The required high electrical outputs seen in hybrid electric vehicles demand a safety strategy for the high-voltage system. At DC voltages above 20V, short circuit and electrical arcing can occur when defects in the cable harness are present. This can lead to critical thermal reaction in the car. High voltages are also hazardous to human body contact. The electrical distribution system has to make sure that no high voltage is exposed to possible contact in all situations, especially when connectors are unmated. Todays cable protection solutions are either very complex or do not offer sufficient protection. Alcoa has developed an improved safety concept for the electrical system that ensures complete control and maximum protection for multi-voltage systems. The new system, for which a patent is pending, consists of a special-purpose wire with integrated sensor and connecting elements, an electronic detection unit and a cut-off device which cuts off the supply at high voltage. This new system design allows the rapid cut-off of the high-voltage supply in critical situations (e.g. accidents, careless repair attempts by the vehicle owner etc.) so that no electrical arcs can form and thermal events are effectively prevented. The SensWire cable is available in pilot production quantities, both with copper and aluminium as main conductor. Prototypes of the system components are available for customer specific applications. So the ground is prepared for new and safe electrical system applications with dual voltage systems in hybrid electric vehicles.
SensWire - high-voltage automotive wiring with integrated safety function
2008
9 Seiten, 6 Bilder, 2 Tabellen
Conference paper
Storage medium
English
SensWire - high-voltage automotive wiring with integrated safety function
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