I understand that if the system is poorly designed there can be catastrophic results, but the test is written assuming the equipment temperature does equilibrate, right?
Ken Javor Phone: (256) 650-5261 > From: John Barnes <jrbar...@iglou.com> > Reply-To: <jrbar...@iglou.com> > Date: Fri, 06 Jan 2017 00:06:24 -0500 > To: Ken Javor <ken.ja...@emccompliance.com> > Cc: <EMC-PSTC@LISTSERV.IEEE.ORG> > Subject: Re: [PSES] Thermal equilibrium - 10% rule > > Ken, > Most metals have a positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR). > As they get hotter, their resistivity-- and the resistance of a given > conductor-- increases. If you have a current source (or a voltage > source with a large series impedance) driving current through a small > cross-section conductor with poor heat sinking for a long time, the > conductor will go into thermal runaway-- and eventually melt in two-- > when the current through it exceeds a certain critical value, depending > on the ambient temperature. > > A. J. Rainal wrote two papers about this effect on printed circuit > boards (PCB's) about 40 years ago: > * Rainal, A. J., "Current-Carrying Capacity of Fine-Line Printed > Conductors," The Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 60 no. 7, pp. > 1375-1388, September 1981. > * Rainal, A. J., "Temperature Rise at a Constriction in a > Current-Carrying Printed Conductor," The Bell System Technical > Journal, vol. 55 no. 2, pp. 233-269, February 1976. > > Non-resettable fuses use this principle, which is specified by the > I^2t curves in their datasheets. > > You may also want to read up on Preece's Law (Fuse Equations) and > Onderdonk's Fuse Equation. > > > > John Barnes KS4GL (retired) > Lexington, Kentucky > http://www.dbicorporation.com/ > - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <emc-p...@ieee.org> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ can be used for graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://www.ieee-pses.org/list.html (including how to unsubscribe) List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <sdoug...@ieee.org> Mike Cantwell <mcantw...@ieee.org> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <j.bac...@ieee.org> David Heald: <dhe...@gmail.com>
