Electro-thermal coupling simulation of rectangular cross-section spring contacts

Spring contacts are a new type of electrical connector based on canted coil springs, and are widely used in various electrical connection devices. In this study, COMSOL Multiphysics, a multiphysics coupling simulation software, is used to analyze the electro-thermal characteristics of rectangular and circular cross-section spring contacts under different operating conditions. First, an electro-thermal coupling model of the spring contact is established and pre-processed for simulation. Then, through post-processing, the steady-state temperature rise and current density distribution contours of the two cross-section types are obtained, revealing the influence of geometric features on the electro-thermal performance of spring contacts. The results show that compared with circular cross-sections, rectangular cross-section spring contacts exhibit better electrical conductivity and more stable electrical contact characteristics. This study provides a reference for electro-thermal coupling simulations of spring contacts.