Consequences of Electrical Arc on Automotive Connector during Extraction Phase

Rochdi El Abdi (1) , Erwann Carvou (2) , Noureddine Benjemaa (2)

1 LARMAUR - LAboratoire de Recherche en Mécanique Appliquée
2 IPR - Institut de Physique de Rennes

Comfort, safety, communication, control with assistance (antilock brake system, seat heating, multi-media, etc ... ) and safeguarding the environment are many factors which are included in the new generation of vehicles. The increase in the number of electronic and electric system leads to a high level of vehicle control. To answer this high electric power demand, it will be necessary to triple the voltage of the batteries (from 14 to 42 Volts). The objective of this work is to study the arc phenomenon which can occur in an accidental way during the use of a high electric power and particularly during the extraction phase of the male part from the female part of the automotive connector. It was observed that this can be characterized by both its energy and by its temperature. The amplification of the contact current from 14 to 42 VDC considerably increases arc damage.

Domaines: Mécanique [physics]; Génie mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des matériaux [physics.class-ph]; Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique [physics.med-ph]; Génie mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des matériaux [physics.class-ph]; Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]

Rochdi El Abdi, Erwann Carvou, Noureddine Benjemaa. Consequences of Electrical Arc on Automotive Connector during Extraction Phase. Engineering Decisions and Scientific Research In Aerospace, Robotics, Biomechanics, Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing, 2013, 436, pp.80-84. ⟨10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.436.80⟩. ⟨hal-01148118⟩