EV Charging Cable Cooling Tube Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicle charging cables generate excessive heat during quick charging, posing a risk of fire and user discomfort due to high current transmission, and existing methods to reduce heat, such as increasing cable diameter, are ineffective and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
An electric vehicle charging cable design incorporating a cooling fluid circulation system within the cable, where a conductor with an insulating layer is housed in a cooling tube with a spacer to prevent contact and maximize cooling performance, and a fluid bridge connects the cooling tubes to efficiently circulate the cooling fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the diameter of the conductor is increased to reduce heat, then heat reduction is achieved, but the weight of the cable increases
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling tube is introduced as an intermediary component between the conductor and the external environment. The cooling tube circulates cooling fluid to actively remove heat from the conductor, allowing the use of smaller diameter conductors while maintaining acceptable temperature levels. This mediator enables heat dissipation without increasing conductor size or cable weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic cooling by circulating liquid cooling fluid through the cooling tube. This hydraulic system efficiently transfers heat from the conductor to the cooling fluid, enabling effective heat removal with compact conductor dimensions and avoiding the weight penalty of oversized conductors.
2Temperature
If the diameter of the cable is increased to reduce heat, then heat dissipation is improved, but the cable becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling tube acts as a mediator that enables efficient heat dissipation through active cooling fluid circulation. This allows the cable to maintain a compact, manageable diameter while the cooling system handles the heat dissipation function, separating the thermal management function from the conductor size.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic cooling system provides high-efficiency heat removal in a compact configuration. The cooling fluid circulation through the cooling tube achieves superior heat dissipation without requiring increased cable diameter, maintaining ease of operation and cable handling.
3Temperature
If a cooling tube is added to the cable, then cooling performance is improved, but the cable structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling tube is nested concentrically around the conductor, with the insulating layer positioned between them. This nested configuration integrates the cooling function within the existing cable structure without requiring separate external cooling components, minimizing structural complexity while achieving effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling tube serves multiple functions: it provides a flow path for cooling fluid, acts as a thermal barrier, and maintains structural integrity. By combining multiple functions in a single component, the overall cable structure complexity is reduced despite adding active cooling capability.
4Temperature
If the conductor is placed close to the cooling tube surface, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the insulating layer may contact the cooling tube causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer is positioned locally at critical points where the insulating layer might contact the cooling tube. This localized intervention provides just enough separation to prevent damage while maintaining maximum cooling efficiency, applying the principle of local quality by addressing the specific risk area without compromising overall cooling performance.
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 solution effectively cools the cable, preventing damage to internal components, minimizing cable diameter, and reducing user anxiety by efficiently dissipating heat generated during quick charging.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling tube in which the conductor is accommodated and a cooling fluid flows in a predetermined direction
Implementation Method 2
a cooling fluid flows in a predetermined direction
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle charging cable capable of effectively cooling heat, which is generated therein during charging of an electric vehicle, using a cooling fluid, preventing damage to internal components thereof due to heat, and minimizing a diameter of the cable.