Gradient Activated Carbon Distribution for Vehicle Ozone Purifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular air cleaners using activated carbon or elemental metals for ozone purification face rapid deterioration due to oxidation by active oxygen, leading to frequent component replacement and reduced practicality.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular air cleaner design with an ozone purifying material distribution gradient, where the amount on the air inlet side is greater than on the air outlet side, and the use of catalysts resistant to oxidants, such as metal or metallo-organic complexes, to mitigate oxidation and maintain ozone purification capability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If activated carbon or elemental metal is used as ozone purifying material, then ozone purification function is improved, but the material is easily oxidized and deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a gradient distribution of ozone purifying material along the air flow direction. The material concentration is highest at the air inlet side and decreases toward the air outlet side. This non-uniform distribution optimizes the balance between purification efficiency and material protection, as the higher concentration at the inlet where active oxygen generation is most intense provides sufficient purification while the decreasing concentration toward the outlet reduces overall oxidation exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining ozone purifying materials with oxidant-resistant catalysts. This composite structure allows the purifying material to perform its ozone conversion function while the catalyst layer provides protection against oxidation from active oxygen, thereby extending the service life of the purifying material while maintaining purification effectiveness.
2Reliability
If uniform distribution of ozone purifying material is used, then purification coverage is improved, but material oxidation and deterioration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality through a gradient distribution strategy where material concentration varies by position. The air inlet side has higher material concentration to handle the intense oxidation environment and high purification demand, while the air outlet side has lower concentration where oxidation risk is reduced. This localized optimization achieves both adequate purification coverage and reduced overall material oxidation.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If oxidant-resistant catalyst is added to protect purifying material, then material longevity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the oxidant-resistant catalyst directly with the ozone purifying material to form a composite structure. The catalyst and purifying material are combined in a single component system where the catalyst layer protects the purifying material from oxidation while both work together to purify ozone. This merged structure achieves material protection without requiring separate protective devices or complex multi-component assemblies.
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
The solution extends the longevity of the ozone purifying material, maintains ozone purification efficiency, and minimizes weight and cooling performance impact by strategically adjusting the amount and type of ozone purifying material across the air cleaner's surface.
Implementation Method 1
an ozone purifying material carried on a wall surface of the inner flow path for purifying ozone by converting the ozone into other substances
Implementation Method 2
Since the activated carbon or elemental metal dissolves ozone, active oxygen may be produced in addition to oxygen. Since the active oxygen has stronger oxidizing power than the ozone, it easily reacts with the activated carbon or elemental metal to oxidize it.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a vehicular air cleaner. It is an object to provide a DOR (Direct Ozone Reduction) system for suppressing deterioration of a purifying function of an ozone purifying material. Active oxygen is produced by an ozone purifying function of activated carbon. The probability that the active oxygen contacts with a fin 20 of a radiator 14 on a rear surface side is higher than that on a front surface side of the radiator 14. Accordingly, the activated carbon on the rear surface side of the radiator 14 is easily oxidized as compared with the activated carbon on the front surface side. Therefore, in the fin 20, a coating amount of the activated carbon on the front surface side of the radiator 14 is adjusted to be larger than a coating amount of the activated carbon on the rear surface side. Thus, the probability that the active oxygen contacts with the activated carbon can be reduced.