technotrans wins major order: Cooling solution for ultra-fast charging stations of ADS-TEC Energy

Electromobility is gaining in importance worldwide, but suitable power connectors for powerful charging are not available everywhere. The ChargePost from ADS-TEC Energy combines a compact design with ultra-fast charging – and thanks to battery-based technology it can also be connected to the existing low-voltage grid. It therefore enables up to two vehicles to be charged even where space is limited and grid expansion for conventional fast charging on the medium-voltage grid is not possible or practical. To ensure the functionality, performance and reliability of the ChargePost, ADS-TEC Energy uses an application-specific cooling solution from technotrans.

High-performance and compact: The technotrans cooling system

One of the key challenges for the development was the particularly compact design while delivering high cooling performance at the same time. This is because the base area is less than two square metres, and the cooling solution is positioned flat in the upper part of the fast-charging station. With a compact arrangement of the individual components, it was possible for technotrans to meet this challenge. Sebastian Schypulla, Chief Procurement & Logistics Officer at ADS-TEC Energy, adds: “We were looking for a partner with a high level of expertise who could reliably deliver series production of high-performance cooling systems in the smallest possible space on this scale. We have found all of this with technotrans.” The two companies have already worked together successfully on previous projects.

Michael Finger, spokesman of the Board of Management at technotrans SE, also adds: “This order is a milestone in the history of technotrans and underlines our competence as a supplier for electromobility applications. We are very happy that the leading manufacturer of battery-buffered-fast-charging systems ADS-TEC Energy has decided to use our cooling solution. At the same time, we see this as confirmation that we have positioned ourselves early for the technologies of the future.”

Production under optimum conditions in Steinhagen

The technotrans solution cools not only the power electronics and the batteries, but the two advertising displays, which are up to 75-inches in size, on the outside of the charging station as well. The system features both active cooling by means of a power-controlled compressor-based refrigeration unit and passive cooling by means of a free cooling system. The passive variant uses the ambient air for cooling and is therefore particularly energy efficient. To determine the need for maintenance and monitor operation, ADS-TEC Energy also has access to the system on a remote basis.

The cooling solution will be manufactured at the new technotrans site in Steinhagen over the next 12 months. In April, the thermal management specialist from Sassenberg put the plant into operation, with a view to expanding its capacities in the electromobility sector in particular. Under modern production conditions with optimised material flow, technotrans now manufactures there on the basis of the principles of lean production. “The award of this major contract once again provides confirmation of our decision to expand production capacity. Projects like this will change the profile of technotrans long term,” says Michael Finger.