Other cross sections

It is possible to develop the process to determine the properties of conductor assemblies of virtually any cross section. The starting point is a technique devised by researchers at Culham to predict induced voltages in aircraft cables [1.9]. In this technique, the assembly-under-review is represented by an array of parallel conductors. It is assumed that the conductors at each end are short-circuited. So the end-to-end voltage of each conductor is the same. Since the voltage along the length of one conductor of this array is determined by the currents in all the conductors, then a set of primitive equations can be defined. Solving this set of equations allows the current in each conductor to be calculated. When the currents are known, it is possible to calculate the magnetic potential of any point in the vicinity. This allows the magnetic field pattern in the region to be determined. The composite conductor can be defined as a set of elemental conductors, aligned in parallel, which enables the distribution of currents or voltages in the actual conductor to be simulated. An elemental conductor can be defined as a conductor which represents a small segment of the surface of a composite conductor. In the method described here, the primitive equations are set up and the currents in the elemental conductors are calculated, but the focus remains on the behavior of those currents.