Denso develops smaller EGR cooler, radiator

Japanese auto component major Denso has developed its first EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) cooler for petrol engines that is 30 percent smaller than the smallest one currently available in the market in the market but with the same level of performance, according to the company. It has been achieved by using finer slits, measuring 1mm wide, compared with conventional models with internal fin slits measuring 4 to 5mm in width, which allows the system to discharge more heat per unit volume. “Because there is limited space in the engine compartment, an emphasis on size reduction is a major factor in developing EGR systems,” says Akio Shikamura, senior executive director of Denso's Thermal Systems Business Group. This EGR cooler is first installed in Toyota’s Camry and Aqua, also known as the Prius C, which will be available in the global market.

Another development at Denso is a smaller and lighter radiator. The company says that the radiator is 40 percent lighter and smaller than its previous radiators. The product’s tank is made with a plant-derived resin making it more environmentally friendly than conventional radiators. “The radiator’s reduced size translates into greater design flexibility for installation in the engine compartment. This also helps make the vehicle safer in the event of a frontal collision because the reduced size allows for a larger impact or crash zone,” says Shikamura. “In addition, the radiator’s tank is made of a plant-derived resin, which Denso has been mass-producing since 2009, making the radiator greener and environmentally cleaner than traditional radiators.” A radiator’s performance depends on its two major components - fins and tubes. The radiator’s more efficient heat radiation is achieved through improvements in the design of the fins. Denso increased the amount of louvres – that are located on the surface of the fin -- to 30 percent per unit area. This design change allowed the radiator to have 10 percent more efficient heat radiation than Denso’s conventional radiators.

Denso, along with a materials manufacturer, has jointly developed thinner and higher-strength materials that are used to make the fins and tubes. This new material allows for a global procurement of materials, which helps the company to be cost-effective in all regions around the world. The fin is the world’s thinnest. The radiator offers the same strength as Denso’s previous radiators while using thinner materials. All these advantages enabled the radiator to be 40 percent smaller and lighter than the previous models. The newly developed 16mm wide radiator is installed in the Lexus GS. In addition to the 16mm wide radiator, Denso will also commercialise a 27mm wide type, which is thinner than the conventional model of 36mm type, and 11.5mm wide type which are thinner than the conventional model of 16mm, to offer a wider range of the new radiator series for a greater range of vehicle models.

Both the above-mentioned products are likely to be introduced in India as well. A company spokesperson said, “We are presenting the new radiator to automakers worldwide. We hope it will be installed in vehicles by the end of this year or the spring of next year. The demand for high-performance EGR coolers is expected to grow, and we also hope to sell it to automakers worldwide”.