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4hv.org :: Forums :: Tesla Coils
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Best busbar materials?

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nzoomed
Wed Nov 04 2015, 10:38PM
nzoomed Registered Member #54503 Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
Would you use copper or aluminium for the busbars on your IGBT's?

I know that copper is a better conductor than aluminium, but aluminium dissipates heat alot quicker.

Thanks for any advice.

Ive almost got the drawings finished in solidworks to get CNC cut.
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Houdini0118
Wed Nov 04 2015, 10:54PM
Houdini0118 Registered Member #8558 Joined: Thu Dec 06 2012, 11:38PM
Location: usa
Posts: 57
I think copper dissipates heat faster as well. It is quite a bit more expensive. Typically for aluminum you want 6061 for bus bars as far as i know. Aluminum might come out cheaper for the same performance because you can use much thicker pieces for the same cost.
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nzoomed
Wed Nov 04 2015, 11:22PM
nzoomed Registered Member #54503 Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
Im making a laminated bus. With copper i dont have to use as thicker material because of its better conductivity, so there is always a payoff. Each have their own advantages i guess.
Copper can also be soldered to as well.
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...
Thu Nov 05 2015, 08:33AM
... Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445
Aluminum quickly forms an insulating oxide layer, so it is not as easy as one might expect to get a reliable, low conductance, connection to it. Usually you can get away with just cranking down on the IGBT bolts since the aluminum is soft enough that it will deform and break the oxide layer, but people using aluminum bussbars in commercial applications go to ridiculous lengths to get reliable connections involving special star washers which penetrate the surface, special greases to prevent corrosion, etc.

Where as with copper you just bolt or solder it together (possibly clean it up with some sandpaper if the surface is highly corroded).

Also as mentioned, the resistivity of aluminum greatly depends on the alloy, pure aluminum is ~1.5x as resistive as pure copper, and 6061 is ~2.3 times as resistive as pure copper (by volume, the relative ratio of aluminum/copper is of course different if you go by weight)
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nzoomed
Thu Nov 05 2015, 10:41AM
nzoomed Registered Member #54503 Joined: Sun Feb 22 2015, 10:35PM
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 288
... wrote ...

Aluminum quickly forms an insulating oxide layer, so it is not as easy as one might expect to get a reliable, low conductance, connection to it. Usually you can get away with just cranking down on the IGBT bolts since the aluminum is soft enough that it will deform and break the oxide layer, but people using aluminum bussbars in commercial applications go to ridiculous lengths to get reliable connections involving special star washers which penetrate the surface, special greases to prevent corrosion, etc.

Where as with copper you just bolt or solder it together (possibly clean it up with some sandpaper if the surface is highly corroded).

Also as mentioned, the resistivity of aluminum greatly depends on the alloy, pure aluminum is ~1.5x as resistive as pure copper, and 6061 is ~2.3 times as resistive as pure copper (by volume, the relative ratio of aluminum/copper is of course different if you go by weight)

OK, that answers what i was suspecting.

I think i will go with copper.
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