Dana Holding Corp. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, announced that its new line of Long active and passive warm-up units, designed to help automakers meet regulatory standards by delivering improved fuel economy and reduced emissions, are being supplied to Ford Motor Co. for the 2012 Ford Edge.
Dana says its technology combines the thermal bypass valve with the active warm-up unit to deliver an integrated system that reduces complexity and increases the system’s response time. The units are being manufactured at the company’s facilities in Rochester Hills and St. Clair, Mich.
In cooler climates, engines take longer to meet optimum operating temperature. Dana’s warm-up units are designed to reduce the time required by diverting wasted heat from the vehicle cooling and exhaust systems to heat lubricants. The company says early testing of the units at its engineering facility in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, demonstrated fuel savings of up to 4 percent.
“Maintaining proper oil temperatures translates into engine performance and efficiency,” says Roger Wood, Dana president and chief executive officer. “Dana’s thermal management team was able to improve the response time of the warming process by integrating the bypass valve and the warm-up unit, helping these vehicles achieve improved fuel economy and reduced emissions.”
