Q:

Sizing cables in pulsed power applications

I am looking for rules for sizing cables for short pulses.  For example, if I were to run 2000A DC current for 0.5 seconds in a cable, what size would I need? Sizing as if it were continuous current seems like overkill.  I could calculate the temperature rise for each wire size and then pick one, but how do I determine an acceptable change in temperature?

A:

If you plan on 2kA for 0.5 s, you may want to limit the temp rise to the temperature rise of 80'C
Consider:
4/0 copper cable D = 11.7 mm Area = 107 mm²    0.1608 mΩ/m  

Fusing current in 10 seconds = 3200 A  

But if were computing the short circuit capacity of wire rated before fusing open, this was done by the Southern California Edison Company published in June 1928 .

