Thermal Simulation Analysis of Control Cabinet Connection Technology Using Laminated Conductors

A new innovative technology for control cabinets is being developed to simplify production, installation and use. The result is a significant reduction in plastic consumption, simplified wiring system and reduction in the occupied space required at the installation site. A new solution is based on connecting components with laminated conductors of rectangular cross-section sandwiched between multiple layers of insulation. The interconnection of the layers and devices is achieved by conductive screw connections that pass through the plates. The number of these layers is chosen to meet the requirements of the relevant standards. While a prototype of this innovation is currently under development, this study investigates the thermal characteristics of the assembly, obtained using computational fluid dynamics simulation software (CFD) called „FloEFD". By defining input and output current values in the assembly with a rated diversity factor (RDF), the temperature rise was simulated. In addition to determining the total amount of heat generated by the Joule effect as well as conduction, convection and radiation processes, the results also indicated critical heating points. In conclusion, the simulation provided encouraging results that will be useful in further experimental prototype testing.