The automotive aftermarket division of industrial and automotive supplier Schaeffler has announced that it has developed the second generation thermal management modules capable of controlling the coolant temperature in various cooling circuits as required.
According to a communication from the company, this will enable the engine to reach its optimum operating temperature more quickly, thereby enhancing driving comfort, improving fuel consumption and containing CO2 emissions.
Based on rotary slide valves that control the coolant flow depending on the driving situation, the module will be sold exclusively by the company in the independent aftermarket as a complete repair solution. In the new generation, the new actuator concept with two independent rotary slide valves achieves significant improvements in functionality, the company said.
While one valve is responsible for controlling the flow of coolant to and from the radiator, the other is responsible for separating the engine cooling circuits in the cylinder head and block. This makes it possible to implement a ‘split-cooling’ concept.
The concept can meet the increased demands placed on the engine in start-stop or hybrid operation and ensures optimum temperature control of the cylinder head and block through more targeted cooling, the release added.
Previously, the company exclusively offered the thermal management module for VW Group vehicles in the independent aftermarket, however, the new range has now been extended to include two-part numbers for BMW and MINI engines, including part number 538 0810 10 for 3- and 4-cylinder engines (B38 and B48) and part number 538 0811 10 for 6-cylinder engines (B58).
Maik Evers, Head of Product Management, Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket, said that thermal management plays a central role in improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions of vehicles.
“Fine-tuned, intelligent control of increasingly complex cooling and heating circuits ensures that all relevant systems operate within the optimum temperature range at all times. This protects the environment and at the same time increases the service life of the components,” he added.