Electrical conductors with changing moment of inertia in cross-section

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical conductor having a first end and a second end. The electrical conductor is configured to be fixed to a support structure in one or more fixed regions, the one or more fixed regions separating the electrical conductor into two or more conducting portions, each having a sectional moment of inertia with respect to a reference axis. The first conducting portion of the two or more conducting portions has a first sectional moment of inertia. The electrical conductor is characterized in that the second conducting portion of the two or more conducting portions has a second sectional moment of inertia with respect to a reference axis that is different from the first sectional moment of inertia.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical conductor having first and second conductor portions with changing moment of inertia, a high-power electrical system including such an electrical conductor, and a method of designing such an electrical conductor.

Background Art

[0002] Electrical conductors in this technical field carry high currents in high-power electrical systems. For this reason, such electrical conductors have a large mass and cross-sectional area in order to meet the requirements of the energizing current. However, due to the large mass and cross-sectional area, the busbar becomes hard, difficult to handle manually, and costly.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The inventors have identified the above problems and issues related to electrical conductors and solved such problems by the present invention described below.

[0004] In one aspect, the present invention relates to an electrical conductor having a first end and a second end. The electrical conductor is configured to be fixed to a support structure in one or more fixed regions, and the one or more fixed regions separate the electrical conductor into two or more conductor portions each having a moment of inertia with respect to a reference axis. A first conductor portion of the two or more conductor portions has a first moment of inertia. The electrical conductor is characterized in that a second conductor portion of the two or more conductor portions has a second moment of inertia different from the first moment of inertia with respect to the reference axis.

[0005] This is advantageous in that such an electrical conductor is designed to withstand different forces acting at different positions / portions along the electrical conductor. Such forces may be generated by a short circuit in an electrical system in which the electrical conductor is used to establish a current path.

[0006] The freedom to design one part of a conductor differently from another is advantageous in that it can reduce the total amount of material used in manufacturing the conductor. Furthermore, it may be possible to optimize other properties of the conductor, such as cooling and bending properties.

[0007] The moment of inertia of the cross-section of a conductor should be understood as the resistance of the conductor to the movement of the conductor against a force acting on it from a given direction. In the event of a short circuit, the force may be added from another conductor placed next to an electrical conductor (for example, parallel in the same plane, or perpendicular between two conductors in two different planes, or placed at an angle). Since such two electrical conductors do not necessarily need to extend parallel to each other over their entire length, it is possible that material can be saved by changing the moment of inertia of the cross-section of different conductor sections of both electrical conductors and the other electrical conductor.

[0008] In some cases, the reference axis of a conductor is defined as the axis passing through the centroid of the conductor, and the moment of inertia of the cross-section is calculated based on such a reference axis.

[0009] The determination of the sectional moment of inertia of the conductive portion is preferably carried out by a computer program based on a 3D CAD model of the electrical conductor. This is, for example, to facilitate calculations and to allow consideration of force contributions from sources other than adjacent conductors. One example of such a contribution may be from the way the conductor is fixed to the support structure.

[0010] One simple method for determining the sectional moment of inertia of a conductor is to assume that both ends of the conductor are fixed and a force is applied to its center. Then, a bending moment is generated by the impact from the force, and the sectional moment of inertia can be determined using the maximum allowable stress of the conductor material. This allows for the determination of the dimensions of the conductor.

[0011] It should be noted that the moment of inertia of a cross-section is different from the moment of inertia of rotation. Therefore, the moment of inertia of a cross-section is determined relative to the neutral axis of the conducting portion. This is to ensure that the contribution of the moment of inertia of rotation is not considered in the calculation of the required moment of inertia of a cross-section.

[0012] An electrical conductor should be understood as a cable or busbar that conducts electric current in a high-power electrical system. Such conductors may be located inside or outside an electrical cabinet.

[0013] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first and second moments of inertia of the cross-section are determined with respect to the orientation of the conductive portion in space.

[0014] This should be understood as follows: if two conductive parts have the same shape but one is twisted 90 degrees, then the point / direction in which the force acts is also twisted 90 degrees, and the sectional moment of inertia required to withstand this force is the same for both conductive parts.

[0015] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first and second moments of inertia of the cross-section are determined with reference to the fixed direction of the force acting on the conductive portion.

[0016] This should be understood as follows: even if two conducting sections have the same shape, but one is twisted 90 degrees relative to the other, and the point / direction of force acting is maintained, the sectional moment of inertia required to withstand this force will not be the same for the two conducting sections.

[0017] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductive portion changes according to the distribution of the bending moment of the conductive portion.

[0018] The bending moment can vary along the conductor portion based on the expected effects of forces, such as short circuits and vibrations. Therefore, the conductor portion may be designed to have a sectional moment of inertia that provides stress capable of withstanding this varying bending moment. Thus, the sectional moment of inertia can vary along the conductor portion. Such a variation in the sectional moment of inertia may be provided by changing the shape of the conductor portion. Note that the variation in the sectional moment of inertia may be continuous or discrete (stepwise). A continuous variation in the sectional moment of inertia may be achieved by manufacturing the conductor portion using an additive manufacturing process.

[0019] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an electrical conductor conducts one of the multiple phases of a multiphase high-power electrical system.

[0020] Such multiphase high-power electrical systems may include three or more separate conductors, each conducting the current of one phase. Examples of electrical systems with more than three phases include systems with different filters, such as a 5kHz filter and a 2.5kHz filter, and systems with high-power conductors / components (operating with currents in the kilohertz range) and conductors / components operating with currents of, for example, less than 32A.

[0021] When conductors from two independent (DC-separated) electrical systems pass each other within an electrical cabinet, forces from a short circuit in one system can affect the other. This is an example of a complex situation where a computer program is needed to determine the required moment of inertia to withstand the forces from the short circuit.

[0022] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the electrical conductor is a first electrical conductor of a two-phase or three-phase high-power electrical system, and each of the two-phase or three-phase is conducted by a separate second electrical conductor and a separate third electrical conductor, each having a conducting portion separated by one or more fixed regions.

[0023] An individual electrical conductor is to be understood as a conductor that is electrically separated from each other. Note that an electrical cabinet equipped with an electrical system may function as a second electrical conductor under certain circumstances.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second and / or third electrical conductors are configured to be fixed to a support structure in one or more fixed regions, and the first conductor portion of the second and / or third electrical conductors of two or more conductor portions has a first moment of inertia of cross-section, and the second conductor portion of the second and / or third conductor portions has a second moment of inertia of cross-section different from the first moment of inertia of cross-section.

[0025] This is advantageous in that the conductor portions of the first, second, and third electrical conductors can be designed to have the necessary moment of inertia of cross-section in consideration of the impact / force that may occur between them during a short circuit. This is to be understood such that one conductor portion of the first electrical conductor can be designed, for example, based on the distance to the conductor portion of the second electrical conductor and the information of the short-circuit current of the second electrical conductor.

[0026] Note that the adjustment of the moment of inertia of cross-section may be carried out by reducing / increasing the thickness / used material of the conductor, that is, by changing the shape and dimensions of the conductor portion of the conductor branch. For this reason, when the space is limited, material is added to the conductor portion to increase the thickness of the conductor portion with limited space, thereby increasing the moment of inertia of cross-section necessary to withstand the increase in the force generated by a short circuit at this location as a result of the conductors approaching each other.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrical conductor is part of a power distribution system of an electrical panel that supplies power to an electrical component via an auxiliary electrical conductor.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the length of the first conductor portion is different from the length of the second conductor portion.

[0029] This is possible because different conductor portions of the conductor according to the invention are designed with different cross-sectional moments of inertia. Therefore, along a part of the conductor, the distance between the fixing points (to the support structure) can be made longer than in other parts of the conductor, i.e., the fixing points and the time taken for fixing can be shortened. The design of the conductor according to the invention is designed to balance the number of attachment points and the cross-sectional area of the conductor. For this reason, the closer the attachment points are to each other, the smaller the cross-sectional area (the cross-sectional moment of inertia decreases), and vice versa.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the conductor portion has a mass that exceeds the mass required to conduct the nominal current of the conductor portion.

[0031] This is advantageous in that it increases the conductor branch / conductor portion cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductor portion, thereby enabling this portion of the conductor to conduct the short-circuit current without the risk of decomposition, cracking, splitting into parts, popping out of the electrical cabinet, burnout, etc.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the conductor portion comprises a first section and a second section, the first section being a current-conducting portion that forms the main current path through the conductor portion, and the second section being a conductor support structure portion that increases the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductor portion.

[0033] This is advantageous in that it enables the selection of an optimal current path without impairing the cross-sectional moment of inertia by impairing the structural stability (also called resistance to bending) of the conductor portion.

[0034] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the electrical conductor comprises a conductor support structure formed monolithically from the electrical conductor.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the conductor support structure is not parallel to the current path from the first end to the second end of the electrical conductor.

[0036] The current path through an electrical conductor should be understood as the path through which the current is selected / conducted from the first end of the conductor to the second end, i.e., typically the shortest path. Therefore, it is possible to increase the sectional moment of inertia and thereby enhance the strength of the electrical conductor by providing conductor support structures that are not parallel to the current path, but which do not need to conduct current. For this reason, such conductor support structures may be considered additional materials that enhance structural stability and, for example, cool the electrical conductor.

[0037] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the conductor support structure is an electrically non-conductive support structure.

[0038] This is advantageous in that the support structure supports the electrical conductor, thereby increasing the moment of inertia of the conductor's cross-sectional area by connecting, for example, an electrical conductor to an electrical cabinet, or an electrical conductor to another electrical conductor.

[0039] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the conductor support structure surrounds the electrical conductor at least partially.

[0040] Partial encirclement should be understood as increasing the moment of inertia of an electrical conductor by providing a conductor support structure around it. Such a conductor support structure may be a lattice structure that encircles at least one-quarter, two-quarters, or three-quarters of the conductor's circumference. The extent of the encirclement depends, for example, on the expected direction of the force acting on the current due to a short circuit, the distance to adjacent electrical conductors, and other factors.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the conductor support structure dissipates heat from the current portion defining a part of the electrical conductor.

[0042] This is advantageous because the conductor support structure has a dual function: it cools the electrical conductor and enhances structural stability, thereby improving the moment of inertia of the electrical conductor's cross-sectional area.

[0043] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first conductor portion has a first shape, the second conductor portion has a second shape, and the first shape is different from the second shape.

[0044] This is advantageous because it has the effect of defining the moment of inertia of the cross-section by the shape of the conductor portion, and by extension, a part of the electrical conductor. This can sometimes allow for the predetermined behavior of the electrical conductor with respect to short-circuit current. Examples of such behavior include fuse-like burnout of a predetermined conductor portion, or deformation of a conductor portion that was designed to deform.

[0045] In a short circuit, the behavior of an electrical conductor can vary. In some cases, the conductor may remain physically unchanged; that is, it may conduct or withstand the force generated by the large short-circuit current. In other cases, one part of the conductor may become hotter than others. Still in other cases, the conductor may burn out, functioning as a fuse.

[0046] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first and / or second shapes are selected from a list including cylindrical shapes, polygonal shapes, grid shapes, and biomechanical shapes.

[0047] Having different shapes along an electrical conductor is advantageous because each of these shapes can have a different moment of inertia. Therefore, electrical conductors can be optimized to withstand forces acting on them from different directions. For example, the shape of such conductors can be adjusted depending on the distance and orientation from one conductor to an adjacent conductor, so that they can together withstand, for instance, the force of a short-circuit current.

[0048] Furthermore, this is advantageous in that such shapes can possess different properties, such as current conduction, strength and stability, and heat conduction. Therefore, changes in shape can cause the properties of an electrical conductor to change along the conductor.

[0049] Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, simply twisting or bending a square conductor is not considered a change in shape, and despite this type of modification, the conductor remains square in shape. Similarly, an increase or decrease in dimensions, including the cross-sectional area, is not considered a change in shape, and despite this type of modification, the conductor remains square in shape. For this reason, a change in shape should be understood as, for example, a change from a square shape to a cylindrical shape. However, a biomechanically designed conductor may be considered to have a constantly changing shape, such that its cross-sectional area changes as its conductor branches branch or join. On the other hand, a lattice-designed conductor is not considered to have a constantly changing shape.

[0050] Examples of polygonal shapes include triangles, squares, and pentagons.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the conducting portion of the first electrical conductor includes a plurality of conducting branches, and the distance between at least two of the plurality of conducting branches and the second electrical conductor varies along the length of the conducting portion.

[0052] This is advantageous in that it maximizes the distance between current-conducting electrical conductors / conductor branches, thereby increasing the distance between conduction currents and reducing the force generated by the short circuit. This is particularly advantageous in reducing the requirements for the moment of inertia of conductors in situations where two electrical conductors are physically close to each other as a result of limited physical space.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the conductor branch is twisted.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the conductor branches are physically connected via high-impedance connections.

[0055] This is advantageous because it improves the structural stability of the shape, increases the rigidity of the electrical conductor, and reduces the number of points at which the conductor / conductor branch is fixed to the support structure.

[0056] The molten portion of an electrical conductor is advantageous in that it allows the conductor to function as a safety circuit, thereby reducing the current that would otherwise be interrupted by the circuit breaker. In fact, if the circuit breaker fails to interrupt the current and malfunctions, the molten conductor portion may act as a fuse, interrupting the current flowing through the system.

[0057] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, at least one of two or more conductive portions is a transitional conductive portion having two shapes.

[0058] The transitional conductor portion is advantageous in that it has the effect of promoting a change in the moment of inertia along the conductor by changing the shape of the conductor from one shape to another.

[0059] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first shape includes a conductor branch that is not parallel to the current path between the first end and the second end.

[0060] Such non-parallel current paths are advantageous in that they increase the moment of inertia of the conductor's cross-section, and consequently its strength / rigidity, allowing it to withstand forces from predetermined directions. As an example, the first shape may include conductor branches having angles from 0 to 90 degrees, for example, from 15 to 75 degrees, with respect to the current path.

[0061] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the conductor branch is monolithically formed as a projection of a first portion of the first conductor portion and monolithically coupled to a second portion of the first conductor portion.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the conductor branch is formed monolithically as a projection from the first conductor portion and is monolithically coupled to the second conductor portion.

[0063] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the electrical conductor comprises a first fixing region and a second fixing region, wherein the first fixing region is configured to fix the electrical conductor in a first direction, and the first fixing region is configured to fix the electrical conductor in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction.

[0064] This is advantageous because it allows not only to design the direction of bending / flexing of conductors, but also to change the moment of inertia between conductor sections, for example, by improving the flexibility of electrical layout design within electrical cabinets.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first conducting portion of a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor are physically arranged at least partially parallel to each other with a first distance between them, the second conducting portion of the first electrical conductor has a second distance from the second electrical conductor that is smaller than the first distance, and the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​the second conducting portion of the first electrical conductor is greater than the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first conducting portion of the first electrical conductor.

[0066] Increasing the distance between two conductors is advantageous because it can reduce the conductor's cross-sectional moment of inertia. If for some reason the distance between two conductors must be reduced, the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the two conductors at that point must be increased to ensure the conductors continue to function even after a worst-case short circuit occurs.

[0067] The change in the sectional moment of inertia can be implemented as suggested above, depending on the support structure, mass, shape, and distance.

[0068] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first conducting portion of the first electrical conductor includes two or more conducting portions, the second conducting portion of the first electrical conductor includes two or more conducting portions, and the second conducting portion of the first conducting element has a higher frequency of fixed regions than the first conducting portion of the first electrical conductor.

[0069] This is advantageous because, by adding a fixed region, for example, the number of attachment points within a given region increases the moment of inertia of the cross-section of that region (in this example, the second conducting portion of the first conductor).

[0070] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first conducting portion of the first electrical conductor has a first mass and a first distance from the first conducting portion of the second electrical conductor, and the second conducting portion of the first electrical conductor has a second mass and a second distance from the second conducting portion of the second electrical conductor, wherein the weight of the second mass is greater than the weight of the first mass and the second distance is shorter than the first distance.

[0071] This is advantageous because, when the distance between two electrical conductors decreases, it can compensate for the increase in force due to the short-circuit current associated with the decrease in distance between the two conductors by increasing the moment of inertia of the cross-section. The distance between two conductors may decrease depending on the area occupied by the cabinet in which the conductors are mounted.

[0072] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first end and the conductor branch are monolithically connected so as to form at least a partial electrical conductor.

[0073] In some cases, an electrical conductor may need to pass through a current sensor having a central hole with a diameter smaller than the diameter of its second end. In this situation, the conductor can be inserted into the hole before the second end is physically attached.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first end and the second end are monolithically connected to form an integral electrical conductor.

[0075] This is advantageous because it allows electrical conductors having different cross-sectional moments of inertia along their longitudinal axis / length / current path to be mounted as a single component, without the need to interconnect multiple individual parts as in conventional designs. In addition, this reduces the installation time of the electrical conductor according to the present invention into, for example, an electrical cabinet, compared to conventional connectors with the same specifications.

[0076] In this specification, the expression “manufactured as a single unit or monolithically connected” is used to describe the integral formation of the shape or structure of an electrical conductor. One such method is to manufacture the conductor by an additive manufacturing process. This results in the conductor being manufactured from one end to the other, or at least one end, as a single part, unit, or block, with the intermediate portion being manufactured integrally. Thus, such a conductor may be formed from a single material as a single unit or block, where one or more ends are monolithically formed with the intermediate portion connecting one or more ends. That is, to be monolithically formed, or formed, should be understood as being created in a single continuous process without the need to add one part to another. That is, one or more ends are manufactured together with the intermediate portion as a single unit, and no welding, soldering, or any fastening or fixing means are performed, except for micro-bonding specific to the particular additive manufacturing technique used (e.g., layered melting, sintering, liquid bonding, spraying, etc.). Please note that additional elements such as terminals and cooling fins can be added in post-manufacturing processes, for example, by a cold spray process.

[0077] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, at least one of one or more fixed regions is - The first end to the second end, - The first end is connected to one of two or more conductive parts. - The second end is connected to one of two or more conductive parts, or - The second end is monolithically connected to one of two or more conductor sections.

[0078] Therefore, the fixed region may be part of the electrical conductor, and consequently part of the current path through the electrical conductor. For this reason, the electrical conductor according to the present invention may comprise multiple conductor portions and one or more fixed regions formed on (as) a single component / conductor, without requiring physical connection of components.

[0079] In areas where a bracket is mechanically connected to a support structure, the conductor may be secured to the support structure by the bracket tightening around the conductor. Therefore, the fixed area does not differ from the conductor portion unless the fixed area is determined as the position of the conductor where it is fixed to the support structure.

[0080] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, at least one of one or more fixed regions comprises a mounting piece configured to connect an electrical conductor to a support structure.

[0081] The mounting piece is advantageous in that it can be configured at a predetermined position on the conductor to establish a physical connection between the conductor and the support structure.

[0082] Preferably, when the mounting piece is used to connect a conductor to a support structure, it is DC-insulated from the support structure. For this reason, the bolts or bands used for fixing the mounting piece, or a part of the support structure to which the mounting piece is mechanically fixed, are used as insulators.

[0083] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the mounting piece is selected from a list including mounting points, mounting recesses, and mounting holes.

[0084] The mounting recess is advantageous because, when the conductor is fixed to the support structure by a band, the recess can be adjusted to the width of the band, thereby ensuring that the band is securely fixed to the conductor in the correct position.

[0085] When securing a conductor to a support structure with bolts and nuts, mounting holes can be advantageous.

[0086] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, at least one of one or more fixed regions is monolithically connected to a mounting point.

[0087] Forming the mounting point monolithically as part of the electrical conductor has the advantage of allowing it to be designed as a continuous protrusion, regardless of whether there is an "acute angle" (close to 90 degrees) and without considering the bending ratio. A drawback of conventional conductors such as busbars is that their dimensions increase with thickness along the deflection axis depending on their bending ratio. When conductors are manufactured by additive manufacturing, bending is unnecessary, and therefore, there is no need to adhere to a bending ratio.

[0088] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the first mounting point has a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electrical conductor, and the second mounting point has a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

[0089] This is advantageous in some electrical systems because it can reduce the required footprint of the conductors.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the support structure is an electrical cabinet.

[0091] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the electrical conductor comprises a plurality of heat banks distributed between a first end and a second end.

[0092] This is advantageous because the electrical conductor absorbs heat through a heat bank, thereby extending the time during which the electrical conductor can carry a high current.

[0093] A heat bank may be implemented as a localized protrusion of the size necessary to absorb the desired energy as heat, or as an additional material layer added to or formed on a part of a conductive portion.

[0094] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the electrical conductor comprises a portion of the conductor or a portion of the conductor without a heat bank.

[0095] This is advantageous in that, in the event of a short circuit, the current flowing through the electrical conductor melts or otherwise breaks the conductor, thereby helping the circuit breaker stop the current flowing through the electrical conductor at a predetermined location.

[0096] Note that the placement of heat banks may extend along the entire length of the electrical conductor or over only a portion of it. If no heat banks are implemented, the conductor is most likely to fail between the two adjacent heat banks that are missing.

[0097] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the distance between two of the two or more conductive portions is less than 15 cm, preferably less than 10 cm, and most preferably less than 5 cm.

[0098] This is advantageous in that it has the effect of adding a layer of security to the electrical system. Typically, a circuit breaker protects the electrical conductors and the components connected to them, but by designing one of the conductor portions to melt at, for example, 59Ka, it works in conjunction with the circuit breaker to improve the safety of the system, i.e., reduce the risk of component damage due to a short circuit.

[0099] In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a high-power electrical system comprising two or more independent electrical conductors. At least one of the two or more independent electrical conductors is a first independent electrical conductor. The first independent electrical conductor comprises a first end and a second end and is configured to be fixed to a support structure in one or more fixed regions, the one or more fixed regions separating the first independent electrical conductor into two or more conductor portions. The first conductor portion of the two or more conductor portions of the first independent electrical conductor has a first sectional moment of inertia with respect to a reference axis, and the electrical system is characterized in that the second conductor portion of the two or more conductor portions of the first independent electrical conductor has a second sectional moment of inertia with respect to the reference axis that is different from the first sectional moment of inertia.

[0100] Such an electrical system is advantageous in that it offers greater flexibility in the wiring of two or more independent electrical conductors in the system, because by designing at least one of the two or more independent electrical conductors to have a different cross-sectional moment of inertia, it can resist different forces acting at different locations along the conductors. This is because, for example, the distance between two or more independent electrical conductors can be varied, while ensuring that the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductors is sufficient to resist forces between two conductors caused, for example, by a short circuit in the electrical system.

[0101] It should be noted that the second and / or third independent electrical conductors may consist of substantially the same conducting portions as defined above with respect to the first independent electrical conductor. For this reason, a three-phase electrical system may have one or more electrical conductors, each having conducting portions with different cross-sectional moments of inertia. Such an electrical system is advantageous in that, because the cross-sectional moments of inertia can be determined between the conducting portions, it can be predetermined that in the event of a short circuit in the electrical system, some conducting portions will heat up, vibrate more, bend more, and melt more than others.

[0102] It should be noted that one of the three conductors may be a supporting structure in the form of conductive material in the electrical cabinet. Therefore, since the electrical cabinet is grounded in most electrical systems, a short circuit can occur between the conductor and the electrical cabinet.

[0103] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the conducting portion of the first independent electrical conductor has a shape that establishes a cross-sectional moment of inertia optimized to stabilize the first independent electrical conductor from a force acting in a first direction, and the conducting portion of the second independent electrical conductor has a shape that establishes a cross-sectional moment of inertia optimized to stabilize the second independent electrical conductor from a force acting in a second direction, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

[0104] An example of optimizing the sectional moment of inertia to stabilize a conductor is to provide fins along the longitudinal direction of the conductor, thereby distributing the forces acting on the conductor through the fins.

[0105] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first conducting portion of the first independent electrical conductor is spaced a first distance from the second independent electrical conductor, and the second conducting portion of the first independent electrical conductor is spaced a second distance from the second independent electrical conductor, where the first distance is different from the second distance.

[0106] Although only the second independent electrical conductor is mentioned here, as explained for the first and second independent conductors, the distances between the first and third independent conductors, and between the second and third independent conductors, may also be determined and made different.

[0107] This is advantageous in that it has the effect of reducing the amount of material required for the portion of the two conductors that has a second distance between them, compared to the amount of material required for the portion of the two conductors that has a first distance between them.

[0108] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the distance is measured at the center of the conducting portion at an angle (Y or Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the independent electrical conductor.

[0109] Typically, the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a conductor is the transverse direction, and therefore, at the measurement point, it may be perpendicular to the current path through the conductor. Because conductors may not have a uniform shape, the distance may be measured from the periphery of the conductor in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis / current path of the second or third conductor.

[0110] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the difference between the first distance and the second distance is greater than 1 mm, preferably at least 0.5 cm, and most preferably at least 1 cm.

[0111] This is advantageous because it creates an air gap equal to the distance between the two conductors, which acts as an insulator between them. For this reason, to avoid arc flashover under high voltage conditions, such as in humid air, the distance between the two conductors must be at least 1 cm, for example, more than 2 cm. The maximum distance is typically determined by the area occupied by the cabinet containing the electrical system, but it is generally desirable to make it as large as possible because it reduces the amount of material used for the conductors. This is because increasing the distance between the two conductors reduces the force between them, thus reducing the required moment of inertia in the cross-section.

[0112] A high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 45, comprising an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 40.

[0113] In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for designing a first electrical conductor in a high-power electrical system according to its physical position within the high-power electrical system relative to a second electrical conductor. This method is The steps include: establishing the minimum physical distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, and defining the region around the position of the first electrical conductor at the minimum physical distance as the minimum conducting portion; The steps include establishing a force arising from at least one short-circuit current in the smallest conducting portion, The steps include: establishing the bending moment of the smallest conducting portion of the first electrical conductor provided by the force; - A step of establishing the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​the minimum conducting portion with respect to the reference axis, based on the bending moment and the maximum allowable stress of the minimum conducting portion. The method includes the step of determining the required length and height of the minimum conducting portion based on the moment of inertia of the cross-section.

[0114] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the required length and height of the minimum conducting portion differ from the length and height of any additional conducting portions of the electrical conductor.

[0115] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the maximum allowable stress is the yield point of the material constituting the electrical conductor.

[0116] Such a method of designing electrical conductors is advantageous in that it reduces the amount of conductor material used in other conductor sections by designing the conductor based on the cross-sectional moment of inertia required to withstand the force from a short-circuit current in a given conductor section. Furthermore, it allows for the design of conductors that have only the number of mounting points necessary for fixing the conductor to a support structure, thus speeding up installation and reducing the number of parts used to fix the conductor.

[0117] The moment of inertia required to withstand the force from a short-circuit current must be high enough not to damage the conductor. Damage here should be understood as the absence of cracks or defects in the conductor when the current stops. In other words, the sectional moment of inertia must be determined based on the yield point of the conductor material. Thus, the sectional moment of inertia is precisely determined to the required height, i.e., the amount of material needed to withstand the force generated by the short-circuit current.

[0118] It should be noted that the maximum allowable stress may be determined by the allowable stress level, which may be related to, for example, a desired safety factor.

[0119] In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, at least one short-circuit current is the worst short-circuit current of a conductor, which is determined based on the following inputs, namely the currents of a first and / or second electrical conductor, the shortest distance between the first and second electrical conductors, and the distance between two mounting points that attach the first electrical conductor to a support structure.

[0120] Therefore, if the shape of the first electrical conductor is constant, the distance between mounting points can be adjusted, or additional mounting points may be included.

[0121] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional moment of inertia required to withstand a force is determined by multiplying the force by the distance from the midpoint between the two mounting points to one of the two mounting points.

[0122] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a user designing a first electrical conductor using a computer program can add fixed areas, mounting points, or support structures to a user-defined area of ​​the first electrical conductor.

[0123] Separately, the location of such fixed areas, mounting points, or support structures is indicated by a computer program.

[0124] A method according to any one of claims 47 to 52, comprising an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 40.

[0125] A method according to any one of claims 47 to 53, which is implemented in a high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 46. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0126] [Figure 1a] Figure 1a shows an electrical conductor, moment of inertia, and forces associated with the electrical conductor. [Figure 1b] Figure 1b shows an electrical conductor, moment of inertia, and forces associated with the electrical conductor. [Figure 1c]Figure 1c shows an electrical conductor, moment of inertia, and forces associated with an electrical conductor. [Figure 1d] Figure 1d shows an electrical conductor, moment of inertia, and forces associated with the electrical conductor. [Figure 1e] Figure 1e shows an electrical conductor, moment of inertia, and forces associated with an electrical conductor. [Figure 1g] Figure 1g shows an electrical conductor with a transition zone. [Figure 1h] Figure 1h shows an electrical conductor with a transition zone. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the three electrical conductors of a three-phase high-power electrical system. [Figure 3a] Figure 3a shows an electrical conductor equipped with a conductor support structure. [Figure 3b] Figure 3b shows an electrical conductor equipped with conductor branching and a conductor support structure. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an electrical conductor with different mounting points. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an electrical conductor having a transition conductor portion. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows two electrical conductors with different spacings. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows two electrical conductors with different masses. [Figure 8a] Figure 8a shows electrical conductors with the same cross-sectional area but different shapes and material thicknesses. [Figure 8b] Figure 8b shows electrical conductors with the same cross-sectional area but different shapes and material thicknesses. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an electrical conductor with a heat bank. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows a system according to the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows a flowchart of the method for manufacturing an electrical conductor according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0127] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, please refer to the following brief description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and detailed description. In the drawings, similar reference numerals represent similar parts. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and elements of different drawings can be combined within the scope of the invention.

[0128] The present invention will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments intended solely to illustrate the principles and implementations of the invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to provide a number of embodiments within the claims.

[0129] The electrical conductor EC shown in Figure 1a comprises a first end 1E, a second end 2E, and two fixed regions FA. Thus, the electrical conductor EC comprises three conductor portions CS, of which one between the first end 1E and the fixed region FA is called the first conductor portion 1CS, and one between the two fixed regions FA is called the second conductor portion 2CS.

[0130] The moment of inertia MI of the conductor portion CS of the electrical conductor EC shown in Figure 1a may be established with reference to any direction in space. Figure 1a shows three directions called height (MIy), width (MIz), and length (MIx) as reference axes for calculating the moment of inertia of the section.

[0131] The moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​a conductor depends on its shape (dimensions, etc.). For a conductor CS with a standard rectangular cross-sectional area, the moment of inertia can be calculated using the following equation 1. Equation 1: MI = 1 / 12 * b * h 3 Here, b is the length of the side of the cross section perpendicular to the direction of the force, and h is the length of the cross section parallel to the direction of the force. Note that the moment of inertia MI of the cross section calculated in Equation 1 is calculated with respect to the central axis of the symmetric rectangular cross section.

[0132] The moment of inertia of the conductor must be sufficient to withstand the forces acting on it. Such forces can be generated by gravity (the weight of the conductor itself and any conductors or components connected to it), vibration of the conductor (an acceleration that can produce gravitational acceleration (G) in the weight of the conductor, where G is multiplied by the weight of the conductor), or electromagnetic forces generated by short-circuit currents conducted by adjacent electrical conductors EC. In a short-circuit condition, such currents can be very high, ranging from 2kA to 300kA.

[0133] "To withstand" should be understood as being able to continue operating even after being exposed to forces generated by, for example, a short circuit; that is, even if the conductor is exposed to such forces, it will not suffer damage such as cracking or collapse, or plastic deformation. For this reason, the conductor must be designed considering its material properties so that the stress on the material caused by such forces is below a predetermined level, such as below the yield point of the conductor material, in order to ensure that the deformation of the conductor does not become plastic deformation.

[0134] According to the present invention, typically, it is only important to determine the material stress from a force originating from one direction, i.e., from the direction in which adjacent electrical conductors are located. This is because the maximum or worst force that two adjacent conductors must withstand is the force from the electromagnetic field generated when a short circuit occurs in at least one of the conductors. Since this force depends on the distance between the two adjacent conductors, the maximum force between the two conductors is determined at the point where the distance between the two conductors is shortest. For this reason, it is preferable to optimize the design of the conductor portion so that it can withstand the force F from the conductor portion of the second conductor where the distance between their respective reference axes is shortest.

[0135] The electromagnetic force F arising from such a short circuit can be calculated based on the magnitude of the short-circuit current and the distance between conductors. From this electromagnetic force F, the bending moment M experienced by the conductor can be calculated. For the conductor material, the yield point, and thus the level of stress that the selected material can withstand before undergoing plastic deformation, is known. From this information, the cross-sectional moment of inertia MI required of the conductor to withstand the calculated electromagnetic force F can be calculated. This allows for the determination of the combination of height y and width z that maximizes the distance Y from the center / neutral axis of the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor to the outer edge of the cross-sectional area.

[0136] Therefore, the required moment of inertia MI can be calculated from the force F, the yield point σ of the material properties, and the bending moment M. From the moment of inertia MI, for example, the width and height of the conductor or more complex shapes can be derived. Such steps for determining the dimensions of the conductor or the cross-section of the conductor will be described in more detail below. The term "conductor" is used with the understanding that it may refer only to the conductor portion being calculated.

[0137] Therefore, based on such inputs, it is possible to design a conductor with a cross-sectional moment of inertia MI that ensures the stress effect due to bending moment M / force F is below the yield point of the conductor. Thus, by using the cross-sectional moment of inertia MI as a design parameter when designing a conductor, it is possible to design the conductor to match the required yield point in order to avoid plastic deformation, cracking, collapse, etc. In this way, the amount of material used in the conductor can be reduced compared to conventional design methods for electrical conductors.

[0138] Figure 1b shows an example of a first electrical conductor 1EC and a second electrical conductor 2EC arranged parallel to each other. Here, the first electrical conductor 1EC is the one shown in Figure 1a. Only the outline of the second electrical conductor 2EC is shown by the specified line. This may be approximately the same as the first electrical conductor 1EC in terms of shape and fixation to the support structure, or it may have a different shape.

[0139] Since the two electrical conductors 1EC and 2EC are positioned adjacent to each other in the Z-plane, the maximum (worst-case) force F that one conductor will exert on the other in the event of a short circuit will lie within this plane, as indicated by the arrow F. For example, the worst-case force F generated by the electromagnetic field after a short circuit can be calculated as a function of the magnitude of the short-circuit current and the distance between the two conductors 1EC and 2EC.

[0140] In other words, when a short circuit occurs, the magnitude of this force F is determined by the electromagnetic field generated by the short-circuit current. The effect of this force F on adjacent conductors (bending moment M) is mainly determined by the distance between the reference axes of the two conductors. The reference axis of a conductor may be any bending axis, such as the axis passing through the center of gravity of the conductor, and the moment of inertia of the cross-section may be calculated based on such a reference axis. Therefore, the bending moment M generated by this force is mainly determined by the magnitude of the short-circuit current and the distance between the reference axes of the two conductors. However, the shape of the conductor may also affect its bending resistance. Therefore, changing the shape may lead to a change in the moment of inertia of the cross-section MI, but the shape may be changed so that the moments of inertia of the cross-section of the two shapes are the same.

[0141] In an electrical system using two conductors, if it is an AC system with common-mode current, the force F will alternately push and pull the adjacent conductors according to the sinusoidal waveform of the AC short-circuit current. This is because the operating signal of the current change causes a change in the electromagnetic field, which in turn causes a change in the force F. If the currents are out of phase, the forces F may partially or completely cancel each other out.

[0142] Therefore, in a three-phase system, the direction of the current, and consequently the electromagnetic field, changes as follows: in the first phase, the current flows in one direction; in the second phase, the current flows in opposite directions; and in the third phase, the current flows in either the first or second direction. Consequently, two conductors with current flowing in the same direction will either be attracted (pulled) or repelled (pushed) by the force between them. A conductor with current flowing in opposite directions will be repelled (pushed) by the other conductor. Therefore, the electromagnetic field changes according to the polarity of the current and is not constant over time. In a short-circuit condition, the current increases over time, generating an increasing electromagnetic field around the conductor. Consequently, the force generated by this electromagnetic field also increases. However, it should be noted that the force F is generated when the electromagnetic field interacts with another magnetic field or magnetic material, such as an electric field generated by the current flowing through an adjacent conductor. Based on this knowledge, it is possible to design the shape of the conductor according to the direction of this force, so that the conductor or a part thereof has its maximum mass at a position as far away as possible from the reference axis. The reference axis and the direction of force F may lie in the same plane, or they may lie in parallel planes.

[0143] In a DC system, the force F would be a push or pull from one conductor to an adjacent conductor. In this case, transient events typically occur as a result of a short circuit and can affect the direction of the electromagnetic field, and consequently, the direction of the force. The direction of the force relative to the electromagnetic field can be determined by the right-hand rule.

[0144] In situations involving three or more electrical conductors, the force generated by a short-circuit current is the force resulting from the resulting current. Therefore, the short-circuit current, and consequently the force generated from it, depends on the type of short circuit (two-phase short circuit, three-phase short circuit, neutral / ground short circuit, etc.). In other words, the force is a result of two or more factors, which further complicates its determination. For this reason, in such situations, the required moment of inertia of cross-section may be the same for different conductors. For example, in a system with three parallel conductors of the same shape on the same plane, the central conductor may need a shape with a higher moment of inertia of cross-section to withstand the forces from the two adjacent conductors, i.e., a higher force than the two adjacent conductors (one force pulling, the other pushing in the same direction). The other conductors may not require such high moments of inertia of cross-section because the forces they receive are from one direction, and the force from the furthest conductor decreases with distance. Therefore, because the requirements for the moment of inertia of cross-section differ, the shape of the central conductor may differ from the shapes of the conductors on either side.

[0145] Generally, short-circuit current can be determined during the design of an electrical system. In fact, the dimensions of the electrical conductors in an electrical system (shape, length, width, height, and amount of material used) are often designed based on short-circuit calculations. Therefore, the calculation of short-circuit current is more or less a standard calculation, depending on where the short circuit occurs in the electrical system, whether the electrical system is a single-phase or three-phase system, etc. Such calculations are well known to those skilled in the art and can be easily found with an internet search.

[0146] Once the short-circuit current is determined, the electromagnetic force (force F) generated by this current acting on one of two adjacent busbars, as shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d, can be calculated based on Equation 2.

number

[0147] As mentioned above, a force F acting on a conductor causes a bending moment M. The relationship between this force F and the bending moment M is MI = F * X.

[0148] A bending moment M generates stress in a conductor. For an electrical system in which a conductor conducts current to operate continuously without subsequent maintenance or replacement, the conductor must be able to withstand this stress. Therefore, the stress generated by the bending moment must be below the yield point of the conductor material. Thus, the relationship between the allowable stress (yield point) and the second moment of area MI is as shown in Equation 3, and the required second moment of area MI of the conductor can be calculated from Equation 3. Equation 3: σ = y * M / MI Here, σ is the allowable stress (yield point of the conductor material), M is the bending moment, y is the distance from the center / neutral axis of the conductor's cross-sectional area to the outer edge of the cross-sectional area, and MI is the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area.

[0149] Based on the calculated cross-sectional moment of inertia MI, design parameters such as the width and height of the conductor can be derived by re-inserting Equation 1 mentioned above. MI = 1 / 12 * width * height 3 Referring to Figure 1b, the width is represented by z and the height by y, and the force F is parallel to the height Z, so Equation 1 is as follows: MI = 1 / 12 * y * z 3

[0150] Therefore, by inserting different values ​​for z and y, it becomes possible to design a conductor that can withstand the stress caused by the short-circuit current.

[0151] Once the dimensions of the conductors are determined, it can be confirmed whether conductors of such dimensions can be installed in the available physical space, such as inside an electrical cabinet, with respect to the deflection of individual conductors. For forces evenly distributed across a simple supporting conductor, this may be done using Equation 4.

number

[0152] Here, U is the deflection, x is the distance from the end of the conductor from which the deflection is calculated, f is the force, l is the distance between the two mounting points, E is the Young's modulus of the conductor material, and MI is the moment of inertia of the cross-section.

[0153] According to the present invention, an electromagnetic field due to a short-circuit current is generated around the conductor in a 360-degree radius. However, the electromagnetic force F is generated only when two magnetic fields or one magnetic field interacts with a magnetic material such as steel.

[0154] It should be noted that the moment of inertia of the cross-section is related to the shape and is independent of the force F. The force F arises as a result of the electromagnetic field between two conductors, and this force affects both conductors. This invention relates to designing conductors taking into account the electromagnetic force F arising from a short-circuit current. This may include designing the conductor fixing area / mounting points to the support structure.

[0155] The mounting points can be firmly fixed to the conductor. This may be advantageous when it is desirable to reduce bending of the conductor portion between two mounting points. The firmly fixed mounting points may be connected to the support structure via an insulating material that DC-insulates the mounting points from the support structure. Alternatively, the conductor may be connected to the mounting points via a flexible connector. This may be advantageous when it is desirable to rotate the conductor around a bending axis to absorb, for example, manufacturing variations.

[0156] Figure 1c shows the conductor in Figure 1b. Here, a force F acts on the first conductor 1EC, generating a bending moment, causing conductor 1EC to bend toward the second conductor 2EC.

[0157] Note that in general, the conductive portion is fixed at least one end, as shown in Figure 1a. This end could be either of the two ends of the conductive portion from which the moment of inertia of the cross-section is calculated. Therefore, the conductive portion could be part of a conductor between two fixed regions / both ends / one end and one fixed region (one or more of which fix the conductive portion to the support).

[0158] It should be noted that most of the above formulas are simplified and may not be perfectly accurate in all situations. More specifically, if the width (b) and height (h) of the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor cannot be determined, the above formulas may not be applicable as presented. In this case, computer programs may be needed to calculate different values.

[0159] More detailed calculations, not only for short-circuit current but also for moment and force, are described in the Danish standard DS / EN60865-12.Udgave, published on April 20, 2012, titled "Calculation of the effects of short-circuit current - Part 1: Definitions and calculation methods." This standard is incorporated herein by reference.

[0160] Looking at the referenced standard DS / EN60865-1, it is clear that the calculations are performed based on standard shapes (such as circles and rectangles). There are no hints regarding calculations for various shapes such as the conductive portion CS of the present invention.

[0161] For example, it may be required that the first conductor 1EC is fixed to the support structure SS at the fixed point FA of the first end 1E, while the second end 2E is not fixed to the support structure. Furthermore, the formula may not be accurate in large bending cases involving plastic deformation. In addition, transverse forces, in conjunction with the moment of inertia of the cross-section, contribute to the stress level of the conductor and may determine the dimensions of the conductor. For this reason, a more accurate calculation of the lateral force leading to the transverse stress σ may be performed using formula 5.

number

[0162] Figure 1d shows several examples of the positions of electrical conductors ECa to ECc adjacent to the first electrical conductor 1EC. The electrical conductors EC are shown in end view, and similar diagrams may be drawn in side view, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b. Figure 1d also shows reference axes Miz, Mit, and Miy for calculating the relevant sectional moment of inertia MI. The relevant sectional moment of inertia MI is based on one of the forces Fz, Ft, or Fy acting between the conductors during a short circuit.

[0163] It should be noted that in most cases, the electrical conductors according to the present invention are composed of a three-phase electrical system. In such a system, the three-phase current is conducted by three separate conductors, which may be implemented as cables or busbars. These three conductors may be identical and parallel in at least part of the electrical system. However, this is not always possible, for example, due to the influence of other electrical conductors or components of the electrical system, the relative positions of some of the conductors may change. In this situation, as mentioned above, the force F due to the short-circuit current will not be the same in the parallel portion and the changing portion, so it is advantageous to adjust the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional portion of the conductor.

[0164] The cross-sectional moment of inertia MI is relatively easily established in some configurations, but becomes relatively complex in other configurations. Referring to Figure 1d, the cross-sectional moments of inertia called Miy and Miz are relatively easy to establish, but the cross-sectional moment of inertia called Mit becomes somewhat complex because the conductor arrangement is angled. Furthermore, if the shape is not a simple rod as shown, the calculation becomes even more complex and will typically be carried out by a computer program. Additionally, if the electrical system includes more than three electrical conductors, the calculation may be more complex than when only two conductors are included in the calculation.

[0165] It should be noted that during a short circuit, since it may be expected that the adjacent conductor EC also receives the same nominal force, it is advantageous to have the same cross-sectional moment of inertia as conductor 1EC. Note that even if the cross-sectional moments of inertia are the same, the shapes do not necessarily have to be identical.

[0166] Regarding the cross-sectional moment of inertia, it is preferable to arrange two adjacent conductors adjacent to each other, such as 1EC and ECa in Figure 1d. In this way, the force F acts on the conductor in the direction where the mass of the conductor is the largest and farthest from the reference axis, i.e., the MIz axis (Mz < My) in Figure 1d. In this way, the force is most easily absorbed by the conductor.

[0167] As described above, when the shapes and relative positions of two conductors are relatively simple, the cross-sectional moment of inertia is relatively easily determined. However, when an angle is applied or the conductor shape is irregular, establishing the cross-sectional moment of inertia becomes more complex and is typically established with the assistance of computer programs such as Ansys, nTop, Solidworks, etc. This also applies when considering, among other things, the contribution of the force (e.g., force from additional conductors or other conductor parts) that the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductor part should be able to withstand.

[0168] As mentioned above, the moment of inertia MI of the sectional area of ​​the conducting portion CS of an electric conductor EC may be established with reference to a reference axis passing through any direction in space / the centroid of the conductor. Figure 1a shows three axes called height (MIy), width (MIz), and length (MIx).

[0169] Therefore, as shown in Figure 1e, when both the conductor EC and the force F acting on the conductor are rotated, for example by 90 degrees, the moment of inertia of the cross-section at a specific point P on the axis MIp of the electric conductor EC remains constant, i.e., MIp and MIp' are the same. In this example, the resistance of the electric conductor EC to withstanding the force F acting on it from this new angle is maintained.

[0170] However, as in the case of Figure 1e, if the force F' acting on the electric conductor EC does not rotate with the conductor EC, that is, if it continues to act from the same direction, the bending moment M acting on the conductor EC will be different. More specifically, the bending moment acting on a conductor where the force F' acts perpendicular to the MIpp axis will be greater than the bending moment M acting on a conductor where the force F' acts parallel to the MIpp' axis. Therefore, the sectional moment of inertia MIpp required to withstand the force F' is different from the sectional moment of inertia MIpp'. That is, MIpp is not equal to MIpp' (more specifically, MIpp > MIpp').

[0171] Figures 1e and 1f show cross-sections of an electrical conductor EC. Figure 1g shows an example of an electrical conductor having the same cross-section but with two conductor portions 1CS and 2CS twisted / rotated 90 degrees relative to each other. Therefore, if the electrical conductor shown in Figure 1g has the same shape and dimensions, the points P, PP, P', and PP' referenced in Figures 1e and 1f may be points on opposite sides of the conductor's twist, as shown.

[0172] Therefore, it is preferable to design the shape so that it has a desired moment of inertia in the cross-section for forces acting from a specific direction. One way to do this is to increase the spread of material from the bending axis, also called the reference axis for calculating the moment of inertia in the cross-section. The further away from this axis and the greater the amount of material, the stiffer the conductor tends to be, and thus the more resistant the conductor is to bending caused by an electromagnetic force F.

[0173] Therefore, the moment of inertia of a cross-section (also called the second moment of area) is a measure of the resistance of a cross-section and depends on the shape of the cross-section. An example of a cross-section with high resistance is an I-beam. For this reason, if the cross-section changes, the moment of inertia of the cross-section may also change.

[0174] According to the present invention, the conductor can be manufactured by additive manufacturing, and therefore, for example, 3D printed into a desired shape. As a result, the conductor shown in Figure 1g may undergo deformation and minor cracking along the side (width) of the torsion portion of the conductor. Such drawbacks can be minimized by making the transition portion longer, and at least a certain length is required so as not to exceed the yield point of the conductor material. The conductor shown in Figure 1h is manufactured with a transition portion TS, avoiding the drawbacks of known torsion conductors. Because the transition portion TS uses more material than the transition portion TS of known torsion conductors, it can actually function as a heat bank. However, it should be noted that the transition portion in Figure 1h is only one possible method for designing a transition of a conductor from one direction to another.

[0175] Furthermore, the conductor transition section TS shown in Figure 1h is shorter than the conductor transition section TS shown in Figure 1g. This allows components such as the converter's power module to be placed closer together, resulting in a reduction in the converter's footprint.

[0176] As described above, the three electrical conductors 1EC, 2EC, and 3EC of the present invention may be used together to distribute current in a three-phase high-power electrical system. The illustrated support system SS may be implemented as an electrical cabinet that can enclose the electrical conductors EC. The three electrical conductors may be supplied with power from outside the electrical cabinet via cables (not shown). Such a supply may be from, for example, the public power grid or a renewable energy generator. The three conductors may distribute current to components of the electrical cabinet via, for example, an auxiliary electrical conductor AEC, of ​​which only one is shown.

[0177] The three electrical conductors shown in the figure may have similar geometric shapes and frequencies of fixed regions that divide the conductor into a first conductor portion 1-xEC and a second conductor portion 2-xEC. For this reason, such conductors may have the same cross-sectional moment of inertia MI. However, in the event of a short circuit, the central conductor 2EC may be subjected to a force F from both the first conductor 1EC and the second conductor 3EC. For this reason, the central conductor may have a higher frequency of fixed regions FA and a higher cross-sectional moment of inertia MI, contrary to what is shown in the figure.

[0178] Figure 3a shows a non-limiting example of a conductor portion CS having a first compartment 1SP and a second compartment 2SP with different cross-sectional areas and, consequently, different sectional moments of inertia. The conductor support structure CSS (second compartment 2SP or conductor branch CB) may be formed monolithically from the conductor portion CS and may also conduct current. The conductor support structure CSS may enhance the structural stability of the conductor portion CS and increase the sectional moment of inertia of the conductor portion CS.

[0179] The first support portion 1SP is shown to have a fixing region in the form of a hole through which the conductor passes. A higher sectional moment of inertia may be achieved by combining such fixing points with the conductor support structure.

[0180] In this example, the two conductor branches within the conductor portion may be given a changing moment of inertia in the cross-sectional area.

[0181] Another alternative electrical conductor EC according to the present invention is shown in Figure 3b. This conductor comprises three fixed regions FA and first and second ends 1E, 2E that divide the conductor into four conductor portions CS. The fixed regions are shown as holes from which the conductor can be fixed to a support structure with bolts.

[0182] The conductor support structure CSS may also be called, or used as, a conductor branch CB, having two purposes: to increase the sectional moment of inertia and to allow current to flow.

[0183] The conductors shown in Figures 3a and 3b are merely examples of how a conductor can have a conductor portion CS that changes its sectional moment of inertia by changing the shape of the conductor. Other examples not shown include electrical conductors with conductor portions such as bionic designs, grid designs, and twisted conductor branches.

[0184] Some of these different shapes, including those shown in Figures 3a and 3b, have the added benefit of improving the cooling capacity of the conductor. This is because the flow of cooling air can pass through different conductor branches.

[0185] Figure 4 shows two alternative examples of the hole shown in Figure 3a. These alternative examples can be used to secure the conductor to the support structures SS1 and SS2. Two of the fixing regions FA include fasteners CL for securing the fixing regions FA to the support structures. The fasteners CL are for securing to the support structures (not shown) via, for example, clips, bolts, or screws. The other two fixing regions FA include mounting legs or mounting points MP. Thus, the mounting points MP are fixed in one direction, and the fasteners are fixed in the other direction.

[0186] The additive manufacturing process for electrical conductors makes it easier to design electrical conductors so that, for example, a monolithic mounting point MP supports them in different directions. This may allow the conductor to withstand forces and vibrations acting from different directions more effectively.

[0187] The first mounting point MP is fixed to the support structure SS1. This support structure is non-conductive, so insulation is not required between the mounting point and the support structure SS1.

[0188] The second mounting point MP is fixed to the support structure SS2 via an insulator IS. For this reason, the support structure SS2 may be conductive.

[0189] The method of fixing the conductor to the support structure can affect the moment of inertia of the conductor's cross-section. The orientation and distance between the fixing regions affect the deflection of the conductor. By controlling the deflection, it is possible to design a conductor with a desired moment of inertia.

[0190] The distance between two mounting points MP is important when calculating the bending moment M of the conductor. Consider a conductor section CS with mounting points MP at both ends, where the distance between the two mounting points MP is X. Each of these mounting points represents half of the force F acting on the conductor. In this example, the conductor section is designed such that the moment of inertia MI of the section due to the force F is located midway between the mounting points MO. Therefore, the bending moment M of a conductor section that is simply supported at both ends and where the force F is evenly distributed is determined by equation 6. Equation 6: M(max)=1 / 8*f*x^2 As mentioned above, the relationship between deflection / stress, bending moment M, and cross-sectional moment of inertia MI is σ = M / MI. To avoid plastic deformation of the conductor portion, the stress must be below the yield point of the material. Thus, by changing the distance X between the two mounting points, the required cross-sectional moment of inertia for the conductor / conductor portion can be reduced.

[0191] Figure 5 shows a portion of an electrical conductor in the transition conductor portion TCS where the first conductor portion 1CS branches into the second conductor portion 2CS and the third conductor portion 3CS.

[0192] Separately, it can also be said that the second and third conductor branches are integrated into one, namely the first conductor section, via the transition conductor section TCS.

[0193] As shown in Figure 3b, the conductor according to the present invention may have multiple transition conductor sections (TCS) for branching one conductor branch into two or more conductor branches, or for integrating two or more conductor branches into one conductor branch, as illustrated in Figure 3b.

[0194] Clearly, when one large branch is divided into two smaller branches (for example, in terms of cross-sectional area), the moment of inertia of the cross-section in the two parts may change. However, it should be noted that it is also possible to design a conductor with multiple conductor branches having the same moment of inertia of cross-section as a single conductor branch, and vice versa.

[0195] Figure 6 shows two parallel conductor branches. As shown, the first conductor portion of the first electrical conductor 1-1EC is at a distance D1 from the first conductor portion of the second electrical conductor 1-2EC, and the second conductor portion of the first electrical conductor 2-1EC is at a distance D2 from the first conductor portion of the second electrical conductor 1-2EC. Since distance D1 is greater than distance D2, and because in this example the first and second conductors are supported in the same way and designed to accommodate the same maximum deflection, the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area at the second conductor portion of the first conductor 2-1EC must be greater than that of the first conductor portion 1-1EC.

[0196] This may be achieved by increasing the frequency of mounting points, increasing the mass of the conductor portion, or optimizing the shape of the second conductor portion 2-1EC to have high resistance to bending due to forces acting on the conductor from the first conductor portion of the second conductor 1-2EC.

[0197] Similarly, it should be noted that the second conductor, although not shown, may preferably be divided into two conductor portions. This is because, since the distance D2 is smaller than the distance D1, this conductor is likely to experience a greater force from the second portion 2-1EC than from the first portion 1-1Ec.

[0198] In Figure 7, the moment of inertia of the cross-section between the two conducting sections changes by changing the mass of the conducting sections, but this is not easily illustrated in Figure 7. Separately, increasing the frequency of the fixed region FA is easily illustrated. Therefore, by shortening the distance between the fixed regions FA and thereby shortening the length of the conducting sections, the moment of inertia of the cross-section can be kept constant. In addition, the moment of inertia of the cross-section can be changed so that the same deflection is produced even when the frequency of support is changed.

[0199] Figures 8a and 8b show a conductor having three conductive sections 1CS, 2CS, and 3CS. The conductor has a hollow structure, and its cooling capacity can be enhanced by passing a cooling fluid through it, allowing current to be conducted through the conductor. The conductive sections are established by fixed regions in the form of fasteners CL (or wing sections).

[0200] The fastener CL is intended to secure the conductor to the support structure from two different directions. The fastener CL may be a monolithic structure formed integrally with the conductor, i.e., like a wing. Similarly, the three conductor portions may be a monolithic structure formed integrally.

[0201] Figure 8b shows a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal direction of the conductor, and it can be seen that the cross-section of the conductor remains the same even when the shape changes. This is possible because the thickness of the material changes in the second conductor portion 2CS.

[0202] This conductor design is an example of a conductor having a conductor portion whose sectional moment of inertia changes, as well as its shape.

[0203] Figure 9 shows an electrical conductor with a heat bank TB. Unlike those shown in Figures 8a and 8b, the heat bank TB may be implemented by increasing the mass of the bank relative to the mass between the banks. The distance between the banks depends on the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor, and the smaller the banks, the closer they need to be. In an unspecified example, the distance between the two banks is 5 cm.

[0204] The purpose of a heat bank (TB) is to absorb the heat generated by high short-circuit currents. This extends the time that a conductor can withstand high currents, i.e., the time until the circuit breaker interrupts the current. The temperature rise within the bank is proportional to time and power for a given material. Therefore, if the power is constant, doubling the mass reduces the temperature rise by half.

[0205] The ability of an electrical conductor to absorb heat over a certain distance via a heat bank is related to the properties of the conducting material, such as specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. If the conductor has a ripple shape, such ripples can cool the conductor by releasing heat to the surroundings through convection. In addition, such ripples can change the conductor's cross-sectional moment of inertia.

[0206] Figure 10 shows a system according to the present invention. This system includes three independent electrical conductors 1IEC, 2IEC, and 3IEC. Such conductors may be substantially the same as those described above with respect to the electrical conductors, fixed regions, and conductor portions.

[0207] However, in a three-phase system like the one shown, the calculation of electromagnetic forces becomes even more complex. Considerations for three-phase systems are shown above, for example, in relation to the explanation of Figure 1b.

[0208] Figure 11 shows a flowchart illustrating a method according to the present invention for determining the cross-sectional moment of inertia required to withstand a short-circuit current, and how a conductor should be designed to have such a cross-sectional moment of inertia. Each step will be described in further detail in relation to the description of Figure 1b.

[0209] In the first step S1, the short-circuit current of the electrical system is determined. This current generates an electromagnetic field around the conductor, and in step S2, the force F generated from this electromagnetic field is calculated. The electromagnetic force F can be calculated based on the magnitude of the short-circuit current and the distance between the two conductors. Next, in step S3, the bending moment M experienced by the conductor from this force F can be calculated. Next, in step S4, the moment of inertia MI can be calculated. For a given material having a bending moment M along with a specific Young's modulus E and yield point σ, in step S5, the width and height of the conductor can be derived from the moment of inertia MI so that the conductor has the required moment of inertia. In step S6, an inspection may be performed to ensure that the conductor determined in the previous step does not deflect beyond an allowable distance. Deflection below the allowable distance ensures that the conductor does not collide with, for example, another conductor or other components in, for example, an electrical cabinet. Finally, in step S7, the conductor is manufactured. The manufacturing step according to the present invention preferably includes the step of manufacturing the conductor by additive manufacturing.

[0210] The steps for manufacturing an electrical conductor may be carried out by an additive manufacturing process. Such a manufacturing process may be based on any of the following additive manufacturing processes, but is not limited to those listed herein: 3D printing, layer-by-layer printing, wire arc additive manufacturing, fused deposition modeling (FDM), direct energy deposition, direct metal deposition, sinter-based processes, powder bed fused deposition modeling (PBF) such as laser-based processes (e.g., selective laser melting (SLM) or selective laser sintering (SLS), cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM), binder jetting or binder jet 3D printing), etc. It should be noted that the actual additive manufacturing process used to print or construct an electrical conductor may not be important, as long as the material used to construct the electrical conductor is a conductive material.

[0211] According to the additive manufacturing process for producing conductors according to the present invention, conductors having different types of protrusions with different purposes can be designed. Examples include protrusions that function as heat sinks, air guides, heat banks (for adding material), fuses (for reducing material), and so on.

[0212] A heat bank has an advantage in that it generates extreme heat during a short circuit. For example, a short-circuit current of around 100-200kA can cause a temperature rise of several thousand degrees in a thin wire in just a few milliseconds.

[0213] If the moment of inertia of the cross-section (relative to the same reference axis) differs between two conductive parts of the same conductor, the shape of the conductor may become non-uniform. Separately, a non-uniform conductor can also be understood as a conductor that has parts that are closer to adjacent conductors than other parts.

[0214] High-power systems should be understood as electrical systems with power levels of 10kW or more, such as 22kW, 50kW, 110kW, 150kW, 225kW, 300kW, 350kW, 500kW, 800kW, 1MW, 2MW, 3MW, or even higher, such as 5MW or 10MW. System voltages are, for example, 110V, 230V, 400V, 690V, 800V, 1000V, 1500V, 6kV, or, for example, 10kV, and currents range from, for example, 16A, 32A, or 64A to several hundred, such as 100A, 200A, or 500A, or even several thousand, such as 1000A to 4000A.

[0215] According to the present invention, for example, a conductor can be designed and manufactured by additive manufacturing, having a first conductor portion having a first shape with a moment of inertia in the cross-section that facilitates the bending of the electrical conductor portion in a predetermined direction while a short-circuit current is influencing it. The same conductor may have a second conductor portion having a moment of inertia that facilitates melting due to the heat of the short-circuit current or facilitates the absorption of such heat. For this purpose, the moment of inertia in the cross-section is predetermined and calculated based on facts such as current, dimensions, distance to a fixed point, etc.

[0216] In this specification, the term “monolithic” is used to describe the shape or structure of an electrical conductor according to one embodiment of the present invention. Such a conductor is preferably manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, thereby being manufactured as a single member, unit, or block from one end to the other, or at least at one end, with the conductor portion being manufactured as a single member. Thus, such a conductor may be formed from a single material as a single member, unit, or block, with one or more of its ends monolithically formed with the conductor portion connecting the one or more ends. That is, to be understood as being formed monolithically means that one part / conductor portion is manufactured in one continuous process without the need to additionally add another part / conductor portion. That is, one or more ends are manufactured together with the conductor portion as a single unit, and no connections such as welding, soldering, or any fastening or fixing means are performed, except for micro-bonding of types specific to the particular additive manufacturing technique used, such as layer-by-layer melting, sintering, liquid bonding, or spraying. However, it should be noted that additional elements such as terminals and cooling fins can be added during post-manufacturing processes, such as a cold spray process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0217] EC Electrical Conductor 1EC First Electrical Conductor 2EC Second Electrical Conductor 3EC Third Electrical Conductor AEC Auxiliary Electrical Conductor IEC isolated electrical conductors 1. IEC First isolated electrical conductor 2IEC Second Independent Electrical Conductor 3IEC Third Independent Electrical Conductor CS conductor part 1CS First Conductor Part 2CS Second Conductor Section 3CS Third Conductor Part TCS transition conductor section 1-1EC First conducting portion of the first electrical conductor 1-2EC First conducting portion of the second electrical conductor 1-3EC First conducting portion of the third electrical conductor 1-2EC First conducting portion of the first electrical conductor 2-2EC Second conducting portion of the second electrical conductor 2-3EC The second conducting portion of the third electrical conductor 1SP First Section 2SP Second Section 1E First end 2E Second end FA fixed area SS support structure CB conductor branch CSS conductor support structure CP current path D distance 1D First distance 2D Second distance TB Heat Bank MI (Moment of Inertia) TS transition section MP mounting point C Center of gravity CL fasteners B bolt IS Insulator

Claims

1. An electric conductor (EC) having a first end (1E) and a second end (2E), The electrical conductor (EC) is configured to be fixed to a support structure (SS) in one or more fixed regions (FA), and the one or more fixed regions (FA) separate the electrical conductor (EC) into two or more conductor portions (CS), each having a cross-sectional moment of inertia (MI) with respect to a reference axis. The first conductor portion (1CS) among the two or more conductor portions (CS) has a first sectional moment of inertia, The electrical conductor (EC) is characterized in that the second conductor portion (2CS) among the two or more conductor portions (CS) has a second sectional moment of inertia different from the first sectional moment of inertia with respect to the reference axis.

2. The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sectional moments of inertia are determined with reference to the orientation of the conductor portion (CS) in space.

3. The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second sectional moments of inertia are determined with reference to the fixed direction of the force (F) acting on the conductor portion (CS).

4. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moment of inertia (MI) of the cross-section of the conducting portion (CS) changes according to the distribution of the bending moment (M) of the conducting portion (CS).

5. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electrical conductor (EC) conducts one of the multiple phases of a multiphase high-power electrical system.

6. The electrical conductor (EC) is a first electrical conductor (1EC) of a two-phase or three-phase high-power electrical system, and each of the two-phase or three-phase is conducted by an individual second electrical conductor (2EC) and an individual third electrical conductor (3EC), each having a conducting portion (CS) separated by one or more fixed regions (FAs), according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The second electrical conductor (2EC) and / or the third electrical conductor (3EC) are configured to be fixed to the support structure (SS) in one or more fixed regions (FA), The first conducting portion of the second electrical conductor (1-2EC) and / or the third electrical conductor (1-3EC) among the two or more conducting portions (2CS, 3CS) has a first sectional moment of inertia, The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 6, wherein the second conductor portion of the second conductor portion (2-2EC) and / or the third conductor portion (2-3EC) has a second sectional moment of inertia different from the first sectional moment of inertia.

8. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electrical conductor (CE) is part of a power distribution system of an electrical panel that supplies power to electrical components via an auxiliary electrical conductor (AEC).

9. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the length of the first conductor portion (1CS) is different from the length of the second conductor portion (2CS).

10. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the conductive portion (CS) has a mass exceeding the mass necessary to conduct the nominal current of the conductive portion (CS).

11. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the conductor portion (CS) comprises a first compartment (1SP) and a second compartment (2SP), the first compartment (1SP) being a current conduction portion that forms a main current path through the conductor portion (CS), and the second compartment (2SP) being a conductor support structure (CSS) portion that increases the cross-sectional moment of inertia of the conductor portion (CS).

12. The electrical conductor (EC) comprises a conductor support structure (CSS) monolithically formed from the electrical conductor (EC), as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 12, wherein the conductor support structure (CSS) is not parallel to the current path (CP) of the electric conductor (EC) from the first end (1E) to the second end (2E).

14. The conductor support structure (CSS) is an electrically non-conductive support structure, as described in claim 12 or 13, for the electric conductor (EC).

15. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the conductor support structure (CSS) at least partially surrounds the electric conductor (EC).

16. The conductor support structure (CSS) conducts and dissipates heat from the current portion defining a part of the electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

17. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the first conductor portion (1CS) has a first shape, the second conductor portion (2CS) has a second shape, and the first shape is different from the second shape.

18. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the first shape and / or the second shape is selected from a list including cylindrical, polygonal, lattice, and biomechanically engineered shapes.

19. An electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the shape of the conductor portion (CS) of the first electric conductor (1CE) includes a plurality of conductor branches (CB), and the distance between at least two of the plurality of conductor branches (CB) and the second electric conductor (2EC) varies along the length of the conductor portion (CS).

20. The conductor branch (CB) is twisted, as described in claim 19, the electrical conductor (EC).

21. The conductor branch (CB) is physically connected via a high-impedance connection, as described in claim 19 or 20, the electrical conductor (EC).

22. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein at least one of the two or more conductive portions (CS) is a transitional conductor portion (TCS) having two shapes.

23. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the first shape includes a conductor branch (CB) that is not parallel to the current path (CP) between the first end (1E) and the second end (2E).

24. The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 23, wherein the conductor branch (CB) is monolithically formed as a protrusion of a first portion of the first conductor portion (1CS) and is monolithically coupled to a second portion of the first conductor portion (1CS).

25. The conductor branch (CB) is formed monolithically as a projection from the first conductor portion (1CS) and is monolithically coupled to the second conductor portion (2CS), as described in claim 23 or 24, the electrical conductor (EC).

26. The electrical conductor (EC) comprises a first fixed region (FA) and a second fixed region (FA), wherein the first fixed region (FA) is configured to fix the electrical conductor (EC) in a first direction, and the first fixed region (FA) is configured to fix the electrical conductor (EC) in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, as described in any one of claims 1 to 25.

27. An electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the first conducting portion (1-1EC) of the first electric conductor and the second electric conductor (2EC) are physically arranged at least partially parallel to each other with a first distance between them, the second conducting portion (2-1EC) of the first electric conductor has a second distance from the second electric conductor (2EC) that is smaller than the first distance, and the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​the second conducting portion (2-1EC) of the first electric conductor is greater than the moment of inertia of the cross-sectional area of ​​the first conducting portion (1-1EC) of the first electric conductor.

28. The electric conductor (EC) according to claim 27, wherein the first conductor portion (1-1EC) of the first electric conductor includes two or more conductor portions (CS), the second conductor portion (2-1EC) of the first electric conductor includes two or more conductor portions (CS), and the second conductor portion (2-1CE) of the first conductor element has fixed regions (FA) at a higher frequency than the first conductor portion (1-1EC) of the first electric conductor.

29. An electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein the first conducting portion (1-1EC) of the first electric conductor has a first mass and a first distance from the first conducting portion (1-2EC) of the second electric conductor, and the second conducting portion (2-1EC) of the first electric conductor has a second mass and a second distance from the second conducting portion (2-2EC) of the second electric conductor, wherein the weight of the second mass is greater than the weight of the first mass and the second distance is shorter than the first distance.

30. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the first end (1E) and the conductor branch (CB) are monolithically connected to form at least a portion of the electrical conductor.

31. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the first end (1E) and the second end (2E) are monolithically connected to form the electrical conductor (EC) as a whole.

32. At least one of the one or more fixed regions (FA) is - The first end (1E) is joined to the second end (2E), - The first end (1E) is attached to one of the two or more conductor portions (CS), - The second end (2E) is connected to one of the two or more conductor portions (CS), or - The second end (2E) is connected to one of the two or more conductor portions (CS) An electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 31, which is connected monolithically.

33. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein at least one of the one or more fixed regions (FA) comprises a mounting piece configured to connect the electrical conductor to the support structure (SS).

34. The mounting piece is selected from a list including mounting points, mounting recesses, and mounting holes, as an electrical conductor (EC) according to claim 33.

35. The electrical conductor (EC) according to claim 33 or 34, wherein at least one of the one or more fixed regions (FA) is monolithically connected to the mounting point.

36. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 35, wherein the first mounting point has a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the electric conductor (EC), and the second mounting point has a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

37. The support structure (SS) is an electrical cabinet, as described in any one of claims 1 to 36, the electrical conductor (EC).

38. The electrical conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 37, comprising a plurality of heat banks (TB) distributed between the first end (1E) and the second end (2E).

39. The electrical conductor (EC) according to claim 38, wherein the electrical conductor (EC) comprises a part of the conductor portion (CS), or a part of the conductor portion (CS) without a heat bank.

40. The electric conductor (EC) according to any one of claims 1 to 39, wherein the distance between two of the two or more conductive portions (CS) is less than 15 cm, preferably less than 10 cm, and most preferably less than 5 cm.

41. A high-power electrical system comprising two or more independent electrical conductors (IECs), At least one of the two or more independent electrical conductors (IECs) is a first independent electrical conductor (1IEC), The first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) comprises a first end (1E) and a second end (2E), and is configured to be fixed to a support structure (SS) in one or more fixed regions (FA), the one or more fixed regions (FA) separating the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) into two or more conductor portions (CS), The first conductor portion (1CS) of the two or more conductor portions (CS) of the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) has a first sectional moment of inertia with respect to the reference axis. The electrical system is characterized in that the second conductor portion (2CS) of the two or more conductor portions (CS) of the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) has a second sectional moment of inertia different from the first sectional moment of inertia with respect to the reference axis.

42. The high-power electrical system according to claim 41, wherein the conducting portion (CS) of the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) has a shape that establishes a cross-sectional moment of inertia optimized to stabilize the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) from a force acting in a first direction, and the conducting portion (CS) of the second independent electrical conductor (2IEC) has a shape that establishes a cross-sectional moment of inertia optimized to stabilize the second independent electrical conductor (2IEC) from a force acting in a second direction, and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

43. The first conductive portion (1CS) of the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) is separated from the second independent electrical conductor (2IEC) by a first distance (1D), The second conducting portion (2CS) of the first independent electrical conductor (1IEC) is separated from the second independent electrical conductor (2IEC) by a second distance (2D), The high-power electrical system according to claim 41 or 42, wherein the first distance (1D) is different from the second distance (2D).

44. The high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 43, wherein the distance is measured at the center of the conductor portion (CS) at an angle (Y or Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) of the independent electrical conductor (IEC).

45. The high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 44, wherein the difference between a first distance (1D) and a second distance (2D) is greater than 1 mm, preferably at least 0.5 cm, and most preferably at least 1 cm.

46. A high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 45, comprising an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 40.

47. A method for designing a first electrical conductor (1EC) of a high-power electrical system according to its physical position within the high-power electrical system relative to a second electrical conductor (2EC), - A step of establishing the minimum physical distance between the first electrical conductor (1EC) and the second electrical conductor (2EC), and defining the region around the position of the first electrical conductor (1EC) at the minimum physical distance as the minimum conductive portion, - A step of establishing a force (F) arising from at least one short-circuit current in the minimum conducting portion, - A step of establishing the bending moment (M) of the minimum conducting portion of the first electrical conductor (1EC) provided by the force (F), - A step of establishing the moment of inertia (MI) of the cross-sectional area of ​​the minimum conducting portion with respect to the reference axis, based on the bending moment (M) and the maximum allowable stress of the minimum conducting portion. A method comprising the step of determining the required length and height of the minimum conducting portion based on the cross-sectional moment of inertia (MI).

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein the required length and height of the minimum conducting portion are different from the length and height of the additional conducting portion of the electrical conductor (EC).

49. The method according to claim 47 or 48, wherein the maximum allowable stress is the yield point of the material constituting the electrical conductor (EC).

50. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 49, wherein the at least one short-circuit current is the worst short-circuit current of the conductor, and the worst short-circuit current is determined based on the following inputs, namely the currents of the first and / or the second electrical conductor, the shortest distance between the first electrical conductor (1EC) and the second electrical conductor (2EC), and the distance between two mounting points for attaching the first electrical conductor (1EC) to the support structure (SS).

51. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 50, wherein the cross-sectional moment of inertia required to withstand the force is determined by multiplying the force by the distance from the midpoint between the two mounting points to one of the two mounting points.

52. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 51, wherein a user designing the first electrical conductor using a computer program can add a fixed area, a mounting point, or a support structure in the user-defined area of ​​the first electrical conductor.

53. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 52, comprising an electrical conductor according to any one of claims 1 to 40.

54. The method according to any one of claims 47 to 53, which is implemented in the high-power electrical system according to any one of claims 41 to 45.

Images