A Finite Element Analysis of the Thermal Behavior of Contacts

The finite element method is applied to two basic problems in the thermal analysis of electrical contacts. The first problem studied is the welding together of contacts when a high current is flowing. The finite element method first is used to solve the electrostatic field equation in order to determine the internal heat generation due to the flowing current. The results are used then in a heat conduction model. The second problem considered is the heating of contacts by a high intensity arc. Various boundary conditions for representing the effect of the arc are considered. The model permits phase changes to occur. The particular material studied is a sintered mechanical mixture of silver and tungsten.