Warming Up for Better Mileage

Behr GmbH & Co. KG is Launching a trio of new thermal-management technologies that optimize engine performance and fuel economy.

The first of the systems, designed to work in conjunction with one another, is a map-controlled thermostat that modulates the amount of coolant flowing into the engine during various thermal stages, says Uwe Krueger, Behr America Inc. vice president-powertrain cooling.

The problem with standard coolant-delivery systems is they dole out the same amount of coolant during all thermal cycles, which leads to less-than-optimal performance, he says.

“If you think of a typical driving cycle, the warm-up phase is a big part of it and (typically) you're burning too much fuel due to overcooling of the engine,” Krueger tells Ward's in an interview.

“If you keep it too cool too long, the oil is too viscous and the friction in the engine is higher. By not cooling the engine when you don't need it, you get to an optimum (engine temperature) faster and that saves significant fuel.”

Fuel savings depend on the type of engine, but generally Behr's thermostat should deliver a 6% fuel-efficient reduction.

The new thermostat is not on the market yet but has attracted considerable interest from OEMs and should appear on a production vehicle within two years, Krueger says, noting Behr has a development project with a North American manufacturer he declines to identify.

The second technology is a charged-air cooling component designed to increase the efficiency of turbochargers, which are commonplace in the auto industry as consumers demand smaller engines that still produce the power they want.

Behr's system cools compressed air coming out of the unit, Krueger says, adding that a turbocharger normally compresses hot air it creates, adversely affecting the inlet manifold. With the charged-air cooler, customers can “increase the pressure in the turbo and get a higher density of oxygen in the cylinders.”

The system is particularly useful in small-displacement, direct-injection engines that are turbocharged, such as Ford Motor Co.'s EcoBoost technology being rolled out next year.

The charged-air cooler technology has been proven through years of use in diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks, Krueger says, revealing Behr is involved with a project with Ford that does not involve the first-generation of EcoBoost engines.

Behr also is working with a “couple of European manufacturers” to deliver the cooling technology.

An exhaust-gas circulation cooler rounds out Behr's trio of thermal-management systems. The EGC cooler technology presently is used in some Volkswagen AG and BMW AG diesel engines to reduce oxides of nitrogen emissions and decrease fuel consumption.

The technology still is in the development phase for gasoline engines. But once perfected, it is expected to help reduce fuel consumption by optimizing engine combustion, Krueger says, declining to reveal further details on the technology.

Behr's new systems will increase the cost of an engine, he admits, but not significantly. Indeed, the German supplier is seeing more demand for its portfolio of thermal-management technologies.

Says Krueger. “With rising fuel prices, it's the right solution to get better fuel consumption.”

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