Tenneco announced it was supplying General Motors a unique exhaust system designed for Chevrolet's first, mid engine Corvette.
The supplier's clean air and powertrain business groups supply the complete cold-end exhaust system, as well as a range of components for the eighth generation sportscar's small block V8 LT2 engine.
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"Corvette's mid-engine architecture required creative technical solutions to accommodate the packaging and thermal requirements of the emissions system," said Patrick Guo, EVP Tenneco and president clean air.
"We partnered with GM, combining our experience in system integration with Corvette's engineering team to deliver technology that helps to enable a more efficient, high performance vehicle with reduced emissions."
Sophisticated emissions systems for high performance vehicles often incorporate active valves that can vary system back pressure in order to provide the right balance of performance, sound characteristics and regulatory compliance.
The system has up to four Tenneco electronic valves. The standard exhaust unit is equipped with two newly developed valves with enhanced heat resistance designed to work with the vehicle's active fuel management system to support the cylinder deactivation function for optimum efficiency and lower emissions. These valves open and close to control the exhaust sound as it switches between two engine modes.
The optional 'performance exhaust' incorporates two additional valves at the rear that provide greater acoustic differentiation, helping to create the vehicle's signature sound.
Tenneco developed thermal technology that enable the car's emissions system to more effectively manage the high temperatures that result from the mid engine vehicle architecture. The products include the use of advanced, multi-layer heat shields designed to prevent unwanted heat transfer to surrounding components as well as a new valve arrangement with decoupled design that reduces heat impact on the electronics.
"This innovative arrangement, with the actuator decoupled from the valve body, is a significant step forward in actuated valve design and, when combined with our latest developments in materials, enables use on mid engine and other architectures with extremely high exhaust temperatures," said Dmitri Konson, VP global engineering, Tenneco Clean Air.
The emissions system was a global effort led by the company's Grass Lake, Mich. and Edenkoben, Germany, product and engineering teams. It is produced at a factory in Smithville, Tennessee.
Tenneco's powertrain business group also supplies a range of engine components for the Corvette's small block LT2 V8 including pistons, rings, bearings, bushings, valve seats, valve guides, and systems protection products.
