Freudenberg-NOK Presents Levitex Crankshaft Seal at Vienna Motor Symposium

Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is presenting its revolutionary Levitex^® crankshaft seal – capable of reducing crankshaft friction up to 90 percent – at the 35th International Vienna Motor Symposium today.

Freudenberg-NOK will present the innovation in response to the European Union's goals of reducing total carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to 95 grams of CO₂ per kilometer by 2021.

The gas-lubricated Levitex mechanical face seal comes very close to the vision of a frictionless seal. The seal consists of a stationary primary ring and – on the oil side – a rotating mating ring. During operation, grooves creating an aerodynamic effect form an air cushion that separates the two rings. The primary and mating rings also have a special coating to reduce wear and friction when the crankshaft is at rest.

Independent measurements of the Levitex seal on a seal test stand are already showing greatly reduced friction even at low rotational speeds. The measured frictional torque is 0.2 to 0.3 Newton meters lower than the values for a friction-optimized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) seal and a standard PTFE seal. The remaining friction is due to air shear.

The Levitex crankshaft seal will help auto manufacturers address friction reductions in the engine and drivetrain, a key to reducing vehicle CO₂ emissions. A radial shaft seal typically seals a rotating crankshaft at its housing. An oil film minimizes its contact with the shaft. Still, the remaining loss of performance can be as high as 1 gram of CO₂ per kilometer.

With the new Levitex seal, the frictional losses from a crankshaft seal are reduced by up to 90 percent compared to a standard PTFE seal. This leads to less fuel consumption and wear, as well as a longer service life. Further, CO₂ emissions at the sealing point fall from the 0.5- to 1-gram range to less than 0.1 grams under the New European Driving Cycle.

A video clip on Levitex can be found at: http://levitex.fst.com.

Freudenberg-NOK Levitex^® Seal Presented at Vienna Motor Symposium

About Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies
Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is the Americas joint venture between Freudenberg and Co. in Germany and NOK Corp. in Japan. Freudenberg-NOK is a leading producer – through its Automotive, Merkel, Process Seals and Simrit sales channels – of advanced sealing technologies for a variety of markets including: aerospace; agriculture; appliance; automotive; construction; diesel engine; energy; food and beverage; heavy industry; and pharmaceutical. Founded in 1989 under the legal name Freudenberg-NOK General Partnership, Freudenberg-NOK is headquartered in Plymouth, Mich. and operates more than 20 facilities across the Americas. For additional information, please visit www.fnst.com.

Source: http://www.fnst.com