Energy supply system for electrically driven machine having internal cooling cable

Abstract

An energy supply system for an electrically driven machine has an internal cooling cable comprising at least one current line and at least one coolant line wherein at least one section of the coolant line is separated from the current line, and has a connection device for the internal cooling cable comprising a contact device and a coolant deflector. The connection device is designed to be mechanically coupled to a connection element of the internal cooling cable. The contact device is designed to establish an electrical contact with the at least one current line when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connection element of the cable. The energy supply system is further designed to deliver coolant from a section of the coolant line of the internal cooling cable separated from the current line to the coolant deflector of the connection device when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connection element of the cable, or a segment of the coolant line that is delivered from the coolant director of the connection device to the internal cooling cable that is spaced apart from the current line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] An energy supply system and related methods for an electrically driven machine are described herein. The energy supply system includes at least one internally cooled cable. Background Art

[0002] A machine driven by electrical energy comprises a cable connection for supplying the current. In particular, a machine that cannot or is not intended to be statically mounted and operated, such as a motor vehicle, also comprises a connection device detachably coupled to the power cable, and an energy storage device for the electrical energy, such as a battery.

[0003] In order to charge energy storage devices of non-stationary machines driven by electrical energy in a time- and resource-efficient manner and thereby establish an acceptable relationship between service life and charging time for mobile operation, the energy storage devices are usually charged with high charging powers, in particular high charging currents.

[0004] During the charging process, both the cable used to charge the machine and the machine itself can become very hot. However, heating of the cable and the machine is undesirable because it can adversely affect operability for the operator and increase resistance and thus power losses in the charging cable and the machine's connected equipment.

[0005] In particular, undesirably significant heating can occur at the electrical contact points between the charging cable used and the connection device of the electric drive machine, since the electrical resistance here is higher than in an integrally formed electrical conductor, such as the wires of a cable.

[0006] In order to solve this problem, it is known to cool the connection device of the electric drive machine with a coolant (such as a cooling liquid). An example is disclosed in patent document EP 3 766 726 A1.

[0007] A first disadvantage here is that, in addition to the actual charging cable, further cables for supplying and draining the coolant must be installed on the electrically driven machine and must be removed again after charging is complete or, in the case of an integrated cooling system, the machine must at least partially continue to operate continuously during the charging process and cannot be completely shut down.

[0008] A second disadvantage is that the electrically conductive connection between the wires of the charging cable and the connecting device of the machine is always also a thermally conductive connection. Therefore, the coolant deflector of the connecting device must not only dissipate heat from the electrical contact points between the charging cable used and the connecting device, but also from the cable end of the charging cable facing the machine. Therefore, the coolant deflector for the connecting device must have a very high conveying capacity. On the other hand, undesirable temperature gradients and the resulting resistance gradients will be generated in the cable itself, resulting in uneven distribution of power losses in the cable.

[0009] Cables having an electrical line and an integrated coolant line are known, for example, from the documents DE 199 21 310 A1, DE 10 20 20 11 7 588 A1, DE 10 20 17 11 5 241 A1 and US Pat. No. 9,287,646 B2.

[0010] However, internally cooled cables have the disadvantage of being incompatible with the cooling system of the connected devices, which further increases the installation effort of the charging process. In particular, a separate coolant circuit must be provided and operated for the cable. In addition, it is difficult to synchronize the cooling power of the internally cooled cables with that of the connected devices, so that despite extensive cooling of the various system components, undesirable temperature gradients and the resulting resistance gradients continue to occur in the area of ​​the connected devices.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need to improve the energy supply system for electric drive machines to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages. Summary of the invention

[0012] Such a system is defined by claim 1. Further claims define advantageous embodiments and methods for providing operating energy to an electrically driven machine.

[0013] An energy supply system for an electrically driven machine has an internally cooled cable, which comprises at least one current line and at least one coolant line for a liquid or gaseous coolant, and a connecting device for the internally cooled cable, which comprises a contact device and a coolant guide. At least one section of the coolant line is separated or spatially spaced from the current line. The spatial spacing here can be understood as meaning that a section of the coolant line separated from the current line is not in contact with the current line. The connecting device is mechanically coupled to a connecting element of the internally cooled cable. When the connecting device is mechanically coupled to a connecting element of the cable, the contact device is in electrical contact with at least one current line.

[0014] Mechanical coupling means that the connecting elements of the connecting device and the cable are in contact with each other, will not be separated from each other without the application of external force, and are connected together to form a charging operation device.

[0015] In other words, the connection device can be used to accommodate the connection element of the internal cooling cable and, for example, to make electrical contact with the current path by means of the connection element, which can include an electrically conductive production material. For example, the connection element can include at least one metal pin, which can be inserted into a correspondingly formed cavity in the connection device. The connection device can be formed in such a way that the connection element coupled thereto and / or inserted therein can be removed again only with a push-on resistance, that is, separated from the connection device.

[0016] The energy supply system is further arranged to convey a liquid or gaseous coolant from a section of the coolant line of the internally cooled cable that is separated from the current line (e.g. from the coolant line) to the coolant guide of the connecting device, or from the coolant guide of the connecting device to a section of the coolant line of the internally cooled cable that is separated from the current line (e.g. to the coolant line), when the connecting device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element of the cable. The conveying of the coolant can take place in particular at a certain spatial distance from the contacting device.

[0017] In other words, when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connection element of the cable, coolant can be exchanged between the internally cooled cable and the connection device and / or can be introduced from the cable into the connection device and / or discharged from the connection device into the cable.

[0018] In this way, the connection device can be supplied with coolant via the cable. As a result, a separate coolant supply for the connection device can be omitted, and a cooling system integrated in the machine can also be omitted. Furthermore, by connecting the coolant supply of the internally cooled cable and the coolant supply of the connection device, separate control or regulation and synchronization of two or more different coolant circuits can be omitted. Since the current lines of the internally cooled cable and the connection device can be cooled by the same coolant, undesirable temperature gradients and the resulting resistance gradients within the cable and in the area of ​​the connection device can also be avoided.

[0019] The electrically driven machine can be, in particular, a motor vehicle, for example an electrically driven passenger car or truck, or an electrically driven passenger or cargo bicycle, for example an electrically driven motorcycle.

[0020] The connection device for the internal cooling cable can be arranged on the electric drive machine and / or integrated in the electric drive machine. The connection device can be an integral part of the machine or can be connected to the machine in a modular, i.e. removable and / or replaceable manner.

[0021] This has the advantage that a coolant guide arranged integrally or removably in or on the drive machine can be supplied with liquid or gaseous coolant via the coolant line of the internal cooling cable.

[0022] The connection device optionally comprises an energy storage device for electrical energy, wherein the connection device for the internally cooling cable can be adapted to charge the energy storage device with electrical energy supplied via the current line of the internally cooling cable when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element of the cable.

[0023] For example, the energy storage device for electrical energy may be a battery. In a variant of the energy supply system, the energy storage device for electrical energy may be an energy storage device of an electrically driven motor vehicle.

[0024] The connecting device may further comprise at least one locking element, which is suitable for mechanically fixing the internal cooling cable, in particular the connecting element of the internal cooling cable, and / or connecting the coolant line of the internal cooling cable with the coolant guide of the connecting device, so that the coolant is transported from the coolant line to the coolant guide, and / or the coolant is transported from the coolant guide to the coolant line.

[0025] The locking element can be a lock, in particular a screwable lock, a fastening device, a clip or a similar element, which is suitable for fixing the internal cooling cable to the connecting device after it has been coupled to the connecting device, so that the cable can only be removed from the connecting device again after the operator manually loosens or unlocks the locking element.

[0026] This has the advantage that the operational reliability of the energy supply system can be improved during the energy supply process, and in particular, it can prevent the internal cooling cable from accidentally falling off the connection device during the energy supply process.

[0027] In one variant, the energy supply system can include a coolant pump which is suitable for pumping coolant, in particular liquid or gaseous coolant, into at least one coolant line of the internal cooling cable and / or into a coolant flow guide of the connecting device, and / or pumping the coolant out of at least one coolant line of the internal cooling cable and / or out of a coolant flow guide of the connecting device.

[0028] The coolant pump can be configured as part of the coolant line or part of the connection device, or can be provided separately from the coolant line and the connection device. The coolant pump is suitable for coupling with the coolant line and / or the connection device and / or connecting in a modular manner. The coolant pump can be directly or indirectly coupled and / or connected to the current line of the internal cooling cable. The coolant pump can be suitable for being supplied with operating energy directly or indirectly via the current line of the internal cooling cable.

[0029] One advantage of a coolant pump is that coolant can be moved through the internal cooling cables and / or through the connecting devices, thereby enabling heat to be removed from the internal cooling cables and / or from the connecting devices.

[0030] In a variant, the coolant deflector of the connection device can form at least one coolant circuit with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The at least one inlet and / or the at least one outlet can be connected to the coolant line of the internal cooling cable so that when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element of the cable, coolant can be conveyed from the coolant line into the coolant deflector and / or from the coolant deflector into the coolant line. The at least one inlet and / or the at least one outlet of the connection device can be arranged spatially spaced apart from the contact device of the connection device. In particular, the inlet and / or the outlet can be separated from each other by an electrically insulating device part of the connection device. The electrically insulating device part can be formed integrally with the connection device, i.e. integrally formed. In this way, the coolant does not come into contact with the contact device of the connection device or the current path of the internal cooling cable.

[0031] The internally cooled cable can optionally comprise at least two coolant lines.The first coolant line may be adapted to be connected to an inlet of a coolant circuit of the connection device when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connection element of the cable.

[0032] When the connecting device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element of the cable, the second coolant line can be connected to the outlet of the coolant circuit of the connecting device.

[0033] This has the advantage that the internal cooling cable can thus form the feed line and return line of the coolant circuit within the connection device.

[0034] Another advantage of an internally cooled cable with at least two coolant lines is that, with the feed and return lines for the coolant, the temperature gradient within the cable is flattened. When the coolant heated by the heat dissipated from the cable and / or the connected equipment is discharged from the cable, it can heat those parts of the cable that are cooled relatively more by the supplied coolant which has not yet been heated. By feeding and returning the coolant on the same cable, the heat distribution within the cable can be made more uniform.

[0035] In a further development, the energy supply system may include at least one temperature sensor and / or at least one control device. For example, the temperature sensor may be arranged on an internal cooling cable, in particular on at least one current line and / or at least one coolant line, or may be installed on a connecting device, in particular a contact device and / or a coolant guide.

[0036] The control device can control or regulate the coolant flow through the coolant line and / or the coolant flow guide based on the registration of the at least one temperature sensor, in particular by controlling and / or regulating a coolant pump.

[0037] An advantage of the temperature sensor and / or the control device is that the amount of coolant supplied to the energy supply system and / or the temperature of the coolant supplied to the energy supply system can be influenced depending on the actual cooling requirement of the energy supply system.

[0038] With the aid of the temperature sensor and / or the control device, it is also possible to respond to the cooling requirements of the energy supply system that change over time. For example, during a long energy supply process, the heating of the internal cooling cables and / or the connecting devices will increase, and the increase in heating can be determined with the aid of the temperature sensor and / or the control device, and the amount of coolant supplied to the energy supply system and / or the temperature of the coolant can be adjusted based on this determination.

[0039] An electrically driven machine, in particular a motor vehicle, may comprise one of the above-described energy supply systems. The connection device for internal cooling of the cables and / or the energy storage device for electrical energy and / or the coolant pump may be configured as a component of the electric motor. The electrically driven machine may in particular be a motor vehicle, such as an electrically driven passenger car or truck, or an electrically driven passenger or cargo bike, such as an electrically driven motorcycle.

[0040] A method for supplying operating energy to an electric drive machine comprises the following steps:

[0041] - An internal cooling cable is provided, which comprises at least one current line and at least one coolant line.

[0042] - providing at least one connection device for the internal cooling cable, which comprises a contact device and a coolant deflector and is adapted for mechanical coupling with a connection element of the internal cooling cable.

[0043] Mechanically coupling the connecting element of the cable to the connecting device so that the contacting device makes electrical contact with at least one current line and enables a coolant exchange between the coolant line of the internally cooled cable and the coolant guide of the connecting device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Further features, characteristics, advantages and possible modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art in the following description, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, all features described and / or represented schematically illustrate the subject matter disclosed herein by themselves or in any desired combination. The drawings are schematically simplified and are not in scale in particular.

[0045] In each case, the figures schematically show an energy supply system for an electrically driven machine.

[0046] Figure 1 An example of an energy supply system for an electric drive machine with internally cooled cables and connecting devices is schematically shown.

[0047] Figure 2 An example of an energy supply system for an electric drive machine with two internally cooled cables is schematically shown.

[0048] Figure 3 An example of an energy supply system for an electric drive machine with an internally cooled cable having two coolant lines is schematically shown.

[0049] Unless otherwise expressly stated, Figures 1 to 3 Components and parts that correspond or have similar functions are provided with corresponding reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] Figure 1 An example of an energy supply system 100 for an electric drive machine having an internally cooled cable 10 and a connecting device 20 is schematically shown.

[0051] The internal cooling cable 10 has at least one current line 12 which is electrically conductively connected to a connecting element 16. Figure 1 In the example shown, the connecting element 16 is electrically conductive. Figure 1 In the example shown, the connection element 16 and the line 12 are integrally formed, but this is not required in all embodiments. In other energy supply systems (not shown), the cable may also include a connection element that is not integrally formed with the current line.

[0052] The internally cooled cable 10 also has a coolant line 14 adapted to conduct a liquid or gaseous coolant through the cable 10 in order to dissipate heat generated by the resistance of the line 12 when an electric current is passed therethrough.

[0053] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the coolant line 14 passes through the cable insulation layer at least at one point of the internal cooling cable 10, and at least one section thereof is separated from the current line 12 and extends to the other side of the cable insulation layer surrounding the current line 12. However, this is not necessary in all embodiments. Alternatively, the coolant line 14 can also be separated from the current line 12 without passing through the insulation layer of the cable. In other energy supply systems (not shown), the coolant line 14 can also be surrounded or at least partially enclosed by the inner or outer insulation layer of the cable and / or one or more current lines until the transfer point of the coolant deflector of the connecting device.

[0054] The connecting element 16 of the internal cooling cable 10 is configured to be mechanically coupled to the connecting device 20 of the energy supply system 100. Figure 1In the example shown, the connection element 16 is configured to be arranged in a correspondingly formed cavity in the connection device 20. In other embodiments (not shown), for example, the connection element can also have a cavity into which a correspondingly formed contact device of the connection device can be inserted.

[0055] Figure 1 The connection device 20 of the energy supply system 100 shown has a contact device 22, which is suitable for making electrical contact with the current line 12 of the internal cooling cable 10 when the connection element 16 is coupled or contacted with the connection device 20. In the example shown, the contact device 22 is suitable for making contact with the current line 12 via the electrically conductive connection element 16.

[0056] The connection device 20 of the energy supply system 100 further comprises a coolant guide 24. The coolant guide 24 is formed through the wall of the connection device 20 and spatially separates the coolant line 14 of the cable 10 from the contact device 22 and electrically insulates them. The coolant guide 24 is suitable for guiding a liquid or gaseous coolant through the connection device along a predetermined path. In this way, heat, in particular heat generated by the flow of current, can be dissipated from the connection device 20. In other words, the coolant guide 24 is formed by one or more coolant channels in the connection element 20, each of which is suitable for the passage of an externally supplied liquid or gaseous coolant for cooling the connection device 20.

[0057] The coolant line 14 of the internally cooled cable 10 is adapted to the coolant deflector 24 of the connecting device 20 when the connecting element 16 is mounted in a correspondingly formed cavity in the connecting device 20. For example, Figure 1 The coolant line 14 shown in the figure can be connected to the coolant deflector 24 by a plug-in connection. Alternatively or additionally, the energy supply system can also include one or more screws, latches and / or magnetic devices and / or similar fastening elements (not shown) for connecting the coolant line 14 to the coolant deflector 24. In other words, when the connecting element 16 is mechanically coupled to the connecting device 20, the energy supply system 100 can at least convey the coolant from the coolant line 14 of the internal cooling cable 10 to the coolant deflector 24 of the connecting device 20.

[0058] like Figure 2 As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , by means of two internal cooling cables 10 (eg Figure 1 The two internal cooling cables 10 and the connecting element 20 shown in FIG. 1 form a coolant circuit, which enables both the cooling cable 10 and the connecting element 20 to be cooled by a common coolant.

[0059] like Figure 2As shown schematically, the energy supply system 100 may include a coolant pump 40 that pumps a coolant (eg, liquid coolant) into the coolant line 14 of the internally cooled cable 10. When the internally cooled cable 10 is coupled to the connection device 20, the pumped coolant may dissipate heat from the cable itself and the connection device 20.

[0060] like Figure 2 As shown schematically, the coolant pump 40 can be integrated in the energy supply device 50, for example, it can provide coolant supply in addition to providing electrical operating energy for the electric drive machine. The energy supply device 50 and / or the coolant pump 40 can also optionally further include a heat exchanger (not shown) for dissipating the heat absorbed by the coolant in the coolant circuit.

[0061] Figure 3 An alternative energy supply system 100 with an internally cooled cable 10 and a connecting device 20 is schematically shown. Figure 3 In the example shown, the internally cooled cable 10 comprises at least two coolant lines 14, both of which are connected to the coolant deflector 24 of the connection device 20, wherein the first coolant line 14 serves as a coolant feed line and the second coolant line 14 serves as a coolant return line. Thus, only a single cable is required to form a coolant loop. In addition, the majority of the cable 10 is cooled by the coolant flowing into the cable, which has not yet been heated, and the portion of the cable 10 that is returned and has been heated by the current line 12 (for clarity, Figure 2 and Figure 3 The uniform heat distribution within the cable 10 is further improved by heating the coolant heated by the connecting device 20 (not shown).

[0062] like Figure 3 As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , the coolant pump 40 can also be directly integrated in the internal cooling cable 10 or as an integral component of the cable 10 . The coolant pump 40 can be supplied with operating electrical energy from an energy supply device 50 via the current line 12 of the cable 10 .

[0063] It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments discussed above are not exhaustive and do not limit the subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the described features may be combined with each other and / or various features may be omitted as desired without departing from the subject matter disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An energy supply system (100) for an electrically driven machine, comprising: An internally cooled cable (10) comprising at least one current line (12) and at least one coolant line (14), wherein: At least one section of the coolant line (14) is separated from the current line (12), and A connection device (20) for the internal cooling cable (10), comprising a contact device (22) and a coolant deflector (24), and adapted to be mechanically coupled to a connection element (16) of the internal cooling cable, wherein The contacting device is suitable for electrically contacting the at least one current line when the connecting device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element of the cable, in The energy supply system is suitable for conveying coolant from a section of the coolant line of the internal cooling cable separated from the current line to the coolant deflector of the connecting device, or from the coolant deflector of the connecting device to a section of the coolant line of the internal cooling cable separated from the current line when the connecting element of the cable is mechanically coupled to the connecting device.

2. The energy supply system (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The electrically driven machine is a motor vehicle, and / or The connection device (20) for the internal cooling cable is arranged on the electric drive machine and / or is integrated into the electric drive machine.

3. The energy supply system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: An energy storage device (30) for electrical energy, wherein The connection device (20) for the internal cooling cable is adapted to charge the energy storage device with electrical energy supplied via a current line (12) of the internal cooling cable (10) when the connection device is mechanically coupled to a connection element (16) of the cable.

4. The energy supply system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The connecting device (20) comprises at least one locking element, which is suitable for mechanically fixing the internal cooling cable (10), in particular the connecting element (16) of the internal cooling cable, and / or connecting together a coolant line (14) of the internal cooling cable and a coolant guide (24) of the connecting device, so that a conveyance of coolant from the coolant line to the coolant guide and / or a conveyance of coolant from the coolant guide to the coolant line can be carried out.

5. The energy supply system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: A coolant pump (40) for pumping a fluid coolant, in particular a liquid coolant, into at least one coolant line (14) of the internal cooling cable (10) and / or into a coolant flow guide (24) of the connecting device and / or out of at least one coolant line of the internal cooling cable and / or from the coolant flow guide of the connecting device.

6. The energy supply system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The coolant flow guide (24) of the connecting device (20) forms a coolant circuit having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein The at least one inlet and / or the at least one outlet are suitable for connection to the coolant line (14) of the internal cooling cable (10) so that when the connecting device is mechanically coupled to the connecting element (16) of the cable, a conveyance of coolant from the coolant line to the coolant guide and / or a conveyance of coolant from the coolant guide to the coolant line can be performed.

7. The energy supply system (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein: The internal cooling cable (10) comprises at least two coolant lines, wherein a first coolant line adapted to be connected to an inlet of a coolant circuit of the connection device (20) when the connection device is mechanically coupled to a connection element (16) of the cable, and The second coolant line is adapted to be connected to an outlet of the coolant circuit of the connection device when the connection device is mechanically coupled to the connection element of the cable.

8. The energy supply system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one temperature sensor and / or at least one control device, wherein: The temperature sensor is arranged at the internal cooling cable (10), in particular at the at least one current line (12) and / or at least one coolant line (14), or at the connecting device (20), in particular at the contact device (22) and / or at the coolant guide (24), and / or wherein The control device is suitable for regulating the flow of coolant through the coolant line and / or through the coolant guide based on the registration of the at least one temperature sensor, in particular by controlling and / or regulating the coolant pump (40).

9. An electrically driven machine, in particular a motor vehicle, include ： The energy supply system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein: The connection device (20) for the internal cooling cable and / or the energy storage device (30) for electrical energy and / or the coolant pump (40) are configured as components of the electrically driven machine.

10. A method for supplying operating energy to an electric drive machine, comprising the following steps: An internally cooled cable (10) is provided, comprising at least one current line (12) and at least one coolant line (14), wherein at least a section of the coolant line (14) is separated from the current line (12); and providing at least one connection device (20) for the internal cooling cable, which comprises a contact device (22) and a coolant deflector (24) and which is suitable for mechanically coupling to a connection element (16) of the internal cooling cable; The connecting element of the cable is mechanically coupled to the connecting device so that the contact device electrically contacts the at least one current line and an exchange of coolant can take place between a section of the coolant line of the internally cooled cable separated from the current line and a coolant guide of the connecting device.

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