Liquid-Cooled Charging Cable for High-Current Thermal Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air cooled charging cables become too large, heavy, and inflexible when charging currents exceed 200 A, limiting the ability to efficiently charge electric vehicles at higher currents due to thermal resistance issues.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cooled charging cable system where a coolant is pumped directly around bare electrical conductors, reducing thermal resistance and allowing for higher currents (400 A to 1,000 A) to be safely and flexibly transmitted, using independent or bifurcated cooling devices to maintain electrical isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If air cooled charging cable is used, then simplicity of cooling system is maintained, but thermal resistance increases causing cable to become too large, heavy, and inflexible at currents above 200 A
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic cooling by circulating liquid coolant through channels surrounding the electrical conductors. This replaces air cooling with liquid cooling, which provides superior heat transfer efficiency. The coolant flows through dedicated cooling channels in thermal contact with the conductors, enabling effective heat removal at high currents without increasing cable size or weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling medium parameter from gas (air) to liquid (coolant). This parameter change fundamentally improves the heat transfer coefficient, allowing the cable to dissipate heat more efficiently at high currents. The liquid coolant's higher specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity enable effective cooling where air cooling becomes insufficient.
2Temperature
If liquid coolant is used to cool conductors, then thermal resistance is reduced enabling higher currents, but electrical isolation between conductors and cooling device must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrical insulator as an intermediary layer between the electrical conductors and the liquid coolant. This insulating barrier prevents direct electrical contact while allowing thermal energy transfer. The insulator enables the coolant to cool the conductors effectively without creating electrical conductivity issues or short circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the electrical conductor core, the insulating barrier layer, and the coolant flow channels. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - electrical conduction, electrical isolation, and heat removal - without interfering with the others, maintaining both cooling efficiency and electrical safety.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional air cooling is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but cable size and weight increase at high currents limiting flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid cooling channels integrated into the cable structure, replacing bulky air-cooled designs. The compact hydraulic cooling system allows efficient heat removal in a smaller, lighter cable configuration. This enables high-current capability without the excessive size and weight that would result from conventional air cooling.
4Productivity
If higher charging currents are used, then charging speed increases, but thermal management becomes more difficult with conventional cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses liquid coolant circulation to manage thermal loads at high charging currents. The hydraulic cooling system provides continuous, controlled heat removal that scales with current levels. This enables sustained high-current operation for fast charging without thermal buildup, unlike air cooling which becomes inadequate at elevated currents.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system operates continuously during high-current charging, with coolant constantly circulating to remove heat as it is generated. This continuous thermal management allows the cable to sustain high current levels indefinitely without thermal shutdown or degradation, enabling prolonged fast charging sessions.
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
Enables efficient and flexible high-current charging of electric vehicles by significantly reducing thermal resistance and maintaining electrical isolation, making the system suitable for consumer use with a coolant that effectively manages heat and minimizes leakage current.
Implementation Method 1
The liquid cooled charging cable may comprise a supply conductor and a return conductor. The cooling device may pump a coolant around the supply conductor and the return conductor where the supply conductor and the return conductor may be immersed in the coolant.
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid cooled charging cable system may be provided. The liquid cooled charging cable system may comprise a source, a load, a liquid cooled charging cable, and a cooling device. The liquid cooled charging cable may connect the source to the load, and may supply electric energy from the source to the load. The liquid cooled charging cable may comprise a supply conductor and a return conductor. The cooling device may pump a coolant around the supply conductor and the return conductor where the supply conductor and the return conductor may be immersed in the coolant.