Centralized Liquid Cooling for EV Charging Infrastructure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric vehicle charging systems generate significant waste heat due to high charging currents, which complicates cooling and increases space and cost requirements, while also affecting user acceptance and scalability.

Innovation Solution

A centralized liquid cooling system that connects charging columns, rectifiers, and a medium-voltage transformer via direct-current, three-phase, and single-phase alternating-current lines, allowing for efficient heat management and reduced space usage with modular and scalable design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high charging currents are transmitted directly from charging column to traction battery, then charging speed is improved, but waste heat generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecharging speedVSAvoidwaste heat

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A liquid cooling intermediary system is introduced between the charging column and the traction battery. The cooling arrangement with coolant circulation acts as a mediator to transfer heat away from the charging components and battery, enabling high charging currents to be transmitted while actively managing the resulting waste heat through the cooling circuit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If charging columns are equipped with individual cooling systems, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and installation space increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidcooling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple charging columns share a common centralized cooling arrangement. The cooling system with coolant circulation is merged into a shared infrastructure that serves multiple charging points, reducing overall system complexity and installation space while maintaining effective temperature control for each charging column.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If cooling systems are integrated into each charging column, then localized cooling is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocalized coolingVSAvoidinstallation and maintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling arrangement is designed as a universal multi-functional system that serves multiple charging columns simultaneously. The shared coolant circulation infrastructure provides localized cooling to each charging point while reducing per-unit costs for installation, maintenance, and operation through economies of scale.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Temperature

If multiple cooling systems are deployed for multiple charging columns, then cooling coverage is improved, but space requirements and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling coverageVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling systems of multiple charging columns are merged into a single centralized cooling arrangement. The shared coolant circulation infrastructure consolidates space requirements while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage across all charging points, reducing the total area needed compared to individual cooling systems for each column.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 simplifies component arrangement, reduces noise, and achieves high scalability and cost-effectiveness by centralizing cooling, enabling efficient heat dissipation and flexible installation, while maintaining high user acceptance and redundancy.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling arrangement; the single-phase alternating-current line electrically connects the medium-voltage transformer to the cooling arrangement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat dissipation: Convection

Implementation Method 2

direct-current lines electrically connect the charging columns to the rectifiers, the three-phase alternating-current lines electrically connect the rectifiers to a medium-voltage transformer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRectification: Diode

Data Source

PatentUS10589631B2Installation for charging electric cars

Publication Date: 2020.03.17 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

An installation for charging electric cars includes the following features: charging columns, direct-current lines, rectifiers, three-phase alternating-current lines, a single-phase alternating-current line and a cooling arrangement. The direct-current lines electrically connect the charging columns to the rectifiers. The three-phase alternating-current lines electrically connect the rectifiers to a medium-voltage transformer. The single-phase alternating-current line electrically connects the medium-voltage transformer to the cooling arrangement.