Simulation Techniques for Thermal Effects on Medium Voltage Switchgear

Abstract

Electrical equipments generate heat through I2R loss and at higher current within a specified volume resulting in temperature rise. So during the design phase for higher current electrical equipment thermal analysis can predict approximate temperature rise in various locations. This paper presented a development of new prototype for various ratings of 12 kV indoor VCB panel on which FE analysis is carried out. Here an equivalent model along with all current carrying parts and contacts are designed for analysis purpose. So ANSYS Thermal-Electric coupled field analysis tool is used to analyze the temperature rise. On this newly developed model temperature rise test shall be carried out experimentally. Furthermore it demonstrates how expertise analysis is carried throughout the development phase which are critical to the success of a cost, size and performance optimized switchgear design. The achievement in this paper provide an precise and effective method for simulation of temperature rise of different parts and its contacts, which could be applied on contacts of different materials which gives good reference for reliability verification and optimum design of panel. Hence, on the basis of these results, prototype shall be developed. The results of temperature rise tests with a prototype model showed good agreement with the analysis results.