It is an innovation of a technology that’s nearly a century old. Eaton’s history in sodium-cooled valves, used for aircraft, goes back to 1930.
The advanced design will go into production in 2023 and promises a reduction in old-fashioned engine knock.
Wolski said the key to the design was altering the inside shape of the chamber and getting the right chamber capacity for sodium.
“The sodium is solid inside the valve,” he said. “When we prime the engine and we start seeing the impact of the combustion process, of course, the sodium becomes liquid,” Wolski said. “The valve going up and down in the engine creates this movement which is helping to transfer the heat out.
“This product, in comparison to the standard product, can reduce temperature by 99 to 100 degrees [Celsius], which is a significant advantage to OEMs,” he added. “Greater amounts of sodium give you greater opportunity to transfer out the heat, which is really the name of the game here.
“This product is helping [automakers] address this heating issue and also reduce the tendency of engines to knock.”