Q327 : Approximating Non-Circular Conductors

Question
How can I calculate the radius of a conductor of circular cross-section that would be electrically equivalent to a conductor having a non-circular cross-section? Is it better to maintain the same cross-section area or the same perimeter?

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Answer
We have found that the best way to represent a non-circular conductor by a circular conductor is to use a circular conductor with the same perimeter as the non-circular one, at least for conductors that are of relatively simple shapes. For very complex shapes, it may be preferable to use several parallel conductors regularly bonded together, but this is usually an overkill.

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