Eberspächer develops third-gen high-voltage heaters for EVs: compact, lightweight, economical
Hybrid and electric vehicles are on the rise, particularly in the developed markets and economies.
By Autocar Professional Bureau
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L-R: The first, second and third generation high-voltage heaters from Eberspächer.
Hybrid and electric vehicles are on the rise, particularly in the developed markets and economies. With intelligent series solutions for electric heating, German supplier Eberspächer catem says it provides the most important models in the world for the right balance between comfort and range. Currently the company already makes the third generation of devices, which sets new standards again especially in terms of weight and space.
In recent years, the number of E- and hybrid vehicles has grown steadily. One important factor here is to improve the traction battery at lower prices. The EU-wide from 2020 CO2 fleet objectives drive the hybridization progress on the streets. According to Dr Klaus Beetz, CEO, Eberspächer Climate Control Systems, "As of today, we have already equipped more than 200,000 electric vehicles with our high-voltage heaters."
Already the first mass-produced electric vehicles Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera went with PTC solutions from Herxheim at the start. Meanwhile, the first and the second generation of devices have been proven in all major projects around the world as an ideal heating system for hybrid and electric vehicles. The latest additions to the circle of serial Stromer – e-Golf and e-up! from Volkswagen – catem put on thermal management of Eberspächer. "We expect that this positive international trend to continue with promising prospects for our PTC heater," says Dr. Beetz.
Eberspächer catem has for over 15 years developed intrinsically safe PTC heating systems for automotive applications. Due to the physical properties of the PTC ceramic overheating is reliably excluded, this can only be heated to a certain temperature, after which the PTC automatically reduces the power consumption. This systemic safety factor in all automotive applications, particularly in the sensitive high-voltage environment of electric vehicles, is crucial.
Minus 30 percent: When less is more
With the upcoming high-voltage water heater, the third generation of this successful model is before the series start in 2016. "In addition to the requirement to make heating systems for electric and hybrid vehicles are completely safe and highly efficient in battery vehicles and plug-in hybrids in particular the weight and space are an issue," says Dr Beetz. Already the current version is one of the most compact high-voltage water heaters on the market. Extensive development has been able to reduce the volume and weight of the next generation of devices by 30 percent. In addition, the manufacturing process is greatly simplified through numerous optimizations. "With the third generation of our high-voltage water heater for electric vehicles, we can for our customers numerous advantages in terms of weight, installation space and costs generate," says Dr. Beetz. The update is based on the extensive expertise of the system Eberspächer subsidiary, which also includes the area of intelligent power control. Integrated electronics provide – in addition to the PTC heater – for efficient energy and heat management.
The high-voltage PTC heater from Eberspächer catem is designed for different drive concepts. In pure electric vehicles, the high-voltage air heaters provide fast for the right comfort. If the vehicle has its own water cycle – such as large electric and hybrid vehicles – high-voltage water heaters are used, the proposed via the heat exchanger in the vehicle tempered air into the interior.
Air heater Innovation for 48-volt electrical system
Electric heaters play a key role in the further development of vehicles with electrified drive technologies as they compensate for the resulting caloric deficit. An important development in this area is mild hybrids with 48-volt electrical system. Since it can save up to 20 percent fuel with this form of car electrification compared to purely IC engine-driven models in city traffic – and at relatively low cost – is to be expected with a correspondingly rapid spread of technology.
Conventional PTC air heater as well as the necessary relays, however, are designed for 12-volt electrical system and would need to be adapted to the 48-volt electrical system. A solution has catem the innovative Integrated Switch (IS) PTC heater from Eberspächer. The built-in heater circuit element replaces the functionality of the external relay and is already prepared for use in 48-volt power. With its compact design, the IS PTC heater can replace the current 12-volt PTC air heater problems and offers significantly more functionality in the same space. The integration of the relay functions in the heater also reduces the work required for installation and wiring considerably.
Two leading automotive fluid circulation specialists have chosen DuPont Zytel polyamide resins for rigid and flexible coolant pipes to achieve long-term resistance to aggressive water/glycol and road salts
Two leading automotive fluid circulation specialists have chosen DuPont Zytel polyamide resins for rigid and flexible coolant pipes to achieve long-term resistance to aggressive water/glycol and road salts – to temperatures from -40°C to +125°C – while delivering processing efficiencies and weight saving. Tristone Flowtech Group selected Zytel PA612 Long Chain Polyamide (LCPA) for a flexible pipe, while Teklas Kauçuk AS chose Glass Reinforced Zytel PA66 to ensure rigidity and durability.
The flexible coolant pipe application was nominated for a Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Automotive Div. ‘Most Innovative Use of Plastics Award’ in the Chassis & Hardware category. Winners will be announced at the annual awards banquet in Livonia, Michigan, on November 12.
Replacing Metal, Saving Weight
The quest for Tristone Flowtech Group was to find a material/technology solution for an unusually long 2- to 3-metre variable flexibility coolant pipe designed to transport water and glycol fluid from the radiator end tank to the engine at the back, while saving weight. The challenge was not so much the length of the part since it was extruded, but to produce large pipes of up to 27mm diameter, structured in two layers with convoluted sections, that would resist 3 bar pressures, aggressive fluids and road salt.
DuPont says it provided the solution via a combination of Zytel PA612 LCPA and its patented Variable Stiffness Bellows (VSB) technology, enabling thermoplastic parts to be flexible yet high-pressure resistant. At the same time, the new pipe can withstand engine compartment temperatures of 150°C, aggressive fluid temperatures up to 120°C combined with road salt, and continuous working temperatures of 95°C. In this application, Zytel PA612 in a corrugated extrusion offers a lightweight alternative to metal, enabling up to 60 percent weight reduction over the former aluminium component.
“The key to develop such a large diameter coolant pipe using thermoplastics is to balance material behavior with design, testing and processing. Close collaboration and partnership between Tristone and DuPont enabled a thermoplastic solution and an effective price competitive and technical performance proposal that meets OEM requirements. The introduction of Zytel PA612 LCPA and DuPont VSB technology was critical to the technical success of the project,” said Patrick Gabriel, key account manager at Tristone Flowtech Group.
“Zytel PA612 can offer superior thermal resistance than PA12 in flexible coolant pipes. We have adapted Zytel resins to meet the latest requirements in water/glycol and temperature resistance, for example, by developing impact modified and chemically modified grades, and proprietary convoluted mono or multilayer designs. For rigid coolant pipes produced by gas, water and projectile injection, processors can select special glass/bead reinforced Zytel PA66 resins offering different viscosities and levels of glass reinforcement to suit those different processing techniques,” said Mario Delbosco, development programs manager, DuPont Automotive.
Rigid coolant pipes of Zytel GR PA66 can withstand temperatures up to 150°C, pressures to 2.4 bar, and mechanical stresses in hot and confined engine compartments. Added benefits include part integration and weight reduction. “Glass Reinforced Zytel GR PA66 is a very relevant product for water injection processing, resulting in better control of wall thickness while preventing dual wall formation, and enabling effectiveness through faster processing cycles” said Emre Çelikkol, plastic product development manager, Teklas Kauçuk AS.
Teklas Kauçuk AS is a major Turkish supplier to the automotive industry offering patented water injection molding technology (WIT) processes for plastics parts production. Founded in 1971 in Istanbul, Teklas owns today multiple manufacturing facilities worldwide and supplies major OEMs both domestic and overseas. Main product groups count low and high pressure fluid circulation systems including rubber, plastic and metal pipes; and windscreen wiper systems.
Photograph courtesy DuPont
Audi AG has inaugurated the Audi Böllinger farms in Heilbronn, which it says is an important step in the future and growth strategy of the site Neckarsulm.
Audi AG has inaugurated the Audi Böllinger farms in Heilbronn, which it says is an important step in the future and growth strategy of the site Neckarsulm. A logistics centre and the production of the Audi R8 in the industrial area Böllinger have farms – about six kilometres from the main plant in Neckarsulm – already started operations.
"Our home sites are our backbone, and the investment in the Audi Böllinger farms are a significant milestone for the Neckarsulm site," said Dr. Hubert Waltl, Head of Production at Audi AG. By 2018, the company invested a total of more than € 22 billion (Rs 170,984 crore) worldwide. More than half of Audi-investment flows in the German sites, including an average of more than € 650 million (Rs 5,051 crore) per year in the Neckarsulm site. "This extension relieves the work crucial because the increasing model variety and manufacturing complexity increasingly require more space," said Waltl further.
With six models and 20 derivatives Neckarsulm is one of the plants with the greatest product variety and complexity throughout the Volkswagen Group. The site covers 23 acres, about one-quarter of the area of the plant in Neckarsulm. Norbert Rank, chairman Neckarsulm, says: "With the commissioning of Böllinger courts will give us the necessary flexibility to optimize the structures at the Neckarsulm site further. And we were able to combine central areas of quattro GmbH. We also create new jobs in our region. "
On the site of Audi Böllinger courtyards are among other things the new R8 workshop. Various manufacturing areas that were previously separated spatially at the factory in Neckarsulm, are now combined under one roof. Especially the pre-series and series production and quality assurance benefit from the quick and interdisciplinary networking. Thus, the Neckarsulm site increased its small batch competence. The newly created production area is through technological and ergonomic innovations more efficiently and flexibly usable. On August 25, the R8 production has begun in the Böllinger courts – just three weeks after the last R8 drove off the assembly line at the Neckarsulm plant.
Back in March, the new logistics centre started operations, with approximately 22,500 storage locations. The logistics centre is a central point for the material supply to production. Here, logistics experts suggest daily at approximately 4,500 containers. Flows of goods, which were conducted before the new building in five camps are now coordinated through a central office so that the transports could be reduced and the truck traffic be relocated from the city of Heilbronn in the industrial area. A further improvement is the GPS tracking of individual shipments between the logistics centre and the Neckarsulm plant. The innovative Live-Tracking allows a flexible adaptation of schedules to the traffic situation and also optimises the route guidance.
Two weeks after making its motor show debut, the first Land Rover Discovery Sport has rolled off the Halewood production line
Two weeks after making its motor show debut, the first Land Rover Discovery Sport has rolled off the Halewood production line, marking another significant milestone in Jaguar Land Rover’s product offensive which will see the company deliver 50 significant product actions over the next five years.
The new Discovery Sport, the world's most versatile and capable premium compact SUV, is the first member of the new Discovery family. Discovery Sport features 5+2 seating in a footprint no larger than existing 5-seat premium SUVs and will go on sale in 170 markets in early 2015.
The latest model in the Land Rover line-up has created 250 new manufacturing jobs following a £200 million (Rs 1,955 crore) investment in the Halewood plant. The impact of Discovery Sport has also been positively felt within the UK supply chain where £3.5 billion (Rs 34,212 crore) in contracts have been awarded to 55 suppliers.
Many of the companies supplying components to Jaguar Land Rover have made long-term investments in their production facilities, safeguarding and creating over 1,000 jobs in the UK supply chain.
Ian Harnett, Jaguar Land Rover’s Purchasing Director said: “A strong, competitive supply chain, meeting our rigorous cost and delivery metrics, is fundamental to the sustainable growth of our business. With many more new products in the pipeline, gearing up to supply Jaguar Land Rover is a solid business proposition.”
The Halewood plant, which is already home to the company’s fastest selling model of all time – the Range Rover Evoque – has seen investment in the site more than double and workforce treble over the last four years with 4,750 people now employed at the site.
Richard Else, Jaguar Land Rover Halewood Operations Director said: “Today marks another incredibly proud moment for the Halewood plant, its workforce and the region as a whole. The decision to build the Land Rover Discovery Sport here at Halewood is a testament to our tremendous team who are committed to delivering outstanding customer quality as demonstrated by the award winning Range Rover Evoque. Investment in the plant since 2011 now stands at £500mn (Rs 4,887 crore) and has most recently been demonstrated with the installation of a £45 million (Rs 440 crore) state-of-the-art Aida servo press line which provided the backdrop to today’s event.”
Yamaha Motor Co has announced that the YZF-R3 Sports Model motorcycle powered by a 320cc water-cooled, inline two-cylinder engine
Yamaha Motor Co has announced that the YZF-R3 Sports Model motorcycle powered by a 320cc water-cooled, inline two-cylinder engine is scheduled for release globally, starting with North America in late January 2015 and then later in Europe, Asia and other regions.
The YZF-R3, a model tailored for the global market, is based on the YZF-R25 model introduced in Indonesia in July. The YZF-R3 Sports Model boasts increased displacement and a lighter yet higher-performance chassis, a winning combination that immediately establishes the model as one of the most competitive entries in its class.
Like the YZF-R25, the Sports Model is a super-bike designed for daily use. Features include a high-performing, easy-handling inline two-cylinder engine, lightweight body for enhanced mass centralization, and with the body based on the popular YZF-R series platform
The YZF-R3 is a high-end model designed aimed at catering to diverse motorcyclists, from daily users to ardent road-racers. Its 320cc displacement, relatively large for ASEAN and other Asian countries, anticipates the surging popularity of sports models in such markets.
In developed markets, where displacements of 600cc and over are considered mainstream, the YZF-R3 is expected to attract younger, less experienced riders looking for their first motorcycle.
The YZF-R series features a wide lineup, beginning with the YZF-R1 (1000cc) super-sports flagship model, followed by the YZF-R6 (600cc), YZF-R25 (250cc), YZF-R15 (150cc), and YZF-R125 (125cc).
Manufacturing will be carried out in Indonesia at PT. Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing. In the US, where it will go on sale in January next year, it will have a retail price of $4,990 (Rs 3.06 lakh).
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