Ryton PPS Used in Polimotor 2 Engine's Water Pump

The latest in a series of key components for the Polimotor 2 all-plastic racing car engine project has been designed with yet another high-performance engineering resin from Solvay Specialty Polymers, Alpharetta, Ga.  At the heart of the new Pierburg CWA 400 water pump, manufactured by Tier I supplier KSPG AG (U.S. office in Auburn Hills, Mich.) is Solvay’s Ryton PPS.

This electronic pump incorporates an impeller and stator isolator, both of which are injection molded from Ryton R04 PPS, a 40% fiberglass-reinforced PPS compound that reportedly provides outstanding chemical resistance, low-moisture absorption, and excellent dimensional stability at elevated temperatures. Designed as a brushless DC motor concept, the CWA 400 pump requires no dynamic sealing elements or brushes, allowing it to reliably deliver more than 2,378 gal/hr with a back pressure of >800 mbar without concerns for wear. The pump’s impeller required a material that could withstand temperatures ranging from -40F to 266F. Thermal stability specifications were even more stringent for the stator isolator, which operates at temperatures that can occasionally reach 365F.

“KSPG’s electronically operated pump runs independently of the engine to provide cooling only as needed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions—both emblematic goals of the Polimotor 2 project. However, the pump’s reliability under demanding race conditions was another critical factor in its selection and the Ryton PPS polymer, at its core, brings a proven record for consistently excellent performance in commercial automotive applications,” said automotive innovator Matti Holtzberg, who has led the Polimotor projects for the design and manufacture of a next-generation, all-plastic engine for competitive racing. He is also president of Composite Castings, LLC, West Palm Beach, Fla.