Influence of the Cooling Conditions on the Heating of a Power Distribution Block

This paper studies the influence of the cooling conditions on the heating of a low voltage power distribution block (PDB) of terminals. The heating of the PDB has been considered in the following cases: closed PDB and consideration of the thermodynamic processes in it and heat transfer toward the environment by means of radiation and convection; open power distribution block (without cover) and heat transfer to the surroundings through radiation and convection; terminal block with ventilation openings on its cover and consideration of the thermodynamic processes in the block, heat transfer to the environment through radiation and convection. The study has been conducted using computer models elaborated in the software product COMSOL. The related problem “electric field - thermal field - fluid field” has been solved. A juxtaposition of the acquired numerical results has been made.