Aluminum 5052 as alternative material for thermo-electrical applications

The aim of this project is the use of Aluminum material as alternative in thermomagnetic trip units (TMTU) instead of Copper. This alternative material has showed similar performance in comparison with the common material used for this application. The mechanical and physical properties of both materials were evaluated to establish the specific alloy which could accomplish the target for this application. Thermo-electrical analysis simulations made with ANSYS software shows a similar performance between Cu CDA 260 and Al 5052, with a difference around 2.5~2.9% of the measured temperature during thermo-electrical tests. The response time between both materials was similar and into the established range during the test. The Al 5052 exhibit stable performance at the TMTU, with the advantages related with the material itself.