Heating effects of short-circuit current impulses on contacts and conductors -: Part I

An analytical description combined with finite-element calculations of the current displacement caused by short-circuit current impulses in I-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.