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Tools for the design and evaluation of engine water pumps have been developed. These tools range from textbook calculations to 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics methods. The choice of the tools or the combination of tools used is usually dependent upon production timelines, rather than technical merit. Therefore, the strengths and weaknesses of each of the tools must be understood, and each tool must be validated for its specific purpose, then used appropriately to aid in the design or development of a water pump suitable for production. This study was carried out to evaluate three approaches: a proprietary Ricardo approach based on 1-dimensional analysis and correlations, a 3-dimensional computational fluid dynamics approach, and a conventional prototype manufacture and test iteration approach. The analytical results were correlated to experimentally obtained pressure rise, mass flow rate, and impeller speed data.

OEMs are investigating opportunities to reduce vehicle mass, driven by a need to meet upcoming CAFE targets, increase the range and reduce battery size of EVs. A number of lightweight materials including high strength steels, aluminum alloys, plastics and composites are now in production. To facilitate development of corporate R&D and commercialization plans for new materials, it is beneficial to understand the current manufacturing costs for production components, and their impact on piece price at different volumes. This paper investigates design and cost impact of light-weighting with respect to front door and floor assembly of Toyota Corolla and BMW i3. Toyota Corolla has a traditional steel body and is sold in high volumes while BMW i3 has relatively low annual sales and is primarily made of composite, aluminum and plastic parts.