A electrical busbar is a set of thick strips of metals like
copper or aluminum that help in conducting electricity within a
switchboard, distribution board, substation, or other electrical
apparatus. Busbars may either be completely surrounded by insulation or
may be supported on insulators. They are protected from accidental
contact with the help of a metal enclosure or by elevation out of normal
reach.
Bus Bar Variation
Busbars are available in different forms suiting different applications.
These are:
- Plain Electrical Busbars
- Punched Electrical Busbars
- Threaded Electrical Busbars
These are available as either flat metallic strips or hollow
metallic tubes as both the shapes allow higher heat dissipation
efficiency due to their high surface area to cross-sectional area ratio.
These shapes are also widely used in higher current applications. A
hollow busbar has better stiffness than a solid rod, allowing for a
greater span between busbar supports in outdoor switchyards.
The size of a electrical busbar is an important parameter and helps in determining the maximum amount of current that can be safely carried. Small
distribution boards have busbars which have a cross sectional area of as
little as 10 mm², while large electrical substations may use metal
tubes of 50 mm in diameter (1,000 mm²) or more.
Electrical Busbar Applications
- Custom Designed busbars are manufactured for use in diverse
applications. These include Telecommunications
- Railways
- UPS
- Large inverters
On Cables