSA 73-2A:

Method of Attenuation Measurements for Electromagnetic Shielding Enclosures for Electronic Test Purposes.
Filters, Radio Frequency Interference, General Specification for.
National Security Agency Specification for Aluminum Foil
Shielded Enclosures.
Section 4.6
Sample Procurement Specification
189
3.0 Materials
Shielding materials shall be 24 gauge steel zinc galvanized in accordance with Federal
Specification QQ-S-775-D, Type I, Class D.
All frames shall be 13/ 4 in. thick D-select kiln-dried pine or better in accordance
with FED SPEC MM-L-751-H.
Plywood used for floor shall be a minimum of Type A-D fir, Type II water resistant in accordance with FED SPEC NN-P-530 and covered with vinyl tile.
Fasteners shall be steel and be zinc or cadmium plated.
Brass fittings shall be in accordance with FED SPEC QQ-B-626.
4.0 Construction
The shielding panels shall be of wood frame construction with shielding materials covering the exterior side of the frame. Frames shall be constructed with plate-forming
techniques using wood plates and glue to prevent "antenna action" caused by metal
fasteners. Frames shall have cross braces, glued solid at one end and left floating at the
other so panels can "work" as ambient conditions change without degrading the shielding integrity and effectiveness.
Panels shall be joined together by an inside through bolt with a tee nut V4- 20 fastener every 4 in. on center along the seams to provide continuous, constant, and uniform shield contact pressure.
Service panels will be provided with solid sections as required to furnish proper
mounting surfaces for power filters, telephone filters, RF connector, and waveguide
assemblies.
Floor panels shall have cross bracing 12 in. on center with a 3/4 in. plywood overlay capable of supporting a uniform load of 1200 Ib/ft2
5.0 Doors
(Doors shall be selected from Chapter 7, based upon the shielding performance required
and the type of activity to take place within the shielded enclosure.)
6.0 Accessories
Filters shall be of the conventional type, the level of performance consistent with the
shielding system. See Chapter 8 for details.
Waveguide air vents shall be used to supply intake and exhaust air. See Chapter 7
for details.
Grounding shall be accomplished with a 1/2 in. diameter threaded brass grounding
stud located near the filter panel.
Pipe penetrations shall be of the clamping type and supported on one side of the
wall. The diameters and lengths shall be consistent with the recommendations given in
Chapter 7.
All panels shall be set in a straight, true line, with level and even surfaces such
that all panel seams will be in alignment and provide electromagnetically tight seams.
All surfaces shall be thoroughly cleaned of all foreign matter resulting from handling.
All contacting surfaces shall be free of defects which may inhibit good contact between
panels.
190
Appendix A

The shielding effectiveness shall be in accordance with the following.
Magnetic Field
14 kHz
200 kHz
60 dB
100 dB
Electric Field
10 kHz
100 dB
30 MHz
100 dB
Plane Wave
100 MHZ
100 dB
1 GHz
70 dB
Microwave
IOGHz
60 dB

The installer shall submit shop drawings showing the layout of the enclosure and its
integral accessories for the customer's approval.
The installer shall have a minimum of three years' experience in the installation of
RFI-EMI shielded enclosures.
The installer shall provide independent test data which demonstrate that the
shielded enclosure meets the requirements specified. The testing shall be in accordance
with MIL-STD-285 (modified).
A-S SAMPLE SPECIFICATION FOR A

WELDED ENCLOSURE
1.0 General
1.1 Purpose. This section specifies the design, construction, and quality assurance testing requirements relative to the electromagnetic performance of a welded radio
frequency shielded enclosure. Other criteria related to the submittals and components
specified herein appear in other sections of this document, as follows.
Section:
Section:
Section:
Section:
Section:
General Requirements for Contractor Submittals

Metals
Doors and Windows
General Mechanical Requirements
General Electrical Requirements
1.2 Scope. This section defines the following.
The welded steel shield.

The shielded doors.
All electrical and mechanical penetrations of the shield.
All filter/surge arrester assemblies, including their RFI enclosures.
All conduit runs between filter/surge arrester assemblies and the welded shield.
All RFI welded pull boxes and junction boxes.
All RFI shielded conduit runs.
1.3 Shielding Specialist. All work under this section shall be provided by a
"shielding specialist" or under the supervision of a "shielding quality assurance specialist." A "shielding specialist" shall have successfully completed at least five (5)
similar shielding projects within the past ten (10) years. A "shielding quality assurance
A-S
191
specialist" shall have performed the quality assurance program for at least five (5) successfully completed similar shielding projects within the past ten (10) years. The government reserves the right to approve the specialist, based upon information and
references provided as required under paragraph 3.1.

The publications listed below form a part of this specification to the extent given. In the
event of a conflict between a referenced document and this specification, the specification shall take precedence.
2.1 Military Standards

MIL-STD-220A:
MIL-STD-248B:
MIL-STD-285:
Method of Insertion Loss Measurement.

Qualification Test for Welders.
Attenuation Measurements for Enclosures, Electromagnetic
Shielding, for Electronic Test Purposes, Measurement of.
2.2 Military Specifications

2.3 Others. NSA 65-6.
3.0 Submittals
The contractor shall submit data identified in paragraphs 3. 1-3.7.
3.1 Shielding or Shielding Quality Assurance Specialist's Credentials. The

contractor shall submit identification and credentials of shielding specialist or shielding
quality assurance specialist, establishing evidence of the experience required by paragraph 1.3. The contracting agency, contract number, and contracting officer shall be
identified on those projects submitted in fulfillment of the experience requirement.
3.2 Materials Certification. Certificates attesting that the materials used in RF
shield fabrication meet the specified requirements of paragraph 4.2 shall be submitted
to the Contracting Officer. If requested, material samples shall also be delivered.
3.3 Shop Drawings. Shop drawings and as-built drawings shall be submitted for
approval to the Contracting Officer as required by paragraph 4.3. All deviations from
the project drawings shall be explicitly identified. Specifications and manufacturers'
literature for commercial doors, honeycomb panels, filters, surge arresters, RF gaskets,
and other commercial products used in the shielding penetration protection subsystem
shall be attached to the shop drawings. See paragraph 3.7 regarding concurrent submission of shielding/penetration protection subsystem maintenance procedures.
3.4 Welder Qualification Plan and Qualification Certificates. Detailed procedures used for qualification of welders, as required by paragraph 4.5, and qualification
certificates of personnel approved to perform RF shield welds shall be submitted to the
Contracting Officer.
3.5 Quality Assurance Plan. The contractor's plan for in-progress testing of
welds, complete (empty) shield performance testing, tests of shield doors, waveguides
and honeycomb waveguide panels, filters, surge arresters, RF enclosures, and conduits,
192
Appendix A
special case tests identified in paragraph 7.8, and final acceptance testing shall be submitted for Contracting Officer approval before the start of shield fabrication. The plan
shall establish the general framework of the quality assurance program and shall contain
detailed test procedures as appendices.
Detailed procedures shall identify system configuration for testing, instrumentation
to be used, data requirements, test point locations, and measurement and calibration
procedures.
3.6 Test Reports. Certified test reports, including copies of all original data,
shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer. Any deviations from the test procedures
submitted under paragraph 3.5 shall be discussed. Success or failure of the component
to satisfy the criteria shall be clearly stated, and proposed resolutions of unacceptable
performance shall be presented. It is emphasized that test data, where required, shall be
for the shielding and penetration.
3.7 Maintenance Procedures. Procedures to preserve the performance of the
shielding and penetration protection subsystem and maintain the contractors's warranty
in effect shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer, along with shop drawings required under paragraph 3.3. Revisions of the maintenance plan, if required by as-built
conditions, shall be submitted prior to performance of the final shield acceptance test.
4.0 RF Shield
4.1 Requirements. The RF facility shield shall be a fully welded structure which
provides shielding effectiveness greater than or equal to minimum requirements of (state
requirements). The RF shield shall be constructed for a useful lifetime of at least thirty
(30) years when maintained in accordance with procedures supplied by the contractor.
The shielding effectiveness requirements apply to the finished structure, with all electrical and mechanical penetrations installed and operating.
Finish requirements for the RF shield appear in Section* of these specifications.
4.2 Materials. Sheet stock, welding rods, and other steel elements used to fabricate the RF shield shall comply with ASTM, AWS standards, and other requirements
as specified. The contractor shall certify to the Contracting Officer that materials meet
these requirements. If requested by the Contracting Officer, samples of these materials
shall be submitted.
4.3 Shop Drawings. Shop drawings of the shielded enclosure with all details,
materials, and erection data shall be submitted for approval to the Contracting Officer.
Drawings shall indicate the materials, arrangements, thicknesses, sizes of parts, construction, fastenings, clearances, assembly and erection details, welding procedures,
and necessary interfaces to the work of other trades. Drawings shall have been approved
by a professional structural engineer and bear his seal.
NOTE: Approval by a structural engineer may be unnecessary if the A-E drawings
are very detailed and no deviations are made.
The contractor is permitted to make minor deviations from the drawings to improve
performance or producibility or to decrease cost. Such deviations shall be explicitly
identified in the shop drawing and are subject to approval by the Contracting Officer.
*Fill in as required.
A-5
193
Such approvals, however, do not relieve the contractor of his obligation to conform to
all performance specifications.
Upon completion of the project, shop drawings shall be updated to show "asbuilt" configurations, and they shall be resubmitted.
4.4 Welding. The steel sheets shall be assembled into an RF-tight shield by continuous welding of all seams, joints, and corners. The metal electrode inert gas (MIG)
process or other government-approved method shall be used. The surface shall be prepared by removing rust, scale, and other foreign materials, and completed welds shall
be free of slag, gas pockets, wormholes, cracks, or incomplete fusion.
Full penetration butt welds or lap welds shall be used, as shown in the drawings.
Where backing material is required, it shall overlap by at least 1 in. on both sides of the
weld location.
4.5 Welder Qualification.
Welders performing welding on the RF shield shall
be qualified in the specific procedures to be used in accordance with MIL-STD-248B,
Qualification Test for Welders. Qualification certificates for the welders shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer. Any welder producing an excessive number of unsatisfactory welds shall be retested and recertified or released.
4.6 In-Process Testing. The contractor's quality control plan shall include testing of 100% of all RF shield welds as described in paragraph 7.2. The plan shall address the procedures by which the contractor ensures that all welds are tested and that
all defective welds are repaired and retested.
4.7 Complete (Empty) Shield Performance Testing. The contractor shall conduct measurements of the shielding effectiveness provided by the RF shield immediately
after the shield has been completed, but before the concrete wear slab, interior finishes,
and duct work have been installed. The testing shall be performed in accordance with
procedures described in paragraph 7.3.
NOTE: This test requirement imposes some constraints on the entire construction
sequence. It is strongly recommended, however, for two reasons: 1) access for measurements is unrestricted at this time, and 2) deficiencies can be identified and repaired
while the shield is still completely exposed.
The government may wish to employ an independent test laboratory to perform the
complete shield and final acceptance tests.
4.8 Final Acceptance Testing. After completion of the RF shield, installation of

all penetrations, and installation and check out of all systems within the shield, the
contractor shall demonstrate compliance with the shielding effectiveness requirements
of (state requirements) using the procedures given in NSA 65-6 as described in paragraph 7.9. The warranty period shall commence on the successful completion of this
final shield acceptance test.
5.0 Penetrations
5.1 General. All penetrations of the RF shielded enclosure and penetrations of
the waveguide entryway (or vestibule) shield shall be protected in a manner which preserves the integrity of the shield.
194
Appendix A
All known penetrations are identified on the drawings in the shield penetration
schedule. No additional shielding penetrations shall be made without the approval of the
Contracting Officer.
5.2 Main Personnel Entryway. The main personnel access into the shielded facility shall be via a shielded vestibule as detailed in the project drawings. The shield
shall be constructed in accordance with Section 4 of these specifications. All penetrations of the vestibule shield shall be protected as specified elsewhere.
NOTE: Alternative personnel access methods are discussed in Chapter 7. Since
the entry doors are the most used and abused component of a shielding system, careful
consideration should be given to their selection.
5.3 RF Shield Doors. All RF shielded doors shall provide at least 10 dB in
excess of the enclosure shielding effectiveness requirements. Compliance with this requirement shall be demonstrated as required by paragraph 7.4.
Emergency exit/equipment access RF doors shall be alarmed to indicate an open
condition.
Welds between the door frame and the RF shield are primary shield welds and
shall be inspected as required in paragraph 7.2. Final acceptance testing of shielded
doors shall be included in the acceptance test of the RF shield.
Mechanical and hardware requirements on RF shield doors appear in Section* of
these specifications.
5.4 Ventilation Penetrations. All ventilation penetrations shall be protected
with honeycomb waveguide-beyond-cutoff panels with cutoff frequencies no less than
34 GHz. The frame of the honeycomb panel shall be welded into the RF shield with
continuous seam welds.
Maximum allowable pressure drops are as follows.
Inches of water:
0.015
FtJrnin:
400
(Multiply by area to obtain CFM.)
0.025
0.042
600
800
0.065
1000
0.30
2000
5.5 Piping Penetrations. All piping penetrations of the RF shield shall be circumferentially welded to the steel liner at the penetration. The penetration stub shall
have an unbroken length at least five times the inside diameter of the pipe, and it shall
form a waveguide-beyond-cutoff with a minimum cutoff frequency of 18 GHz.
5.6 Waveguide Penetrations. Waveguide penetrations for dielectric fibers or
hoses shall be implemented in the same manner as piping penetrations. No conductors
(wires, fiber cable strength members, conductive rubber, etc.) shall pass through the
waveguide opening.
5.7 Electrical Penetrations. All electrical wiring penetrations of the shield shall
be protected with filter/electrical surge arrester (ESA) assemblies.
The enclosure for the filter assembly shall be a two-compartment RF enclosure, as
shown in the drawings, designed and tested to demonstrate compliance with the shield*Fill in as required.
A-5
195
ing effectiveness requirements of this specification. Welded construction shall be used,

and bolted and RFI gasket shielded access covers shall be provided into each compartment which has a shielding requirement. Access covers into compartments without
shielding requirements shall be designed for easy removal.
The electromagnetic filters shall provide an insertion loss greater than or equal to
the requirements (state requirements). The contractor shall select and install all filters
and test as required by paragraph 7.6.2. The government reserves the right to perform
additional tests on filter assemblies as specified in paragraph 7.6.4.
(NOTE: There are two kinds of power filters, generally known as "X" and "W"
series, on the market. The "X' " series filters are designed to achieve rated insertion
loss under load when tested in accordance with MIL-STD-220A using extended range
buffer networks. "W" series device data sheets will not contain the phrase "tested
using extended range buffer networks," and may not satisfy the stated performance
under full load at frequencies below 100 kHz. "X" series filters can also be differentiated from "W" devices by the fact that they are usually two-three times greater in
weight.)
Consideration should be made of the requirements of UL1283 on electromagnetic
filters; see Chapter 8 for details.
Electrical surge arresters shall be installed on the "dirty side" of each filter on
HEMP facilities. The static breakdown voltage of surge arresters shall be between 150
and 200% of the maximum operating voltage on the associated circuit. Dynamic breakdown voltage shall not be less than 5000 V at a transient voltage ramp rate of 1 kVIns.
Extreme duty discharge current shall be at least 65 kA in circuits with a lightning
threat, 20 kA in other circuits, and 10 kA in control and communication circuits with
less than 28 V.
The conduit from the filter assembly to the RF shield shall be a rigid steel conduit,
circumferentially welded at all joints and at the penetrations into the RF enclosure and
RF shield. These circumferential welds are primary shield welds, and they shall be
inspected as required by paragraph 7.2.
6.0 Special Cases
This section is used to allow for special cases such as equipment located outside the
shield, but which must be attached to the shield and still maintain the enclosure's
shielding effectiveness. Appropriate performance specifications and quality assurance
provisions must be provided for each special case.
7.1 General. All testing required by this section of the specifications must be
documented with test procedures and test reports as required by paragraphs 3.5 and 3.6.
It is emphasized that certifications of specification compliance alone do not satisfy
these requirements.
The contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer at least two weeks prior to the
performance of these tests. The government reserves the right to witness all required
tests.
196
Appendix A
NOTE: It is strongly recommended that qualified government representatives witness in-factory, as well as on-site, tests.
7.2 In-Process Weld Testing. All seam, joint, and corner RF shield welds, door
frame and honeycomb panel frame welds to the primary shield, piping and conduit
welds, and other welds in the shielding and penetration protection subsystem shall be
tested for quality using one of the following methods.
Radiographic nondestruct ive test.

Magnetic particle nondestructive test.
Two-component dye penetrate test.
SELDS nondestructive test.
All tests shall be in accordance with a contractor-prepared, government-approved

test plan.
The contractor shall maintain appropriate records to ensure that all welds are
checked and to record results. All unsatisfactory welds shall be repaired and retested.
Records shall also provide identification of welders producing an excessive number of
unsatisfactory welds.
7.3 Complete (Shell) Shield Testing. Upon completion of the shield, but before
starting interior work, the contractor shall perform a preliminary shielding effectiveness
test of the shield. As a minimum, this test shall consist of SELDS or "sniffer" testing,
H-field loop antenna measurements, and plane-wave sweep tests.
7.3. / . The sniffer test conducted at approximately 100 kHz shall be conducted by
driving the entire shield in sections not larger than 500 ft2 Sections shall overlay
by at least 20%, and each section shall be driven from two perpendicular directions. All
welds shall be probed for leaks.
7.3.2. H-field loop antenna measurements shall be taken in accordance with NSA
65-6 or MIL-STD-285 procedures to supplement the sniffer test. Testing shall be
conducted at all penetrations. Door frames shall be tested at a minimum of ten (10)
points around each frame.
7.3.3. A complete plane-wave sweep test of the shield shall be performed at
1 GHz using the procedures defined in MIL-STD-285 or NSA 65-6.
7.4 In-Factory Shielding Effectiveness Tests of RF Doors. All RF shielded
doors with 120 dB shielding effectiveness requirements shall be tested by MIL-STD-285
procedures or in accordance with a contractor-prepared, government-approved test plan
to demonstrate compliance with requirements of paragraph 5.3. These tests shall be
completed after all mechanical tests have been completed.
7.5. In-Factory Tests of Honeycomb Waveguide Panels. At least one sample

of the honeycomb panel of each type of construction to be installed in the facility shall
be tested prior to installation to demonstrate compliance with shielding effectiveness
requirements. Testing shall be performed in accordance with MIL-STD-285 or procedures in a contractor-prepared, government-approved test plan.
A-S
197
7.6 Filter/Surge Arrester Assembly Testing

7.6.1. All RF filter enclosures shall be tested as described in paragraph 7.7.
7.6.2. One of each type of filter to be installed shall be tested in factory in accordance with the requirements of MIL-F-15733G and UL1823.
7.6.3. One of each type of surge arrester to be installed shall be tested in factory,
and all surge arresters shall be tested after installation to demonstrate satisfactory
operation under dynamic excitation conditions. Minimum acceptable drive levels
are as follows.
Peak Current (/): 500 A.
Rise time to 90% J (1): 1.2 us (max).
Fall time to 30% I (1): 6 x t or Ills, whichever is greater.
Testing shall be performed in accordance with a contractor-prepared, governmentapproved test plan.
7.7 Final Acceptance Testing. Upon completion of the construction of the

shielding and penetration protection subsystem and all interior and exterior work
with the potential to affect its performance, the contractor shall perform final acceptance testing to ensure compliance with the shielding effectiveness performance requirements (stated elsewhere) of this specification.
Testing shall be performed in accordance with MIL-STD-285 or NSA 65-6 using
the frequencies specified in NSA 65-6.
The test points shall be determined as follows.
The entire primary shield surface shall be divided into test areas approximately
8 x 8 ft, and a test point shall be chosen in the center of each area. The test
areas shall be shown in the detailed procedures for the final acceptance test.
Each penetration through the shield shall be a test point.
The RF doors and access panels shall be tested around the perimeter of the opening. RF doors shall have a minimum of ten (10) points.
Transmitting Antenna Deployment: Both horizontal and vertical polarization
shall be tested in the plane-wave region.
Test equipment used in this final acceptance test procedure shall have a dynamic
range at least 6 dB in excess of the shielding effectiveness requirement at the corresponding frequency.
8.0 Remedial Action

If any material, equipment, or installation in the shielding and penetration protection
subsystem fails to meet the specified performance requirements, the contractor shall
replace the defective components, repair the defective installation, and take any other
actions required to ensure acceptable performance at no additional cost to the government. Furthermore, any contractor-initiated changes to the facility shielding and penetration protection after final acceptance shall be retested without additional cost to the
government.
198
Appendix A
A-6 SPECIFICATIONS FOR ARCHITECTURAL

SHIELDING SYSTEMS
6.1 SPECIFICATIONS FOR ALUMINUM FOIL
SHIELDING SYSTEMS
1.0 General
This specification defines the requirements for a shielded enclosure that is constructed
on site and uses a heavy gauge aluminum foil for the barrier material. The enclosure is
designed to meet the requirements of NSA 73-2A.

2.1 NSA 73-2A: National Security Agency Specification for Foil RF Shielded Enclosures.
3.0 Materials
The following materials are to be used in the construction of the shielded enclosure.
The aluminum foil shall be a minimum of 0.0059 in. thick and meet the requirements of FED SPEC QQ-A-1876. The width shall be a minimum of 36 in.
The shielding tape shall be a minimum of 2 in. wide, be embossed, and meet the
following typical requirements.
Thickness: 0.0042 in.
Tensile Strength: 25 lb/in.
Adhesion to Steel: 35 oz/in.
Electrical Resistance Through Tape: 0.00 1 O/sq
Fungus: Inert
4.0 Installation
The foil is installed by applying a good grade of contact adhesive to the surface of the
space to be shielded and to the back of the shielding foil. The layout should be made
and the adhesi ve applied so that a 6 in. overlap occurs at all seams and the seam is
metal-to-metaJ (no adhesive between layers). The shielding tape is used to seal the
joints.
5.0 Doors
The doors for foil installations should be of the modified industrial door design as discussed in Chapter 7. The door frames must overlap the aluminum shielding material
completely around the perimeter of the door frame and then be taped.
6.0 Accessories
The various accessories must be mounted in plates and then taped into position on the
enclosure walls. Support for piping, waveguides, and filters must be provided external
to the shield. A variety of penetrations for foil shielded enclosures is discussed in Chapter 7.
.
Procurement Specification for Copper Foil Shielded Enclosures
Section 6.2
199

The enclosure shall meet the shielding effectiveness requirements of NSA 73-2A.

The completed enclosure should have a preliminary shielding effectiveness test at
1 GHz prior to completing the interior treatments. Upon the completion of the entire
facility, a full NSA 73-2A performance test shall be conducted. Special care should be
taken to see that the doors are thoroughly tested.
6.2 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR COPPER FOIL

SHIELDED ENCLOSURES
1.0 General
The shielded enclosure shall be constructed with 3 oz copper foil on a paper backing
with all seams solder seamed. The material will be applied to the existing paint-ready
drywall-constructed walls and ceiling and to the plywood-covered floor.

MIL-STD-285: Attenuation Measurements for Enclosures-Test Method.
NSA 73-2A: National Security Agency Specifications for Foil RF Shielded Enclosures.
3.0 Materials
The shielding material shall be a plastic lamination of 3 oz copper foil to high-strength
extensible kraft, tridirectionally reinforced with fiberglass scrim. The material shall
conform to the following specifications.
1. Beach Puncture-Exceed 135 units as defined in ASTM D-781 .

2. Tensile Strength-Exceed 200 lb/in. machine direction and 135 lb/in. crossmachine direction as measured by ASTM-828.
3. Bond Strength-The bond strength shall exceed 2 Ib/in. on an Instron or Scott-type

tensile tester.
4. Sheet Dimensions-60 in. wide x 120 ft long.
The solder-seal copper seaming tape shall consist of a layer of 2 oz electrodeposited copper bonded to a layer of 0.00075 in. solder. The application of heat from an
industrial iron on the copper side of the tape causes the solder to melt, thus forming a
permanent, electrically continuous bond between it and the two adjacent sheets of copper foil.
Specifications. The copper seaming tape shall meet the following requirements.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Copper Thickness-0.OO28 in.

Solder Thickness-O.OOO75 in. of 60/40 solder
Total Tape Thickness-0.0035 in.
Tensile Strength-70 lb/in.
5. Adhesion Strength-23 lb/in,
200
Appendix A
4.0 Installation
The foil is installed by applying a good grade of contact adhesive to the surfaces of the
space to be shielded and to the back of the shielding foil.
The material is supplied in rolls measuring 5 x 120 ft. Sheets are cut to conform
to the surface of the space to be enclosed. Corner units are made by forming 24 in.
wide material into 12 x 12 in. 900 bends. These can run the entire length of a wall.
Three-way corners are preformed. All of the material is applied to the room surfaces
with a waterbased vinyl wall covering adhesive. The copper sheets are to be butted at
the joints, with no overlap.
All seams are sealed with the solder-coated copper conductive tape 2 in. wide. The
tape must be applied to a clean surface. Surfaces to be taped shall be cleaned with a
solvent such as methylene chloride, MEK, or toluene. (Be sure to take proper precautions when handling these chemicals.) After cleaning, the surface is to be lightly sanded
to ensure a good bond between the tape and copper sheets. After surface preparation, a
noncorrosive flux is applied to the bond line. The tape should then be soldered in place
utilizing an industrial iron at a minimum temperature of 4500 F. The iron is held to the
tape until the solder is melted. The edges of the tape must be smooth and in complete
contact with the copper sheets. Any ridges in the edges of the tape must be soldered
utilizing a 50/50 solder.
5.0 Doors
A knife-edge door or similar high-performance shielded door should be selected from
Chapter 7. Care must be taken to see that the door frame is connected to the shielding
foil with a continuous metal-to-metal seal around the entire perimeter of the door.
6.0 Accessories
Filters, grounding studs, pipe penetrations, and vents should be selected from those
described in Chapter 7.

The shielding effectiveness of the shielded enclosure shall meet the following requirements.
Magnetic Field
10kHz
30 dB
200 kHz
50 dB
Electric Field
Plane Wave
10 kHz-50 MHz
100 dB
100 MHz-l GHz

100 dB
Microwave
100Hz
80 dB

The manufacturer/installer shall submit shop drawings showing the layout of the enclosure and its integral accessories for approval.
An experienced independent test laboratory shall conduct the shielding effectiveness testing in accordance with the provisions of MIL-STD-285 (modified). Preliminary
and final acceptance testing shall be performed.
Section 6.3
Specification for Copper Alloy Shielded Enclosures
201
6.3 SPECIFICATION FOR COPPER ALLOY

SHIELDED ENCLOSURES
1.0 General
This specification describes a single-shield copper alloy shielded enclosure that meets
the requirements of NSA 65-6. Standard RF doors and penetrations are used to provide
services to the enclosure.

NSA 65-6 National Security Agency Specification for RF Shielded Enclosures for Communications Equipment: General Specification.
3.0 Materials
The copper clad alloy shall consist of a layer of copper on either side of a minimum foil
thickness of 0.008 in. of a permalloy material commonly designated as alloy 49. The
overall thickness shall be a minimum of 0.010 in. The material shall be provided in
rolls 2 ft wide x 50 ft long or 100 Ib, whichever applies.
Preformed two-way and three-way corners shall be provided with a minimum leg
length of 2 in.
A 2 in. wide solder-plated tape shall be used. The solder shall melt when a 450 0 F
soldering iron is applied to the seaming tape.
4.0 Installation
The material is supplied in rolls. The preformed corners are installed using an
industrial-grade contact adhesive. The sheet material is cut to butt to the corner materials and edge-to-edge along the walls and across the floor and ceiling. It is recommended that the floor be installed first and then covered with plywood. Once the sheets
are adhered to the wall and ceiling, then the seams are sealed with the solder-plated
shielding tape. Any ridges in the tape must be sealed with solder.
5.0 Doors
High-performance doors consistent with NSA 65-6 performance shall be selected from
those described in Chapter 7.
6.0 Accessories
High-performance accessories shall be used in the construction of this shielding system;
these are described in Chapter 7.

The shielding effectiveness shall be in accordance with the performance requirements of
NSA 65-6.

A preliminary SE test shall be conducted prior to completing the interior finishes. All
doors, filters, and other penetrations shall be in place during the inspection.
202
Appendix A
The enclosure's final inspection shall be conducted by an experienced independent

test laboratory in accordance with the requirements of NSA 65-6.
6.4 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE

SANDWICH SEAM SHIELDING SYSTEM
1.0 General
The shielded enclosure shall be constructed using the sandwich seam construction
method. The enclosure shall meet the shielding effectiveness requirements of NSA 65-6
through 400 MHz.

NSA 65-6 National Security Agency Specification for RF Shielded Enclosures for Communications Equipment: General Specifications.
3.0 Materials
The galvanized sheet metal shall be in accordance with ASTM A-52?, G90. The seam
cover strips are to be 6 in. wide, the backing strip made from 26 gauge and the cover
strip from 24 gauge. The cover strip is prepunched with two rows of 3/16 in. diameter
holes 2.5 in. apart, staggered 1.25 in., at 2 in. on either side of the center line of
the strip.
The 3/4 in. plywood shall be an AID grade in accordance with the U.S. Plywood
Association standards.
The screws shall be hexhead drywall type, 5/8 in. long. They shall be cadmium
plated. A good grade of steel is recommended to minimize the risk of twisting the
heads off during installation.
4.0 Installation
The space to be shielded is enclosed using conventional metal or wooden studs. The
latter are recommended if the shield is to be electrically isolated from the parent building. The entire interior surface is covered with the 3,4 in. plywood. The seam pattern is
laid out on the plywood, and seams shall be located 12 in. from all corners, floor,
ceiling, and walls. The remainder of the seams are located on 48.25 in. centers across
all six surfaces of the space. The length of the panels is a function of the material used
and the convenience in handling. The corner material is installed using 90 0 bends with
12 in. legs. The three-way corners are shop fabricated and solder sealed. The backing
strips are installed using small nails or staples. Next, the shielding panels are installed.
These can be held in place by a few drywall screws if care is taken to ensure that a
metal-to-metal seal is obtained. The cover strips are then instaJled along with the shims
at the junctions of the cover strips. Torque guns are recommended, using a preset torque
consistent with the type of screws and materials used. It is essential that the screws be
pulled up as tightly as possible so that a compression seal is obtained at each screw.
5.0 Doors
Standard high-performance shield doors using the knife-edge design are recommended
for use with the sandwich seam shielding system.
Section 7.1
Procurement Specifications for ReM or Knife-Edge Shielded Door
203
6.0 Accessories
High-performance penetrations should be used with this form of shielding.

As construction progresses, all screws must be visually inspected to ensure that they are
properly installed. The heads must be pulled up tightly against the metal, spun out
screws must be replaced, and those that have lost their heads shall be patched over with
a lead cover and the screw relocated nearby. Multiple screws can be used if necessary to
hold the sheet metal flat should a wrinkle occur during the installation of the sheet.
Make sure that shims are installed in all joints of the cover strips. The shims shall be
the width of the seams and extend at least 3 in. on either side of the gap.
Upon completion of the enclosure, the shielding effectiveness of the installation
shall be measured in accordance with NSA 65-6 procedures. It is recommended that a
preliminary inspection be performed prior to the installation of interior treatments, especially at penetration points such as piping, vents, and doors.
A-7 SHIELDED PENETRATIONS

7.1 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR RCM OR
KNIFE-EDGE SHIELDED DOOR
1.0 General
The RF shielded door shall be of the recessed contact mechanism (ReM) type, and
shall be supplied complete with a metal frame, mounting hardware, latching mechanism, and knife-edge RF seal with beryllium copper fingerstock.

NSA 65-6: National Security Agency Specification.
3.0 Materials
Fingerstock: The shielded door shall be supplied with a double row of RF fingerstock gaskets installed around the periphery of the frame in a recessed pocket. The
fingerstock shall be secured in the frame without the use of special tools and without
the application of solders.
Latching Mechanism: The shielded door shall be supplied with a suitable two- or
three-point latching mechanism that provides proper force to engage the RF seal. The
latching system shall be of the rack and pinion design, and supplied with a suitable
safety handle so that during operations, the handle will not mechanically interfere with
the door frame when the shielded door is opened or closed. The latching mechanism
shall operate with a maximum 20 lb pull or push from the inside or outside of the door,
and be capable of a minimum of 10 000 cycles without physical degradation.
Hinges: All doors shall be provided with a minimum of three hinges of the bearing type with a vertical adjustment. The door leaf shall be capable of being lifted off
the hinges. The door hinges must be capable of 10 000 operations without physical
degradation.
204
Appendix A
Door Panel: The door shall be a minimum of 4 in. thick, laminated with 24
gauge galvanized steel. A suitable knife-edge treatment shall be provided on the perimeter of the door leaf.
Door Frame: The door frame shall be of one-piece construction, with a minimum
clear opening of 36 x 84 in. unless specified otherwise. A suitable pocket housing the
fingerstock shall be provided in the frame.
Mounting Hardware: A set of mounting hardware shall be provided for clamping
the door frame into the rough opening of the shielded enclosure. This shall be of the hat
and flat geometry unless specified otherwise.
4.0 Installation
The door shall be installed by an experienced installer who has a minimum of three
years' experience in RF shielding using the installation hardware supplied by the manufacturer of the door.

The RF door performance shall be a minimum of 10 dB higher than the enclosure requirement. This shall be demonstrated in a factory test prior to shipment. A minimum
of ten test points shall be taken around the perimeter of the door at 100 kHz H field,
1 and 10 GHz plane wave using the test procedures specified in NSA 65-6.
7.2 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR DOUBLY

ISOLATED SHIELDED DOOR ASSEMBLY
1.0 Scope
The door shall be side hinged, swinging, with electrically isolated solid metal shields
on wood frames. The door shall be hung from three chrome-plated Delrin bearing
hinges, each to be fastened with nine # 12 x 2 in. long wood screws to framing to
provide sag-free mounting. The door opening shall be 36 x 84 in. (unless otherwise
specified) and equipped with an inside 28 in. panic-type bar handle.

NSA 65-6.
3.0 Materials
Jambs: The jambs shall consist of dressed, kiln-dried, 13,4 in. thick wood frames
covered with 24 gauge galvanized steel on the interior and exterior, and shall be electrically isolated from each other.
Fingerstock: Two rows of heavy-duty alloy 510 Grade A spring temper bronze
contact finger strips, in accordance with ASTM 8103, shall be mounted around the
periphery of the door, with their respective planes mutually perpendicular to provide
leak-free contact with interior and exterior enclosure shields and maintaining electrical
isolation between interior and exterior shields.
Section 7.3
Procurement Specifications for Moderate-Performance Shielded Doors
205
Latching System: The latching system shall be accomplished by a three-point cam

pressure contact system, operable from the interior and exterior of the room. The latch
shall be provided with a gravity-spring interlock to prevent the latching mechanism
contact from striking the jamb as the door is being opened or closed. Interior and exterior handles shall be electrically isolated from each other.
4.0 Installation
The door shall come preassembled, and shall be installed by an experienced installer,
one who has a minimum of three years' experience in RF shielding.

Reliability Test: The door design shall be capable of mechanically enduring 2500
operating cycles without loss of shielding performance. The door design shall also be
tested for a horizontal position loading of 40 Ibf/ft2 for a period of 10 min, and a 90 0
open position sag test of 120 Ib placed within 5 in. of the outer edge of the door for a
period of 10 min, without any significant mechanical or RF shielding performance degradation.
Shielding Effectiveness: The door shall be factory tested to meet the requirements of NSA 65-6, with a minimum of 120 dB electric and plane-wave shielding effectiveness.
7.3 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR

MODERATE-PERFORMANCE SHIELDED DOORS
1.0 General
The shielded door shall consist of an electrogalvanized door and frame delivered as one
assembly.

The publications listed below form a part of this specification to the extent referenced.
2.1 Military Standards MIL-STD-285.

2.2 ASTM Publications
A591-77(R83):
Steel Sheet, Cold-Rolled, Electrolytic Zinc-Coated.
2.3 ANSI/SDI Publications

100-85:
A151.1-80:
Recommended Specifications-Standard Steel Doors and Frames.

Test Procedure and Acceptance Criteria for Physical Endurance for
Steel Doors and Hardware Reinforcing.
2.4 National Security Agency

NSA 73-2A:
Specifications for Foil RF Shielded Enclosures.
206
Appendix A
3.0 Materials
Custom Hollow Metal Doors: Provide custom hollow metal doors where nonstandard steel doors are indicated. Door size(s), design, materials, construction, and
finish shall be as specified. Steel sheet shall be a minimum of 16 gauge.
Door Construction: Doors, frames, and gasket retainers shall be formed from
electrogalvanized steel sheets conforming to ASTM A-591. Work shall be assembled
using all welded construction conforming to pertinent requirements of AWS D1-1.
Frame corners shall be mitered and welded. Both doors and frames shall be supplied
with all necessary internal hardware reinforcements. Frames shall be supplied with adjustable anchors for built-in expansion shields for bolt-in installation. When bolt-in construction is specified, frame shall be provided with prepunched and dimpled mounting
holes.
Door RF Gasketing System: Each door frame shall be equipped at the head and
jambs with EMI gaskets. The gasket shall be installed in a retainer that allows the
gasket to be adjusted to attain maximum shielding effectiveness. The bottom of the door
shall be equipped with a Monel knitted wire EMI gasket in a retainer that permits
adjustment. A continuous strip of shielding tape (tin-copper) shall be bonded to the
inside perimeter face of door at the sides and top where EMI gaskets make contact. The
RFI door bottom gasket shall seal against a bronze low-profile threshold.
4.0 Installation
years' experience in RF shielding using the installation hardware supplied by the manufacturer of the door.
The door and frame shall be finished in accordance with ANSI/SOl 100. The final
finish shall be two coats of low-gloss enamel in accordance with the color plan for the
installation.
of ten test points shall be taken around the perimeter of the door using the procedures
outlined in NSA 73-2A.
7.4 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR
ELECTROMAGNET LATCHED RF SHIELDED DOORS

1.0 General
The RF shielded door shall be of the electromagnet latched type and shall be factory
assembled and individually tested for compliance to the contract requirements. Door
units shall be complete consisting of door leaf, door frame, finish hardware, electrical
contact strips, and electronic control circuitry. Doors shall be self-closing and selflatching without human or mechanical assistance, and shall be rated for a minimum of
500,000 cycles without loss of attenuation and without need for major adjustments.
2.0 SPECIFICATIONS
NSA 65-6.
Section 7.5
Procurement Specification for Doubly Isolated Shielded Door Assembly
207
3.0 MATERIAL
The door frame shall be welded cold-rolled steel, a minimum of 12 gauge and shall be
plated after fabrication. The periphery of the door opening shall be free of protrusions
made by latches, locks, or other devices. The inner perimeter of the frame shall be
continuously bonded with an electromagnetic coil situated in an RF-shielded pocket.
Electrical contact between the door frame and door leaf shall be accomplished by magnetic attraction of the door leaf to the contact strips of the coil pocket. No solder,
fingerstock gasket, or other fragile components shall be employed in the construction of
the frame.
The door leaf shall be fabricated using a solid piece of steel, a minimum of 18gauge thickness, bonded to a supporting structure, to a finished leaf thickness of approximately 11/ 4 in. The door leaf shall be sized to overlap the electrical contact strips
when the door is in the closed position. The door leaf shall be constructed in a manner
which allows mounting of the opening devices, hinges, and other items without
through-bolting or other penetrations which might limit the shielding effectiveness of
the door leaf.
The hinges shall be heavy-duty load-bearing allowing the door leaf to engage the
electrical contact strips in a flush manner, with minimum rubbing or chafing of the
contact surfaces. A minimum of three hinges shall be provided for 3 x 7 ft/doors or
otherwise specified in the contract.
The door shall be provided with an exterior opening device utilizing a pull-type
handle mechanism designed to comply with all requirements of the uniform building
code. The exterior opening device shall incorporate in its design an electrical switch
which shall cause the electromagnet to de-energize whenever the opening device is activated.
A set-up mounting hardware shall be provided for installing the door within the
shielded enclosure, if for a welded enclosure then a suitable sheet metal interface shall
be provided compatible with the installation.
4.0 INSTALLATION
years experience in RF shielding using the installation hardware supplied by the manufacturer.

of 10 test points around the perimeter of the door shall be tested at 100kHz magnetic,
I GHz and 10 GHz plane wave using the procedures specified in NSA 65-6.
7.5 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION FOR DOUBLY

ISOLATED SHIELDED DOOR ASSEMBLY
1.0 Scope
The door shall be side hinged, swinging with electrically isolated solid metal shields on
wood frames. Door shall be hung from three chrome-plated Delrin bearing hinges and
208
Appendix A
each to be fastened with nine # 12 x 2 in. long wood screws to framing to provide
sag-free mounting. Door opening shall be 36 x 84 in. (unless specified otherwise) and
equipped with an inside 28-in. panic-type bar handle.

NSA 65-6
3.0 Materials
Jambs: The jambs shall consist of dressed, kiln dried, 1~ inch thick wood
frames covered with 24-gauge galvanized steel on interior and exterior and be electrically isolated from each other.
Fingerstock: Two rows of heavy duty alloy 510 grade A spring temper bronze
contact finger strips, in accordance with ASTM B103, shall be mounted around the
periphery of the door with their respective planes mutually perpendicular to provide
leak-free contact with interior and exterior enclosure shields and maintaining electrical
isolation between interior and exterior shields.
Latching System: The latching system shall be accomplished by a three-point cam
pressure contact system, operable from the interior and exterior of room. The latch shall
be provided with gravity-spring interlock to prevent latching mechanism contact from
striking the jamb as the door is being opened or closed. Interior and exterior handles
shall be electrically isolated from each other.
4.0 Installation
The door shall come preassembled and be installed by an experienced installer, one who
has a minimum of three years experience in RF shielding.

Reliability Test: Door design shall be capable of mechanically enduring 25,000
operating cycles without loss of shielding performance. The door design shall also be
tested for a horizontal position loading of 40 Ibf/ft2 for a period of 10 min, and a 90
open position sag test of 120 Ib placed within 5 in. of the outer edge of the door for a
period of 10 min, without any significant mechanical or RF shielding performance degradation.
Shielding Effectiveness: The door shall be factory tested to meet the requirements
of NSA 65-6 with a minimum of 120 dB electric and plane-wave shielding effectiveness.
7.6 PROCUREMENT SPECIFICATION

FOR SHIELDED VENTS
1.0 Scope
Air conditioning and heating ducts shall be installed through the walls and ceiling of the
shielded enclosure with specially constructed vents using steel or brass honeycomb material a minimum of 1 in. thick.
Section 8.1
Specification for RF Power Line Filters
209

NSA 65-6.
3.0 Materials
Frames: The frames shall be a minimum of 2.5 in. wide, made of zinc-plated
steel, I/S in. thick. The hole pattern for the clamping hardware shall have a maximum
spacing of 2 in. Heavy-duty V4-20 hardware shall be used to assemble the clamping
structure.
Honeycomb: The honeycomb structure shall consist of 1010 steel ribbon formed
into hexagonal cells and then solder plated. The material shall be a minimum of
1 in. thick.
Mounting: The honeycomb shall be mounted in a frame so that a good metalto-metal seal is obtained around the perimeter of the honeycomb structure. This may
take the form of aframe soldered to the honeycomb or the clamping structure shall be
designed to provide a good seal.
4.0 Installation
The honeycomb vent shall be installed by an RF shielding contractor with a minimum
of three years' experience.

All vents installed in the shielded enclosure shall be individually tested in accordance
with the applicable testing requirements. The vent shall be visually inspected to ensure
that proper installation provisions have been provided for attachment of the HVAC
ductwork.
A-8 SAMPLE PROCUREMENT

SPECIFICATIONS FOR RF FILTERS
8.1 SPECIFICATION FOR RF POWER LINE FILTERS
1.0 Scope
The filters specified in this section shall be supplied by the shielded enclosure manufacturer and mounted under the supervision of the shielded enclosure installer.

The publications listed below form a part of this specification to the extent referenced.
The publications are referred to in the text by the basic designation only.
2.1 Military Specifications (MIL-SPEC)

MIL-F-15733G:
Filter, Radio Interference, General Specification for.
210
Appendix A
2.2 Military Standard (MIL-STD)

MIL-STD-202F:
MIL-STD-220A:
Test Methods for Electronic and Electrical Component Parts.

Method of Insertion-Loss Measurements.
2.3 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Publication

70-19XX:
National Electrical Code.
2.4 Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. (UL) Publications

486A-1980:
1283-1984:
Wire Connectors and Soldering Lugs for Use with Copper Conductors.
Electromagnetic Interference Filters.
3.0 Materials
Radio Frequency Filters: Provide the filter units specified on the facility drawings. The units shall be designed to reduce conducted RF energy in the electrical power
line according to MIL-F-15733 and UL 1283 for facility-type power line filters. Insertion loss between the load side of the filter and the power supply side shall be not less
than 100 dB from 14 kHz to 10 GHz.
Filter Units: Each filter unit (insert) shall be capable of being mounted individually such that a replacement is readily possible, and it shall include one filter for each
phase conductor of the power line and neutral conductor.
Enclosure: Filter units shall be provided in an RF modified NEMA Type 1 enclosure made of steel of not less than 14 gauge with welded seams. The enclosure
shall be hot tin dipped after fabrication and welding.
Internal configuration: The load terminal compartment shall be separated from
the power input compartment by a solid steel barrier plate of the same gauge as the
filter unit enclosure, extending across the entire width of the enclosure. The power
input compartment shall house the individual power line filters and the power input
terminal of the filters.
Individual filter mounting: The load terminal end of the individual filter cases
shall be attached to the RF barrier between the' two compartments. An RF-tight
seal shall be provided between the filter case and the barrier. The load terminals of
the filters shall project into the load terminal compartment. The case of each filter
shall be attached to the enclosure to prevent stress being applied to the RF seal
between the filter case and the RF barrier plate.
Neutral connection: When the neutral conductor is not filtered, it shall be routed
through the enclosure and connected to a stud welded to each side of the RF barrier plate so that the neutral is electrically connected to the filter unit enclosure.
Conduit connections to enclosures: The load terminal and power input compartments shall have no knockouts, and each compartment shall have one threaded
conduct hub. The hubs shall be seam welded in place, and shall be sized and
located as required for the conduits per the purchase order.
Access openings and cover plates: Access shall be from the front of the enclosure.
The access opening for the load terminal compartment shall provide clear access to
Section 8.1
Specification for RF Power Line Filters
211
the filter load terminals and the standoff insulator terminals or insulated terminal
blocks specified herein. The power input compartment opening shall provide clear
access to the filter power input terminals and the standoff insulator terminals or
insulated terminal blocks specified herein. It shall also allow easy removal of the
individual filters from the enclosure. Provide two access cover plates. One plate
shall cover the access opening to the load terminal compartment only, and when
secured in place, shall provide an RF-tight seal with the compartment it covers.
The second access cover plate may abut or overlap the cover plate for the load
terminal compartment and shall cover the power input compartment. An RF gasket
shall be provided for the load terminal compartment. The cover plates shall be
secured with bolts having a maximum spacing of 3 in. Access cover plates shall be
made of steel not less than 14 gauge, and the finish shall be the same as specified
for the enclosure. Plates shall be attached so they may be easily removed and replaced.
RF attenuation requirements for load terminal compartment: The load terminal
compartment shall provide an attenuation of not less than 100 dB to radiated RF
energy from 14 kHz to 10 GHz, with the individual power line filters mounted and
the access cover plate attached.
Filter Connections: Individual filters within a unit shall be equipped with insulated terminals, and shall incorporate suitably sized flexible leads from the insulated
filter terminal to standoff insulator terminals or insulated terminal blocks. The standoff
insulator terminals or insulated terminal blocks shall be mounted in the terminal compartments. Solderless lugs shall be provided for connecting the phase and neutral wires
to the filter units. The lugs shall be of the hex head bolt or screw type and shall conform to UL 486A. Live parts shall be spaced in accordance with NFPA 70. Filter leads
shall be copper.
Individual Filters
Filter construction: Individual filters shall be sealed in a steel case. After the
filter is filled with an impregnating or encapsulating compound, the seams shall be
welded. When a solid potting compound is used to fill the filter, the filters may be
mechanically secured and sealed with solder. Hermetically sealed impregnated capacitors shall be used, or the complete filter assembly shall be vacuum impregnated. Individual filter cases shall be fabricated from not less than 16 gauge steel
and finished with a corrosion-resistant plating.
Impregnating or potting compound: The filter shall be filled with an impregnating or potting compound meeting the requirements of MIL-F-15733 and having a
flash point for operating range B as defined in Table VIII of MIL-F-15733.
Overload requirements: Provide as specified in MIL-F-15733.
Current rating: Provide filters to ratings specified in the shielded enclosure requirements.
Passband: The passband shall be suitable for use with the 60 Hz power source.
Total harmonics generated by the insertion of a power line filter shall not increase
the line voltage distortion more than 2.5% with a unity power factor load.
Voltage rating: As required for the circuits specified. de (resistive) voltage drop
through the filter shall not exceed 0.5 V when the filter is operating at rated cur-
212
Appendix A
rent. The 60 Hz ac voltage within the resistive load variations from + 10 to 100%
rated load shall vary not more than +1- 1% of the rated line voltage at a unity
power factor.
Drainage of stored charge: provide filters with bleeder resistors to drain the
stored charge from the capacitors when power is shut off. Drainage of stored
charge shall be in accordance with NFPA 70.
Temperature rise: Temperature rise shall not exceed 25 C when operating at full
rated load in a free-space environment equivalent to that specified in MIL-F-15733
with an ambient temperature of 65 C. When filters are mounted in an enclosure as
specified herein, the temperature rise of the hottest filter shall not exceed 40 C at
full load when operating in an ambient of 65 C. All components of the filter shall
be suitable for continuous full-load operation at a temperature of 125 C without
derating.
Dielectric withstand voltage: Provide filters which, as a minimum, conform to
the value of dielectric withstand voltage of UL 1283.
Marking of Filter Units: Provide manufacturer's nameplate of each filter unit,
stating its rated current, rated voltage, operating frequency, number of phases for which
it is designed, manufacturer's name, total filter unit weight, and model number. The
nameplate shall be mounted on the filter unit to be visible after installation without
removing the cover plates or disturbing the interior parts or wiring. Each individual
filter case shall be marked with the rated current, rated voltage, manufacturer's name,
type of impregnating or potting compound, operating frequency, and model number. In
addition, individual filter cases and the filter enclosures shall be durably marked by the
manufacturer with the following: "WARNING: Before working on filters, terminals
must be temporarily grounded to ensure discharge of capacitors." Nameplates and
warning labels shall be attached with epoxy, rivets, or sheet metal screws.
A-9 SAMPLE TEST SPECIFICATION

1.0 Scope
The shielded enclosure shall be tested in accordance with NSA 65-6, except as clarified
herein.

NSA 65-6.
3.0 Test Equipment

The external attenuator shall be capable of covering the range of the tests plus 10 dB.
The dynamic range of the instrumentation shall exceed the test requirement by 6 dB.
4.0 Preliminary Tests

A seam leak test (SELS) of the enclosure shall be conducted on every seam in the
shield, and the signal level on the receiver shall not exceed a predetermined level based
Section 8.1
Specification for RF Power Line filters
213
upon the final shield effectiveness requirements. For example, a welded enclosure
should not exhibit any discernible reading on the most sensitive scale. A 100 dB clamp
up should not have any reading exceeding midrange on the most sensitive scale, etc.
A preliminary test of the enclosure shall be performed after the entire shield has
been installed, including all power line filters, air vents, doors, and other penetrations
of the shield. The testing shall be conducted prior to the installation of any interior
walls and finishes. The tests shall be conducted at 150 KHz magnetic and I GHz plane
wave as a minimum. Any deficiencies in the shield will be brought to the attention of
the general contractor at this time. Corrective measures shall be taken and the area
retested to verify compliance. The following test points are where the measurements
shall be performed for both the preliminary and final acceptance tests. All pipe penetrations, filter penetrations, and waveguide vents must be tested. The shielded doors
shall be tested at a minimum of six points around the perimeter of the frame. The walls
shall be tested at 10ft intervals at seam locations for the magnetic and electric fields
and 20 ft for the plane wave.
5.0 Final Acceptance Testing

The final acceptance test will be performed upon the completion of all construction
work within and on the shield. The same test points as measured during the preliminary
test shall be repeated. All specified test frequencies and field types shall be tested.
These measurements will verify and document the shielded enclosure's compliance with
NSA 65-6. The final acceptance test shall be conducted by an independent testing
agency equipped and skilled at performing NSA 65-6 and MIL-STD-285 shield effectiveness testing.
6.0 Final Report
A final report shall be prepared and submitted within ten days of completing the test.
All test data sheets shall be included as an appendix to the report. The data shall be
summarized in a table showing the worst case data point at each frequency for each
field type. A statement certifying that the test was conducted in accordance with NSA
65-6 shall be included.
APPENDIXB
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO INTERFERENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERS'

MASTER (ITEM), A SOURCE DIRECTORY FOR RF SHIELDING ENCLOSURE
MANUFACTURERS AND INSTALLERS, PUBLISHED ANNUALLY BY R&B ENTERPRISES, DIVISION OF ROBAR INDUSTRIES, INC. 20 CLIPPER ROAD,
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA 19428-2721, (215) 825-1960.
This publication appears annually as a directory and design guide for the control of
EMI and other electromagnetic effects. A series of design articles is provided, divided
into approximately ten sections. A products and services section is also provided, as
well as a directory of suppliers. Most of the prominent shielding manufacturers and
installers advertise in this annual publication.
215
APPENDIXC
Selected
Bibliography
For those readers who need additional details on a given subject, the following
references may be of assistance.
R. Aronson, "RFI/EMC shielded construction systems, methods and evaluation,"
ITEM, 1980.
S. Austin, "Shielding options for penetrations," ITEM, 1987.
H. Bloks, "NEMP/EMI shielding," EMC Technol., vol. 5, no. 6, Nov.-Dec.
1988.
1. J. Crenca, "Basic design parameters of acoustically treated shielded enclosures," ITEM 1990.
G. P Condon, "Shielded enclosures leak detection: A simplified method," ITEM,
1989.
W. E. Curran, "New techniques in shielding," ITEM, 1984.
- - , "Shielding for HEMP/TEMPEST requirements," ITEM, 1988.
H. W. Denny, "Grounding for the control of EMI," Don White Consultants, 1983.
- - , "Grounding in the design of buildings and facilities for safety protection,"
EMC Technol., vol. 2, no. 1, Jan.-Mar. 1983.
M. L. Eaton, "Shielding: An introduction," ITEM, 1989.
M. Farsi, "EMIJRFI shielding: Theory and technique," ITEM, 1988.
1. Fuller, "Maintenance-free shielded personnel access device," EMC Technol.,
vol. 7, no. 8, Nov.-Dec. 1988.
1. A. Graham, "A new approach to architectual shielding," ITEM, 1990.
- - , "RF shielding: Cost comparisons and tradeoffs," ITEM, 1987.
V. W. Groh, "Shielded enclosure leak detection testing," EMC Technol., vol. 7,
no. 5, July-Aug. 1988.
F. L. Helene, 4' Architectural shielding: Introduction and applications," ITEM,
1990.
- - , "Architectural shielding," a short course, R&B Enterprises, 1989.
217
218
Appendix C
"Satisfying NSA 65-6 shielding requirements without shielded doors,"

ITEM, 1989.
L. H. Hemming, "Anechoic materials for conducting EMC tests in shielded

rooms," ITEM, 1982.
S. C. Jewell, "Aluminum foil RF shielding systems," ITEM, 1988.
B. Keiser, Principles of Electromagnetic Compatibility. Dedham, MA: Artech
House, 1987.
M. 1. Lahita, "RF shielding concepts and testing: An introduction," ITEM, 1990.
1. Lindenberger, "Facility systems selection for secure shielded environments,"
ITEM, 1987.
E. A. Lindgren, "How meaningful are comparative tests on R.F. enclosures","
ITEM, 1980.
1. M. Magnusson, "EMI/RFI shielding, a designer's guide to foil tapes," ITEM,
1982.
N. 1. Quesnel, "Architectural shielding keeps pace with changing times," EMC
Technol., Jan.-Feb. 1990.
B. D. Salati and C. 1. Chapman, "Maintenance of aged modular shielded enclosures" ITEM, 1988.
B. D. Salati, "Maintenance of shielded enclosures: Maintaining the configuration
of a single point grounding system," ITEM, 1989.
1. G. Sketue, "Aperture shielding effectiveness," ITEM, 1988.
C. S. Snow, "Grounding of RF shielded enclosures," ITEM, 1982.
- - , "In progress testing of shielded welded systems," ITEM, 1984.
- - , "RF-shielding tape," ITEM, 1987.
G. Trenkler and R. Delagi, "The application of clad metals for EMI room shielding," ITEM, 1988.
1. R. Wamsley, "Facility grounding and bonding: How does it work?," EMC Technol., vol. 8, no. 6, Sept. -Oct. 1989.
D. Weber, "Large shielded anechoic facilities," ITEM, 1980.
1. Weinstein, "An enclosure system that will provide both RF and acoustical attenuation," ITEM, 1987.
D. R. J. White, "Shield design, methodology and procedures," Don White Consultants, 1986.
- - , "Electrical filters, synthesis, design and applications," Don White Consultants, 1980.
- .- , "Electromagnetic shielding materials and performance," Don White Consultants, 1975.
- - , "Electromagnetic interference and compatibility, vol. 3," Don White Consultants, 1973.
D. M. Whiteside, "RF shielding projects: the facilities and procurement manager's
viewpoint," ITEM, 1987.
R. Willich, "Considerations for the integrated design and construction of secure
shielded facilities," ITEM, 1984.
INDEX
A
Absorber. definition, 3
Absorber lined tunnel entrance, 113
Absorption, 16, 18
loss, definition, 3
Acoustic ceiling, 70
Aluminum foil shielding, 76
Ambient level, definition, 3
Anechoic chamber, 10
Antenna:
definition, 3
configurations, lSI
effect, 14, 76, 97, 150, 155
Aperture, definition, 3
ASTM E84-8IA, 172
ASTM E90-83, 171
ASTM E413-73, 171
Attenuation, definition, 3
Automatic RF doors, 115
B
Basic ReM door geometry, 104
Bolt together shielding systern, 47
Black designation,
definition, 179
Bond, definition, 3
Bonding, definition, 3
Butt weld, 58~ 60. 61
c
Ceiling hangers, 71
Ceiling span, 173
Chemical grounds, 165
Classified data processing, 9
Common testing problems, 155
Communication filters. 140
Compression seal, 107
Conducted emission, 8
Conducted interference:
definition, 3, 131
descri bed, 8
Conductive coating. copper
paint, 93
Conductivity, 18
Control line filter, 141
Copper:
alloy shielding, 81
performance, 81
foil shielding, 79
screen shielding, 79
Corner seams, welded, 64
Corrosion, control, 70
Counterpoise, see Ground;
systems
Coupling:
capacinve, 13
definition, 3
far field, 13
free-space, definition, 3
inductive, 13
near field, 13
radiated, 14
Current rating, 134, 135, 137
Cut-off frequency:
definition, 3, 17
equation, 17
D
Data-line filters, 141
Definitions, 3-5, 179
Degradation:
definition, 4
examples, 21
Doors, 100
Double-isolated shield systern, 41
Double knife-edge door, 104
Duo-shield filters, 137
Dye penetrant testing, 159
E
Earth electrode system, definition,4
219
220
Earth electrode system test, 165
Earth ground:
direct method, 165
two terminal method, 165
three terminal method, 165
See also Earth electrode system test
Earth resistivity measurement, 166
Electric field:
coupling, 14
definition, 4
measurements, 150
strength, 163
Electromagnet RF door, III
Electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC), definition, 4
Electromagnetic interference
(EMI), 8
definition, 4
Electromagnetic pulse (EMP), 9
definition, 4
description, 9
Electronic surge arresters
(ESA), 175
EMI, see Electromagnetic in-
terference, definition
Emission, 9
EM~ energy versus frequency
spectrum, 9
Enclosure isolation, 163
Enclosure stability, 40
Equipment shielding, 10
Expansion joints, welded, 66
F
Facility:
definition, 4
shielding, 10
Factor B, 16, 18
FaJl-of-potential method, 167
Far field:
definition, 4
region, 4
Fault:
definition, 4
protection, 161
Federal specifications, 179-213
Fiber optics, 124
Field strength, definition, 4
Filter:
Index
definition, 4
characteristics, 133
communications, 139
configurations, 132
control line, 141
current rating, 134
data, 140
frequencycharacteristics, 134
models, 137
power line, 137
specifications, 135
telephone, 139
theory, 131
transient suppression, 175
voltage rating, 134
Fingerstock gasket, 104
Fire protection:
pipe penetration, 120
systems, 127
Flame spraying, 30
Floor loading, 38
Fluorescent lamp, 8
Foil, pressure-sensitive, 32
Foil, waveguide beyond cutoff. 32
Fraunhofer region, see Far field
Frequency characteristic, see
Filter
G
Galvanized steel enclosure, 36
Gasket, 101
Green wire, 162
Ground:
definition, 4
facility, 163
chemical, 165
multipoint, 164
plane, 161
resistance measurement, 165
rod, 164
single point, 165
systems, 164
vertical rod,
Grounding:
design guidelines, 164
principles, 161
H
Handicap access, 101
Hats and flats, 36

HEMP, 9, 175
Honeycomb, 18
vent, 116
Hoses, 124
I
IEEE 299, 146
Inductive coupling, see Coupling
Inhomogeneous interface, 16
Insertion loss, see Filter
INSTAR shielding system, 90
Insulated pipe design, 122
Interior,
columns, 65
partitions, 96
wall treatment, 96
Internal reflections, 18
Installation, shield, 51
K
Knife-edge door, 103
L
Lap welding, 60
Leakage:
effects, 20
sources, 20
Lightening effects, 13
Lindsay shielding system, 46
Low frequency magnetic
shielding effectiveness, 73
Low performance door, III
M
Magnetic field:
coupling, 13
definition, 4
measurements, 151
Magnetic particle testing, 158
Magnetic permeability, 3
Magnetic shielding of NMI
systems, 45
Metal-oxide varistor
(MOV), 197
Metal-to-metal seals, 10I
Metalized fabrics, 92, 93
221
Index
Military specifications:
MIL-E-4957A, 180
MIL-E-8881, 180
MIL-E-18639A, 180
MIL-F-15733, 135
MIL-HDBK-232, 2
MIL-HDBK-419A,2
Military standards:
MIL-STD-220A, 171
MIL-STD-248B, 175
MIL-STD-285,52
test requirements, 144

Modular pipe penetration,
121-22
Modular shielding, 35
advantages of, 47
assembly requirements, 51
critical considerations of. 51
disadvantages of, 47
effects of water on, 51
moisture effects, 38
Moisture problems, 38
MRI enclosures, 44
Multiple refections, 16
Multipoint ground, definition,4
N
National Electrical Code
(NEC):
definition, 5
referenced, 165
Nearfield, definition, 5
Neutral, definition, 5
NMR enclosures, 44-46
NSA 65-6, 145
specifications, 147
test, 148
Pipe design, 118
Piping:
architectural enclosure, 121
modular enclosure, 121
welded enclosure, 120
Plane wave:
definition, 5
measurements, 155
Pneumatic RF door, 108
Power line filters, 137
Purpose of handbook, I
R
Rack and pinion, 101
Radiation, definition, 5
Radiation resistance, definition,5
Radiated emission, see Radiated interference
Radiated interference, 8, 13
Radio frequency interference
(RFI), definition, 5
Recessed contact mechanism
(RCM), 103
Reflection, 16
ReM seal, 103
Red/black concept, definition, 179
Red designation, definition, 179
Reflection loss, definition, 5
RF doors, large, 115
RF door seal requirements, 100
RF-tight, definition, 5
NSA 73-2A, 1, 145-46
Safety ground, 161

Sample specifications, 179-213
Sandwich seam shielding systern, 83
typical performance, 86
Screen room, 43, 91
Seam leak testing
(SELDS), 156
Seams:
clamped, 25
taped, 30
sandwich seam, 30
single-shield, 30
Paint:
conductive, 93
metal filled, 71, 93
Pan weld, 57, 58
Penetration:
control of, 99
definition, 5
design criteria, 99
types, 100
Perfomance:
degradation, 20
welded, 25
SE measurements, accuracy
of, 154
Shield, definition, 5
Shielded enclosure, 35
definition, 5
most common form, 35
performance, 35, 147
Shielded windows, 126
Shielding:
barrier, 13
door, 100
electric, 13
honeycomb, 116
magnetic, 13, 18
microwave, 150
nonwoven material, 92
panels, 36
performance specifications, 144
plane wave, 20
specialist, 176
theory, 13
volume, 55
woven material, 93
Shielding effectiveness (SE):
absorption, 18
aluminum foil, 22
copper foil, 21
definition, 5
galvanized iron, 23
internal reflections, 18
reflection, 16
welded enclosures, 72
Shield material for welded enclosures, 56
Shield seam, see Seams
Shielding requirements, defining, 55, 148
Signal grounds, 163
Signal reference subsystem,
definition, 5
Single point ground, 165
Single-shield modular enclosure, 44
Slab leveling, 169
Sliding RF door, 108
"'Sniffer" testing, 156
Sources of conducted interference, 8
Specifications, military, see
Military specifications
222
Spring finger, see Fingcrstock
gasket
Standards. military, see Military standards
Static pressure drop. 120
Surge suppresser. 175
T
Tape:
conductive. 32
embossed, 32
waveguide cut-off, 33
TEMPEST:
definition, 5
description, 8
Test antenna, 153
Test equipment. 151
Testing requirements:
MIL-STD-285, 144
Index
NSA 65-6, 145
NSA 73-2A, 145
Three-terminal ground test, 167
Total shielding effectiveness, 20
Two terminal ground test, 166
Typical modular enclosure performance. 40
Typical shielding materials, 24
u
UL 1283, 136
v
Vent SE performance, 117
Vestibule:
design, 111
double-door, III
Voltage rating. see Filter
Voltage standing wave ratio

(VSWR),24
w
Wall-floor corner joint, 63
Waveguide beyond cut-off, 17
Waveguide tunnel entrance, 113
Waveguide vent, 117
Wave impedance, definition, 5
Wavelength, definition, 5
Welded:
pipe design, 124
seams, 25, 56, 58
shield design, 57
Welding, 55
z
Zinc/galvanized modular enclosure, 36

Architectural Emi Shielding

Transféré par

Informations du document

Copyright

Formats disponibles

Partager ce document

Partager ou intégrer le document

Options de partage

Avez-vous trouvé ce document utile ?

Ce contenu est-il inapproprié ?

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Architectural Emi Shielding

Transféré par

Droits d'auteur :

Formats disponibles

Architectural Electromagnetic

Dudley R. Kay, Executive Editor

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., New York

This book and other books may be purchased at a discount

1992 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.

Radio Frequency Shielding Definitions and Terminology

The Need for Radio Frequency Shielding

2.3 Facility versus Equipment Shielding

Shielded Anechoic Test Facilities

3.3 Typical Shielding Materials

Modular Shielded Enclosures

4.3 Double-Isolated Shield System

Double-Isolated Screen Enclosure

4.5 Single-Shield Modular Enclosure

4.6 Advantages/Disadvantages of Modular Enclosures

Welded Shielded Enclosures

5.2 Welded Shield Design and Construction

5.2.1 General information, 57

5.3 Additional Shield Design Details

Suspension of ceiling shield from roof joists, 66

6.6 The Sandwich Seam Shielding System

6.5 Copper Alloy Shielded Enclosures

6.4 Copper Foil Shielded Enclosures

6.7 Other Shielding Systems,

6.8 Other Shielding Materials

6.9 Structural Considerations of Architectural Shielding

Penetrations and Their Control

7.2 General Design Criteria for Penetration

7.3.1 Introduction, 100

7.3.4 The compression door, 107

Heating and Air Conditioning

7.4.1 Introduction, 118

7.5.1 Introduction, 121

Pipe penetrations for welded enclosures, 123

Fiber Optics and Nonmetallic Hoses 126

7.7 Shielded Windows 127

Fire Protection Systems

7.8.1 Introduction, 130

8.2.1 Introduction, 131

Voltage rating, 134

8.4 Filter Specifications

8.4.1 Introduction, 135

8.5 Power Line Filters,

Enclosure Performance Specifications and Testing

9.3 How to Select or Prepare a Performance Specification

9.3.1 Introduction, 147

9.4 Enclosure Performance Testing

9.6 Magnetic Particle Testing

9.6.1 Introduction, 158

9.7 Dye Penetrant Testing

Grounding of Shielded Enclosures

10.3 Selecting the Grounding System

10.4. 1 Introduction, 165

11.4 Checklist for Architectural Shielding

Checklist for Welded Enclosures

Additional Definitions and Terminology

4.1 Galvanized modular enclosure procurement specifications, 180

Sample Specification for a Welded Enclosure

A-6 Specifications for Architectural Shielding Systems

Specifications for aluminum foil shielding systems, 198

A-7 Shielded Penetrations

7. 1 Procurement specifications for ReM or knife-edge door, 203

A-8 Sample Procurement Specifications for RF Filters

8.1 Specification for RF power line filters, 209