Thermal fatigue of the contact/conductors system in emergency load panels

A parameter of interest influencing the performance of electrical contacts is the contact temperature during operation, dependent on the heat generation and dissipation rates around the system of sliding contact/conductors. A theoretical investigation is attempted and an experimental survey is displayed concerning the overheating of sliding contacts. The experimental results present satisfactory consistency with the results of the suggested mathematical relations. It is convincingly shown that the heat generated at the contacts is dissipated to the surrounding area basically by the conductors or bars, and that fact is determinant as far as the contact temperature is concerned. This could aid selections of conductors and industrial components (circuit breakers, fuse carriers, isolators, etc.) in LV or MV electrical panels, and installations where requirements of high reliability exist