Valeo to present latest bus and coach tech at Busworld
Valeo will be exhibiting its latest innovations for buses and coaches around the world at the upcoming Busworld expo in Brussels from October 18-23.
Valeo technologies are designed to maintain the cabin interior at optimal temperature regardless of the size of the vehicle (from minibuses to double-deckers), its powertrain type (internal combustion, hybrid or electric), and the nature (whether urban, peri-urban or long-haul) and duration of its journey. Valeo will be unveiling the REVO-E HP R744 heating and air conditioning system, featuring all-electric and completely environmentally neutral technology.
The new Valeo REVO-E HP R744 system is an all-electric rooftop a/c unit, equipped with a heat pump function, for hybrid and electric buses. The environmentally neutral, zero-emissions HVAC system operates with R744, a natural coolant, at outside temperatures of -20°C to 44°C. The fully automatic, energy efficient system selects the appropriate operating mode, switching from air conditioning to the heat pump or de-icing function. The de‑icing function is automatically activated when outside temperatures drop below 5°C, preventing it from icing up, which can happen with traditional heat pumps.
The environmentally neutral Valeo REVO-E HP R744 HVAC system enables the e-bus to be heated by means of a heat pump even at extremely low outside temperatures.
For the first time, Valeo developers have been working on a high-voltage heater for electric buses that features fully adjustable heat output. The Valeo Thermo HV high-voltage heater for electrobuses is infinitely variable and guarantees a constantly high heat output of 12kW.
Batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles are costly and sensitive to changes in temperature. To ensure longevity and performance, Valeo developed a battery cooler designed to maintain the battery cells at the right temperature. In addition to the field-proven 5kW version, Valeo has introduced a more powerful seven to 10kW concept solution suitable for high temperatures. At temperatures of 15°C or less, the Valeo E-Cooler BTM system uses ambient air for an energy-saving passive cooling mode. At high outside temperatures, the E‑Cooler automatically switches to an active cooling circuit.
The extremely energy-efficient E-Cooler cools the battery during the charging and discharging process and at higher ambient temperatures during the journey.
Valeo has supplemented its latest generation of SPump circulation pumps with a 120W version that is particularly suitable for smaller water circuits. It provides the high performance required for e-bus applications with a flow rate of 3,800l/h at 0.37 bar. The 120W model has 40 per cent fewer individual parts than a traditional electric water pump, making it the lightest weight and most compact system of its kind within the product family. It also features a smart diagnostic function that provides alerts to limit consumption. This is a major advantage for all hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric commercial vehicles, which are dependent on efficient energy management.
