Maximum allowable current for ultra short pulse length

[anorred]

So I'm designing a system that requires an extremely high amount of current for an extremely short pulse lengths. These pulses would be consecutively spaced at relatively large intervals from one another. I'm just wondering if there is some sort of instantaneous power limit to wires, even if the overall energy drawn is very small compared to that of a tolerated dc system.

Let's say the pulsed current in these wires is 50 times larger than the maximum rated dc current of the wires, but the pulse length is 20,000 times shorter than that of the interval length (50 microsecond pulse lengths for 1 second intervals).

 

[jim hardy]

You should familiarize yourself with the concept of I²t
which is presented in fuse tutorials, among other places

http://www.littelfuse.com/~/media/files/littelfuse/technical%20resources/documents/product%20catalogs/littelfuse_powrgard_fuseology.pdf

http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/bussmann/Electrical/Resources/product-datasheets-b/Bus_Ele_DS_8005_Fuseology.pdf

There will be other limits to amplitude of your current pulse, like the inductance and resistance of the loop through which you are attempting to drive it.

There is some rate of energy deposition at which the wire will explode
but it doesn't sound like you will approach that.

 

[anorred]

Yes theoretically, I think it should be ok. I'll read the links you posted. Thank you very much.