New search

Metal detector

Belongs to:
Security and identification systems
Description:

Metal detectors are used for the detection of hidden metal, e.g. in security screening of passengers at the airport.

Frequency ranges:
  • 0.1–3.5 kHz (walk-through)
  • 940 Hz (walk-trhough detector)
  • 20 kHz (hand-held detector)
  • 89.4–132.9 kHz (hand-held detector)
Type of field:
magnetic

Measurements (acc. to literature)

walk-through detector
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic flux density 0.1823 µT (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.5 kHz at an American High School; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic flux density 0.1981 µT (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.1 kHz at an American High School; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic flux density 0.1064 µT (peak-to-peak value, measured) 3.5 kHz at an airport; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic flux density 0.2709–0.3741 µT (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.2 kHz at an airport; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic flux density 94–105 µT (maximum, measured) - - [3]
electric field strength 12.65 mV/m (simulated) 940 Hz for a 6-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
electric field strength 16.45 mV/m (simulated) 940 Hz for a 9-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
electric field strength 16.61 mV/m (simulated) 940 Hz for an 9-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
magnetic field strength 85 A/m (peak-to-peak value, measured) 3.5 kHz at an airport; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic field strength 158 A/m (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.1 kHz at an American High School; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
magnetic field strength 217–299 A/m (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.2 kHz at an airport; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
current density 2.35 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for a 6-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 2.79 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for a 7-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 2.86 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for an approximately 155 cm tall and 6 months pregnant woman; distance to the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 3.06 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for a 9-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 3.09 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for an 8-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 3.34 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for an approximately 155 cm tall and 7 months pregnant woman; distance to the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 3.64 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for an approximately 155 cm tall and 8 months pregnant woman; distance to the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
current density 3.69 mA/m² (simulated) 940 Hz for an approximately 155 cm tall and 9 months pregnant woman; distance to the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
walk-through
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
electric field strength 15.01 mV/m (simulated) 940 Hz for a 7-month-old fetus; distance between the pregnant woman and the gate: 5.5 cm [2]
walk-through detector
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic field strength 146 A/m (peak-to-peak value, measured) 0.5 kHz at an American high school; size of the detector: 203 x 73 x 58 cm [1]
hand-held detector
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic flux density 1.324 µT (measured) 89.4 kHz at an airport [1]
magnetic flux density 1.415 µT (measured) 132.9 kHz at an airport [1]
magnetic flux density 2.379 µT (measured) 94.3 kHz at an American High School [1]
magnetic flux density 2.288 µT (measured) 94.8 kHz at an American High School [1]
magnetic flux density 4.5–5.1 µT (maximum, measured) 20 kHz at a distance of 2.5 cm for handheld detectors [3]
magnetic field strength 0.5 A/m (calculated) 267.7 kHz MetalTec-Torfino, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 1.06 A/m (measured) 89.4 kHz at an airport [1]
magnetic field strength 1.6 A/m (calculated) 7.9 kHz Schiebel, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 1.7 A/m (calculated) 20.8 kHz Adams, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 1.8 A/m (calculated) 132 kHz Omni, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 1.83 A/m (measured) 94.8 kHz at an American High School [1]
magnetic field strength 1.9 A/m (measured) 94.3 kHz at an American High School [1]
magnetic field strength 1.9 A/m (measured) 23.6 kHz Metorex, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 2.1 A/m (calculated) 45.8 kHz CEIA, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 2.9 A/m (measured) 95 kHz Garrett, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
magnetic field strength 4.8 A/m (calculated) 13.3 kHz Ranger, at the belly of a woman in the 34 th gestation week [4]
electric field strength 1.13 V/m (measured) 132.9 kHz at an airport [1]
unknown detector type
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic flux density 0.03 µT (mean, measured) 50 Hz component of 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
magnetic flux density 0.07 µT (maximum, measured) 50 Hz component of 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
magnetic flux density 0.12 µT (mean, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
magnetic flux density 0.44 µT (maximum, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
electric field strength 29.1 V/m (mean, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
electric field strength 40 V/m (measured) 5 kHz at a distance of 0.5 m [5]
electric field strength 658 V/m (maximum, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
magnetic field strength 0.11 A/m (measured) 5 kHz at a distance of 0.1 m [5]
magnetic field strength 0.12 A/m (measured) 5 kHz at a distance of 1 m [5]
magnetic field strength 0.35 A/m (maximum, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]
magnetic field strength 2 A/m (measured) 5 kHz at a distance of 0.5 m [5]
unknown detecor type
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
electric field strength 70 V/m (measured) 5 kHz at a distance of 0.1 m [5]
unknown type of detector
Measurand Value Feature Remarks
magnetic field strength 0.1 A/m (mean, measured) 5 kHz at a power of 0.018 kW [5]

References

  1. Boivin W et al. (2003): Characterization of the magnetic fields around walk-through and hand-held metal detectors
  2. Wu D et al. (2007): Possible overexposure of pregnant women to emissions from a walk through metal detector
  3. Cooper TG (2002): Occupational Exposure to Electric and Magnetic Fields in the Context of the ICNIRP Guidelines
  4. Kainz W et al. (2003): Calculation of induced current densities and specific absorption rates (SAR) for pregnant women exposed to hand-held metal detectors
  5. Floderus B et al. (2002): Occupational exposures to high frequency electromagnetic fields in the intermediate range (>300 Hz-10 MHz)