One of the most intimidating aspects of owning an electric vehicle for many first-time EV owners is the unfamiliar task of charging your car. While the process of charging an EV may not be as fast as filling a tank of gas (yet!), it’s becoming easier and faster than ever thanks to liquid cooling rapid chargers. Not only do liquid cooling rapid chargers have cables that are easier to handle, but they also help drivers charge their cars and head out on their way as quickly as possible.
Why Is liquid cooling necessary?
The more quickly you charge an EV, the greater the need for thermal regulation. Higher power helps you charge the vehicle much faster, but it generates quite a lot of heat. As electricity flows from the charging station through the charging cables and into the vehicle battery cell, internal resistances to the higher currents are responsible for generating these high amounts of heat. This facilitates a need for liquid cooling methods for the battery cell and pack in order to avoid damage to the equipment and ensure the safety of the EV owner.
How do liquid cooling rapid chargers work?
Liquid cooling rapid chargers use liquid-cooled cables to help combat the high levels of heat associated with high charging speeds. The cooling takes place in the connector itself, sending coolant flowing through the cable and into the contact between the car and the connector. Because the cooling takes place inside the connector, the heat dissipates almost instantly as the coolant travels back and forth between the cooling unit and the connector.
“From the beginning, our engineering team was focused on a prime handling experience,” says Ralf Glocker, ITT Cannon’s Senior Product Manager for Electrical Vehicle solutions. “We considered all those who might not have the physical strength of an average person – they need to be able to easily handle the equipment as well. Based on our best-in-class quality pledge, we understood that we could only achieve this with a liquid-cooled solution.”
Lighter, thinner, faster
Liquid cooling allows the charging cables to be thinner and lighter, reducing the cable weight by around 40%. This makes them easier for the average consumer to use when charging their vehicle. Instead of fumbling around with thick and unwieldy cables, they can quickly connect the cable to their vehicle and watch as their battery rapidly charges.
Liquid cooling fluid connectors are designed to be durable and withstand external conditions such as high levels of heat, cold, moisture and dust. They’re also designed to withstand massive amounts of pressure to avoid leaks and sustain themselves throughout long charging times.
Thanks to liquid cooling, EV charging stations can send electricity much more quickly to electric vehicles without endangering the equipment or the driver handling it. As EV charging technology continues to develop, it’s fair to say that charging electric vehicles is only going to become faster and more efficient over time.
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