Corrugated Insulating Sheaths for Busbar Thermal Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air gaps between busbars in busway systems, caused by the use of overlapping polyester film and insulating tape, increase thermal resistance and interfere with effective heat dissipation and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The use of corrugated insulating sheaths made from flexible polyester film, such as MYLAR™, which follow busbar bends without the need for cutting or additional insulating materials, ensuring full insulation and close thermal contact between busbars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If overlapping polyester film and insulating tape are used to insulate busbars, then full insulation coverage is achieved, but air gaps form between busbars increasing thermal resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a corrugated insulating sheath made from flexible polyester film that can conform to busbar bends and contours. The corrugations allow the sheath to flex and follow the busbar shape without creating air gaps, eliminating the need for overlapping layers and insulating tape while maintaining full insulation coverage and achieving close thermal contact between busbars.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sheaths are cut to follow busbar bends, then the sheath can accommodate curved sections, but additional insulating materials are required creating air gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugated insulating sheath is designed with inherent flexibility through its corrugated structure, allowing it to follow busbar bends and curves without cutting or interruption. This continuous sheath design eliminates the need for additional insulating materials and prevents air gap formation, maintaining both adaptability and thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugations in the sheath create a curved, flexible structure that can accommodate the curvature of busbars. The corrugated profile allows the sheath to bend and conform to the busbar shape while maintaining continuous contact, eliminating the need to cut the sheath and avoiding air gaps that would result from segmented installation.
3Reliability
If multiple insulating materials are used to ensure full insulation, then insulation reliability is improved, but device complexity and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insulation function and the bending accommodation function into a single corrugated insulating sheath. This unified design eliminates the need for separate polyester film layers and insulating tape, reducing device complexity and material costs while maintaining full insulation reliability through the continuous corrugated structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution eliminates air gaps between busbars, enhancing heat dissipation and thermal efficiency, reducing material costs, and allowing for smaller busbar sizes while maintaining effective thermal conduction.
Implementation Method 1
insulating sheaths including corrugated portions used to insulate the bends of the busbar
Implementation Method 2
Good thermal contact between busbars throughout their length is achieved, improving heat dissipation and thermal efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Busbars of a busway system are insulated so as to minimize or eliminate air gaps between busbars. In an embodiment, an insulating sheath is provided with corrugations in regions corresponding to busbar bends. The corrugations allow the sheath to follow the busbar bends without the need to cut or interrupt the sheath. Busbars may therefore be fully insulated without the need for further insulating materials (e.g., tape). Good thermal contact between busbars throughout their length is achieved, improving heat dissipation and efficiency.