Refrigerant-Cooled EV Charging Connector for Hot Connection Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rapid charging of electric vehicles generates heat at critical connection points, leading to inefficiencies and the need for effective cooling solutions to minimize heat generation and enable miniaturization of connectors.
Innovation Solution
An electric-wire-equipped connector design that incorporates a series of refrigerant flow paths within the terminal, conductor, and connection part, allowing for efficient cooling of high-temperature spots by circulating refrigerant through interconnected first, second, and third flow paths, while also facilitating miniaturization by integrating the connection and refrigerant flow functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rapid charging is performed with large current, then charging speed is improved, but heat generation at connection places increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent flow paths: a first flow path for cooling the terminal, a second flow path for cooling the conductor, and a third flow path for cooling the connection part. This segmentation allows each component to be cooled independently, effectively managing heat generation at each connection point during rapid charging.
Solution Approach 2:
A refrigerant is introduced as an intermediary cooling medium that circulates through the flow paths in the terminal, conductor, and connection part. The refrigerant absorbs heat from these components and transports it away, enabling efficient thermal management during high-current rapid charging operations.
2Reliability
If separate cooling systems are provided for terminal and conductor, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling functions for the terminal, conductor, and connection part are merged into a single integrated refrigerant circulation system. The first, second, and third flow paths are interconnected to form one unified cooling network, allowing a single refrigerant circulation system to cool all three components simultaneously, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circulation system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same refrigerant circulation system performs multiple cooling functions: cooling the terminal through the first flow path, cooling the conductor through the second flow path, and cooling the connection part through the third flow path. This universal approach eliminates the need for separate independent cooling systems.
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 efficiently cools multiple high-temperature spots, enabling high-power charging in a shorter time and achieving miniaturization by integrating the connection and refrigerant flow functions within the connector.
Implementation Method 1
a first flow path through which a refrigerant flows inside the terminal, a second flow path through which the refrigerant flows along a longitudinal direction of the conductor, and a third flow path that allows the first flow path and the second flow path to communicate with each other
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electric-wire-equipped connector used for charging an electric vehicle or discharging the electric vehicle. The electric-wire-equipped connector includes a connector, an electric wire, and a connection part. The connector includes a rod-shaped terminal to be connected to a socket terminal provided in the electric vehicle. The terminal includes a first flow path through which a refrigerant flows inside the terminal. The electric wire includes a conductor, and a second flow path through which the refrigerant flows along a longitudinal direction of the conductor. The connection part connects the terminal and the conductor, and includes a third flow path that allows the first flow path and the second flow path to communicate with each other.