Vehicle Air Compressor Moisture Expulsion During Parked Conditioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle air charging systems, moisture within the air compressor can condense and mix with oil, leading to oxidation and degraded performance, especially in hybrid and electric vehicles where compressors may not run long enough to vaporize water effectively.
Innovation Solution
A controller system that collects operating data during driving mode and initiates a compressor conditioning mode when the vehicle is parked, using this data to activate the air compressor and expel moisture by vaporizing water in the compressor oil, directing it away through an exhaust port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the compressor runs continuously during driving mode, then air pressure is maintained for vehicle systems, but moisture accumulates in the compressor oil leading to oxidation and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs moisture removal as a preliminary action during non-driving periods when the vehicle is parked. The controller monitors operating hours and automatically initiates a moisture expulsion cycle by heating the compressor windings and running the compressor at idle, preventing moisture accumulation before it causes oxidation or performance degradation during normal operation.
2Reliability
If the compressor operates at high temperature to vaporize water, then moisture is effectively removed from the compressor oil, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous high-temperature operation, the system uses periodic action by monitoring compressor operating hours and triggering moisture expulsion cycles only when thresholds are exceeded. The controller intermittently applies heating to the compressor windings and runs the compressor at idle during non-driving periods, achieving moisture removal while minimizing energy consumption during normal driving operation.
3Reliability
If the compressor is run during non-driving state for moisture expulsion, then moisture is removed from the system, but compressor wear increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operational parameters by running the compressor at idle speed during moisture expulsion cycles rather than at full operating speed. The controller monitors operating hours and triggers conditional idle operation with heated windings, which is sufficient for moisture removal but gentler on components compared to full-power operation, thereby reducing wear while maintaining effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents water from becoming trapped in the compressor oil, maintaining component performance and efficiency by ensuring vaporized water is carried away, even when the compressor is not actively running, thus preventing oxidation and freeze-ups.
Implementation Method 1
it is important that water in the compressor be vaporized so that the vaporized water can be carried away in the compressor discharge air from the compressor
Implementation Method 2
The air moves through the desiccant material which removes most of the water vapor
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air compressor comprising an input for receiving a signal indicative of a compressor conditioning mode from the vehicle air compressor. The vehicle air compressor is controlled to operate at at least one of normal operating speed, above normal operating speed and below normal operating speed in response to the signal indicative of the compressor. The apparatus also comprises a data storage unit arranged to, when the vehicle is in a driving state, store the signals from the input. The apparatus further comprises a processing unit arranged to control the vehicle air compressor to expel moisture from the vehicle air compressor based upon signals that have been stored over a period of time in the data storage unit.