The effect of an auxiliary spring on the decrease of contact resistance and contact temperature for power automotive connector

Abstract

Power automotive connectors used to connect two electrical systems in an electric vehicle should resist the rising of electric power or electric current. The latter can cause a rise in contact temperature by the Joule effect and can damage a connector improperly designed. The purpose of this work is to study experimentally and numerically the influence of the addition of a second spring on the ability of a power connector to transmit a high current. For this reason, an experimental test has been held on a connector without a second spring to measure contact resistance and contact temperature; then, a finite element model FEM of this connector was developed to compare and validate the numerical results with the experimental results. In addition, another FE model with a second spring was used to minimize contact resistance and contact temperature. Moreover, a theoretical model has shown its effectiveness in contact temperature and contact area calculations; it provides good agreement with experimental and numerical results. Numerical results show that the effect of the addition of a 2nd spring on the decrease of the contact temperature and contact resistance is significant. In addition, the thermo-electrical analysis by finite element shows that the current limit supported by a power connector with an auxiliary spring will equal twice the current supported by a power connector with one spring. FE mechanical analysis shows that the maximum mechanical stress in the connector with an auxiliary spring remains lower than the 2nd spring material yield stress. Finally, experimental and numerical results are in good agreement.