Bus bar apparatus usable in high temperature cable termination applications

摘要

An improved bus bar apparatus is usable in high temperature electrical terminations and is configured to provide sufficient heat dissipation such that when connected at one end with a 90° C. wire, the bus bar apparatus is at most only at 75° C. at another end thereof, which end can be connected with a lower temperature electrical component such as a circuit interrupter. The bus bars apparatus may include bus bars that extend directly between the high temperature wires and the low temperature electrical component, or the bus bar apparatus may additionally include wires that are electrically interposed between the low temperature region of the bus bars and the electrical component. Additional cooling could be provided by employing oversized wires. The bus bars may additionally include fins, fans, or supplementary heat sinks to enhance thermal convection of the bus bar. The bus bar apparatus additionally can be provided with its own enclosure to be usable in a retrofit situation.

主权项

1. A bus bar apparatus structured to be electrically connected between an electrical component and a number of electrical conductors that are situated at least partially on a cable tray, the bus bar apparatus comprising:
an electrical enclosure; an electrical apparatus comprising a number of bus bars that are situated within the electrical enclosure; each bus bar of the number of bus bars being electrically conductive and having a first connection and a second connection, the first connection being structured to be electrically connected with an electrical conductor of the number of electrical conductors that is rated to be operable at no greater than a first temperature, the second connection being structured to be electrically connected with the electrical component that is rated to be electrically connectable with a conductive element that is at no greater than a second temperature, the second temperature being less than the first temperature; and each bus bar of the number of bus bars being of a length between the first and second connections and having a cross-sectional profile transverse to the length and between the first and second connections, the length and the cross-sectional profile being configured to enable the bus bar to dissipate sufficient heat within the electrical enclosure to retain the second connection at no greater than the second temperature while the first connection is at a temperature no greater than the first temperature.