Louvered Shelf Snow Separation for Vehicle Air Induction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles ingest snow-laden air through air induction systems during winter storms, leading to potential clogging of air filters and restricted airflow, which can result in significant loss of engine power, and existing solutions are either costly or complex.
Innovation Solution
A louvered shelf is integrated into the air induction system, featuring a main body with airflow apertures and louver assemblies that create a tortuous path for snow-laden air, utilizing centrifugal forces and louver strikes to separate snow particles, and is part of a vehicle system that includes an active grille shutter system to direct snow-laden air through the shelf, reducing snow ingestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heating systems are used to melt snow blockage, then snow accumulation is prevented, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful snow particles are extracted and separated from the intake air stream before entering the air induction system. The louvered shelf creates a separation mechanism where snow particles are diverted from the main airflow path, eliminating the need for heating systems to melt accumulated snow.
Solution Approach 2:
The louvered shelf divides the airflow into multiple paths through its series of louvers. This segmentation creates a tortuous flow path that separates snow particles from clean air, allowing snow to be removed while maintaining air intake functionality without complex heating mechanisms.
2Productivity
If snow-laden air is ingested through the air induction system, then engine operation continues, but air filter clogging and airflow restriction occur
Solution Approach 1:
The louvered shelf performs preliminary separation of snow particles from the intake air before the air reaches the air filter. By removing snow particles in advance, the air filter is protected from clogging and maintains its performance, ensuring continuous engine operation without restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The louvered shelf acts as an intermediary device between the snow-laden air source and the air induction system. It mediates the interaction by separating snow particles from the airflow, allowing clean air to pass through to the engine while preventing snow from reaching the air filter.
3Reliability
If a louvered shelf is added to separate snow particles, then snow accumulation is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The louvered shelf serves multiple functions within a single component: it separates snow particles from airflow, directs air flow patterns, and protects downstream components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while maintaining effective snow accumulation prevention.
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 louvered shelf effectively reduces snow accumulation in the air induction system, preventing loss of engine power by separating snow particles from the airflow, thus ensuring uninterrupted engine operation without the need for additional snow covers or heating systems.
Implementation Method 1
Snow particles are separated from the snow-laden intake air due to centrifugal forces generated from travel of the snow laden air through the tortuous path
Implementation Method 2
snow particles striking the louver assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A louvered shelf for preventing snow accumulation in an air induction system of a vehicle includes a main body configured to couple to the vehicle proximate the air induction system, a plurality of airflow apertures formed in the main body configured to receive a flow of snow-laden intake air bound for the air induction system, and a plurality of louver assemblies. Each louver assembly is operably associated with one airflow aperture of the plurality of airflow apertures to establish a tortuous path for the snow-laden intake air to travel through the one airflow aperture. Snow particles are separated from the snow-laden intake air due to centrifugal forces generated from travel of the snow laden air through the tortuous path and/or the snow particles striking the louver assemblies.