A mold-proof air intake structure, usage method, and mold removal system for automotive air conditioning.

Abstract

This invention discloses an anti-mold air intake structure, usage method, and mold removal system for automotive air conditioning. The anti-mold air intake structure includes an external air duct, a mold removal air duct, and a first damper assembly. One end of the external air duct has an external circulation air inlet and an internal circulation air inlet, while the other end connects to the vehicle's passenger compartment. A blower and an evaporator are installed within the external air duct. The mold removal air duct connects the external air duct between the evaporator and the passenger compartment to the external atmosphere. A desiccant and a heating structure are installed within the mold removal air duct; the heating structure regenerates the desiccant. The first damper assembly changes the airflow direction from the blower across the evaporator, allowing airflow to flow into the passenger compartment and / or into the mold removal air duct. By blowing air through the blower to dry the evaporator and then directing the dried airflow into the atmosphere, the impact on the passenger compartment is minimal, and the operation is simple and low-cost. Furthermore, the desiccant placed near the evaporator effectively keeps it dry, reducing the possibility of mold growth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle air conditioning technology, specifically to an anti-mold air intake structure, usage method, and mold removal system for automotive air conditioning. Background Technology

[0002] The evaporator is a key component of a car's air conditioning system. It converts the refrigerant from a liquid to a gaseous state through heat exchange, absorbing heat from the air and using the blower to blow cool air into the vehicle, thereby lowering the interior temperature. However, during the cooling process, water vapor in the air condenses on the evaporator surface, forming water droplets. If this moisture remains on the evaporator for an extended period, it provides a breeding ground for mold, leading to mold growth and unpleasant odors.

[0003] Currently, there are many measures to prevent mold growth on evaporators, but all have limitations. For example, one method involves regularly cleaning the evaporator by removing it from the car's air conditioning system and thoroughly cleaning it with professional cleaning agents and tools. This method requires specialized skills and equipment, is cumbersome, and costly. Another method is to place desiccants in the car to absorb moisture from the air and keep the interior dry, reducing the possibility of the evaporator becoming damp. However, because the interior space is far from the evaporator, this method is usually not very effective at preventing mold growth. Some car owners also turn off the air conditioning system and turn on the vehicle's external air circulation before getting out of the car, letting the blower run for a while to dry the evaporator. This can cause moisture to enter the passenger compartment, affecting the equipment inside. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem this invention aims to solve is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide an anti-mold air intake structure, usage method and mold removal system for automotive air conditioning. It can dry the evaporator by blowing air with a blower and guide the dried airflow into the atmosphere, which has little impact on the passenger compartment. It is also simple to operate and low in cost. In addition, a desiccant is placed near the evaporator to effectively keep the evaporator dry and reduce the possibility of mold growth.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides an anti-mold air intake structure for an automotive air conditioning system, comprising an external air duct, a mold-removing air duct, and a first damper assembly. One end of the external air duct is provided with an external circulation air inlet and an internal circulation air inlet, while the other end connects to the vehicle's passenger compartment. A blower and an evaporator are disposed within the external air duct. The mold-removing air duct connects the external air duct between the evaporator and the passenger compartment to the external atmosphere of the vehicle. A desiccant and a heating structure are disposed within the mold-removing air duct, the heating structure capable of heating the desiccant to regenerate it. The first damper assembly changes the airflow direction of the blower across the evaporator, allowing airflow to flow into the passenger compartment and / or into the mold-removing air duct.

[0006] In the aforementioned automotive air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure, by adding a branch anti-mold air duct to the external air duct, when the blower dries the evaporator, the airflow blowing over the evaporator can be introduced into the external atmosphere, thus drying the evaporator while reducing the impact on the passenger compartment. In addition, the anti-mold air duct is equipped with a desiccant and a heating and regeneration structure, which can continuously dry the air at the evaporator and effectively reduce the possibility of mold growth.

[0007] Furthermore, the heating structure can utilize the heat generated by the car engine during operation to heat and regenerate the desiccant.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a control valve and a pump installed on the cooling circuit of the automobile engine. The control valve is used to divert the cooling water of the automobile engine, and the pump is used to send the cooling water diverted by the control valve into the heating structure to exchange heat with the desiccant.

[0009] Furthermore, a box is provided inside the mold removal duct, the box is filled with the desiccant, and the heating structure is provided inside the desiccant; after the desiccant and the heating structure are provided inside the box, a gap is reserved in the whole for the airflow to flow into the mold removal duct.

[0010] Furthermore, the first damper assembly is located at the connection point between one end of the mold removal duct and the external air duct. The first damper assembly can close or open one end of the mold removal duct, and can also cut off or open the connection between the external air duct and the passenger compartment.

[0011] Furthermore, a second damper assembly is also provided in the mold removal duct, which only allows the airflow in the mold removal duct to flow from one end to the outside atmosphere of the vehicle at the other end.

[0012] Furthermore, one end of the external air duct forms the external circulation air inlet, and the external circulation air inlet is provided on the external air duct between the external circulation air inlet and the blower. The internal circulation air inlet is provided with a damper for switching between internal and external circulation of the vehicle air conditioning system.

[0013] Furthermore, the external air duct between the internal circulation air inlet and the external circulation air inlet is connected to the other end of the mold removal air duct.

[0014] Furthermore, a drain outlet is provided on the external air duct, and the drain outlet is located above the heat exchanger located in the engine cooling circuit.

[0015] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another aspect of the present invention provides a method of using the above-mentioned anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning, comprising:

[0016] When it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator, perform the following actions: turn off the air conditioning system, turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct can only draw air from the internal circulation air inlet, start the blower, and control the first damper assembly so that the airflow blown by the blower across the evaporator can only flow to the mold removal air duct.

[0017] When it is not necessary to remove mold from the evaporator, there are two situations:

[0018] ①If the vehicle is in a stopped state, the following actions will be performed: the internal circulation mode will be turned on so that the external air duct can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet, and the first air damper assembly will be controlled so that the airflow blown by the blower over the evaporator can flow to the passenger compartment and the mold removal air duct.

[0019] ②If the vehicle is not shut down, the following actions are performed: control the first damper assembly so that the airflow blown by the blower through the evaporator can only flow to the passenger compartment.

[0020] In the above usage method, when mold removal from the evaporator is required, the blower operates, and the airflow blowing across the evaporator can only flow into the mold removal duct, eventually flowing into the outside atmosphere of the vehicle, reducing the impact on the passenger compartment. When mold removal from the evaporator is not required, there are two situations: ① If the vehicle is off, the internal circulation mode is activated, and the first air damper assembly is controlled, allowing the airflow from the blower across the evaporator to flow into the passenger compartment and the mold removal duct. At this time, the blower does not operate and is isolated from the outside atmosphere of the vehicle, so the air in the external air duct hardly moves. The desiccant absorbs the moisture in the air around the evaporator, which can continuously keep the air around the evaporator dry; ② If the vehicle is not off, the first air damper assembly is controlled, allowing the airflow from the blower across the evaporator to flow only into the passenger compartment. At this time, the entire automotive air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure is the same as the conventional air conditioning system air intake structure, and can operate in internal circulation mode, external circulation mode, cooling / heating mode, etc., according to the user's settings. It should be noted that the vehicle off state refers to the state where the vehicle is turned off and the doors are locked, and the vehicle is no longer in use.

[0021] Furthermore, when it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator, the actions also include controlling the operation of the heating structure in order to heat and regenerate the desiccant.

[0022] While the evaporator is being dried, the heating structure operates to regenerate the desiccant. The airflow used to dry the evaporator is blown over the regenerating desiccant, carrying away any moisture released by the desiccant and improving the regeneration efficiency. During this process, it is crucial to control the blower to operate continuously for a sufficient duration to ensure both thorough drying of the evaporator and maximum desiccant regeneration.

[0023] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention also provides a mold removal system based on the anti-mold air intake structure of an automotive air conditioning system, characterized in that it includes:

[0024] A mold removal start-up module is used to receive control signals, wherein the control signal is for the purpose of removing mold from the evaporator;

[0025] The mold removal execution module is used to perform the following actions within a first set time when the mold removal start module receives the control signal: turn off the air conditioning system, turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet, start the blower, and control the first air damper assembly so that the airflow blown by the blower over the evaporator can only flow to the mold removal air duct.

[0026] The normal control module is used to perform different actions in the following two situations when the mold removal execution module is not working:

[0027] ① If the vehicle is off: turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet, and control the first air damper assembly so that the airflow blown by the blower over the evaporator can flow to the passenger compartment and the mold removal air duct;

[0028] ②If the vehicle is not shut down: Control the first damper assembly so that the airflow blown by the blower through the evaporator can only flow to the passenger compartment.

[0029] The above-described mold removal system can achieve the same beneficial effects by performing the above-described usage method. The first set time is the value specified by the manufacturer based on the actual evaporator and blower conditions, which ensures that the evaporator is fully dried.

[0030] Furthermore, the mold removal activation module includes a knob, physical button, or virtual button on the car's central control area. The entire mold removal process can be started manually at any time, with one-button operation, making it convenient and quick to use.

[0031] Furthermore, when the mold removal start-up module receives the control signal, the mold removal execution module also performs the following action within a first set time: controlling the heating structure to operate in order to heat and regenerate the desiccant.

[0032] While the evaporator is being dried, the heating structure operates to regenerate the desiccant. The airflow used to dry the evaporator is blown over the regenerating desiccant, carrying away any moisture released by the desiccant and improving the regeneration efficiency. During this process, it is crucial to control the blower to operate continuously for a sufficient duration to ensure both thorough drying of the evaporator and maximum desiccant regeneration.

[0033] In summary, by adopting the above-mentioned anti-mold air intake structure, usage method, and mold removal system for automotive air conditioning, the evaporator can be dried by blowing air through the blower and the dried airflow can be guided into the atmosphere, which has little impact on the passenger compartment. It is also simple to operate and low in cost. In addition, placing a desiccant near the evaporator can effectively keep the evaporator dry and reduce the possibility of mold growth. Attached Figure Description

[0034] In the attached diagram:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-mold air intake structure of the automotive air conditioning system of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-mold air intake structure of an automotive air conditioner when using method a of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-mold air intake structure of an automotive air conditioner when using method b or ① of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-mold air intake structure of an automotive air conditioner when using method b and method ② of the present invention.

[0039] In the diagram, 11 is the external air duct; 12 is the external circulation air inlet; 13 is the internal circulation air inlet; 14 is the blower; 15 is the evaporator; 16 is the internal / external circulation switching damper; 17 is the drain outlet; 21 is the mold removal air duct; 22 is the desiccant; 23 is the heating structure; 24 is the second damper assembly; 25 is the housing; 3 is the first damper assembly; 4 is the passenger compartment; 51 is the control valve; 52 is the pump; and 53 is the heat exchanger. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these descriptions of the embodiments are for the purpose of helping to understand the present invention, but do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] Figure 1 This invention illustrates an anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning. For example... Figure 1As shown, the automotive air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure includes an external air duct 11, a mold-removing air duct 21, and a first damper assembly 3. One end of the external air duct 11 is provided with an external circulation air inlet 12 and an internal circulation air inlet 13, and the other end is connected to the passenger compartment 4 of the vehicle. A blower 14 and an evaporator 15 are provided inside the external air duct 11. The mold-removing air duct 21 is used to connect the external air duct 11 between the evaporator 15 and the passenger compartment 4 with the external atmosphere of the vehicle. A desiccant 22 and a heating structure 23 are provided inside the mold-removing air duct 21. The heating structure 23 can heat the desiccant 22 to regenerate the desiccant 22. The first damper assembly 3 is used to change the airflow direction of the blower 14 blowing through the evaporator 15, so that the airflow can flow into the passenger compartment 4 and / or into the mold-removing air duct 21.

[0043] The external air duct 11 is actually a conventional gas flow channel in the vehicle's air conditioning system. Specifically, it refers to the gas flow channel through which fresh outside air is forcibly delivered into the passenger compartment 4 by the air conditioning blower 14. The external circulation air inlet 12 is used in the external circulation mode of the vehicle's air conditioning system to achieve ventilation, while the internal circulation air inlet 13 is used in the internal circulation mode. In addition, the blower 14 is usually positioned with its air outlet facing the evaporator 15, so that when the evaporator 15 is working, it can blow cold air into the passenger compartment 4 for cooling. Both the external circulation air inlet 12 and the internal circulation air inlet 13 are located on the air inlet side of the blower 14.

[0044] The mold removal duct 21 is a branch duct added to the external duct 11. One end is connected to the external duct 11 between the evaporator 15 and the passenger compartment 4, and the other end is connected to the external atmosphere of the vehicle. It can guide the airflow blown by the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 to the external atmosphere of the vehicle.

[0045] The first air damper assembly 3 can control the connection between the external air duct 11 and the mold removal air duct 21, and also control the connection between the external air duct 11 and the passenger compartment 4. The airflow flowing into the mold removal air duct 21 will eventually flow into the external atmosphere of the vehicle.

[0046] In normal use, the first damper assembly 3 is in a state where the airflow blown by the blower 14 over the evaporator 15 flows into the passenger compartment 4. Thus, the air intake structure of this invention is the same as that of a conventional automotive air conditioning system, and the usage process is also the same. When it is necessary to use the blower 14 to dry the evaporator 15, the first damper assembly 3 is switched to a state where the airflow blown by the blower 14 over the evaporator 15 flows into the mold removal duct 21. The blower 14 generates airflow that blows over the surface of the evaporator 15, accelerating the evaporation of moisture on the surface of the evaporator 15. This utilizes the principle of airflow carrying away moisture, similar to the natural process of drying objects. This airflow carrying moisture from the evaporator 15 will flow out from the mold removal duct 21 and be discharged into the atmosphere. In addition, when the blower 14 is used to blow air to dry the evaporator 15, the heating structure 23 can be activated to heat the desiccant 22 to regenerate it. At this time, the airflow in the mold removal duct 21 will simultaneously carry away the moisture evaporated from the desiccant 22, making the desiccant 22 regeneration process faster and more effective.

[0047] In addition, a desiccant 22 is placed in the mold removal duct 21. When the vehicle is turned off, the desiccant 22 can absorb the moisture around the evaporator 15 by controlling the first damper assembly 3, keeping it dry and reducing the growth of mold on the evaporator 15, so as to keep the air conditioning system clean and dry.

[0048] The heating structure 23 can have various structures or implementations, as long as it can heat the desiccant 22, such as an electric heating wire. To save energy, the heating structure 23 can be designed to use the heat generated by the car engine during operation to heat and regenerate the desiccant 22. Specifically, the car air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure also includes a control valve 51 and a pump 52 installed on the car engine cooling circuit. The control valve 51 is used to divert the cooling water from the car engine, and the pump 52 is used to send the cooling water diverted by the control valve 51 into the heating structure 23 to exchange heat with the desiccant 22.

[0049] The engine coolant can be diverted via control valve 51 and pumped by pump 52 into heating structure 23 to exchange heat with desiccant 22, thus regenerating the desiccant 22. The cooled water, after heat exchange, returns to heat exchanger 53 in the engine cooling circuit for further cooling circulation. This achieves partial recovery and utilization of engine heat, eliminating the need for a new heat source and saving energy and costs. It also increases the coolant circulation loop, improving engine cooling efficiency. Heating structure 23 can be composed of heat exchange pipes, such as heating coils, installed within the desiccant 22.

[0050] In order to hold the desiccant 22 and the heating structure 23, a box 25 is provided inside the mold removal duct 21. The box 25 is filled with desiccant 22, and the heating structure 23 is provided inside the desiccant 22. After the desiccant 22 and the heating structure 23 are provided inside the box 25, a gap is reserved in the whole for the airflow to flow into the mold removal duct 21.

[0051] The box body 25 is a supporting structure installed inside the mold-removing air duct 21. The box body 25 can be a cylindrical structure with a diameter similar to that of the mold-removing air duct 21. After accommodating the desiccant 22 and the heating structure 23, radial through-holes are opened on the entire structure to allow airflow. Although the heating effect of the heating structure 23 may not be as efficient as that of a dedicated heating device, and it cannot guarantee that the desiccant 22 will be maintained within the regeneration temperature range for complete regeneration, a considerable portion of the moisture in the desiccant 22 can still be removed through continuous heating within a certain period, achieving partial regeneration. The desiccant 22 can be made of silica gel or similar materials, processed into a honeycomb shape, with the honeycomb pores connected to the pores on the box body to increase airflow and the contact area with air.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the first damper assembly 3 is located at the connection between one end of the mold removal duct 21 and the external air duct 11. The first damper assembly 3 can close or open one end of the mold removal duct 21, and can also cut off or open the connection between the external air duct 11 and the crew compartment 4.

[0053] The first damper assembly 3 has at least three operating positions: one is to close one end of the mold-removing air duct 21, allowing the airflow from the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 to flow into the passenger compartment 4; another is to cut off the connection between the external air duct 11 and the passenger compartment 4, allowing the airflow from the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 to flow into the external atmosphere of the vehicle via the mold-removing air duct 21; and the third is to simultaneously open one end of the mold-removing air duct 21 and the connection between the external air duct 11 and the passenger compartment 4. Figure 1 As shown, the first damper assembly 3 is implemented by a damper, and the three working positions correspond to the damper plate being located at positions i, j, and k, respectively.

[0054] The first air damper assembly 3 can also be two air dampers, for example, one air damper can be set to control the closing or opening of the port of the mold removal air duct 21, and another air damper can be set to control the overall connection and disconnection between the external air duct 11 and the crew compartment 4; or it can be multiple air dampers, one air damper can control the closing or opening of the port of the mold removal air duct 21, and the other multiple air dampers can control the connection and disconnection between the external air duct 11 and each compartment of the crew compartment 4 respectively.

[0055] like Figure 1As shown, a second air damper assembly 24 is also provided inside the mold removal duct 21. The second air damper assembly 24 is a backflow preventer, which only allows the airflow inside the mold removal duct 21 to flow from one end to the outside atmosphere of the vehicle at the other end. It automatically closes when there is no airflow from the outside air duct 11 entering the mold removal duct 21, which can prevent moisture from the outside atmosphere of the vehicle from entering the desiccant 22.

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, one end of the external air duct 11 forms an external circulation air inlet 12. An internal circulation air inlet 13 is provided on the external air duct 11 between the external circulation air inlet 12 and the blower 14. An internal / external circulation switching damper 16 for the vehicle's air conditioning system is located at the internal circulation air inlet 13. The internal / external circulation switching damper 16 has two position states: one is closing the internal circulation air inlet 13, in which case air from the external air duct 11 can enter through the external circulation air inlet 12; the other is closing the external air duct 11 at the internal circulation air inlet 13, in which case the external air duct 11 is disconnected from the external circulation air inlet 12, but connected to the passenger compartment 4 through the internal circulation air inlet 13, thus allowing switching of the air intake mode of the external air duct 11, corresponding to internal and external circulation modes. Figure 1 As shown, the damper plate of the internal and external circulation switching damper 16 is located at positions p and q respectively, corresponding to the two states mentioned above.

[0057] The internal circulation air inlet 13 and the external circulation air inlet 12 are staggered, and the external air duct 11 between them is connected to the other end of the mold removal air duct 21. The external circulation air inlet 12 enables the mold removal air duct 21 to be connected to the external atmosphere of the vehicle. The structural design is ingenious.

[0058] like Figure 1 As shown, a drain outlet 17 is provided on the external air duct 11, directly above the heat exchanger 53 located in the engine cooling circuit. Typically, the external air duct 11 has a drain outlet 17 to drain water entering the duct or water droplets accumulating on the duct's inner wall. In this invention, the drain outlet 17 is positioned directly above the heat exchanger 53; when water droplets are discharged, it can help cool the heat exchanger 53, increasing the engine's heat dissipation efficiency.

[0059] Example 2

[0060] The present invention provides a method of using the above-mentioned anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning, including the following two scenarios a and b.

[0061] a. When it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator 15, perform the following actions: turn off the air conditioning system, turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct 11 can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet 13, start the blower 14, and control the first air damper assembly 3 so that the airflow blown by the blower 14 over the evaporator 15 can only flow to the mold removal air duct 21.

[0062] like Figure 2As shown, when mold removal is needed on the evaporator 15, the air conditioning system is turned off, the internal circulation mode is activated, and the blower 14 operates, drawing air from the passenger compartment 4 to generate airflow. The airflow blowing over the evaporator 15 can only flow towards the mold removal duct 21, and finally flows into the outside atmosphere of the vehicle through the other end of the mold removal duct 21, reducing the impact on the passenger compartment 4. It should be noted that in addition to the air conditioning external circulation air intake, the vehicle does indeed have other air intakes from the outside. The design and location of these air intakes vary depending on the vehicle model, but they are generally designed to meet different ventilation and air exchange needs of the vehicle. For example, body vents may be located on the sides of the body, roof, trunk lid, or rear bumper, mainly for natural ventilation and air pressure balance during vehicle operation. They allow outside air to enter the vehicle in a passive manner while expelling stale air from the vehicle. The design of these vents helps reduce window fogging, keep the air inside the vehicle fresh, and to some extent reduce noise and vibration.

[0063] b. When it is not necessary to remove mold from the evaporator 15, there are two situations: ① and ②.

[0064] ① If the vehicle is in a stopped state, the following actions are performed: The internal circulation mode is activated, allowing air to enter the external air duct 11 only through the internal circulation air inlet 13, and the first air damper assembly 3 is controlled to allow the airflow from the blower 14 across the evaporator 15 to flow towards the passenger compartment 4 and the mold removal duct 21. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the blower 14 is not working at this time and is also isolated from the outside atmosphere of the vehicle. Therefore, the air in the external air duct 11 hardly moves. The desiccant 22 absorbs the moisture in the air around the evaporator 15, which can keep the air around the evaporator 15 dry.

[0065] ② If the vehicle is not shut down, the following actions are performed: the first damper assembly 3 is controlled so that the airflow from the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 can only flow towards the passenger compartment 4. For example... Figure 4 As shown, at this time, the entire car air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure is the same as the conventional air conditioning system air intake structure, and can operate in internal circulation mode, external circulation mode, cooling / heating mode, etc., according to the user's settings. It should be noted that the vehicle shutdown state refers to the state where the vehicle is turned off and the doors are locked, and the vehicle is no longer in use.

[0066] In addition, in order to ensure that the desiccant 22 can continue to have a drying effect, when it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator 15, the operation also includes controlling the operation of the heating structure 23 to heat and regenerate the desiccant 22.

[0067] While the evaporator 15 is being dried, the heating structure 23 operates to regenerate the desiccant 22. The airflow used to dry the evaporator 15 is blown over the regenerating desiccant 22, carrying away the moisture released by the desiccant 22 and improving the regeneration effect. During this process, it is important to control the blower 14 to operate continuously for a sufficient time to ensure both thorough drying of the evaporator 15 and maximum regeneration of the desiccant 22.

[0068] Note that if heating structure 23 utilizes engine waste heat, it can still operate even if there is little or no waste heat. However, the regeneration effect of desiccant 22 will be poor, but this will not affect the overall mold removal process. Therefore, it is best to start the mold removal process after the engine has been running for a certain period, and then simultaneously turn on heating structure 23. If a structure that can be turned on at any time, such as an electric heating wire, is used, no other conditions need to be considered; simply start heating structure 23 during the mold removal process.

[0069] Example 3

[0070] This invention discloses a mold removal system based on the aforementioned automotive air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure, comprising:

[0071] The mold removal start-up module is used to receive control signals, wherein the control signal is for the purpose of removing mold from the evaporator 15;

[0072] The mold removal execution module is used to perform the following actions within a first set time when the mold removal start module receives a control signal: turn off the air conditioning system, turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct 11 can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet 13, start the blower 14, and control the first air damper assembly 3 so that the airflow blown by the blower 14 over the evaporator 15 can only flow to the mold removal air duct 21.

[0073] The normal control module is used to perform different actions in the following two situations when the mold removal module is not working:

[0074] ① If the vehicle is in a shut-off state: turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct 11 can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet 13, and control the first air damper assembly 3 so that the airflow blown by the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 can flow to the passenger compartment 4 and the mold removal air duct 21.

[0075] ②If the vehicle is not shut down: control the first damper assembly 3 so that the airflow blown by the blower 14 through the evaporator 15 can only flow to the passenger compartment 4.

[0076] This mold removal system can perform the above-described usage method. The mold removal start-up module receives control commands from personnel, and upon receiving the commands, the mold removal execution module begins its mold removal process. Additionally, when not removing mold, if the vehicle is turned off, the internal circulation is activated, and desiccant 22 is used to dry the air surrounding the evaporator 15 to prevent the evaporator 15 from being affected by the surrounding air while the vehicle is parked. If the vehicle is not turned off, it returns to its normal operating state for driver use. The first set time is the factory-calibrated value based on the actual conditions of the evaporator 15 and blower 14, ensuring that the evaporator 15 is thoroughly dried.

[0077] The mold removal activation module includes a knob, physical button, or virtual button on the car's center console. The entire mold removal process can be started manually at any time with a single button, making it convenient and quick to use.

[0078] When the mold removal start module receives the control signal, the mold removal execution module also performs the following actions within the first set time: controlling the heating structure 23 to work in order to heat and regenerate the desiccant 22.

[0079] While the evaporator 15 is being dried, the heating structure 23 operates to regenerate the desiccant 22. The airflow used to dry the evaporator 15 is blown over the regenerating desiccant 22, carrying away the moisture released by the desiccant 22 and improving the regeneration effect. During this process, it is important to control the blower 14 to operate continuously for a sufficient time to ensure both thorough drying of the evaporator 15 and maximum regeneration of the desiccant 22.

[0080] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit its scope of protection. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that after reading the present invention, they can still make various changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions to the specific implementation of the invention, but these changes, modifications or equivalent substitutions are all within the scope of protection of the pending claims of the invention.

Claims

1. A mold-proof air intake structure for automotive air conditioning, characterized in that, It includes an external air duct (11), a mold removal air duct (21), and a first air damper assembly (3); One end of the external air duct (11) is provided with an external circulation air inlet (12) and an internal circulation air inlet (13), and the other end is connected to the passenger compartment (4) of the vehicle; A blower (14) and an evaporator (15) are installed inside the external air duct (11); The mold removal duct (21) is used to connect the external air duct (11) between the evaporator (15) and the passenger compartment (4) with the external atmosphere of the vehicle; the mold removal duct (21) is provided with a desiccant (22) and a heating structure (23), and the heating structure (23) can heat the desiccant (22) to regenerate the desiccant (22); The first damper assembly (3) is used to change the airflow direction of the blower (14) blowing through the evaporator (15), so that the airflow can flow into the passenger compartment (4) and / or into the mold removal duct (21); It also includes a control valve (51) and a pump (52) installed on the cooling circuit of the car engine. The control valve (51) is used to divert the cooling water of the car engine, and the pump (52) is used to send the cooling water diverted by the control valve (51) into the heating structure (23) to exchange heat with the desiccant (22).

2. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating structure (23) can use the heat generated when the car engine is running to heat and regenerate the desiccant (22).

3. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mold removal duct (21) is provided with a box (25), the box (25) is filled with the desiccant (22), and the desiccant (22) is provided with the heating structure (23); after the desiccant (22) and the heating structure (23) are provided in the box (25), a gap is reserved in the whole for the airflow to flow into the mold removal duct (21).

4. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first damper assembly (3) is located at the connection between one end of the mold removal duct (21) and the external duct (11). The first damper assembly (3) can close or open one end of the mold removal duct (21) and can also cut off or open the connection between the external duct (11) and the crew compartment (4).

5. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mold removal duct (21) is also equipped with a second damper assembly (24), which only allows the airflow in the mold removal duct (21) to flow from one end to the outside atmosphere of the vehicle at the other end.

6. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the external air duct (11) forms the external circulation air inlet (12), and the external circulation air inlet (13) is provided on the external air duct (11) between the external circulation air inlet (12) and the blower (14). The internal circulation air inlet (13) is provided with the internal and external circulation switching damper (16) of the vehicle air conditioning system.

7. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 6, characterized in that, The external air duct (11) between the internal circulation air inlet (13) and the external circulation air inlet (12) is connected to the other end of the mold removal air duct (21).

8. The anti-mold air intake structure for automotive air conditioning according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external air duct (11) is provided with a drain outlet (17), which is located above the heat exchanger (53) in the engine cooling circuit.

9. A method of using the automotive air conditioning anti-mold air intake structure as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, include: When it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator (15), perform the following actions: turn off the air conditioning system, start the blower (14), turn on the internal circulation mode, and control the first damper assembly (3) so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) over the evaporator (15) can only flow to the mold removal air duct (21). When it is not necessary to remove mold from the evaporator (15), there are two situations: ①If the vehicle is in a shut-off state, the following actions are performed: the internal circulation mode is turned on, and the first air damper assembly (3) is controlled so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) through the evaporator (15) can flow to the passenger compartment (4) and the mold removal air duct (21); ②If the vehicle is not shut down, the following action is performed: control the first damper assembly (3) so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) through the evaporator (15) can only flow to the passenger compartment (4).

10. A method of use according to claim 9, characterized in that, When it is necessary to remove mold from the evaporator (15), the action also includes controlling the operation of the heating structure (23).

11. A mold removal system, characterized in that, The system includes the automotive air conditioning anti-mold intake structure as described in any one of claims 1-8, and further includes: a mold removal start module for receiving a control signal, wherein the control signal is for removing mold from the evaporator (15); The mold removal execution module is used to perform the following actions within a first set time when the mold removal start module receives the control signal: turn off the air conditioning system, turn on the internal circulation mode so that the external air duct (11) can only take in air from the internal circulation air inlet (13), start the blower (14), and control the first air damper assembly (3) so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) over the evaporator (15) can only flow to the mold removal air duct (21); The normal control module is used to perform different actions in the following two situations when the mold removal execution module is not working: ①If the vehicle is in a shut-off state: turn on the internal circulation mode and control the first air damper assembly (3) so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) through the evaporator (15) can flow to the passenger compartment (4) and the mold removal air duct (21); ②If the vehicle is not shut down: control the first damper assembly (3) so that the airflow blown by the blower (14) through the evaporator (15) can only flow to the passenger compartment (4).

12. A mold removal system according to claim 11, characterized in that, The mold removal start-up module includes a knob, physical button, or virtual button on the center console screen of the car.

13. A mold removal system according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the mold removal execution module receives the control signal from the mold removal start module, it also performs the following action within a first set time: controls the heating structure (23) to work.

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