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| COMPONENTS |
| 22/04/2004 |
| Water Pump Set To Revolutionise Engine Cooling |
| Davies Craig Intelligent Electric Pump |
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Intelligent Electric Water Pump Set To Revolutionise Engine Cooling Systems
Davies, Craig Pty Ltd, a world leader in the supply of innovative, high efficiency automotive cooling solutions to the global motor industry, will launch its patented third-generation Electric Water Pump (EWP.) and electronic Smart Controller in May 2004.
Established in 1971, Davies, Craig was the first company to introduce the electric radiator fan to the US and Australian markets and has pioneered industry-leading technology throughout the engine cooling system ever since. The technology at the heart of the EWP., which is covered by European, US and Australian patents, lies with the electronic thermal or 'smart' controller, which senses the engine temperature and varies the speed of the coolant flow by altering the supply voltage to the pump's motor.
This new thermal management system allows the engine to not only reach its operating temperature quickly, but to also maintain its optimum temperature under a wide range of conditions. The EWP. continues to cool the engine after it is switched off, therefore avoiding engine block heat soak. Other major benefits include a cooling system which is effectively integrated with the drivetrain resulting in increased engine power output as well as reduced fuel consumption and emissions resulting from more efficient control of engine coolant temperature and at 880g, a significant reduction in weight over mechanically-driven pumps.
Davies, Craig developed the EWP. in response to the OEM trend to eliminate inefficient belt-driven ancillaries and replace them with electronically controlled electric motors and drive-by-wire systems and predicts that Europe will be using up to 15,000 EWP.s per day by the end of 2005. Currently, all vehicle engines are manufactured with a traditional belt-driven mechanical pump which is locked into engine speed regardless of the cooling demands. The belt-driven pump and thermostat circulates coolant too quickly at high speeds (running it through the radiator faster than necessary) and conversely, circulates coolant too slowly when the engine is at idle. The speed with which coolant passes through the engine with the EWP. is dictated by engine temperature, which can be set and maintained, therefore operating completely independently from engine speed.
The new EWP. and controller will address many of today's development issues facing auto manufacturers. Euro4 emission legislation will leave OEMs with no choice but to run engines at significantly higher operating temperatures particularly diesels. As a result, mechanical pumps will struggle to cope because of an inability to maintain a precise operating temperature. The EWP. will provide manufacturers with a solution to this growing problem. In addition, it will also accommodate the planned 42V electrical architecture and enable drive-by-wire, alternator and starter motor repositioning and the elimination of belt drives from the engine altogether.
The third-generation EWP. and 'intelligent' cooling controller has undergone in-depth research and development at Davies, Craig's Melbourne headquarters in Australia for three years. Testing has shown that the product life of the EWP. and controller is approximately 4,000 hours thanks to the inclusion of a ceramic long-life face seal which has proven to be the key to its long-term durability. With a supply of up to 12 Volts, the pump is able to circulate between 10 and 110 litres per minute through the engine and can operate in temperatures ranging from -28C to 130C.
In the motorsport arena the EWP. system has already proved its capabilities in the Prodrive prepared Ferrari Maranello sportscar, which took first place in its class at the 2003 Le Mans 24-hour endurance race. As an aftermarket application, the EWP. can be included on any car, truck, bus or boat but can also be integrated into any engine system that requires cooling such as stationary generators and mainframe computers.
Commenting on the new pump, Richard Davies, managing director of Davies, Craig Pty Ltd said: "The new EWP represents several years of intensive research and development work by Davies, Craig's dedicated team in Melbourne, Australia. We are keen to build on our two key markets here in Europe aftermarket and OE. The universal-fit of the pump makes it ideal as an aftermarket product offering cooling solutions for all vehicles from kit-cars and classic cars to specifically developed high-performance vehicles and those competing in various motorsport series around the world. The other key market is the OEM sector and we have already received a very positive response from a number of manufacturers, and as a result, the system is now being evaluated by a number of key players in the automotive sector."
Mr Davies continued, "Although there are numerous applications for the EWP., we are keen to firmly establish the automotive market before venturing into marine and other related industries. As a result, we have established a dedicated automotive and motorsport distribution network throughout the EU including the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Poland."
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