Underground Liquid Cooling for EV Charging Stations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging stations face challenges in compact design due to the need for both air cooling of power electronics and liquid cooling of high-power charging cables, with limited space for liquid cooling systems and lack of implementation in market-available vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An underground liquid cooling arrangement is integrated, where the liquid cooling unit is placed beneath the surface, connected to air cooling systems via heat exchangers, allowing for a compact visible design and efficient cooling of power electronics and charging cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air cooling systems are used for power electronics, then cooling capability is sufficient, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid cooling unit is extracted from the visible charging station structure and placed in an underground location. This separates the bulky cooling infrastructure from the user-facing charging point, maintaining compact visible design while providing sufficient cooling capacity through underground installation space.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system transitions from a horizontal/visible spatial arrangement to a vertical/underground arrangement. By moving the cooling unit below ground level, the patent utilizes the third dimension (depth) to accommodate the cooling infrastructure without increasing the footprint of the charging station.
2Temperature
If liquid cooling arrangements are implemented for high-power charging cables, then cooling efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines air cooling and liquid cooling systems into a unified charging station infrastructure. The underground liquid cooling unit serves multiple functions: cooling high-power charging cables through direct liquid contact, cooling power electronics through heat exchangers, and potentially serving as a buffer store. This integration reduces overall system complexity despite implementing liquid cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The underground liquid cooling unit is designed with multi-functionality to handle different cooling requirements. It can cool charging cables when liquid is in direct contact, cool power electronics through heat exchangers, and potentially function as an energy buffer store. This universal approach simplifies the overall system architecture.
3Area of stationary object
If compact design is pursued for visible charging station, then user space is optimized, but space for cooling systems is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is extracted from the visible charging station structure and relocated to an underground position. This allows the visible charging station to maintain a compact design optimized for user interaction, while the underground space accommodates the volumetric requirements of the liquid cooling unit and associated infrastructure.
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
This solution enables a compact and efficient cooling system for high-power charging stations, optimizing space usage and enabling the use of liquid cooling for high-current charging cables, enhancing charging efficiency and user experience.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid cooling arrangement (10) which is integrated into the charging station (30)
Implementation Method 2
The liquid cooling unit (100) is in a thermal coupling with the power electronics system (20) and/or the charging cable (40)
Implementation Method 3
connected to air cooling systems via heat exchangers
Data Source
AI summary
A charging station for an electricity charging station having an underground liquid cooling arrangement and a corresponding electricity charging station.