Federal-Mogul says it has developed an innovative new crankshaft seal design, called MicroTorq that reduces friction by up to 70 percent versus conventional lip-type seals.
The new seal, the company claims, can provide an improvement in vehicle fuel economy of up to 0.49 percent and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 1-2 g/km compared to traditional seal designs.
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The seals are also easier to install, more accommodating of shaft misalignment or eccentricity, and require less package space. The many benefits can be achieved relatively simply, even on existing engines, it says, as the new MicroTorq seal can be utilised without changing the design of adjacent components.
The friction contribution from a pair of conventional crankshaft oil seals can account for up to 3.5 g/km of a vehicle’s CO2 output, depending on the sealing technology, even at modest engine speeds of around 2000 rpm.
“By adopting a fundamentally new design approach, we have developed a family of low friction seals that offer vehicle manufacturers a simple, cost-effective and easily implemented route to reduced emissions and improved fuel economy,” said Larry Brouwer, Director, Sealing Technology and Innovation, Federal-Mogul Powertrain Sealing and Bearings.
“There are very few technologies that offer such an affordable route to CO2 reduction, making this an extremely attractive solution for all vehicle manufacturers.”
