Vehicle Rainwater Recovery Circuit Using Turbidity Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for recovering liquids from motor vehicle surfaces, such as rainwater or windshield washer fluid, face challenges due to the presence of foreign bodies and impurities, which require filtration to ensure cleanliness for reuse, but current filtration methods are bulky, heavy, and require frequent maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A method and circuit that analyze the turbidity of collected liquids to determine their pollution level, directing clean liquids to a recovery unit while evacuating polluted ones, using a controlled solenoid valve system to manage the flow based on turbidity measurements, allowing only high-quality liquids to be reused.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filtration systems are used to clean collected liquid before reuse, then the cleanliness of the recovered liquid is improved, but the device becomes bulky and heavy with increased maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical filtration systems with an optical detection system. A turbidity sensor optically measures the pollution level of collected liquid in real-time, enabling electronic control of a solenoid valve to direct liquid flow without physical filters. This substitution eliminates bulky filtration components while maintaining liquid quality control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the collected liquid itself to determine its own fate through real-time turbidity measurement. The measurement device continuously monitors liquid quality, and the control system automatically directs clean liquid to recovery while evacuating polluted liquid, making the system self-regulating without external intervention or complex filtration infrastructure.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple filters of different characteristics are used to achieve higher purity levels, then the purity of the recovered liquid is improved, but the device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces multiple mechanical filters with a single optical measurement system. The turbidity sensor provides real-time feedback on liquid purity, enabling intelligent routing decisions that achieve the same purification effect without the complexity of multiple filter stages and their associated maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from physical filtration (removing particles) to optical detection and electronic control (measuring particle effects and responding accordingly). By measuring turbidity as a parameter and using it to control solenoid valve positioning, the system achieves purity control without mechanical filtration complexity.
3Reliability
If all collected liquid is processed through filtration, then the cleanliness of recovered liquid is ensured, but the loss of liquid through filtration and maintenance is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows clean liquid to bypass the filtration path entirely by using real-time turbidity measurement to directly control routing. Only when turbidity exceeds thresholds does the system activate the solenoid valve to evacuate polluted liquid, minimizing unnecessary liquid loss while maintaining recovery of clean liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the necessary action (evacuation of polluted liquid) based on actual conditions. Rather than forcing all liquid through a filtration path that causes inherent losses, the system extracts and removes only the polluted portions detected by the turbidity sensor, preserving clean liquid for recovery.
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 enables efficient and economical recovery of clean liquids for reuse, avoiding damage to systems like windshield washer systems by effectively filtering out impurities and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
analyzing a quantity of flow of liquid collected by means of a device for measuring or estimating a parameter representative of a state of pollution of the liquid collected
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention proposes a method for recovering a liquid collected on a surface (1, 19), interior or exterior, of a bodywork element (17) or glazing (2) of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it consists of analyzing a quantity of collected liquid flow by means of a device (30) for measuring or estimating a parameter representative of a pollution state of the collected liquid, such as its turbidity, comparing a measured value of the turbidity to a threshold value and, when the measured value is less than this threshold value, directing the collected liquid flow towards a recovery unit (9), or, when the measured value is greater than the threshold value, disposing of the collected liquid flow, for example as waste.