Method of determining power-frequency current distribution in cylindrical conductors

An approximate, but accurate and conceptually simple, computer-oriented method for determining the distribution of alternating current in cylindrical conductors is presented in the paper. Although general in principle, the method particularly lends itself to the analysis of power-frequency current distribution, i.e. to cases in which the skin effect is not extremely pronounced. The integral equation for current density is solved approximately, by assuming the current density to be in the form of a finite double power series, with unknown complex coefficients, and determining these coefficients by stipulating the integral equation to hold at a sufficient number of points inside the conductor. The numerical results obtained by the present method are in excellent agreement with the available theoretical solution (circular conductors) and with the existing experimental results (rectangular and thin strip conductors).