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Thermal Management Valve

This valve for xEVs is like no other.

   

 

    

       

Thanks to a fundamentally different design concept, Saint-Gobain’s thermal management valve for xEVs* consumes 58% less energy than the market’s existing solutions. At the same time, it offers space savings, a more robust construction and quicker, more economical manufacture.

        

At its heart is a unique, patented ‘triangle valve’ design which allows the module to function efficiently using just one dynamic seal. Reducing the number and size of the sealing components has greatly reduced overall friction compared to current state-of-the-art thermal management valves. This has been a key to increasing energy efficiency, but the new approach is also more compact, robust and cost-effective.

   

 

    

 

   

        

Efficiency by design.

The new approach has been developed in response to interviews and workshops with xEV and Tier 1 designers which identified the main obstacles to improvement. Their priority aims in relation to thermal management valves were to reduce friction, energy consumption, space requirements and costs.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Energy Saving	Space Saving	Robustness	Cost Saving
Easy flow path with minimal drops in pressure	Planar structure with all ports and flows on one level	Reduced number of materials enables a reduction of overall friction	Fewer parts - fewer suppliers - lower cost

Turning the standard upside down and inside out: the gamechanging valve.

To achieve substantial competitive gains in this area, xEV* and Tier 1 manufacturers need much more than incremental advances in each valve component’s performance. That’s why Saint-Gobain has reimagined the whole valve assembly and created a solution which looks and behaves differently to anything else on the market. And as a result we have created a solution that fulfills all these requirements – and more.
*xEV covers all electric vehicle (EV) types, including battery, hybrid and fuel cell.

We listen, we understand, and then we engineer.

This valve is truly a game changer: the simplicity of its functioning is at its heart – and everything else around it can be created the way you need it. The module has a planar structure with all ports and flows on one level. The single gate in this model enables three-way flow and serves two thermal management loops. Competitors require more than one seal to do this. 
For systems requiring connection with more than two heating and cooling circuits, two or more of these three-way valves can be combined.

A valve for the automotive industry and more.

In fact, this new patented valve concept can also be applied way beyond the automotive industry. The design is adaptable to meet the needs of various applications, such as oil and gas supply, domestic sanitary systems and garden watering equipment.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Automotive Thermal Management	Oil and gas supply	Domestic Cooling Systems	Garden Watering Systems
Thermal management systems with oil or water, including battery cooling and HVAC – where space, energy and friction are just as critical as longevity and safety.	Where fluids must flow leakage-free and safely with the minimum friction possible to avoid the need for repairs.	Mobile cooling equipment  for rooms or complex househould cooling systems.	Automated hosing systems and complex watering devices – with very robust material to guarantee longevity.

Robustness, economy and versatility.

Material

As well as adding robustness against differential expansion of components, our use of a single material for all parts of the module reduces manufacturing complexity. It makes the supply chain less complex, and less vulnerable, and lowers the total cost of sourcing materials. 
 

Injection-molded production 

Flexibility in design, software and fluids

All aspects of the design are adaptable to meet the needs of your application. For example, we can vary the number of ports, the angles, and the thickness of the housing material. We can choose polymers to suit the fluids used and the mechanical and thermal demands of the system. 
In addition, we will design the necessary E/E (electrical and electronic) layout for your motor-gearbox unit, design the software, and apply standard LIN and CAN protocols or fully customized alternatives.

Need further information? Please download the document or contact our experts directly.