US 11,935,672 B2
Power cable assembly for a power distribution system having an integrated cooling system
Dominik Kawalec, Brzoskwinia (PL); Monika Pieszka-Lyson, Cracow (PL); Pawel Kozak, Cracow (PL); Grzegorz Porebski, Podłże (PL); and Grzegorz Paletko, Zabierzów (PL)
Assigned to Aptiv Technologies AG, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed by Aptiv Technologies AG, Schaffhausen (CH)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/876,299.
Claims priority of application No. 21188670 (EP), filed on Jul. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0035457 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H01B 7/42 (2006.01); H01B 7/02 (2006.01); H01B 9/00 (2006.01); H02B 1/20 (2006.01); H02B 1/56 (2006.01)
CPC H01B 7/423 (2013.01) [H01B 7/02 (2013.01); H01B 9/006 (2013.01); H02B 1/20 (2013.01); H02B 1/56 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power cable assembly, comprising:
a power cable core, comprising:
first and second electrical conductors spaced apart from one another and extending longitudinally, each electrical conductor comprising an electrically conductive core surrounded by an insulating material;
a longitudinally extending cooling tube made from a flexible polymer material and comprising a thermally conductive wall defining an interior channel for circulating, between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet of the cooling tube, a coolant medium; and
an insulating layer surrounding the power cable core, wherein the cooling tube is arranged between the first and second electrical conductors such that opposing portions of an external surface of the thermally conductive wall are provided in direct contact with corresponding portions of the insulating material of the electrical conductors over a heat exchange region so as to transfer heat from the electrically conductive core of the electrical conductors to the coolant medium circulating in the interior channel of the cooling tube.
 
12. A power cable assembly, comprising:
a power cable core, comprising:
first and second electrical conductors spaced apart from one another and extending longitudinally, each electrical conductor comprising an electrically conductive core surrounded by an insulating material;
a longitudinally extending cooling tube comprising a thermally conductive wall defining an interior channel for circulating, between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet of the cooling tube, a coolant medium; and
an insulating layer surrounding the power cable core, wherein the cooling tube is arranged between the first and second electrical conductors such that opposing portions of an external surface of the thermally conductive wall are provided in direct contact with corresponding portions of the insulating material of the electrical conductors over a heat exchange region so as to transfer heat from the electrically conductive core of the electrical conductors to the coolant medium circulating in the interior channel of the cooling tube, wherein the insulating layer is arranged to apply a compressive force on the power cable core causing the thermally conductive wall of the cooling tube to elastically deform so as to extend the heat transfer region between the cooling tube and electrical conductors.
 
13. A power cable assembly, comprising:
a power cable core, comprising:
first and second electrical conductors spaced apart from one another and extending longitudinally, each electrical conductor comprising an electrically conductive core surrounded by an insulating material;
a longitudinally extending cooling tube comprising a thermally conductive wall defining an interior channel for circulating, between a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet of the cooling tube, a coolant medium; and
an insulating layer surrounding the power cable core, wherein the cooling tube is arranged between the first and second electrical conductors such that opposing portions of an external surface of the thermally conductive wall are provided in direct contact with corresponding portions of the insulating material of the electrical conductors over a heat exchange region so as to transfer heat from the electrically conductive core of the electrical conductors to the coolant medium circulating in the interior channel of the cooling tube, wherein the power cable core comprises a thermal interface material (TIM) surrounding the cooling tube and the electrical conductors, the TIM configured to thermally couple the external surface of the cooling tube to the electrical conductor such that the heat generated at the electrically conductive core is transferred to the coolant medium.