USB-C Outlets for Plug Loads in 350V DC Buildings

USB-C has become the universal plug standard for charging consumer electronics, typically through AC/DC wall adapters. As new standards in USB power distribution allow USB-C ports to provide up to 240W at 48V, many discuss the possibility of USB-C emerging as a plug-load standard, especially in DC buildings. This work proposes the use of USB-C wall outlets to power the emerging USB-C ecosystem without need for a wall adapter. We first study the market feasibility of USB-C outlets through a series of customer discovery interviews. We then perform several experiments to evaluate the technical feasibility. These include a comparative evaluation of efficiency and a thermal experiment to study how the heat from outlet's conversion loss can be dissipated through an exterior wall section.