You are on page 1of 5

228 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 23, NO.

1, JANUARY 2008

Heating Effects of Short-Circuit Current Impulses on


Contacts and Conductors—Part II
László Koller, Balázs Novák, and György Tevan

Abstract—An analytical description combined with the finite-el-


ement calculations of the current displacement caused by short-cir-
cuit current impulses in 1-D and 2-D conductor models is pre-
sented. 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 dif-
ferent current impulses, hence, the nonuniformity of the losses and
the heating within the conductors.
Index Terms—Conductors, contacts, current distribution, short-
circuit currents.

I. INTRODUCTION Fig. 1. Bus bar models.

T HE electromagnetic effects of harmonic or transient


currents produce current displacement, which means
nonuniform current-, thermal power-, and temperature-distri-
bution. Because of these effects, not only the distribution within
the conductors connected parallel, but also the amount of cur-
rent carried by each of them will be uneven. This nonuniformity
can cause the overheating—possibly the breaking down—of
the conductors and contacts.
Our primary goal is to give a general approach to this problem
by comparing the effects of different current impulses in simple
models reflecting the physical background of the phenomena.
Based on our results it can be estimated when to use accurate Fig. 2. Frequency dependence of the resistance of the bus bar models.
analytical or finite-element calculations. In the first part of the
paper the calculations were accomplished for 1-D, namely for
infinite half-space and infinite conductor plate, models. and the spectrum of the current flowing through the bus bar
the loss can be determined by

II. 2-D MODELS (ENERGY OF CURRENT IMPULSES


IN FLAT BUS BARS) (1)

The 2-D calculations were carried out for three different 1


m long bus bar arrangements (A, B, and C). These models formula, which can be obtained similarly to (10) in [1, Sec.
(see Fig. 1) represent the bus bars and current paths in low III-A]. In Figs. 3–5, these losses are compared with the losses
voltage circuit breakers and switch gears in the range of 630 where only the dc and mains frequency resistance are reckoned
6300 A rated current. The ac resistance of each of the with.
bus bars (60 150 mm width, 5 20 mm thickness) were It can be seen that the character of the energy losses on bus
obtained from finite-element calculations, and can be seen bars is similar to the 1-D model calculations [1, Fig. 5], that is at
in Fig. 2 as the function of frequency. From the resistance short times the losses are higher. This can also be explained
by the appearance of high frequency components in the spec-
Manuscript received October 18, 2006; revised December 12, 2006. Paper no. trum. By increasing the size of the conductors, the rate of the
TPWRD-00643-2006. total loss to the dc loss becomes larger. This means that the de-
The authors are with the Department of Electric Power Engineering, Budapest gree of current displacement increases, only a smaller current
University of Technology and Economics, Budapest 1111, Hungary (e-mail:
koller@ntb.bme.hu; nbalazs@eik.bme.hu). flows in the inner part of the conductor. Compared with the 1-D
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPWRD.2007.905807 plate model having the same width the loss is less, because in the
0885-8977/$25.00 © 2007 IEEE

Authorized licensed use limited to: USTL. Downloaded on February 21,2010 at 07:42:19 EST from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
KOLLER et al.: HEATING EFFECTS OF SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT IMPULSES ON CONTACTS AND CONDUCTORS—PART II 229

Fig. 3. Ratio of energy losses considering current displacement to energy losses


considering only the dc and mains frequency resistance for bus bar A. (a) Si- Fig. 5. Ratio of energy losses considering current displacement to energy losses
nusoidal impulse; (b) sinusoidal impulse with dc component; (c) impulse with considering only the dc and mains frequency resistance for bus bar C. (a) Si-
current limitation; and (d) dc impulse. nusoidal impulse; (b) sinusoidal impulse with dc component; (c) impulse with
current limitation; and (d) dc impulse.

homogenous copper conductor with constant temperature (


and ) was assumed.
1) The cross sectional size of the high-current conductors (at
least in one direction) is substantially larger than the
skin depth at mains frequency. During the calculations
and were used. For a typ-
ical high-current flat bus bar with width . This
means that the effect of current displacement caused by
short-circuit currents can not be neglected during the cal-
culation of the thermal stress. Assuming a uniform cur-
rent distribution, that is considering only the dc resistance,
the calculated temperature can substantially differ from re-
ality. This is the case also with the Joule integral (see [1])
generally used in the technical practice, which is not appro-
priate for comparing the heating effect of different current
impulses on different conductors, even within an accept-
able margin of error.
2) The magnitude of the difference depends on the time-func-
tion and length of the short-circuit current impulse and on
Fig. 4. Ratio of energy losses considering current displacement to energy losses
considering only the dc and mains frequency resistance for bus bar B. (a) Si-
the geometry of the conductors and contacts (shape, size,
nusoidal impulse; (b) sinusoidal impulse with dc component; (c) impulse with arrangement). The error can be determined by comparing
current limitation; and (d) dc impulse. the real energy loss with the energy loss cal-
culated with the dc resistance or the energy loss
calculated with the mains frequency resistance
case of the bus bar model the finite thickness results in a more or . The nonuniformity of the
uniform current distribution along the width of the conductor. temperature in the contacts can be represented by the dis-
tribution of the energy-density. The real distribution
of can be approximated with a distribution caused by
III. CONCLUSION
a harmonic current with an equivalent frequency. Thus
Pursuing the analysis and determination of fundamental but the magnitude of the nonuniformity can be evaluated by an
so far not much studied effects, the results were obtained from ratio [11, Fig. 8]. During the analyses it was proved
calculations of the electromagnetic field. The interaction of the that current still flows in the conductors in the form of eddy
thermal field with the electromagnetic field was neglected and a current after the impulse is over.

Authorized licensed use limited to: USTL. Downloaded on February 21,2010 at 07:42:19 EST from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
230 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 23, NO. 1, JANUARY 2008

3) The largest differences, namely the highest values of impulse. If the impulse is sinusoidal and , or
and , occur by infinite half-space conductor the impulse has a dc component and ,
model, which means total wave absorption. The values the approximation
of are smaller in infinite plate conductor, and
even smaller in flat bus bars. However, if by (6)
infinite plate or in case of bus bars close is acceptable. In the solely dc case if ,
together, the values of are practically equal with the losses can be calculated with the dc resistance without
the same values for infinite half-space [1, Fig. 5(a)–(c)]. major error
At small impulse widths (e.g. ), considering
a short circuit time constant, the (7)
and ratios can be significant (5 or 13). As is 6) As it was mentioned in the introduction of [1], there is
increased by ac short-circuits (solely sinusoidal, sinusoidal a tendency in today’s switch gear development to the
with dc component or sinusoidal with current limitation) possible smallest sizes, which means conductors with
these ratios converge, perhaps with fluctuations, to the large cross sectional areas close together in a small space.
and limits [1, Fig. 5 The Joule integral reflecting the loading capability of
(a)–(c)] and Figs. 3–5). These limits by the dc impulse these switchgears is still given by the manufacturers as an
are , and . At short impulses important parameter. From our results it can be seen that in
(e.g. ) the ratio is even higher, which many cases this parameter does not have any significance,
monotonously decreases with increasing , and reaches as the loading capability is influenced also by the shape of
the limit by ac short-circuit, or by the short-circuit impulse. That is why we recommend the
dc short-circuit [1, Fig. 8]. outcome of our calculations first of all to the switch gear
4) During both ac and dc short-circuits the thermal stress of designers dealing with rated currents . The re-
the conductors can be determined by an equivalent sults can be used for optimizing the contact arrangements
and calculating the conductor sizes and the current paths
(2)
within the contacts. The results help to decide when to use
a more complex finite-element method (considering also
and the interaction between the electromagnetic and tempera-
(3) ture field) or a simplified calculation.

resistance influenced by the shape and the length of the APPENDIX


current impulse. E.g. for flat bus-bars the diagrams in Fig. 2
A. Spectrum of a Solely Sinusoidal Impulse
can be used. The calculations can be simplified if the cur-
rent impulse is solely sinusoidal and or if the The Fourier-spectrum in case of a solely sinusoidal impulse
impulse is sinusoidal with dc component and [1, (2)] is
, because in these cases the

(4) (8)

approximation can be used. In case of dc short-circuits


The result of the integration
(practically without current limitation) if
the losses can be calculated with

(5)
without any major error.
5) The nonuniform heating among the current passages in
contacts can be approximately determined by the
ratio depending on the shape and length of the current
impulse. Reference [1, Fig. 8] shows diagrams of this ratio
Introducing
for the infinite half-space conductor model. If the cross sec-
tion of the conductor is less, the real values are smaller than
in the diagram. E.g. in case of flat bus-bars the closer the
bars are to each other and the larger is , the smaller the
difference is from the values in the diagrams. If
the difference of , as well as the difference of
can be neglected for flat bus-bars. Practically this means
that a harmonic current’s power-density distribution, cal- notations
culated by finite-element method, at an equivalent fre-
quency represents the energy-density distribution of the (9)

Authorized licensed use limited to: USTL. Downloaded on February 21,2010 at 07:42:19 EST from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
KOLLER et al.: HEATING EFFECTS OF SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT IMPULSES ON CONTACTS AND CONDUCTORS—PART II 231

B. Ratios of Energy Per Unit Surface in Case of a Solely The power


Sinusoidal Impulse
Putting (9) into (10) from [1], the energy per unit surface can
be obtained
the power per surface unit

(10)
In case of infinite half-space [1, Fig. 4(a)], where is given The energy loss per surface unit calculated with the mains fre-
by [1, (11)] quency resistance

(11)

The power loss calculated with the mains frequency resistance


and using [1, (2)] and [1, (11)] is
According to (10) and (17)
(12)

if . The energy loss per unit surface


(18)

where

(13)
C. Current Density Distribution in Case of Solely Sinusoidal
The ratio of the total energy loss to the energy loss considering Impulse
only the mains frequency resistance Using (9) formula and according to [1, (18)], the integrand of
[1, (19)]

(19)
(14)
For infinite conductor plate, the energy loss per unit surface cal- where . Introducing the notation,
culated with the dc resistance, using [1, (14)] , and from [1, (19)]

(15)
According to [1, (13)] and (10)
Since

(16) and
where

therefore

(17)

The mains frequency resistance

Authorized licensed use limited to: USTL. Downloaded on February 21,2010 at 07:42:19 EST from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
232 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 23, NO. 1, JANUARY 2008

REFERENCES Balázs Novák was born in Szeged, Hungary, in


1976. He received the M.Sc. degree in electrical
[1] “Heating effects of short-circuit impulses on contacts and conduc- engineering from the Budapest University of Tech-
tors—Part I,” IEEE Trans. Power Del., vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 221–227, nology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary, in 1999;
Jan. 2008. the Postgraduate Engineer-Economist degree from
the University of Economic Sciences and Public
Administration, Budapest, in 2002, and is currently
pursuing the Ph.D. degree in electric power engi-
neering from the Budapest University of Technology
and Economics.
Currently, he is an Assistant Lecturer in the De-
László Koller was born in Budapest, Hungary, partment of Electric Power Engineering, Budapest University of Technology
in 1943. He received the Dipl.Eng. and the Ph.D. and Economics, Budapest, Hungary. His research interests include high-current
degrees in electrical engineering from the Budapest engineering and electromagnetic compatibility. His publications include four
University of Technology and Economics in 1967 conference papers and one paper.
and 1994, respectively, and the Candidate of En- Mr. Novak is a member of the Hungarian Electrotechnical Association.
gineering Sciences degree from the Hungarian
Academy of Sciences, Budapest, in 1994.
Between 1967 and 1974, he worked with different
companies as a Technical Supervisor; and from 1970 György Tevan was born in Békéscsaba, Hungary,
to 1971, he was a Senior Lecturer at the Ministry of in 1927. He received the Dipl.M.Eng. degree from
Public Education. From 1974 to 1995, he was an As- the Technical University of Budapest, Budapest,
sistant Lecturer at the Technical University of Budapest. Currently, he is an As- Hungary, in 1949 and the Candidate of Technical
sociate Professor and Deputy Head in the Department of Power Engineering, Sciences and Doctor of Technical Sciences degrees
Department of Electric Power Engineering, Budapest University of Technology from the Scientific Qualification Board, Budapest,
and Economics, Budapest, Hungary. His major fields of research are high-cur- in 1967 and 1979, respectively. His major fields of
rent engineering (electrical switchgears and equipment, electrical heat engi- research are the calculation of networks with Kron’s
neering) and electrical safety engineering. He has been published in many pub- method; the voltage distortion of power systems;
lications. He also has 14 patents and inventions among them as well as 43 sci- the investigation of active and reactive power in
entific articles. nonsinusoidal periodic systems; investigation of
Dr. Koller is a member of the Public Corporation of the Hungarian Academy electric drives and induction heating systems; and linear algebra.
of Sciences from 2000; Hungarian Electrotechnical Association from 1976; and He was with the Technical University of Miskolc, Hungary, and with the
the Hungarian Engineering Chamber from 1996. He received the Gold Degree Technical University of Budapest. He is now retired. He wrote two textbooks,
of Award of the Eminent Inventor, the Prize of Zipernowski, and the Prize of more than 50 papers, and has two patents.
Academic Patent of Quality from the Hungarian Patent Office in 1988, 1995, Dr. Tevan received the Level Award from the Hungarian Electrotechnical As-
and 2002, respectively. sociation in 1970 and 1989, and the Excellent Teacher Award in 1974.

Authorized licensed use limited to: USTL. Downloaded on February 21,2010 at 07:42:19 EST from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

You might also like