Transient skin effect in power electronic applications

Abstract

This study describes transient electromagnetic phenomena in electrical conductors that are connected to modern power electronic circuits and therefore subjected to current controlled pulses with fast rise times and high peak current ratings. Electromagnetic field diffusion is discussed and a brief review of alternating current skin effect phenomena is presented before it is generalised to transient regimes of operation. It is shown that the magnetic field diffuses into the conductor from the outside on the initiation of a current pulse and therefore the axial current density distribution inside the conductor changes with time under a transient current due to the well-known electromagnetic relations – the current begins at the conductor surface and diffuses inwards. The implications of such behaviour are briefly discussed in the context of modern power electronics and its applications.

Keywords

• conductors (electric)
• electric current control
• power electronics
• skin effect
• electromagnetic fields
• current density
• transient skin effect
• power electronic applications
• transient electromagnetic phenomena
• electrical conductors
• modern power electronic circuits
• current controlled pulses
• fast rise times
• high peak current ratings
• electromagnetic field diffusion
• current skin effect phenomena
• magnetic field diffuses
• current pulse
• axial current density distribution
• conductor changes
• electromagnetic relations
• conductor surface
• modern power electronics