Reed Valves
Lower Cost and Lighter Weight
Exhaust Gas Recirculation
We are your system partner in all matters relating to precise control of the exhaust gas recirculation rate, whether for diesel or gasoline engines, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, or industrial engines.
All our valves and actuators are from one single source, us. Whatever you need – high-pressure or low-pressure EGR, cold-side or hot-side installation, smart or non-smart, metal or plastic housings – the product we supply is always precisely tailored to your needs. What’s more, our competence portfolio goes far beyond manufacturing of sophisticated EGR valves.
We are in our element when it comes to challenging operating conditions or new engine concepts. In addition to our role as a provider of modular systems, we operate as a technological development partner who works in collaboration with you on the design and realization of EGR concepts compliant with the latest emissions and CO2 standards.
Pierburg has been developing reed valves since the early 1990s. Due to the firing sequence, the exhaust gas mass flow from combustion engines comes in a series of strong pulses. Reed valves exploit this effect: the valve opens every time the exhaust gas pressure exceeds the charge pressure, which leads to an increase in the exhaust gas recirculation rate. This is the case in the mapping zones of engines with low to light pressure differentials. In the case of a strong, negative pressure differential, i.e. when the charge pressure is considerably higher than the exhaust gas pressure, the valve shuts and the EGR cooler is closed off. This improves the charging efficiency and the load response of the engine. By preference, the valves are installed directly behind the EGR cooler.
Reed valves are not always made of aluminum. As early as 2014, we began the series production of reed valves with plastic housings. They are used at temperatures of up to 250°C and bring the advantages of lower cost and lighter weight.