NASA technology helps fully charge electric vehicles in 5 minutes
Experimental technology NASA uses to cool equipment in space could cut electric vehicle (EV) charging times to less than five minutes. This news comes in the context that electric vehicle sales are on the rise and have reached their highest level ever. The experimental technology was initially developed by scientists to support “nuclear fission power systems for missions to the Moon, Mars, and other more distant planets.” Specifically, this technology provides fuel for “vapor compression heat pumps to operate. From there, EV engines help maintain habitats on the Moon and Mars, while controlling heat and supporting life inside spacecraft.” Thanks to the “subcooled flow boiling” technique, NASA technology can increase the current through improved heat transfer through the charging cable. This will significantly reduce the time needed to fully charge a vehicle. NASA explains that an electric current with a minimum strength of 1,400 amps can fully charge an electric car within 5 minutes. Meanwhile, the fastest chargers used in science and industry today only produce a maximum of 520 amps, and most chargers on the market only support less than 150 amps. A research team from Purdue University, led by mechanical engineering professor Issam Mudawar, said their experiment successfully…