What are busbars, what are their types, and why are they essential in many devices?

In order to move power from one location to another in the fastest and most efficient way, strong conductors, cables and busbars are needed. These conductors must be of high quality. This is why busbars, also known as bus bars, are being used instead of regular cables to improve the operation of many businesses and equipment.

Busbars (bus bars) are a type of electrical conductor that, compared to traditional cables, allow for the transmission of current in a safer and more flexible manner.

They ensure efficient and effective energy distribution, successfully powering single- and three-phase devices and machines, and even allowing multiple devices to be powered using a single line. Compared to ordinary wires, busbars are much more functional, especially at high currents (they create rigid connections between individual components of the system). In practice, busbars are a key component of electrical infrastructure and can be used in various power systems, including those requiring the transmission of high-voltage current over long distances (even several kilometres) without energy and voltage loss.

What is the purpose of a busbar?

They are used in electrical switchboards, where they manage the distribution of current to different circuits and devices. Busbars are a crucial element of power systems in commercial and industrial buildings. They are also used in emergency power systems, such as backup generators and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems, ensuring reliable power in crisis situations. Additionally, they play a significant role in the field of renewable energy sources, enabling efficient energy management in wind turbines, inverters for solar panels, and managing energy distribution from batteries to engines and other systems in electric vehicles (battery systems). Due to their reliability, durability, and safety, busbars are utilised in various industries.

Types of Busbars

Depending on specific needs and applications, busbars come in different shapes, current-carrying capacities, and uses and can be made from different materials. Therefore, we can distinguish busbars based on the following criteria:

• Shape:
  • Flat busbars are mainly used in applications where a large contact area and low power loss are required.
  • Bus ducts with special cross-sections, such as "U", "L", or "T" profiles, are used in more complex configurations where branching connections are required. They provide greater flexibility in designing power distribution systems.
• Material: Busbars can be made of copper, aluminium, or stainless steel.
• Construction: Busbars can be single-layer or multi-layer.
• Current-carrying capacity:
  • Busbars for low-power consumers: low-voltage switchboards and electronic devices.
  • Medium-power consumers: electric substations and larger industrial devices.
  • High-power consumers: large electric substations, power plants, and industrial power distribution systems.
• Type of current: Busbars can be designed for DC (direct current) or AC (alternating current).

It is also worth noting that busbars available on the market can be either uninsulated or insulated.

Busbars used in power engineering and available from Electris differ from those used in photovoltaic panels (PV busbars). They are designed to allow for bidirectional current flow (unlike the unidirectional flow in panels) and are manufactured according to safety standards and customer requirements. These busbars are appropriately insulated or enhanced for conductivity with galvanic coatings (silver-plating, nickel-plating, copper-plating, and tin-plating), improving the durability and safety of a specific busbar (photovoltaics require different solutions for transmitting current from panels to the inverter system).

What materials are Busbars made of?

Busbars are most commonly made from non-ferrous metals, such as copper or aluminium.

• Copper busbars: Due to the excellent electrical properties of copper, busbars can conduct the same current at smaller sizes. They are more energy-efficient and have very high mechanical strength, making them durable and reliable for many years. Copper busbars, tailored to the specific requirements of the devices they will operate with, are also corrosion-resistant, allowing them to be used in the most challenging environmental conditions.
• Aluminium busbars: These are used in systems requiring longer lengths and with slightly lower energy flow requirements. Aluminium busbars also have high electrical conductivity and are lighter than copper busbars. However, they require additional corrosion protection.

Both copper and aluminium busbars can be insulated (with epoxy coating applied, powder-coated, shrinkable sleeves, or laminated) or have additional galvanic coating to enhance conductivity.

Stainless steel is used less frequently in the production of busbars. These busbars are particularly useful in systems requiring resistance to corrosion, chemical agents, and high temperatures.

Electris Busbars

At Electris, we offer busbars made of copper or aluminium, which we can shape as needed. Our advanced machinery enables us to provide components of various sizes (from a few centimeters to 3000 mm) and solutions tailored to individual customer needs. We offer, among others, dedicated neutral bars, grounding bars, and even three-phase busbars and complete busbar systems.

We also offer laminated busbars at Electris, which consist of layers of copper separated by thin dielectric material and laminated into a single structure. As a result, each layer is properly insulated, improving electrical properties and current-carrying capacity as well as thermal efficiency.

Busbars: Advantages and Disadvantages

Busbars have many advantages, making them an excellent alternative to traditional wires. The most important of these include:

• Magnificent conductivity and continuity of supply: Busbars consolidate many electrical connections at a central point, simplifying complex energy distribution systems.
• Durability and protection: Made from durable materials and additionally secured (e.g., insulated busbars), busbars demonstrate exceptional resistance to mechanical damage and weather conditions, making them suitable for harsh environments.
• High efficiency: They provide efficient energy distribution to multiple devices and machines simultaneously.
• Space-saving: Their installation does not require the use of many cables, simplifying the design and implementation of installations.
• Flexibility: Busbar configurations can be adapted to various energy requirements, increasing system adaptability.
• Ease of modification and expansion: For example, if a new device needs to be connected or its position changed.
• Safety: They are placed in metal enclosures or can be laminated, preventing accidental electric shock from contact.
• Versatility: They are suitable for different power systems and are used in many industries.
• Sustainability and environmental protection: Both copper and aluminium busbars are recyclable, contributing to the sustainable use of resources.

Where are Busbars used?

Thanks to their versatility and efficiency, busbars are used in many industries and devices. Their ability to safely conduct large amounts of current and flexibility in connection configurations make them indispensable in modern power distribution systems.

Copper or aluminium busbars are used in many sectors and industries. They are most commonly used in production halls, warehouses, distribution centers, and the automotive and IT industries (e.g., in server rooms and data centers). They can power various types of industrial machines, control systems, lighting, and automation.

In the energy industry, busbars are essential in electric substations, where they manage the flow of current between generators, transformers, and transmission lines. In the automotive sector, busbars are used in electric and hybrid vehicles to manage battery energy, optimising space and reducing production costs, and in the transport industry in metro and railway systems for power management.

Busbars are also used in electronic devices such as computers, servers, and data centers, ensuring stable connections between system components.

Busbars can have varied shapes, sizes, and parameters and are used in various devices such as control cabinets, transformers, UPS's, converters, and many others.