Leak Detection in Cable Assembly

Abstract

The cable assembly includes a cable having a first end and a second end. The cable has an electrical conductor and a cooling conduit, each extending from the first end to the second end. The cooling conduit is configured to carry a fluid that cools the electrical conductor. The cable assembly includes a leak detection module for detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit. The leak detection module includes a power source for generating an input voltage signal that is applied to a first node in contact with the fluid. The leak detection module includes a controller for monitoring an output voltage signal at the first node and detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit based on the output voltage signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 936,254, entitled "LEAK DETECTION IN A CABLE ASSEMBLY", filed on November 15, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] With the progress of electric vehicles, the need for charging facilities to supply power to the rechargeable batteries of vehicles is increasing. Some such applications, such as vehicle chargers for rapid charging with high currents, are designed to operate with continuous currents of 350 amperes or more. To transfer energy more quickly and shorten the charging time, cable assemblies (including cables and charging connectors) must be able to withstand high current loads. Generally, the more current passes through the charging facility, the more heat is generated.

[0003] To reduce the problem of excessive heat generation, the cross - section of the conductor carrying the current can be increased to reduce losses. However, such an increase in cross - section requires an increase in the cross - section of the cable, making the handling of the cable difficult. Alternatively, the cable assembly can include cooling ducts disposed near the conductor. The cooling ducts can carry a cooling fluid that can carry away some or all of the heat generated by the conductor. However, the presence of the cooling fluid within the cable assembly causes new problems. For example, the cooling fluid may leak from the cooling ducts and come into contact with the electrical conductor or the shield of the cable assembly. This can lead to damage to the cable as well as the charging facility and the vehicle.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure relates to a cable assembly. In one embodiment, the cable assembly includes a cable having a first end and a second end. The cable has an electrical conductor and a cooling conduit, and each of the electrical conductor and the cooling conduit extends from the first end to the second end of the cable. The cooling conduit is configured to carry a fluid that cools the electrical conductor. In this embodiment, the cable assembly includes a leak detection module for detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit. The leak detection module can include a power source for generating an input voltage signal applied to a first node in contact with the fluid. The leak detection module includes a controller for monitoring an output voltage signal at the node and detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit based on a change detected in the output voltage signal.

[0005] In some embodiments of the present invention, a cable assembly having a cable cooled by a fluid is provided. The cable has a first end and a second end. The cable includes one or more electrical conductors and a cooling conduit, and each of the electrical conductor and the cooling conduit extends from the first end to the second end. The cooling conduit is configured to carry a fluid that cools the electrical conductor. The cable assembly includes a connector attached to the second end of the cable. The cooling conduit forms a fluid channel that runs inside the handle of the connector and is configured to cool the connector. The cable assembly includes a leak detection module coupled to the cable and the connector. The leak detection module includes a power source for generating an input voltage signal applied to a first node in contact with the fluid. The leak detection module includes a controller for monitoring an output voltage signal at the first node and detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit based on a change in the detected output voltage signal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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[0011] The embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by reference to the following detailed description. To identify substantially the same elements shown in one or more of the drawings, substantially the same reference numbers are used, and it should be understood that the content shown in the drawings is for the purpose of explaining the embodiments of the present disclosure and not for limiting the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] The following detailed description of the embodiments presents various descriptions of particular embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention can be embodied in many different ways. In this description, reference is made to the drawings, where like reference numbers can indicate identical or functionally similar elements. It will be understood that the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Further, it will be understood that a particular embodiment may include more elements and / or a subset of the elements shown in the drawings than are shown. Additionally, some embodiments can incorporate any suitable combination of features from two or more of the drawings.

[0013] Generally speaking, one or more aspects of the present disclosure relate to a cable assembly including a leak detection module. Exemplarily, the leak detection module can enable detection of leakage of a cooling fluid in a cable assembly used for charging an electric vehicle. When a leak is detected, the leak detection module can warn the user to stop charging the vehicle using the cable. In some configurations, the leak detection module can automatically stop power supply to the cable by a power source connected to the cable assembly. In this way, leak detection can avoid failures of the cable assembly that may occur due to contact between the cooling fluid and the electrical conductor, and can help improve the safety of using such a cable assembly. Although various aspects of the cable assembly are described in the context of charging an electric or hybrid vehicle, the cable assembly can be used in any other application area that may enable the use of such a fluid-cooled cable.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows an example of a charger assembly 100 having a cable 102 extending laterally through the assembly 100. The cable 102 can have at least one electrical conductor 104 configured to transmit power. In some embodiments, the cable 102 can terminate at a connector tip 106 connected to a connector housing 108 (partially removed here for clarity). The connector tip 106 can be designed to fit into a power inlet and thus can be configured according to one or more standards for electrical connectors. The cable 102 can form a connection between the connector tip 106 and a power source (e.g., a generator or a power grid). The cable 102 can have a first end and a second end, with the first end of the cable 102 coupled to the power source and the second end coupled to the connector tip 106. In some embodiments, the connector tip 106 and the connector housing 108 can be manufactured as a single part. In other embodiments, the connector tip 106 and the connector housing 108 can be manufactured as separate parts.

[0015] A handle (not shown) can partially or completely surround the connector chip 106 and / or the connector housing 108. Further, the handle can partially surround the cable 102. The handle can be designed to be held by a human, for example, when inserting the connector chip 106 into a power inlet and when removing the connector chip 106 from the power inlet.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the charger assembly 100 can be used to charge an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle. The electric vehicle can include an electric powertrain (not shown) for propelling the vehicle on the ground. The electric vehicle can include an energy storage device (not shown) for supplying energy to the electric powertrain to propel the electric vehicle. The energy storage device can be an assembly of one or more battery cells. In some embodiments, the energy storage device can be any other energy storage means suitable for application in various aspects of the present disclosure. The electric vehicle can include a charging inlet configured to receive the connector chip 106 into an inlet or receptacle for charging the energy storage device. The charging inlet can be internally connected to the energy storage device so that electrical energy can be supplied through the charging inlet to the energy storage device. In some embodiments, the charging inlet can engage the connector chip 106 so that the cable 102 can be fixed without human support.

[0017] Cable 102 can include a cooling conduit 110. The cooling conduit 110 can function to carry a fluid (e.g., a coolant) along the length of the conductor 104 to remove some or all of the heat generated by the flow of electrical energy within the conductor 104. Examples of such fluids or other heat transfer media can include, but are not limited to, water, air, oil, phase change materials, and other chemicals. For example, a non-degrading fluid having sufficient heat capacity to cool the conductor 104 can be selected. The material of the cooling conduit 110 can be selected based on thermal conductivity, flexibility, and durability.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cooling conduit 110 can begin at the first end of the cable 102 located at or near the power source, turn back at or near the connector chip 106, and return to the first end of the cable 102. In such embodiments, the cooling conduit 110 can be a single tube such that fluid moves along the same path in both directions. Fluid can be pumped from the first end of the cable 102 towards the connector chip 106, stored in an internal receptacle located at or near the connector chip 106, and after all the fluid is located in the receptacle, pumped back from the connector chip 106 towards the first end of the cable 102. In other embodiments, the cooling conduit 110 can have a U-turn at or near the connector chip 106 to reverse the direction of fluid flow. In this and similar embodiments, the cooling conduit 110 can provide continuous circulating cooling along essentially the entire length of the cable 102 and at the connector chip 106. Thus, fluid can be returned to a system that supplies fluid, such as a reservoir of the cooling system. Thus, the fluid path can be a circulation that flows along one side of the cable 102 towards the connector chip 106 and along a different side of the cable 102 towards the reservoir. In certain embodiments, the U-turn can occur outside of the connector chip 106. For example, in an embodiment where fluid is supplied to an electric vehicle during charging to provide cooling during the charging operation, the fluid can exit the vehicle through the same connector chip 106 via the U-turn. In other embodiments, a one-way flow of fluid can be provided. For example, the connector chip 106 attached to the charging inlet of an electric vehicle (or other device) can also have a fluid inlet that couples to a fluid reservoir of the vehicle. Thus, this configuration can be used to replenish the fluid in the fluid reservoir of the vehicle. In other embodiments, the fluid can flow from the cable 102 to the vehicle and then back to the tip of the cable from the vehicle again.

[0019] Figure 2 schematically shows a leak detection system for a cable assembly 200 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. The cable assembly 200 can include a cable 202 (shown in cross-section) having a cooling conduit 204. The cable 202 may be covered by a shield 206 connected to ground. The cable assembly 200 can include an electronic leak detection module 208 programmed and configured to detect a leak of fluid from the cooling conduit 204. The leak detection module 208 can monitor changes in one or more electrical properties of the fluid circulating through the cooling conduit 204 to detect a leak. For example, when a leaked fluid contacts a low voltage source (e.g., a ground conductor or shield 206) or a high voltage source (e.g., a high voltage conductor), a change in the electrical properties of the fluid can occur.

[0020] Referring further to FIG. 2, the leak detection module 208 can include a power supply 210 that generates an input voltage signal applied to the fluid. In some embodiments, the power supply 210 can generate an alternating current (AC) voltage signal that alternates between a maximum voltage (Vcc) and a minimum voltage (Vss). In other embodiments, the power supply 210 can generate a direct current (DC) voltage signal of a predetermined voltage. The input voltage signal can be applied to the fluid via a resistor R1 as shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the resistor R1 can be the impedance from a resistor. In other embodiments, the resistor R1 can be the impedance from other electrical components. To monitor the electrical properties of the fluid, one or more monitoring nodes 212, 214 can be defined at predetermined positions within the cooling conduit 204. The one or more monitoring nodes 212, 214 are in contact with the fluid and can polarize the fluid when the input voltage signal is applied to the nodes 212, 214. By using two nodes instead of just a single monitoring node, redundancy can be improved and a greater contact for polarizing the fluid can be provided. However, it should be understood that within the scope of the present invention, it is also possible to use only one node, and two nodes are not necessarily required to monitor the electrical properties of the fluid. The positions of the monitoring nodes 212, 214 can be selected to generate an optimal geometry for monitoring the electrical properties of the fluid while minimizing the distance between the nodes 212, 214. In some embodiments, only one of the monitoring nodes 212, 214 can be used to polarize the fluid and monitor the electrical properties of the fluid.

[0021] In some embodiments, a test node 216 (shown in FIG. 2) can be provided to simulate fluid leakage by means of resistor R2. In some embodiments, resistor R2 can be the impedance from a resistor. In other embodiments, resistor R2 can be the impedance from other electrical components. Resistor R2 can be connected to one or more switches 218, 220 that enable switching the connection of resistor R2 between the leakage detection module 208 and ground. As detailed herein, by changing the connection of resistor R2, the leakage detection module 208 can be switched between a self-check mode and a normal operation mode.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 2, the leakage detection module 208 can include buffers 222 connected to the monitoring nodes 212, 214 and ground. The buffers 222 can monitor the output voltage signals at nodes 212, 214. The fluid impedance can act as a voltage divider between the power supply 210 and ground.

[0023] The leak detection module 208 can include a controller 224 for detecting fluid leakage from the cooling conduit 204. The controller 224 can receive an input voltage signal from the power supply 210. Further, the controller 224 can receive an output voltage signal from the buffer 222. In some embodiments, the buffer 222 may be implemented within the controller 224. The controller 224 can determine a voltage associated with the output voltage signal, such as the peak-to-peak output voltage or the maximum output voltage. To detect a leak, the controller 224 can monitor the decay of the output voltage, peak-to-peak output voltage, or maximum output voltage of the output voltage signal. In some embodiments, the controller 224 can repeatedly calculate the change in the amplitude of the output voltage signal by calculating the difference between the amplitudes measured after a certain time interval (e.g., 5 seconds). The controller 224 can recognize a leak when the measured amplitude (e.g., peak-to-peak output voltage or maximum output voltage) drops by more than a predetermined threshold voltage drop. In one embodiment, the threshold can be selected to be large enough so that small variations in the peak-to-peak output voltage or maximum voltage are not detected as fluid leakage.

[0024] The controller 224 can generate an indication of the leak for the user or operator of the cable assembly 200. The indication can be a visual display, an audible display, or a tactile display. Upon receiving the indication, the user can stop the transmission of power through the cable assembly 200 to avoid hazards and minimize associated risks. In some embodiments, the controller 224 can automatically take action (e.g., stop charging an electric vehicle) when it detects a leak.

[0025] In some embodiments, the leak detection module 208 can operate in either a self-check mode or a normal operation mode. As shown in FIG. 2, switches 218, 220 can be provided to switch between the self-check mode and the normal operation mode by changing the connection of resistor R2. In the self-check operation mode, the controller 224 can open switch 218 that connects resistor R2 to the leak detection module 208 and close switch 220 that connects resistor R2 to ground. In this way, the test node 216 can be connected to ground via resistor R2 to simulate a leak where fluid contacts the shield 206. Specifically, resistor R2 is in series with the impedance of the fluid and can increase the impedance perceived by the buffer 222. Due to the increase in impedance, the amplitude of the output voltage signal can decrease compared to its amplitude in the normal operation mode. In another embodiment, the system can perform a self-check by closing both switches 218, 220. In this embodiment, the input of the buffer can be connected to ground, enabling the system to confirm that switches 218, 220 are functioning properly.

[0026] In the normal operation mode, the controller 224 can close switch 218 that connects resistor R2 to the leak detection module 208 and open switch 220 that connects resistor R2 to ground. In the normal operation mode, when there is no fluid leak, resistor R2 can be connected in parallel with the impedance of the fluid, and a substantial change in impedance need not be perceived by the buffer 222. Thus, the peak-to-peak voltage or the maximum voltage associated with the output voltage signal can maintain a substantially constant level. By opening both switches 218, 220, the test node 216 can be removed from the cable assembly 200.

[0027] Figure 3 shows the voltage signal waveforms in an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Waveform 302 shows the input voltage signal generated by power supply 210. Waveform 302 can alternate between a maximum voltage (Vcc) and a minimum voltage (Vss). Waveform 304 shows the output voltage signals at monitoring nodes 212, 214 of the leakage detection module 208 in the normal operating mode for the case where there is no fluid leakage. Waveform 306 shows the output voltage signals at monitoring nodes 212, 214 in the case of leakage. As described herein, the amplitude of the output voltage in a leakage situation can be smaller than the amplitude of the output voltage in a non-leakage situation. The leakage detection module 208 can recognize leakage when the measured amplitude drops by more than a predetermined threshold voltage drop. The threshold can be selected to be large enough so that small variations in the peak-to-peak output voltage are not detected as fluid leakage.

[0028] Figure 4 shows an exemplary cross-sectional view of a cable assembly 400 showing a plurality of sets of conductors 402, 404 and cooling conduit 110 according to a particular embodiment of the present disclosure. Cable assembly 400 can include high voltage conductor 402, low voltage conductor 404, and cooling conduit 110 inside shield 206.

[0029] The high voltage conductor 402 and the low voltage conductor 404 can have one or more insulating materials surrounding their respective outsides to provide electrical insulation. The cooling conduit 110 can have one or more channels inside so that fluid can flow in at least one direction. Generally, the cooling provided by the cooling conduit 110 can make it possible to fabricate the cable 102 with a smaller diameter of the outer jacket 406 compared to the case where this is not so. Further, the cable assembly 400 can include a ground conductor 408, as well as one or more additional members such as signal cables and / or filling materials. It should be understood that although the components of the cable are shown separated from each other for clarity, in some implementations these components may completely fill the inside of the outer jacket 406.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, the cooling conduit 110 can be disposed near the conductors 402, 404. Thus, the cooling conduit 110 can provide cooling to each of the conductors 402, 404.

[0031] FIG. 5 shows an example of a leak detection module 208 located within the connector 500. The leak detection module 208 can include a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 502 thermally coupled to the high voltage socket 508. In certain embodiments, the PCBA 502 has a two-part structure. The first part 504 of the PCBA can be coupled to the high voltage socket 508 such that the first part 504 of the PCBA is located over the electrical socket of the high voltage socket 508. The second part 506 of the PCBA can be connected to the first part 504 of the PCBA via a rigid-flex PCB structure or other similar interconnect. The second part 506 of the PCBA can house auxiliary components such as, but not limited to, a thermistor for temperature sensing applications. The two-part structure of the PCBA 502 allows for more efficient routing of wires to each high voltage socket 508. The PCBA 502 can include various components of the leak detection module 208 such as a power supply 210, a buffer 222, and a controller 224. In certain embodiments, the PCBA 502 can include one or more temperature sensors (not shown) for collecting temperature data related to the cable assembly 200. In some embodiments, wings 510 can be present around the manifold. The wings 510 are made of a conductive material and can function to increase the ground connection area for detecting leaks. The wings 510 can be part of the PCBA 502, but need not necessarily be so. The position of the wings 510 can be selected based at least in part on where the coolant is most likely to leak from a failed charger assembly or where the coolant is most likely to pool in a failed charger assembly.

[0032] The above disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the exact form disclosed or to a particular field of use. Accordingly, various alternative embodiments and / or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are contemplated as possible in light of the present disclosure. Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described thus far, those skilled in the art will appreciate that changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.

[0033] In the foregoing specification, the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the various embodiments disclosed herein can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, either modified or in various other ways. Accordingly, this description should be regarded as illustrative only, and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the manner of making and using the various embodiments of the disclosed cable assembly. It should be understood that the forms of the disclosure shown and described herein are to be taken as representative embodiments. It is possible to replace the elements, materials, processes, or steps typically shown and described herein with equivalent elements, materials, processes, or steps. Further, any particular feature of the present disclosure can be utilized independently of the use of other features, as will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the present disclosure. The expressions "including", "comprising", "incorporating", "consisting of", "having", "is", etc., used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, i.e., they are intended to allow for the presence of items, components, or elements not explicitly described. References to the singular are also to be construed as relating to the plural.

[0034] Furthermore, the various embodiments disclosed herein should be construed in an illustrative and explanatory sense and should in no way be construed as limiting the present disclosure. All references to couplings (e.g., attached, affixed, coupled, connected, etc.) are used only to assist the reader's understanding of the present disclosure and do not, in particular, create limitations with respect to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and / or methods disclosed herein. Thus, references to couplings, where they exist, should be construed broadly. Further, references to such junctions do not necessarily mean that two elements are directly connected to each other.

[0035] Furthermore, all numerical terms such as, but not limited to, "first," "second," "third," "primary," "secondary," "main," etc., or any other ordinal and / or numerical terms should be construed only as identifiers to assist the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations, and / or modifications of the present disclosure and do not, in particular, create any limitations with respect to the order or precedence of one element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification over another element, embodiment, variation, and / or modification.

[0036] It will also be understood that, depending on the particular application, one or more of the elements shown in the drawings / figures may be implemented in a more separated manner, or in a more integrated manner, and in certain cases may be removed or made non-functional. Further, any signal hatching in the drawings / figures should be considered as illustrative only and not limiting, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Claims

1. A leak detection system comprising a leak detection module, wherein the leak detection module at a first node that is in contact with a fluid during normal operation, a power supply for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid, a controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and detect a leak of the fluid from the leak detection module based on the output voltage signal, and the first node is disposed within a cable, the leak detection system.

2. The leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is conductive.

3. The leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the input voltage signal is an alternating current (AC) voltage signal.

4. The leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the controller detects a leak of the fluid when the peak-to-peak voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold voltage drop value.

5. The controller is further configured to operate in a self-check mode, The self-check mode is configured to simulate a leak, the leak detection system according to claim 1.

6. The leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the input voltage signal is further applied to a second node in contact with the fluid.

7. The leak detection system according to claim 6, wherein the second node is disposed within a cable.

8. The leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the leak detection module further comprises a test node configured to simulate a leak.

9. A leak detection system comprising a leak detection module, wherein the leak detection module at a first node that is in contact with a fluid during normal operation, a power supply for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid, a controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and detect a leak of the fluid from the leak detection module based on the output voltage signal, and when a leak of the fluid is detected from the leak detection system, the controller generates a response operation, the response operation includes a change in the state of charge of an electric vehicle, the leak detection system.

10. The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the response operation includes a warning to the user.

11. further comprising a switch connected to a second node, The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the second node is in contact with the fluid, and the switch is configurable to simulate a leak of the fluid.

12. The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the fluid is conductive.

13. The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the controller detects a leak of the fluid when a peak-to-peak voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold voltage drop value.

14. The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the controller detects a leak of the fluid when a maximum voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold maximum voltage value.

15. The leak detection system according to claim 9, wherein the first node is disposed within a cable.

16. A leak detection system comprising a leak detection module, wherein the leak detection module comprises a power source for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid at a first node in contact with the fluid, and a controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and detect a leak of the fluid from the leak detection module based on the output voltage signal. The leak detection module is configured to operate in a normal mode and a self-check mode, wherein the self-check mode is configured to simulate a leak.

17. The leak detection system according to claim 16, wherein the first node is disposed within a cable.

18. A cable having a first end and a second end, the cable comprising an electrical conductor and a cooling conduit, each of the electrical conductor and the cooling conduit extending from the first end to the second end, the cooling conduit being configured to carry a fluid for cooling the electrical conductor, and a leak detection module coupled to the cable, wherein the leak detection module comprises a power source for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid at a first node in contact with the fluid during normal operation of the cable, and a controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and detect a leak of the fluid from the cooling conduit based on the output voltage signal.

19. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the fluid is conductive.

20. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the cooling conduit is configured to carry the fluid from the first end to the second end and then from the second end to the first end.

21. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the input voltage signal is an alternating current (AC) voltage signal.

22. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the input voltage signal is further applied to a second node in contact with the fluid.

23. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the controller detects a leak of the fluid when the peak-to-peak voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold voltage drop value.

24. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the controller detects a leak of the fluid when the maximum voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold maximum voltage value.

25. The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the controller further provides at least one of a visual display, an audible display, or a tactile display upon detection of a leak of the fluid.

26. The cable assembly further comprises a connector attached to the second end of the cable, The cable assembly according to claim 18, wherein the cooling conduit forms a fluid channel that runs inside the handle of the connector and is configured to cool the connector.

27. The cable assembly according to claim 18, which is used to charge an electric vehicle from a power source.

28. The cable assembly according to claim 27, wherein the controller automatically stops charging of the electric vehicle upon detection of a leak of the fluid.

29. A cable having a first end and a second end, the cable comprising an electrical conductor and a cooling conduit, each of the electrical conductor and the cooling conduit extending from the first end to the second end, the cooling conduit being configured to carry a fluid for cooling the electrical conductor, a cable, A connector attached to the second end of the cable, the cooling conduit forming a fluid channel that runs inside the handle of the connector and is configured to cool the connector, a connector, A leak detection module coupled to the cable and the connector, and The leak detection module is At a first node that is in contact with a fluid during normal operation of the cable, a power supply for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid, A controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and detect leakage of the fluid from the cooling conduit based on the output voltage signal, a cable assembly.

30. The cable assembly according to claim 29, which is used to charge an electric vehicle from a power source.

31. The cable assembly according to claim 30, wherein the controller automatically stops charging of the electric vehicle when leakage of the fluid is detected.

32. Further comprising a switch connected to a second node, The second node is in contact with the fluid, and the switch is configurable to simulate leakage of the fluid, the cable assembly according to claim 29.

33. The cable assembly according to claim 29, wherein the fluid is conductive.

34. The cooling conduit is configured to carry the fluid from the first end to the second end and then from the second end to the first end, the cable assembly according to claim 29.

35. The cable assembly according to claim 29, wherein the controller further provides at least one of a visual display, an audible display, or a tactile display when leakage of the fluid is detected.

36. The cable assembly according to claim 29, wherein the controller detects leakage of the fluid when the peak-to-peak voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold voltage drop value.

37. The cable assembly according to claim 29, wherein the controller detects leakage of the fluid when the maximum voltage of the output voltage signal drops by a value greater than a predetermined threshold maximum voltage value.

38. A cable having a first end and a second end, the cable comprising an electrical conductor and a cooling conduit, each of the electrical conductor and the cooling conduit extending from the first end to the second end, the cooling conduit being configured to carry a fluid for cooling the electrical conductor, a cable; A leak detection module coupled to the cable, The leak detection module is At a first node that is in contact with a fluid during normal operation of the cable, a power source for generating an input voltage signal applied to the fluid; A controller configured to monitor an output voltage signal and, based on a comparison of the monitored output voltage signal having two indicated output voltage values, i.e., a first indicated output voltage value associated with a fluid leak and a second indicated output voltage value not associated with a fluid leak, to indicate the characteristics of the fluid leak from the cooling conduit based on the output voltage signal; A cable assembly comprising: **Claim 39** The cable assembly according to claim 38, wherein the fluid is conductive. **Claim 40** The cable assembly according to claim 38, which is used to charge an electric vehicle from a power source.

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