Inductive Vehicle Charger Cooling Layout for Split Thermal Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inductive power transfer systems for electric vehicles face challenges in efficiently cooling components with varying cooling requirements within a compact housing, as some components have different heat distribution, temperature tolerance, and environmental exposure needs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle charging device with a cooling system featuring separate cooling paths for different sections, utilizing a fluid accelerator to transport fluid between these paths, with fins and fins-like structures to enhance heat dissipation, and temperature regulation mechanisms to optimize cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a compact housing is used to integrate power electronics and magnetics assemblies, then device size is reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to conflicting cooling requirements of different components
Solution Approach 1:
The charging device is divided into multiple cooling zones with separate cooling paths: a first cooling path for the magnetics assembly and a second cooling path for the power electronics assembly. This segmentation allows each component type to receive optimized cooling independently, resolving the conflict between compact housing and cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cooling strategies are applied to different locations within the housing: the magnetics assembly receives cooling through one path while the power electronics assembly receives cooling through another path. Each cooling path is tailored to the specific thermal characteristics of the components it serves, enabling efficient heat dissipation in a compact space.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components with different temperature requirements are placed in the same housing, then device integration is improved, but temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct paths for different component assemblies. The first cooling path serves the magnetics assembly while the second cooling path serves the power electronics assembly, allowing independent temperature control for each component type with different thermal requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Each cooling path is designed with local quality tailored to its specific components. The magnetics assembly and power electronics assembly receive customized cooling approaches appropriate to their respective temperature tolerances and heat generation patterns, maintaining precise temperature control despite high integration.
3Device complexity
If cooling fluid flows directly from inlet to outlet through a single path, then system complexity is reduced, but cooling effectiveness deteriorates due to uneven heat distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid flow path is segmented into multiple separate channels: a first cooling path for the magnetics assembly and a second cooling path for the power electronics assembly. This segmentation ensures that cooling fluid is distributed to each component's specific thermal zones, improving cooling effectiveness while maintaining manageable system complexity.
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 enables safer, more efficient, and faster charging by effectively cooling components with diverse cooling needs, allowing for a compact design and reduced noise emission, while maintaining electromagnetic compatibility and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling system comprising a fluid accelerator, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet, the cooling system configured for cooling the vehicle charging device with a fluid
Implementation Method 2
the second cooling path comprises a cooling geometry configured to provide heat dissipation from the power electronics to the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle charging device for inductively charging an energy accumulator of a vehicle, the vehicle charging device comprising an interface for receiving electric power, a first section comprising at least a coil, a second section comprising power electronics configured to convert the electric power received with the interface to a defined AC current, and a cooling system comprising a fluid accelerator, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet, the cooling system configured for cooling the vehicle charging device with a fluid, wherein the first section and the second section are spatially separated, wherein the cooling system includes a first cooling path in the first section and a second cooling path in the second section, the fluid inlet in the first section and the fluid outlet in the second section, and wherein the fluid accelerator is configured for transporting the fluid from the first cooling path to the second cooling path.