Charging Inlet Heat Exchanger for High-Current Terminal Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors in charging inlet assemblies for electric vehicles generate heat during charging, which can damage components due to increased temperature at higher currents, necessitating an effective cooling system.
Innovation Solution
A DC charging module with a heat exchanger is integrated into the charging inlet assembly, featuring a module housing with an inner chamber and coolant channels to actively cool the terminals and cables, using coolant flow to dissipate heat.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If higher current is transmitted through the terminals for charging the battery, then the charging speed is improved, but the temperature of the terminals and power cables increases which may damage the components
Solution Approach 1:
A heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary component between the terminal/cable assembly and the cooling system. The heat exchanger includes a first thermal interface in thermal communication with the terminal and cable, and a coolant channel for coolant flow, serving as a mediator to transfer heat away from the electrical components without interfering with their electrical function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameter of the terminal and cable assembly by introducing active cooling through the heat exchanger. This allows the system to maintain lower operating temperatures while transmitting higher currents, effectively changing the thermal state of the components to enable higher productivity
2Reliability
If a cooling system is added to reduce terminal temperature, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is integrated with the terminal and cable assembly by positioning the first thermal interface in direct thermal communication with these components. This merging approach combines the cooling function with the electrical connection structure, improving reliability while minimizing additional complexity through integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is configured to be thermally coupled to the terminal and cable, allowing the cooling system to automatically manage the thermal state of these components. The system serves itself by using the thermal energy from the components to drive the cooling process, reducing the need for external control mechanisms
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
The heat exchanger effectively reduces operating temperatures of the DC terminals and cables, enhancing performance and safety by allowing higher current transmission and reducing the risk of damage.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the cable connector of the terminal
Implementation Method 2
The heat exchanger includes a coolant channel for coolant flow through the heat exchanger for actively cooling the terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A DC charging module for a charging inlet assembly includes a module housing extending between a front and a rear. The module housing has an inner chamber between the front and the rear. The DC charging module includes a terminal having a mating pin at a front of the terminal and a cable connector at a rear of the terminal. The cable connector is located in the inner chamber of the module housing. The mating pin extends forward of the module housing into the charging inlet assembly for mating with a charging connector coupled to the charging inlet assembly. The DC charging module includes a power cable extending into the inner chamber of the module housing to electrically connect to the cable connector of the terminal. The DC charging module includes a heat exchanger received in the inner chamber of the module housing. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the cable connector of the terminal. The heat exchanger includes a coolant channel for coolant flow through the heat exchanger for actively cooling the terminal.