Constructive solutions for achieving paths of current from aluminum round bars with copper contacts

This article proposes the research and simulation of general bars of medium voltage metal enclosed switchgear, made of aluminum round bar with copper contacts, with a view to finding a similar or even more convenient solution than that of copper bars, both from a technical and economic point of view. The objective is heat distribution for current passing, in the bar and especially in contacts, under normal regime and under short-circuit regime. After simulations under normal regime, a uniform distribution of the temperature which does not exceed the imposed limits was obtained, and under short-circuit the distribution of the thermal field in the contacts area revealed the fact that the obtained thermal values do not exceed the limits provided in the specialty literature for the electrotechnical aluminum under short-circuit.