Air supply circuit for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment comprising such a circuit, motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment, and method for filtering the air of said passenger compartment

Abstract

Air supply circuit for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment comprising such a circuit, motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment, and method for filtering the air of said passenger compartment. The invention relates to an air supply circuit for a passenger compartment (3) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising: - an air intake system, adapted to admit air from outside said vehicle and distribute it into said passenger compartment, - an air outlet system, comprising an air extractor (11) adapted to expel the air present in said passenger compartment. According to the invention, the air extractor (11) of the air outlet system comprises a CO2 filter (15) designed to capture at least a portion of the CO2 present in the air of said passenger compartment (3) when the air present in said passenger compartment passes through said air extractor.The invention also relates to a passenger compartment comprising such a circuit, a motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment, and a method for filtering the air of said passenger compartment. Figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: Air supply circuit for a motor vehicle passenger compartment, passenger compartment comprising such a circuit, motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment and method for filtering the air in said passenger compartment Technical field

[0001] The present invention lies in the field of decarbonization and relates to an air supply circuit for a motor vehicle passenger compartment capable of filtering carbon dioxide.

[0002] The invention also relates to a passenger compartment comprising such a supply circuit, a motor vehicle comprising such a passenger compartment and a method for filtering the air present in said passenger compartment. Prior art

[0003] Greenhouse gases are gaseous components that absorb infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and thus contribute to the greenhouse effect. The increase in their concentration in the Earth's atmosphere is one of the factors causing global warming.

[0004] Among the greenhouse gases, some are industrial in nature and others are naturally present in the atmosphere. The gases naturally present in the atmosphere are as follows: - water vapor, on which human activities have very little direct influence, but which contributes to the greenhouse effect by 60%, - carbon dioxide (CO2), responsible for nearly 65% ​​of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect, - methane (CH4), which is responsible for 17% of the anthropogenic greenhouse effect due to its high global warming potential, - nitrous oxide (N2O), - tropospheric ozone (O3).

[0005] Some car manufacturers have implemented decarbonization programs (“carbon removal” in English) aimed at achieving carbon neutrality for their activities and their rolling vehicle fleets by 2038. Carbon neutrality is achieved when the emissions balance is zero, that is to say when the CO2 emissions into the atmosphere generated by an activity are offset by other activities which remove CO2 from the atmosphere in equivalent quantities.

[0006] For car manufacturers, reducing CO2 emissions from gases exhaust emissions from thermal engines is a priority objective for achieving carbon neutrality.

[0007] Improvements made to thermal engines and the massive electrification of motor vehicles are already making it possible to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

[0008] Furthermore, in the state of the art, it has been proposed to install in motor vehicles devices for capturing and storing the CO2 gas emitted by a thermal engine of the vehicle or present in the ambient air entering the motor vehicle.

[0009] In particular, the prior art document JP4396394B2 is known, which proposes a system for treating the air entering the passenger compartment, making it possible to blow purified air towards the passengers.

[0010] Documents EP2472077A1 and US2020400058A1 are also known, which describe an on-board system for capturing CO2 in the exhaust gases of the heat engine and storing it in liquid form in a storage tank integrated into the motor vehicle.

[0011] These solutions contribute to the reduction of CO2 levels in the atmosphere and already make it possible to improve the carbon footprint of a motor vehicle.

[0012] The present invention further aims to improve this carbon footprint. Statement of the invention

[0013] To this end, the present invention relates to an air supply circuit for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, comprising: - an air intake system, adapted to admit air from outside said motor vehicle and to diffuse it into said passenger compartment of said motor vehicle, - an air outlet system, comprising an air extractor adapted to evacuate the air present in said passenger compartment of said motor vehicle, characterized in that said air extractor of said air outlet system comprises a CO2 filter designed to capture at least a portion of the CO2 present in the air of said passenger compartment when the air present in said passenger compartment passes through said air extractor.

[0014] Thus, by providing for mounting a CO2 filter in the air extractor of the passenger compartment air supply circuit, when the stale air from the passenger compartment is evacuated by the air extractor, the CO2 contained in the stale air is retained by the CO2 filter of the air extractor, which advantageously makes it possible to significantly reduce the quantity of CO2 emitted by the motor vehicle which is equipped with such an air supply circuit.

[0015] In an optional embodiment of the air supply circuit, the CO2 filter comprises a chemically coated membrane, chemically activated in an amine solution.

[0016] Also, according to an optional arrangement of the air supply circuit, the air intake system comprises at least one air intake flap, movable between a closed position and an open position in which outside air can be introduced into the interior of said passenger compartment, and a temperature control and regulation system.

[0017] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle passenger compartment supplied with air by a supply circuit, remarkable in that said supply circuit is according to the invention.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment of the passenger compartment of the invention, the passenger compartment comprises an interior trim comprising an access hatch adapted to allow access to the CO2 filter from inside said passenger compartment.

[0019] In one embodiment, the access hatch comprises a cutout made in the interior trim, said cutout being intended to receive a closing plate, said closing plate being removable or being mounted movably on said interior trim between a closed position and an open position by means of a hinge mounted on said interior trim.

[0020] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, remarkable in that said passenger compartment is according to the invention.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the motor vehicle of the invention, the motor vehicle comprises an auxiliary circuit for storing CO2 captured by said CO2 filter of said air supply circuit, said auxiliary storage circuit being connected to said CO2 filter and comprising a tank for storing said CO2.

[0022] The invention also relates to a method for filtering the air in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle implemented by a supply circuit according to the invention, remarkable in that it comprises the following successive steps aimed at: - admit air from outside said motor vehicle and distribute it into said passenger compartment of said motor vehicle, - evacuate at least part of the air present in said passenger compartment through said air extractor, - capture by said CO2 filter of said air extractor at least part of the CO2 present in the air evacuated by said air extractor. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig.l] shows a motor vehicle according to the invention, seen from the side from the right of the motor vehicle.

[0025] [Fig.2] illustrates the steps of an air filtration method according to the invention. Description of the embodiments

[0026] In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions are designated by the same reference.

[0027] In the following, the terms “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “lower” and “upper” are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0028] Reference is made to [Fig.l] schematically showing a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention, seen from the side from the right of the motor vehicle.

[0029] The motor vehicle 1 comprises a passenger compartment 3, delimited in its upper part by a roof 5.

[0030] The motor vehicle 1 comprises an air supply circuit for the passenger compartment 3.

[0031] The air supply circuit for the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1 comprises an air intake system adapted to admit air from outside the motor vehicle 1 and to diffuse it into the passenger compartment 3.

[0032] For this purpose, the air intake system comprises at least one air intake flap mounted at the front of the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0033] The air intake flap is movable between a closed position and an open position in which outside air can be introduced into the interior of the passenger compartment 3, as shown by the arrow 7.

[0034] The air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 is designed to ensure optimal management of the air inside the passenger compartment, in order to offer optimal comfort to the passengers.

[0035] Such air management involves, in particular, controlling the temperature, the ventilation level and the air quality within the passenger compartment 3.

[0036] The quality of the air in the passenger compartment can be deteriorated by different types of pollutants: particulate pollutants, such as dust, particles of various sizes (fine to ultrafine), gaseous pollutants, such as harmful gases, volatile organic compounds and biological pollutants, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or allergens such as pollen.

[0037] In order to improve the quality of the air in the passenger compartment, it is known to use, in particular, mechanical filtration systems, not forming part of the invention, comprising one or more filters, the purpose of which is to filter the air entering the motor vehicle 1 before introduction into the passenger compartment 3.

[0038] By way of example, a mechanical filtration system known to those skilled in the art typically comprises a pre-filter, effective mainly on large particles. size. It helps improve the lifespan of the other filter(s) in the filtration system by preventing them from becoming clogged too quickly.

[0039] The air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 further comprises a plurality of air quality control sensors, not shown, in particular sensors for pollution of the air in the passenger compartment 3 and of the air outside the passenger compartment 3 capable of measuring the levels of pollutants present in the passenger compartment 3.

[0040] The air intake system of the passenger compartment air supply circuit 3 further comprises a temperature control and regulation system, making it possible to control and regulate the temperature in the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0041] Such a system is called a “heating, ventilation and air conditioning system” and is frequently referred to by the term “HVAC”, an English acronym for “Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning”.

[0042] The HVAC generally includes a “high efficiency” filter that filters certain types of particles, acting in addition to the pre-filter of the filtration system.

[0043] The HVAC system acts on the air admitted by the air intake flap in order to bring it to the temperature requested by the user, then it diffuses the filtered air into the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1, as represented by the arrows 9.

[0044] In order to avoid creating excess pressure in the passenger compartment 3 induced by the introduction of air from outside when the windows of the passenger compartment 3 are closed, and in order to allow the recycling of the air present in the passenger compartment 3, the air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1 comprises an air outlet system, comprising an air extractor 11 adapted to evacuate the air present in the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1 to the outside of the motor vehicle 1, as represented by the arrow 13.

[0045] In one embodiment, the air extractor 11 comprises a set of flaps movable between a closed position and an open position in which the stale air present in the passenger compartment 3 is evacuated.

[0046] The air extractor 11 comprises, for example, air evacuation holes at the level of the body of the motor vehicle 1, on the interior and exterior sides, the interior air evacuation holes being hidden by the trim and the exterior air evacuation holes being hidden by the exterior skin of the bodywork or bumper.

[0047] The air extractor 11 is for example mounted at the rear of the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0048] In one embodiment, the air extractor 11 may for example comprise a non-return valve making it possible to prevent humidity and dirt from rising into the passenger compartment.

[0049] According to the invention, the air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 advantageously comprises a CO2 filter 15 mounted in the air extractor 11, so as to capture the CO2 present in the passenger compartment 3.

[0050] Thus, when the stale air from the passenger compartment 3 is evacuated by the air extractor 11, the CO2 contained in the stale air is retained by the CO2 filter 15 of the air extractor 11, which makes it possible to significantly reduce the quantity of CO2 emitted by the motor vehicle which is equipped with such an air supply circuit for the passenger compartment 3.

[0051] Indeed, breathing represents 4% of global CO2 emissions, more than air transport. Also, the breathing of a person at rest emits 800g of CO2 per day and five times more in the case of sporting activity.

[0052] As an example scenario, when two occupants are installed in the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1 for two hours of travel every day for six months and the windows of the passenger compartment 3 are closed, 24 kg of CO2 are produced by the breathing of the two occupants.

[0053] Thanks to the present invention, the CO2 filter 15 present at the level of the extractor 5 of the air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 makes it possible to capture at least a part of these 24 kg of CO2 emitted by the two occupants.

[0054] Also, the CO2 filter 15 present at the level of the extractor 5 of the air supply circuit of the passenger compartment 3 also makes it possible to capture the CO2 coming from the air outside the motor vehicle introduced into the passenger compartment 3 by the HVAC.

[0055] Indeed, the filtration system provided in the air supply circuit of the passenger compartment does not integrate a CO2 filter 15 at the HVAC level, taking into account the fact that CO2 does not constitute a harmful gas for the occupants present inside the passenger compartment, unlike for example nitrogen oxides, for example nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon oxides, for example carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides, for example sulfur dioxide (SO2).

[0056] According to the invention, the CO2 filter 15 is designed to capture at least a portion of the CO2 present in the gaseous state in the passenger compartment 3 when the air present in the passenger compartment 3 passes through the air extractor 11.

[0057] The motor vehicle 1 further comprises an auxiliary storage circuit (not shown) for the captured CO2, known to those skilled in the art.

[0058] The auxiliary storage circuit is connected to the CO2 filter 15 of the air supply circuit of the motor vehicle 1 and comprises a CO2 storage tank adapted to store the CO2 captured by the CO2 filter 15.

[0059] The captured CO2 is stored in the storage tank in a supercritical fluid state. For this purpose, the motor vehicle 1 comprises a condensation device including a heat exchanger and a compressor and ensuring a transition of the CO2 from the gaseous state to the supercritical fluid state to allow its storage in the storage tank.

[0060] The CO2 stored in the storage tank can then be recovered by any means known to those skilled in the art, in particular by means of an electronic controller installed on board the motor vehicle and responsible for managing the transfer of the CO2 contained in the tank to an external recovery station, or by means of a CO2 recovery installation which may, for example, be located in a refueling service station.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment of the CO2 filter 15, the CO2 filter 15 comprises a chemically coated membrane, chemically activated in an amine solution.

[0062] The membrane has free amino radicals on the surface which, when they come into contact with CO2 molecules diffused into the air, fix the CO2 to the membrane, thus separating the CO2 from the air.

[0063] When the membrane is heated, the chemical bond between the CO2 and the amino radicals is broken. The CO2 is then sent to the condensation device ensuring the transition of the CO2 from the gaseous state to the supercritical fluid state before being sent and stored in the storage tank of the auxiliary storage circuit arranged in the motor vehicle 1.

[0064] The air extracted by the air extractor 11 is thus cleaned of at least part of the CO2 which was present in the air of the passenger compartment 3.

[0065] In one embodiment of the invention, the passenger compartment 3 comprises an interior trim comprising an access hatch adapted to allow access to the CO2 filter 15 from inside the passenger compartment, which makes it easier to maintain or replace it.

[0066] According to an exemplary embodiment of the access hatch, the trim of the passenger compartment 3 comprises a cutout intended to receive a closing plate, removable or mounted movably on the trim between a closed position and an open position, by means of a hinge mounted on the trim of the passenger compartment 3.

[0067] The present invention also relates to a method for filtering the air present in the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1, the steps of which are shown in [Fig.2] to which reference is now made.

[0068] The method is implemented by the air supply circuit, in the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0069] In a first step E1, the air intake system admits air from outside the motor vehicle 1 and diffuses it into the passenger compartment 3.

[0070] To do this, the supply circuit admits air from outside the motor vehicle 1 by positioning the air intake flaps in the open position and the HVAC system diffuses the air into the passenger compartment 3 of the motor vehicle 1 after having brought it to the temperature requested by the user.

[0071] In a step E2, the air previously introduced into the passenger compartment 3, particularly stale due to the breathing of the occupants present on board the motor vehicle 1, is evacuated by the air extractor 11 located at the outlet system of the fuel circuit.

[0072] In a step E3, the CO2 filter 15 of the air extractor 11 captures at least part of the CO2 present in the air evacuated during step E2 by the air extractor 11.

[0073] The CO2 thus captured is then stored in the storage tank in the state of supercritical fluid for treatment or recovery.

[0074] As goes without saying, the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this supply circuit, this passenger compartment, this motor vehicle and this filtration method, described above solely as illustrative examples, but on the contrary it embraces all the variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Air supply circuit for a passenger compartment (3) of a motor vehicle (1), comprising: - an air inlet system, adapted to admit air from outside said motor vehicle (1) and to diffuse it into said passenger compartment (3) of said motor vehicle (1), - an air outlet system, comprising an air extractor (11) adapted to evacuate the air present in said passenger compartment (3) of said motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said air extractor (11) of said air outlet system comprises a CO2 filter (15) designed to capture at least a portion of the CO2 present in the air of said passenger compartment (3) when the air present in said passenger compartment (3) passes through said air extractor (11).

2. A supply circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that said CO2 filter (15) comprises a chemically coated membrane, chemically activated in an amine solution.

3. Supply circuit according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said air intake system comprises at least one air intake flap, movable between a closed position and an open position in which outside air can be introduced into the interior of said passenger compartment (3), and a temperature control and regulation system.

4. Passenger compartment (3) of a motor vehicle (1) supplied with air by a supply circuit, characterized in that said supply circuit is according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. Passenger compartment (3) according to claim 4 comprising an interior trim, characterized in that said interior trim comprises an access hatch adapted to allow access to said CO2 filter (15) from the interior of said passenger compartment (3).

6. Passenger compartment (3) according to claim 5, characterized in that said access hatch comprises a cutout made in said interior trim, said cutout being intended to receive a closing plate, said closing plate being removable or being mounted movably on said interior trim between a closed position and an open position by means of a hinge mounted on said interior trim.

7. Motor vehicle (1) comprising a passenger compartment (3), characterized in that that said passenger compartment (3) is according to any one of claims 4 to A

8. o. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises an auxiliary circuit for storing CO2 captured by said CO2 filter (15) of said air supply circuit, said auxiliary storage circuit being connected to said CO2 filter (15) and comprising a tank for storing said CO2.

9. Method for filtering the air in a passenger compartment (3) of a motor vehicle (1) implemented by a supply circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises the following successive steps aimed at: - admitting air coming from outside said motor vehicle (1) and diffusing it into said passenger compartment (3) of said motor vehicle (1), - evacuating at least a portion of the air present in said passenger compartment (3) by said air extractor (11), - capturing by said CO2 filter (15) of said air extractor (11) at least a portion of the CO2 present in the air evacuated by said air extractor (H).

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