Electrical engineering calculations [History]

Engineers can calculate short circuit currents with their laptop (and even palmtop) computers. Not only do these tools calculate currents far more quickly and with greater precision and accuracy than the methods used in the past, but they also have the ability to immediately evaluate the application of specific circuit breakers and evaluate the arc-flash energy released at the point of fault. But to truly appreciate these modern tools, we have to appreciate the fascinating history of this most simple of all electrical engineering calculations. This paper discusses the history of short-circuit calculations.