Dual Sorption Air Conditioning for EV Cabin CO2 and Humidity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems in electrically driven vehicles consume energy for regenerating sorption units, leading to inefficiencies and potential health issues due to carbon dioxide and water accumulation in the passenger compartment.
Innovation Solution
A device with two sorption units that alternately switch between sorption and desorption modes, using a distribution system to manage air constituents like carbon dioxide and water, minimizing the need for external air intake and reducing energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If recirculating operation is used for air conditioning the passenger compartment, then energy consumption is reduced, but carbon dioxide and water accumulate in the passenger compartment leading to health impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning system is segmented into multiple sorption units (first sorption unit and second sorption unit) that operate alternately. One unit sorbs air constituents while the other is regenerated, allowing continuous operation without interrupting the recirculating mode, thus maintaining energy efficiency while preventing harmful accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sorption units are designed to be regenerated by desorbing accumulated air constituents (carbon dioxide and water) and discarding them to the outside. This recovery process allows the sorbent material to be reused, maintaining continuous air purification capability without requiring replacement, thus solving the contradiction between energy saving and harmful substance removal.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sorption units are regenerated frequently to remove air constituents, then air quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by alternately operating multiple sorption units. While one unit is in the sorption phase removing air constituents, another unit undergoes regeneration. This periodic switching allows continuous air purification without requiring frequent regeneration of the same unit, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining air quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual sorption unit configuration ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining constant air purification capability. While one unit is being regenerated, the other continues to sorb air constituents, eliminating interruptions in the purification process and avoiding the energy spikes that would result from stopping and restarting the air conditioning system.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If external air intake is increased to reduce carbon dioxide and water, then air quality improves, but energy consumption increases due to conditioning external air
Solution Approach 1:
The sorption units extract and remove specific harmful air constituents (carbon dioxide and water) from the recirculating air without requiring external air intake. This selective extraction allows the system to maintain air quality by targeting only the problematic components, avoiding the energy penalty of conditioning large volumes of external air.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by selectively removing specific air constituents (CO2 and H2O) rather than replacing all recirculated air with external air. This targeted approach maintains the beneficial aspects of recirculated air (temperature control, humidity management) while eliminating harmful components, thereby reducing overall energy consumption compared to full external air intake.
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
This approach allows for continuous reduction of undesired air constituents without external air intake, saving energy, extending vehicle range, and reducing health risks, while also enabling smaller system components and longer filter life.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the first sorption unit and the second sorption unit includes a receptacle for receiving a sorbent configured to sorb one or more air constituents
Implementation Method 2
Each of the first sorption unit and the second sorption unit is configured to, in the desorption mode, desorb the one or more air constituents, for example to a supplied regeneration air or to raw air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Device for conditioning air in an enclosed space, including first and second sorption units, each for being transferred from a sorption mode into a desorption mode and vice-versa; and to, in the sorption mode, sorb the one or more air constituents from air of the enclosed space; and to, in the desorption mode, desorb the one or more air constituents, and including an air distribution device to, in a first operating state, switch to a second operating state in which exchange of the air of the enclosed space with exterior air may be provided, if it is determined that a concentration of at least one air constituent of the one or more air constituents is above a limit, and, in the second operating state, switch to the first operating state, if it is determined that concentrations of all air constituents of the one or more air constituents are within their corresponding limit.