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Lecture 1b Electrical Safety CH 14

Here are potential solutions to the problems: 1) A temperature sensor requires precision to accurately measure small changes in temperature. A fall detection sensor requires accuracy to correctly identify if a fall occurred. 2) The general equation for a first order system is: dy/dt = -a*y + b*x or in Laplace domain: Y(s)/X(s) = b/(s+a) 3) The output will rise exponentially towards the new steady state value. 4) The general equation for a second order system is: d2y/dt2 + 2*z*dy/dt + y = x or in Laplace domain: Y(s)/X(s)

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317 views

Lecture 1b Electrical Safety CH 14

Here are potential solutions to the problems: 1) A temperature sensor requires precision to accurately measure small changes in temperature. A fall detection sensor requires accuracy to correctly identify if a fall occurred. 2) The general equation for a first order system is: dy/dt = -a*y + b*x or in Laplace domain: Y(s)/X(s) = b/(s+a) 3) The output will rise exponentially towards the new steady state value. 4) The general equation for a second order system is: d2y/dt2 + 2*z*dy/dt + y = x or in Laplace domain: Y(s)/X(s)

Uploaded by

api-27535945
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electrical Safety

• History of (electrical) safety


• Safety in the Hospital
– Role of Clinical Engineer
• Rules and regulations
– Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL), Federal
Communication (FCC)
• Principles and examples of safety
Physiological Response to
Electricity
• Electrical shock from
devices in the home
to lightening
• Macroshock
(lightning,
instruments)
• Microshock
(implantable
catheters, leakage)
Susceptibility Parameters – Frequency, Duration, Body
weight, Point-of-entry
Frequency Susceptibility

• Note: the thresholds for preception, let-go currents.


Duration/Body
Weight
Susceptibility
• Strength-
duration curve is
a very important
plot, applicable
to shocks,
pacemaker/defib
rillator type
devices, etc.

• Note the
chronaxie point
(at the lower left
corner of each
curve)
Current vs. Frequency
• Difference in DC vs AC
shocks
• Note that the threshold is
lowest at the powerline
frequencies!
• Very high threshold/low
sensitivity at high
frequencies used in many
medical applications
– impediance check,
respiration,
communications.
Isolated-Power Systems
Transformer isolation

Transformer isolation used in hospital based clinical instruments: Isolation


of power supply and also of the instrument/circuit
Isolated-Power Systems
Optical Isolation

Simple Advanced
LED, circuit for
photodiode linearization
circuit from the
book

Optical isolation is used in simple instrument/circuit designs; e.g. interfacing ECG


amplifier to the outside world; optical path provides break of electrical continuity
– usually interrupting path to ground for the leakage current
Micro- vs. Macroshock Hazards
Points of Entry
• Microshock occurs
because there is a
low resistance
invasive path to the
heart
– Note the path to
ground in any
microshock circuit
• Microshock due to
ventricular
fibrillation
• Lowered safety in
hospital,
bathroom…
Sources of
Microshock
• Failure of
power
outlet,cord
• Failure of
transformer
• Failure of
catheter/lead
• Ground path
and ground
loop leakage
Sources of
Macroshock
• Direct contact to
“Live” power
supply
• “Live” instrument
chassis
• Failed transformer
• Electrical
spark/discharge
• Lightning
Conductive Paths to the Heart
• Pacemaker Leads
– Epi- or endocardial electrodes
• Intracardiac electrogram (EGM) electrodes
• Liquid-filled Catheters for:
– Blood pressure monitoring
– Blood sampling
– Drug/dye injection
• Ground loop and inadvertent leakage path
Safety Codes & Standards
• NFPA 99
– Standard for Health Care Facilities
• National Electrical Code
– Article 517: Health Care Facilities
• Association for the Advancement of
Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)
– Developed American National Standard on
“Safe Current Limits for Electromedical
Apparatus”
Leakage Current Limits
Electric Appliance Chassis Patient-lead
Leakage, µA Leakage, µA
Not intended for patient
100 N/A
contact
Not intended for patient
500 N/A
contact and single fault
With nonisolated patient
100 10
leads
With nonisolated leads and
300 100
single fault
With isolated patient leads 100 10

With isolated leads and


300 50
single fault
Protection Circuits

Pole-to-opposite pole.
Figure 2A depicts the circuit path when a man simultaneously touches both poles
of the floating or isolated circuit. In this situation, there is no insulation. The
current is limited only by the impedance of the body.

http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/TechSpk/floating.html
Protection Circuits

If we interpose an insulating barrier between one pole of the floating circuit and
the man, then we can define that barrier as Basic Insulation. In the event of failure
of that Basic Insulation, there is no electric shock current in the man. If we extend
that same insulation such that it is interposed between the OPPOSITE pole and
the man, then we can define the OPPOSITE pole portion of the insulation as
Supplementary Insulation (because it provides insulation against the SECOND
body connection).

http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/TechSpk/floating.html
References
• Webster, JG (1998). Medical Instrumentation.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.
Chapters 1 & 14.
• Nute, R (1998). Floating circuits: protection
against electric shock. In Technically Speaking
section of Product Safety Technical Committee
Newsletter (online).
– http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/TechSpk/
Problems
• Describe a sensor or a measurement system in which accuracy is
important. In contrast, describe a sensor or a measurement in which
precision is important.
• A temperature sensor, such as a thermistor can be described by a
first order system. Write down the general equation for a first order
system (you can write a differential equation or a transfer function).
• Plot the output of the first order system in response to a step change
in temperature.
• A blood pressure sensor is described by a second order system.
Write down the general equation for a second order system (you can
write a differential equation or a transfer function).
Systolic pressure

• Plot the output of the second order Dichrotic notch


underdamped pressure system in
response to a blood pressure signal. Distolic pressure
PROBLEMS
• Draw the circuit of a differentiator –OR– integrator.
• Now, through circuit analysis show why that circuit works
like a differentiator/integrator (i.e. derive the relationship
between output and input of the amplifier to show using
your equation that the input signal is
differentiated/integrated.
• Next, obtain the frequency response of this circuit. E.g.
you can derive a transfer function (output over input) in
the Laplace form, substitute s=jω and then show the
frequency response.
• Point out one major advantage and one major
disadvantage of an analog differentiator/integrator over a
digital/software version.
• Describe (very briefly) a biomedical instrumentation
application of an integrator or differentiator.

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