The Accurate Calculation of Skin Effect in Conductors of Complicated Shape

Abstract

Skin-effect behavior of long straight conductors of complicated cross-sectional shape may be predicted using the recently developed modal theory of current flow. Practical use of this method presupposes that suitable numerical techniques can be found to allow adequate accuracy to be attained without excessive use of computer time. A digital computer program is described that achieves this purpose satisfactorily, using very fast numerical techniques and making automatic compensation for truncation error. The program does not require the conductor description to be furnished in analytical form and may easily be employed to study a wide variety of conductor shapes. Some typical results are shown and comparisons with experimental data made.