In April Eberspaecher catem will be starting production of the third generation of its high-voltage PTC* heaters. The new solution, designed specially for hybrid and electric vehicles, impresses thanks to its significantly higher heat output despite a lighter weight. Improved heat transfer between the PTC elements and coolant, together with the in-house developed electronic control unit, ensure efficient energy and heat management.
The trend towards electromobility is also increasing the demand for innovative heating concepts for vehicles with alternative drive systems. “Our high-voltage coolant heaters are the optimal solution especially for hybrid and large electric vehicles with their own water circuits,” explains Andreas Schwarzer, General Manager of Eberspaecher catem. The heating systems discharge the temperature-controlled air into the vehicle’s interior by way of the on-board heat exchanger. With the third generation, the company is now offering a solution which has been optimized in terms of both performance and weight. Significantly improved heat transfer between the PTC elements and coolant increases the performance density at zero degrees coolant temperature by more than 30 percent.
Efficient energy and heat management
The electrical heater experts have used plastic for the water pan instead of aluminum. This reduces heat loss to the surrounding air, as well as delivering weight benefits. Thanks to the higher heat output, it has also been possible to reduce the number of PTC elements and make the heater housing smaller. All in all, this saves around 400 grams with a total weight of 1.9 kilograms. As an added bonus, the new heater generation benefits from an electronic control unit that was developed within the Eberspaecher Group. It allows users to adjust the amount of heat emitted depending on the voltage, coolant temperature, and state of charge of the battery, so assuring efficient energy and heat management.
Production of both components is scheduled to start in April 2017 at the Eberspaecher facilities in Herxheim and Landau, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The heaters will be fitted in models from various European automobile manufacturers.
PTC expertise from the technology leader
High-voltage PTC heaters have been part of the Eberspaecher catem product portfolio since 2010. The company has fitted them in some 700,000 hybrid and electric vehicles worldwide to date. The high-performance PTC elements deliver high heat output at low surface temperatures, are extremely reliable, and intrinsically safe. An in-system self-control effect rules out any possibility of overheating, as the PTC elements only heat up to a specific temperature, and the product then automatically reduces the power consumption. This is of vital importance especially in the sensitive high-voltage environment of hybrid and electric vehicles.
“We will remain committed to PTC technology in future, and see great potential in its ongoing development,” Schwarzer asserts. “We will be able to achieve even higher heat output with the same PTC configuration by further improving the heat extraction.” Eberspaecher catem has been intensifying these developments, and the in-house production of the PTC elements, since it acquired the PTC plant in Hermsdorf from Paul Rauschert Steinbach GmbH in July 2016.
*PTC = Positive Temperature Coefficient
