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Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements.
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2024
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| _version_ | 1867613766618710016 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Swanepoel, Raynard |
| author2 | Ludick, Danie |
| author_browse | Ludick, Danie Swanepoel, Raynard |
| author_facet | Ludick, Danie Swanepoel, Raynard |
| author_sort | Swanepoel, Raynard |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130192 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:21.859Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/130192 Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. Swanepoel, Raynard Ludick, Danie De Villiers, Dirk Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Radio frequency Antenna arrays Electric filters UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Radio Frequency (RF) safety has been a rising concern over the last few decades for the public, but also for mobile network companies. This concern has led to a focus on RF compliance simulations of mobile base stations to ensure the well-de ned safety limits for RF power are met (e.g. offered by the commercial RF safety software package, IXUS). Various simulation methods are available and de ned in international standards, some of which are based on ray tracing simulations of representative antenna array models of base station antennas. This study looked at whether spherical wave expansions could be used for the synthesis of antenna arrays as they are some of the most common antenna types used for mobile base stations, especially omnidirectional and directional (panel) arrays. In addition, this project aimed to automate the antenna synthesis process and compare the accuracy between the automated model and the equivalent manually created model. The final research target was to compare the accuracy of the proposed spherical wave method with the ray tracing and full wave methods. The ray tracing method used for the comparison is described in an international standard for the determination of RF eld strength, power density and specific absorption rate (SAR) in the vicinity of radiocommunication base stations. This standard, the IEC 62232, was created for the purpose of evaluating human exposure in these regions. In this thesis, a comprehensive literature review of previous and related work establishes the theoretical groundwork on which the simulation enhancements in this work are based. The literature study focussed on the fundamentals of spherical wave functions, ray tracing calculations and optimization techniques among other concepts relevant to this research. Once a theoretical foundation was established an initial investigation was done into the feasibility of using spherical waves to represent antenna arrays. After this feasibility was established, the automated synthesis of spherical wave array antennas was implemented. The automation was facilitated by using the relevant antenna theory and optimization techniques. Next, the synthesis of ray tracing array antennas was automated using the same approach as for the spherical wave array antennas. Finally, the spherical wave and ray tracing antennas were compared to the equivalent full wave models to determine the relative accuracy of the different methods. Some limitations regarding the creation of spherical wave and ray tracing element patterns were pointed out as potential topics for further study. As per the research goals, it was found that spherical wave functions can be used to represent array antennas. It was also confirmed that the synthesis of array antennas, using spherical waves or ray tracing methods, can be automated by using the appropriate antenna theory and optimization techniques. After comparing the accuracy of the spherical wave and ray tracing methods to the full wave models, it was found that in general, the spherical wave models were more accurate compared to their ray tracing equivalents, with up to 48% relative error reduction for the average error. Finally, a comparison between manually and automatically synthesized models confirmed that the automated method is indeed more accurate with a relative average error reduction of 38%. The results confirmed that using spherical wave expansions is a realistic method of improving the accuracy of synthetic antenna models. The improved accuracy can provide an increase in the reliability of RF safety simulations and increase public confidence in the safety analysis of mobile base stations. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Radiogolwe (RF) Veiligheid het in die afgelope paar dekades 'n toenemende bekommernis vir die publiek, asook vir mobiele netwerkmaatskappye, geword, en dit het saamgegaan met 'n toename in die strengheid van reëls en regulasies rondom die onderwerp. Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel of sferiese golfuitbreidings gebruik kan word vir die sintese van antennareekse, aangesien dit een van die mees algemene antennatipes is wat vir mobiele basisstasies gebruik word, veral omni-direksionele en rigtinggewende (paneel) reekse. Daarbenewens het hierdie projek ten doel gehad om die antennasinteseproses te outomatiseer en die akkuraatheid tussen die outomatiese model en die ooreenstemmende handmatig geskepte model te vergelyk. Die _nale navorsingsdoel was om die akkuraatheid van die voorgestelde sferiese golf-metode met die straalspoor- en volgolf-metodes te vergelyk. Die straalspoor-metode wat vir die vergelyking gebruik is, word in IEC 62232 beskryf en deur IXUS geïmplementeer. Die eerste stap was om die toepaslike literatuur en vorige verwante werk te bestudeer. 'n Teoretiese basis is gelê om op voort te bou in die ondersoek, implementering en vergelyking van die voorheen genoemde metodes. Die literatuurstudie het gefokus op die grondbeginsels van sferiese golf-funksies, straalspoorberekeninge en optimiserings tegnieke, onder andere konsepte wat relevant is vir hierdie navorsing. Nadat 'n teoretiese grondslag gelê is, is 'n aanvanklike ondersoek ingestel na die uitvoerbaarheid van die gebruik van sferiese golwe om antennareekse te verteenwoordig. Nadat hierdie uitvoerbaarheid vasgestel is, is die sintese en outomatisering van sferiese golf-antennareekse geïmplementeer. Die outomatisering is gefasiliteer deur die toepaslike antennateorie en optimiserings tegnieke te gebruik. Daarna is die sintese van straalspoor-antennareekse outomaties gedoen met dieselfde benadering as vir die sferiese golf-antennas. Laastens is die sferiese golf- en straalspoor-antennas met die ooreenstemmende volgolfmodelle vergelyk om die relatiewe akkuraatheid van die verskeie metodes te bepaal. Sommige beperkinge rakende die skepping van sferiese golf- en straalspoorelementpatrone is aangedui as potensiële onderwerpe vir verdere studie. Volgens die navorsingsdoelwitte is daar bevind dat sferiese golf-funksies gebruik kan word om antennareekse te verteenwoordig. Dit is ook bevestig dat die sintese van antennareekse, deur die gebruik van sferiese golwe of straalspoor-metodes, outomaties gedoen kan word deur die toepaslike antennateorie en optimiserings tegnieke te gebruik. Na die akkuraatheid van die sferiese golf- en straalspoor-metodes met die volgolfmodelle vergelyk is, is daar bevind dat in die algemeen die sferiese golf-modelle akkurater is in vergelyking met hul straalspoor-ekwivalente, met 'n relatiewe foutvermindering van tot 48% vir die gemiddelde fout. Laastens het 'n vergelyking tussen handmatig en outomaties geskepte modelle bevestig dat die outomatiese metode inderdaad akkurater is, met 'n relatiewe gemiddelde foutvermindering van 38%. Die resultate het bevestig dat die gebruik van sferiese golf-uitbreidings 'n realistiese metode is om die akkuraatheid van sintetiese antennamodelle te verbeter. Die verhoogde akkuraatheid kan die betroubaarheid van RFveiligheidsimulasies verhoog en openbare vertroue in die veiligheidsanalise van mobiele basisstasies versterk. Masters 2024-02-29T08:08:08Z 2024-04-26T08:39:34Z 2024-02-29T08:08:08Z 2024-04-26T08:39:34Z 2024-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130192 en_ZA en_ZA Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University xix, 148 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Radio frequency Antenna arrays Electric filters UCTD Swanepoel, Raynard Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title | Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title_full | Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title_fullStr | Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title_short | Automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in RF safety simulations using spherical wave elements. |
| title_sort | automated synthesis of array antennas for improved accuracy in rf safety simulations using spherical wave elements |
| topic | Radio frequency Antenna arrays Electric filters UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130192 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT swanepoelraynard automatedsynthesisofarrayantennasforimprovedaccuracyinrfsafetysimulationsusingsphericalwaveelements |