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Based on the second table in this page for Copper No. 110 (>99.90% pure), a 1/16" x 1/2" copper bus bar can pass 103 A of current with a 30°C rise in an ambient temperature of 40°C. The area of this bar is 0.03125 sqin, or 20.16 sqmm. If we assume a roughly linear relationship for modest changes in area, we can infer that a 16 sqmm bar will have approximately an ampacity per unit area of 80 5 A / sqmm (rounded down). The same analysis for some more sizes Results for a range of areas are summarized in the table below:
| Area (sqmm) | Ampacity (A) |
|---|---|
| 16 | 80 |
| 14 | 70 |
| 12 | 60 |
| 10 | 50 |
In order to provide suitable a safety factor to account for scaling non-linearities and a smaller temperature rise, we should use at least an area of 14 sqmm. Sizing will likely be determined by material availability. Some potential dimensions are shown in the tables below. A thickness of 2 mm will likely prove most optimal for widths between 6 mm and 9 mm.
| Thickness = 2 mm | |
|---|---|
| Width (mm) | Ampacity (A) |
| 9 | 90 |
| 8 | 80 |
| 7 | 70 |
| 6 | 60 |