The Effect of Electric and Magnetic Fields Near HVDC Converter Terminal on Implanted Cardiac Pacemakers

The electromagnetic fields associated with HVDC converters and transmission lines constitute a unique environment for persons with implanted cardiac pacemakers. A measurement program has been conducted to assess the potential interfering effects of these harmonically rich fields on implanted pacemakers. The experimental procedures that were employed take into account the combined effects of the electric and magnetic fields. The effect of the resulting body current on the response of six pacemakers was assessed in the laboratory, using a previously developed model to relate body current to pacemaker pickup voltage. The results show that R-wave pacemaker reversion can be expected at some locations within the converter facility, but that a large safety margin for unperturbed pacemaker operation exists beneath the transmission lines.