Abstract
The integration of electric drive systems into emerging technology of fully electric vehicles
represents a substantial challenge: the paper illustrates the main techniques adopted to
mitigate the electromagnetic field (EMF) into a fully electric vehicle. The power delivered by
the electric distribution system requires specifically designed components and their physical
layout in order to mitigate the EMF generated by cables, connectors and other equipment.
The document describes the cables, single phase and multicore, which are well suited to
connect the various electrical components of the vehicle, so that the high power can be
delivered, stored and reused at any moment and in any working operating conditions; in each
part of the vehicle there is the possibility to reduce the magnetic field in accordance to the
prudent avoidant practice and low cost solutions.
A breakthrough solution is the use of conductor insulation made with technological polymers,
to improve EMF mitigation, mechanical flexibility and weight reduction; lighter cables allow
a better vehicle performance, for example during acceleration and reduction of global energy
consumption. EMF mitigation strategy adopts both the best geometry and cable design; the
shielding strategy can be subdivided, according to the distance between the cable and the
sensitive element (driver, passengers), into three different sections: small, medium and large
distances.
Reduction of the distance between conductors is a good way to mitigate the magnetic field for
medium distance between cable and sensitive area. The magnetic field can be further reduced
when parallel single core conductors are substituted by twisted cables of the same section.
When the distance is large, a very effective solution is to reduce the laying pitch of the
conductors forming the multicore cable and the use of multiple conductors for the same phase.
The total cost of ownership of the cables is a complex function of many parameters and the
analysis is reproduced here in short summary. Cable raw material, manufacturing cost,
installation manpower and capitalization of energy losses are the primary components of the
TCO. The preferred solution, for 1 OOA continuous rating, is 16 mm2 high temperature techno
polymer cable; the opportunity to reduce EMF by installing 2x6 mm2 double conductor cables
is also discussed.
The conclusion is that the best solution is using cables with the minimum section that can
withstand the steady state current with the opportunity to exploit the transient regime for
occasional over temperatures that do not affect the cable integrity if applied for short periods
only.
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