Heating Effects of Short-Circuit Current Impulses on Contacts and Conductors-Part I

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power delivery Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 221 - 227
• Main Authors: Koller, L., Novak, B., Tevan, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.01.2008; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Conducting materials; Conductors; Connection and protection apparatus; contacts; Current distribution; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Environmental economics; Exact sciences and technology; Gas insulation; Heating; Power generation economics; short-circuit currents; Switchgear; Thermal conductivity; Thermal stresses; Conductors; short-circuit currents; contacts; current distribution; Thermal stress; Short circuit currents; Switchgear; Thermomechanical properties; Numerical method; short- circuit currents; Non uniform distribution; Finite element method; Heating; Current distribution; Joule effect
• ISSN: 0885-8977; 1937-4208
• DOI: 10.1109/TPWRD.2007.905806

An analytical description combined with finite-element calculations of the current displacement caused by short-circuit current impulses in 1-D and 2-D conductor models is presented. It is shown that in many cases, the Joule integral used in the technical practice gives a false representation of the thermal stress in the conductors and contacts. A simplified method is given for determining the degree of current displacement caused by different current impulses, hence, the nonuniformity of the losses and the heating within the conductors.