Charger Cooling Airflow Segmentation for Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Quick chargers and high-capacity battery packs often face insufficient cooling of power electronics due to the limited heat dissipation capacity of the cooling air flow, which is affected by the temperature increase from waste heat generated during charging.
Innovation Solution
A separate cooling air flow from the surroundings is introduced, which is not affected by the waste heat from the battery pack, ensuring a significant temperature difference for effective cooling of the power electronics, and both cooling air flows are combined and exhausted by a cooling air fan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling air flow is used to cool both the battery pack and power electronics, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cooling effectiveness of power electronics becomes insufficient due to temperature increase from battery waste heat
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two separate cooling air flows: a first cooling air flow dedicated to cooling the battery pack, and a second cooling air flow dedicated to cooling the power electronics. This segmentation prevents the temperature increase from battery waste heat from affecting the cooling effectiveness for power electronics, while maintaining relatively simple device structure through shared housing and fan components.
2Loss of energy
If the cooling air flow temperature increases due to battery waste heat, then the heat dissipation capacity for battery cooling is improved, but the temperature difference necessary for power electronics cooling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system separates the heat dissipation functions into two independent air flows. The first cooling air flow absorbs waste heat from the battery pack, improving heat dissipation capacity for the battery. The second cooling air flow maintains a large temperature difference for effective cooling of power electronics, as it is not affected by the temperature increase from battery waste heat.
3Productivity
If quick charging or high-capacity battery packs are used, then the charging speed or capacity is improved, but the cooling of power electronics becomes insufficient due to increased heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented cooling system provides dedicated cooling capacity for power electronics through the second cooling air flow, which is independent of the battery cooling flow. This ensures that even during quick charging or high-capacity operations that generate increased heat, the power electronics receive adequate cooling with a sufficient temperature difference, maintaining high charging speeds without thermal limitations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures intensive and effective cooling of both the battery pack and the power electronics, even in high-capacity charging scenarios, by maintaining a large temperature difference and optimizing the cooling air flow path.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling air fan is arranged in the charger housing, to which a cooling air flow flows as a suction air flow through the battery pack via an inlet air opening and exits the housing via an exhaust air opening
Implementation Method 2
The waste heat generated when charging the individual cells in the battery pack leads to a temperature increase in the cooling air flow, so that it can only absorb and dissipate a small amount of heat when it flows around the power electronics
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a charger for a battery pack (8), consisting of a housing (11) on which a charging port (1) with external connecting contacts (4, 5, 6, 7) for electrical connection to the battery pack (8) is formed. An electrical connection (37) for a supply voltage is provided, wherein power electronics (20) are arranged between the electrical connection (37) and the connecting contacts (4, 5, 6, 7). A cooling air fan (25) is provided in the housing (11), which draws a suction airflow (35) into the housing (11) via an inlet opening (15) and blows it out of the housing (11) as a cooling airflow (31) via an outlet opening (23). A battery airflow (29) flowing through the battery pack (8) enters the housing (11) as a cooling airflow (31) via the inlet opening (15).To ensure adequate cooling of the power electronics, a further intake airflow (45) is drawn into the housing (11) from the surrounding environment (34) via an additional intake air opening (40) formed in the housing (11). This additional intake airflow (45) is designed as a separate cooling airflow (44) from the battery airflow (29), with the power electronics (20) located in the airflow path (43) between the additional intake air opening (40) and the cooling air fan (25). After the power electronics (20) have been cooled, the additional cooling airflow (44) is fed to the cooling air fan (25).