New Valeo Wind Tunnel Capabilities Support High-Horsepower Truck Testing

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich. & JAMESTOWN, N.Y.--Sept. 24, 2001--Valeo, a leading supplier of innovative components, systems, and modules for cars and trucks, has upgraded its Climatic Vehicle Wind Tunnel in Jamestown, N.Y. to support the testing of heavy trucks powered by the biggest available engines. The wind tunnel now features a water-brake dynamometer that increases the facility's testing capabilities to include engines that develop up to 1,500 horsepower with torque up to 3,500 foot-pounds.
    The wind tunnel is used to evaluate the performance of different engine cooling systems and climate control systems in vehicles that can feature a range of engine and chassis combinations. The dynamometer converts the rotation torque of an engine into stationary torque that can be exactly measured and calculated. With the truck locked in place, the tunnel very accurately generates wind conditions to simulate a broad array of driving conditions, with temperatures from -40 degrees to +120 degrees Fahrenheit.
    "The addition of the water-brake greatly enhances our ability to satisfy the market-driven need to test high horsepower diesel engines," said Valeo Engine Cooling Truck Division's Engineering Director Sam J. LaMancuso. "It provides our customers a means to effectively develop cooling solutions for these applications."
    Valeo's new water-brake is a Go-Power Systems(TM) engine dynamometer. It supplements the facility's current chassis dynamometer, which has capabilities to 500 horsepower. Unlike the chassis dynamometer, the new water-brake attaches through the vehicle's driveshaft. Since the test vehicle's tires do not turn and heat up, the shedding of rubber is eliminated, as well as the risk of heat-related tire failure. This creates a cleaner, safer environment in the wind tunnel.
    Overall, the facility can test everything from passenger cars to Class 8 trucks. Thermocouples and various transducers measure temperatures and other parameters sending these data to the facility's computer system for real-time display, trending, and evaluation.
    Valeo is focused on the design, production, and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars and trucks, and ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. Valeo achieved sales in 2000 of 9.1 billion euros ($8.2 U.S. dollars). Valeo has 162 plants, 49 research and development centers, 10 distribution centers and employs 78,000 people in 25 countries worldwide. Of these, there are 19 plants and six research and development centers in North America employing 12,000 people. For further information, see www.valeo.com.

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