Passive Heat Pipe Cooling for High Power Electric Cables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling methods for high-power electrical cables, such as those used in electric vehicles, are limited by excessive heat generation, leading to reduced current carrying capacity and increased costs due to the need for large and heavy cables, which are inefficient and prone to overheating.
Innovation Solution
A passive cooling system utilizing a flexible heat pipe with a phase change section and wicking structure that evaporates and condenses a working fluid to manage heat dissipation, allowing for smaller and lighter cables while maintaining high power throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If large diameter and heavy cables are used to handle higher currents, then current carrying capacity is improved, but cable weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase change cooling technology by incorporating a cooling jacket containing phase change material (PCM) that absorbs heat from the cable conductor during phase transition from solid to liquid. This allows the cable to dissipate heat more effectively, enabling higher current carrying capacity without increasing cable diameter or weight, directly resolving the technical contradiction between power capacity and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cooling jacket with phase change material as an intermediary thermal management system between the cable conductor and the environment. This intermediary absorbs and transports heat away from the cable, allowing the cable to handle higher currents without overheating, thereby improving current carrying capacity without proportionally increasing cable size or weight.
2Weight of moving object
If active cooling methods are used to reduce cable size, then cable mass is reduced, but system complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs passive phase change cooling that requires no external power source, control systems, or active components. The phase change material automatically absorbs heat from the cable through phase transition, and the cooling jacket structure enables natural heat dissipation. This self-regulating system reduces cable mass without introducing complex active cooling mechanisms, pumps, or control electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces active mechanical cooling systems (such as fans, pumps, or electronically controlled cooling devices) with a passive phase change cooling system. The phase change material naturally absorbs heat through phase transition without requiring mechanical intervention, thereby reducing cable mass while avoiding the complexity of active cooling mechanisms.
3Loss of time
If power throughput is increased to improve charging speed, then charging time is reduced, but heat generation increases causing cable overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phase change material in the cooling jacket that undergoes phase transition at a specific temperature threshold. When high power throughput causes cable temperature to rise, the PCM absorbs the excess heat through phase change, maintaining cable temperature within safe operating limits. This enables sustained high power charging without cable overheating, thereby reducing charging time while controlling temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of heat generation during high power charging into a beneficial thermal management mechanism. The phase change material is designed to activate at temperatures corresponding to high power operation, absorbing the heat that would otherwise cause overheating. This transforms the thermal challenge of high power throughput into an opportunity for effective heat dissipation, enabling faster charging without temperature-related failures.
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 passive cooling system effectively manages high heat fluxes with minimal temperature differentials, enabling larger power throughputs and reducing charging times for electric vehicles with minimal maintenance and power requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a heat pipe comprising a phase change section having a wicking structure
Implementation Method 2
evaporates and condenses a working fluid to manage heat dissipation
Implementation Method 3
evaporates and condenses a working fluid to manage heat dissipation
Implementation Method 4
A passive cooling system utilizing a flexible heat pipe with a phase change section and wicking structure
Data Source
AI summary
A charging cable apparatus having a connector, an electrically-conductive cable extending from the connector, the cable configured to be connectable to a charging station for receiving a charging current from the charging station, and having a heat pipe with a phase change section having a wicking structure, the wicking structure having a working fluid therein during operation for receiving heat generated during current flow within the cable. The charging cable apparatus may further have an external condensing surface in fluid communication with the phase change section of the heat pipe for accelerating condensation of evaporated working fluid. The charging cable apparatus may be connected to a charging station for charging an electric battery such as a battery of an electric vehicle.