System and method for providing certifiable electromagnetic pulse and rfi protection through mass-produced shielded containers and rooms

Abstract

Disclosed are a system and method for providing certifiable shielded cabinets and rooms, or pods, to protect devices, equipment and people from electromagnetic interference such as electromagnetic pulse, and directed energy attack. The method simulates the separate electric and magnetic shield requirements and capabilities of each type of materials, simulating them separately and together to form a combined set of materials layered for an enhanced electromagnetic shield that is lighter weight and less expensive. Further disclosed is a system and method for SCADA, RFID, and OID monitoring and controls to enable initial and ongoing testing and control.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method of simulating electromagnetic interference upon a given shielding material and environment, comprising:
 calculating distinct electrical and magnetic fields;   using the result of said calculation to transform data so as to provide an appropriate electrical field protection separately from magnetic field protection; and,   re-simulating a plurality of varying combinations of materials, each of said combinations of materials comprising multiple layers of material in different thicknesses, different electrical properties, and different magnetic properties, and wherein said re-simulating step comprises re-simulating with a different number of layers than was simulated in an original simulation step, to maximize the combined electromagnetic effects of the varying combinations of materials and thicknesses;   wherein said step of calculating distinct electrical and magnetic fields and said step of re-simulating the varying combinations of materials are performed using at least one particular machine, said at least one particular machine comprising a computer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of shielding an electronic, power, telecommunications or computing device from electromagnetic interference by:
 shielding the equipment on all sides with effective electrical pulse shielding materials and providing effective magnetic shielding by layering ferrous metals such as iron in the form of foils, coatings or steel strands in combination.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of coating one or more of the exposed surfaces with polymers to add strength and corrosive resistance or to the shield. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of layering one or more layers of strengthening materials in order to place fasteners that would protect a shielded surface from the piercing or crushing effect of equipment placed on the shielded surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of providing air cooling of the system by convection through the non-coated surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the system of providing cooling of the system by placing liquids against one or more of the surfaces that transfer the heat. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the system of providing honeycombed air passageways acting as wave guides that provide shielded pathways for airflow. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the simulation of EMP reflection and absorption of the shielding. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of testing EMP reflection and absorption of the shielding. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the embedding of test chips which can demonstrate the degree to which the EMP shielding succeeds in protecting integrated circuits from test pulses. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the embedding of SCADA chips or devices capable of monitoring and controlling internal environmental factors in order to maintain functional integrity of the container or room. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the testing of the shielded enclosure or room and embedding the test data into the RFID and or SCADA chips or devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the continual testing of the shielded enclosure while the shielded equipment is working by creating one or more innocuous radio signals on the outside of the shield while measuring whether those signals are penetrating the shield. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the monitoring and reporting of those results to a system administrator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the orderly shut-down of equipment inside the shield. 
     
     
         16 . A method of shielding an electronic, power, telecommunications or computing device from electromagnetic pulse, comprising the steps of:
 shielding the equipment on all sides with electrical pulse shielding materials such as aluminum with one or more alternating layers of enhanced magnetic shielding with ferrous metals such as woven steel strands with brass coatings in between the aluminum sheets.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of coating one or more of the exposed surfaces with polymers to add strength and corrosive resistance to the shield. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of providing air cooling of the system by convection through the non-coated surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of providing cooling of the system by placing liquids against one or more of the surfaces that transfer the heat, 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of providing honeycombed air passageways that provide shielded pathways for airflow, 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of the simulation of EMP reflection and absorption of the shielding. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of the testing of EMP reflection and absorption of the shielding. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of embedding of test chips, such as RFID chips, which can demonstrate the degree to which the EMP shielding succeeds in protecting integrated circuits from test pulses. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of embedding of SCADA chips or devices capable of monitoring and controlling internal environmental factors such as heat in order to maintain functional integrity of the container or room. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of testing of the shielded enclosure or room and embedding the test data into the RFID and or SCADA chips or devices. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of continual testing of the shielded enclosure while the shielded equipment is working by creating one or more innocuous radio signals on the outside of the shield while measuring whether those signals are penetrating the shield. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of monitoring and reporting of those results to a system administrator. 
     
     
         28 . A method of shielding a telecommunications or computing device from electromagnetic pulse, comprising the steps of:
 shielding the equipment with magnetic and electrical pulse shielding materials such as aluminum, or aluminum and ferromagnetic metals in combination; and embedding a device that performs as a test chip with performance results, capabilities and maintenance information.   
     
     
         29 . A method of filtering, comprising the step of:
 using Ovshinsky effect materials to provide EMP and RFI protection of a telecommunications or computing device.   
     
     
         30 . A method of shielding, comprising the step of:
 using nanostrands for EMP and RFI protection of a telecommunications or computing device.   
     
     
         31 . A method comprising the step of:
 using composites with ferromagnetic or shielding properties for EMP and RFI protection of a telecommunications or computing device.   
     
     
         32 . A method of simulating electromagnetic interference upon a given environment, comprising the steps of:
 calculating distinct electrical and magnetic fields; and,   using the result of said calculation to provide an appropriate electrical field protection separately from magnetic field protection.   
     
     
         33 . A method comprising the step of:
 using optical communications to communicate with a device that is impervious to electromagnetic pulse interference by placing all electronic and electrical components of the device inside an EMP protected enclosure and using optical means of communicating with other devices outside the protected enclosure.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of identifying or tracking the location of items 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of incorporating RFID technology that is not otherwise impervious to electromagnetic pulse interference. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of receiving power by optical energy from an external source. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of receiving partial or ful power by an internal battery source. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising the step of emitting identification information that is not affected by external electromagnetic pulses. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of emitting identification information when commanded to do so by an external source. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of using an internal battery. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of using an internal battery and operates in a low power consumption mode except as commanded to operate otherwise by external signaling. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of receiving power by optical energy from an external source. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of receiving power partially or fully by an internal battery source. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of using multiple optical lens devices for communicating in more than one direction. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of using multiple optical lens devices for communicating in more than one direction. 
     
     
         46 . A method of protecting power transformers from electromagnetic pulse, comprising the steps of using alternative layers of electromagnetic shielding for the protection of the controls of a power transformer and the use of filters to protect transformer coils from all pulses from electromagnetic pulse including pulses as quick as a nanosecond. 
     
     
         47 . A method of sensing and visually displaying the effect of electromagnetic interference such as EMP through a sensor whose fuse antenna made of a resistive material reacts to an electromagnetic charge of a certain frequency. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of releasing a spring loaded sensor arm that allows an observer to see a visible marker previously hidden by the arm. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising the step of using multiple sensors positioned to receive faint signals at multiple angles and locations across one or more surfaces exposed to electromagnetic interference. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said test chips comprise radio frequency identification (RFID) chips or optical identification (OID) chips. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said shielding comprising layers is produced and deployed in a manufacturing facility in its entirety. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said shielding comprising layers is produced by having one or more of the layers deployed as a shielded room or pod around a component, device, piece of equipment, rack or room of equipment. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the shielded room or pod is combined with other pods or rooms to make a larger shielded room or data or communications center environment. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said shielding additionally provides environmental protection. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein said environmental protection comprises air quality protection from at least one selected from the group consisting of: temperature, humidity, dust, biological, chemical, or radiological contamination. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said shielding additionally provides protection against projectiles. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said shielding additionally provides protection against blast. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 2 , whereby one or more layers are constructed either by welding, soldering, coating, bolting, organic growing, use of composites, use of nano-particles, strands and structures or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of shielding power generation devices and systems from electromagnetic interference or causing electromagnetic interference to other devices. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein said power generation devices and systems comprise storage, distribution or controls. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of shielding or filtering electronic conductive lines from electromagnetic interference to protect a shielded component, device, rack or room. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising a step of shielding stored or active devices from electromagnetic interference. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein said stored or active devices comprise SCADA devices or vehicles. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of using a device for monitoring and controlling operations of an EMP protected system. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the device for monitoring and controlling operations comprises a computer, SCADA, RFID or OID device.