Dana's electronic cooling module to go in Sierra/Silverado hybrid

Jan 13, 2004 12:00 PM

Dana Corporation announced today that it has been awarded the contract to supply a compact cooling module for the GM Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado hybrid pickup trucks.

The cooling module consists of a rugged CT-series radiator and an electric cooling fan.

The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra hybrid trucks feature a hybrid system with 5.3-liter Vortec V-8 engine, the same as the conventional versions of the trucks. The electric motor provides fast, quiet starting power and the ability to generate up to 14,000 watts of continuous electric power.

The electricity generated by the system has plenty of uses. It may be stored in a 42-volt lead-acid battery pack for future use, used to support on-board electric accessories, or employed to operate power tools or other appliances off the pair of AC outlets in the cab and bed.

The Dana cooling module is intended for a sub-cooled loop that provides thermal management to the "Red Box," the power inverter, and electronics control module. The cooling module is mounted at the front of the engine compartment just behind the vehicle's grille. Using a separate coolant circuit, the radiator and high-performance fan combine to provide 3kW of cooling capacity that maintains the Red Box at optimal temperatures of below 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

"Hybrid technology is growing and is now found in a wide range of vehicles," said Bill Carroll, Dana's acting president and chief operating officer. "We are proud to be supplying components integral to the hybrid power system on these vehicles."

"We will continue to devote development resources to the alternative energy industry," said Mike Laisure, president of Dana's Engine and Fluid Management Group. "We have technology and products covering fuel cells, hybrids, drive-by-wire, and alternatively fueled vehicles and look forward to

continued growth in these markets." Additionally, Dana provides supply electric-assist power steering -- through its patented Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) module -- for the Sierra and Siverado parallel hybrids.