Vehicle Cabin Air Cleaning Control With Contamination Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air ventilation systems in vehicles face challenges in effectively cleaning air when conditioning equipment is turned off, particularly in rainy weather, leading to contamination issues and inefficient fuel consumption due to unconditional operation of indoor/outdoor and blower controls.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that interlock air cleaning functions with vehicle windows and sunroofs, using a controller to manage air cleaning commands independently of the conditioning equipment's on/off state, incorporating sensors to measure contamination levels and adjust indoor/outdoor air modes and blower controls to optimize air quality and fuel efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the conditioning equipment is turned off to save fuel, then fuel consumption is reduced, but air cleaning function is lost leading to contamination accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The air cleaning function is segmented from the conditioning equipment's on/off state. The controller can independently activate air cleaning operations (blower, indoor/outdoor unit) regardless of whether the conditioning equipment is turned on or off, allowing fuel-saving operation while maintaining air quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect contamination levels and triggers air cleaning operations when needed, enabling the system to self-monitor and self-correct air quality issues without requiring the conditioning equipment to be continuously running
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the conditioning equipment is continuously operated to maintain air quality, then air contamination is reduced, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the system performs periodic air cleaning operations based on contamination detection. The controller activates blower and air conditioning operations intermittently based on sensor feedback, reducing overall fuel consumption while maintaining air quality
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (blower speed, air conditioning intensity, indoor/outdoor unit configuration) based on real-time contamination levels, allowing optimized fuel consumption at different contamination stages rather than maintaining constant high-level operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If the air cleaning function operates independently of conditioning equipment state, then air cleaning availability is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed to handle multiple functions universally - it can control both conditioning operations and air cleaning operations through a unified control logic, managing blower, indoor/outdoor units, and air conditioning regardless of the conditioning equipment's on/off state
4Extent of automation
If sensors are added to detect contamination levels for automatic control, then air quality monitoring is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors provide continuous feedback on contamination levels to the controller, which automatically adjusts air cleaning operations in response. This feedback loop enables automatic air quality management without requiring complex manual intervention systems
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for cleaning air may include conditioning equipment; an input unit which receives an air cleaning command operating the conditioning equipment; and a controller which executes an air cleaning control regardless of a turn on/off of the conditioning equipment according to the air cleaning command to operate the conditioning equipment.