Practical Aspects of the Skin Effect in Low Frequencies in Rectangular Conductors

Abstract

Although the skin effect has been widely studied over the years, many of its topics remain unclear for most electrical engineers, including undergraduate students and fresh graduates. Yet, in the cases of application of power frequency current, the knowledge gap to be bridged is more significant. Thus, for contributing to the widening in the knowledge of this effect, this work presents an analysis of the behavior of the current density distribution over the cross-section of differently combined rectangular conductors subject to power frequency current. In this case, since an analytical approach is not feasible, the numerical method of matrix solution of integral equations was adopted due to its simplicity, fast convergence, and its application is presented through some providentially chosen theoretical examples before a practical case may be analyzed. As the main results, the influence of a correlated effect that is the proximity effect shows itself as being predominant and the method presents itself as being very convenient for studying the current density distribution in conductors with a cross-section other than the circular, which allow bridging the knowledge gap in this theme. Moreover, the comparison of theoretical cases quite significant. Moreover, the method is adequate to planar configurations, by typical configurations, as in the case of bus bars of electrical panels.

Keywords

• Numerical modeling
• power frequency
• proximity effect
• rectangular conductor
• skin effect