Method and system for cooling a charging port of an electrically powered vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cooling a charging port (20) of an electrically operated vehicle (10), wherein the charging port (20) has a pin tray (22) with at least two contact pins (24), comprising cooling the charging port (20) during a charging process by directing an airflow (50) from a compressed air device (14) of the vehicle (10) onto and through the pin tray (22) with the at least two contact pins (24). The invention further relates to a system (100) for cooling a charging port (20) of an electrically powered vehicle (10).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a system for cooling a charging port of an electrically powered vehicle.

[0002] Battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles are usually charged via a standardized charging port and the corresponding counterpart plug on the side of the charging station.

[0003] The direct current (DC) part of charging connectors consists of a pin head with two DC contact pins (positive and negative), which are designed to be electrically and thermally conductive. The function of the contact pins is to establish an electrical contact with the charging plug, to conduct the electrical power through the charging connector, and to establish an electrical contact with the vehicle's charging cable set.

[0004] The design, consisting of two individual contact pins, typically uses cylindrical metal parts, as in the standardized CCS1 and CCS2 standards. Its primary function is to establish an electrical connection between the charging plug and the vehicle's charging cable set. For current charging currents of up to 500A, this design, or rather the standardized DC contact pins, is adequately dimensioned. However, for future charging currents of 1000A and above, this design, and specifically the standardized DC contact pins, will become thermally limiting after a very short time. This will necessitate derating the charging current due to the charging port, particularly the contact pins, thus increasing the charging time or even interrupting the charging process. The reason for this temperature increase is the contact resistance of the connector between the charging plug and the vehicle's charging port.

[0005] The heat generated can be dissipated using fluids. However, this usually requires an additional fluid system with storage, pump, and pipes, and therefore additional weight.

[0006] DE 10 2015 100 347 A1 discloses an electrical connection body for a charging plug and / or a charging socket, which is cooled by means of a cooling fluid, for example compressed air from a compressed air compressor.

[0007] In DE 10 2017 007 981 A1 a method and a system for cleaning a charging adapter for charging a plug-in electric vehicle by blowing compressed air is further described.

[0008] One object of the invention is to provide an improved method for cooling a charging port of an electrically powered vehicle.

[0009] Another task is to create a system for cooling a charging port of an electrically powered vehicle using such an improved method.

[0010] The aforementioned tasks are solved using the characteristics of independent claims.

[0011] Favorable embodiments and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further claims, the description and the drawing.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, a method for cooling a charging port of an electrically operated vehicle is proposed, wherein the charging port has a pin tray with at least two contact pins, comprising cooling the charging port during a charging process by directing an airflow from a compressed air device of the vehicle onto and through the pin tray with the at least two contact pins.

[0013] The proposed method uses air from an existing compressed air system in the vehicle to cool the thermally stressed DC contact pins. This compressed air system can be used primarily for chassis adjustments (height, roll, pitch, yaw, etc.) and thus mainly during active driving. It incorporates high-performance components such as a reservoir, pump, and a piping system to all wheel units. This compressed air system is not primarily used when the vehicle is stationary during charging; therefore, compressed air can be routed via a branch line to and through the pin head of the charging connector for cooling.

[0014] The compressed air system does not necessarily have to be a chassis component, but can also be another compressed air or air supply system located in the vehicle.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the charging port can be continuously cooled during the charging process. The cooling can be active continuously and consistently throughout the entire charging process.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the charging port can be cooled during the charging process based on temperature control via at least one temperature sensor arranged at the charging port. In particular, the flow rate and / or pressure and / or duration of the airflow can be controlled and / or regulated. The cooling can thus be regulated based on temperature control via corresponding temperature sensors, which are arranged on the pin tray, the contact pins directly, or otherwise within the charging port, so that the flow rate, pressure, and duration of the cooling can be varied accordingly.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the airflow can exit through at least one nozzle and thereby be guided expanding onto and through the pin tray. Starting from an isenthalpic pressure reduction, the Joule-Thomson effect can be utilized, whereby a real gas such as ambient air or the air in the compressed air system experiences a temperature drop due to the expansion. This effect can be advantageously used if the air flows along the pin tray at a sufficiently low temperature and the temperature difference is particularly favorable for cooling.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the airflow can be guided through hollow-drilled and / or transversely drilled contact pins of the charging port. In particular, the contact pins can be manufactured using 3D printing.

[0019] Compressed air can flow from one or more nozzles onto the entire rear surface of the pin head, cooling it, or, for example, it can flow through hollow DC contact pins with cross-drilled holes, absorbing heat and dissipating it from thermally critical areas. Manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing can be used to produce a flow-optimized geometry for the bores / cavities of the contact pins.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, when approaching a charging station, the vehicle's chassis can be lowered to a low level before the charging process, thereby redistributing air from the compressed air system and using it to cool the charging port during the charging process.

[0021] To approach the charging station, the vehicle may select a higher suspension setting to better navigate uneven surfaces and obstacles. Once parked and charging, the suspension is lowered again, redistributing the air in the compressed air system or venting it to the surrounding environment. This process simultaneously releases previously used energy, which can then be used to cool the charging port if directed accordingly. This allows both the existing compressed air system and the previously used energy to be utilized for more efficient cooling.

[0022] According to a further aspect of the invention, a system for cooling a charging port of an electrically operated vehicle is proposed using a method described above, wherein the charging port has a pin tray with at least two contact pins, comprising a compressed air device present in the vehicle, and a branch line from the compressed air device to the pin tray for guiding an airflow onto and through the pin tray.

[0023] The proposed system uses air from an existing compressed air system in the vehicle to cool the thermally stressed DC contact pins. This compressed air system can be used primarily for chassis adjustments (height, roll, pitch, yaw, etc.) and thus mainly during active driving. It incorporates high-performance components such as a reservoir, pump, and a piping system to all wheel units. This compressed air system is not primarily used when the vehicle is stationary during charging; therefore, compressed air can be routed via a branch line to and through the charging connector's pin head for cooling.

[0024] The compressed air system does not necessarily have to be a chassis component, but can also be another compressed air or air supply system located in the vehicle.

[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, the branch line can have at least one nozzle designed for directing airflow, particularly from the rear, towards the pin tray. Starting from an isenthalpic pressure reduction, the Joule-Thomson effect can be utilized, whereby a real gas such as ambient air or the air in the compressed air system experiences a temperature drop due to expansion. This effect can be advantageously used if the air flows along the pin tray at a sufficiently low temperature and the temperature difference is particularly favorable for cooling.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, the contact pins can be hollow and / or have transverse bores designed to allow airflow. In particular, the contact pins can be manufactured using 3D printing.

[0027] Compressed air can flow from one or more nozzles onto the entire rear surface of the pin head, cooling it, or, for example, it can flow through hollow DC contact pins with cross-drilled holes, absorbing heat and dissipating it from thermally critical areas. Manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing can be used to produce a flow-optimized geometry for the bores / cavities of the contact pins.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, at least one temperature sensor can be arranged on and / or in the pin tray. Cooling can thus be regulated based on temperature control via corresponding temperature sensors in the pin tray of the charging port, so that flow rate, pressure, and duration of cooling can be varied accordingly.

[0029] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

[0030] This shows: Fig. 1. A system overview of a system for cooling a charging port of an electrically powered vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2. the vehicle's charging port Fig. 1 in an enlarged top view.

[0031] In the figures, identical or similar components are numbered with the same reference symbols. The figures merely show examples and are not to be understood as limiting.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1 shows a system overview of a system 100 for cooling a charging port 20 of an electrically operated vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0033] The vehicle 10, shown in a side view, has a charging port 20 for connecting a charging plug from an external charging station. The charging port comprises a pin header 22 with at least two contact pins 24.

[0034] The system 100 for cooling the charging port 20 during a charging process comprises a compressed air device 14 present in the vehicle 10, as well as a branch line 16 from the compressed air device 14 to the pin tray 22 for guiding an airflow 50 onto and through the pin tray 22.

[0035] Fig. Figure 2 shows the charging port 20 of vehicle 10 in an enlarged top view.

[0036] According to the proposed method, the charging port 20 is guided during the charging process by directing the airflow 50 from the compressed air device 14 of the vehicle 10 onto and through the pin tray 22 with the at least two contact pins 24.

[0037] The charging port 20 can be continuously cooled throughout the entire charging process.

[0038] Alternatively, the charging port 20 can also be cooled during the charging process based on temperature control via at least one temperature sensor 26. The temperature sensor 26 can be arranged on or in the pin tray 22, as shown in Fig. 2 is recognizable. By means of the temperature sensor 26 and a suitable control and / or regulating device (not shown), a flow rate and / or a pressure and / or a duration of the airflow 50 can be controlled and / or regulated.

[0039] The branch line 16 can have one or more nozzles 18, which are designed for directing, in particular from the rear, flow towards the pin tray 22. Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows such a nozzle 18 at the inlet of the branch line 16 into the pin tray 22.

[0040] The airflow 50 can thus flow out through the nozzle 18 and be guided, expanding, onto and through the pin tray. Due to the expansion of the airflow 50, its temperature can decrease, so that the air flows along the pin tray 22 at a correspondingly cool temperature, and the temperature difference is particularly favorable for cooling.

[0041] As also in Fig.As can be seen in Figure 2, the contact pins 24 can be hollow and, for example, have transverse bores 28 designed to allow airflow 50 to pass through them. In this way, the airflow 50 can be directed through the hollow contact pins 24 of the charging port 20, which have transverse bores 28. This allows the contact pins 24 to be cooled particularly effectively.

[0042] The compressed air can flow from one or more nozzles onto the entire pin tray 22 from the rear and cool it, or, for example, flow selectively through the hollow-drilled DC contact pins 24 with transverse bores 28, thereby absorbing heat and dissipating it from the thermally critical areas.

[0043] For approaching the charging station, the vehicle can, for example, select a high suspension setting to better navigate uneven surfaces and obstacles. When parked for charging, the suspension is lowered again, typically redistributing the air in the compressed air system or venting it to the surrounding environment. This process simultaneously releases previously used energy, which can then be used to cool the charging port if directed accordingly. This allows both the existing compressed air system and the previously used energy to be utilized for more efficient cooling.

[0044] Advantageously, after approaching the charging station, the chassis 12 of the vehicle 10 can be lowered to a low level before the charging process, thereby redistributing air from the compressed air system 14 and using it to cool the charging port 10 during the charging process.

[0045] Alternatively, the chassis 12 can be lowered when approaching the charging station and the potential energy ("pressure energy") released in the chassis components can be redistributed, for example stored in an intermediate storage unit of the system, which can then be used to cool the pin tray and the contact pins during the charging process without additional energy expenditure.

[0046] Furthermore, it is possible to raise the chassis 12 during acceleration, so that the vehicle 10 is "high" at the start of the charging process and lowers itself continuously and slowly during charging, allowing the released compressed air and its potential energy to be used directly for cooling. The advantage of this is that no intermediate storage is required. Reference symbol list 10 vehicles 12 Chassis 14 Compressed air system 16 branch line 18 nozzle 20 charging ports 22 pen tray 24 contact pins 26 Temperature sensor 28 transverse bore 50 airflow 100 System QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2015 100 347 A1

[0006] DE 10 2017 007 981 A1

[0007]

Claims

Method for cooling a charging port (20) of an electrically powered vehicle (10), wherein the charging port (20) has a pin tray (22) with at least two contact pins (24), comprising cooling the charging port (20) during a charging process by directing an airflow (50) from a compressed air device (14) of the vehicle (10) onto and through the pin tray (22) with the at least two contact pins (24). Method according to claim 1, wherein the charging port (20) is continuously cooled during the charging process. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the charging port (20) is cooled during the charging process on the basis of a temperature control via at least one temperature sensor (26) which is arranged at the charging port (20), in particular wherein a flow rate and / or a pressure and / or a duration of the airflow (50) are controlled and / or regulated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the airflow (50) flows out through at least one nozzle (18) and is thereby directed expanding onto and through the pin tray (22). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the airflow (50) is guided through hollow-drilled and / or transversely drilled contact pins (24) of the charging port (20), in particular wherein the contact pins (24) are manufactured by means of 3D printing. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when approaching a charging station, a chassis (12) of the vehicle (10) is lowered to a low level prior to the charging process, thereby redistributing air from the compressed air device (14) and using it to cool the charging port (10) during the charging process. System (100) for cooling a charging port (20) of an electrically powered vehicle (10) using a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the charging port (20) has a pin tray (22) with at least two contact pins (24), comprising a compressed air device (14) provided in the vehicle (10), and a branch line (16) from the compressed air device (14) to the pin tray (22) for guiding an airflow (50) onto and through the pin tray (22). System according to claim 7, wherein the branch line (16) has at least one nozzle (18) which is designed for directing flow, in particular, towards the rear of the pin tray (22). System according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the contact pins (24) are hollow and / or have transverse bores (28) designed to allow airflow (50), in particular wherein the contact pins (24) are manufactured by means of 3D printing. System according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein at least one temperature sensor (26) is arranged on and / or in the pin tray (22).

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