Vehicle Sensor Air Curtain Control for Contamination Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor cleaning systems struggle to effectively remove contaminants such as dust, rain, snow, and insects from vehicle environment sensors, particularly under challenging conditions like low temperatures and high insect activity, leading to performance degradation and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method of controlling a sensor cleaning system that forms an air curtain using high-pressure air to protect the environment sensor by analyzing driving environment factors like topography, meteorology, and time to preemptively prevent contamination, adjusting the air curtain's intensity and frequency based on these conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cleaning methods are used to remove contaminants from sensors, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases and sensor protection is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of driving environment factors (topography, meteorology, time) to predict contamination risks before they occur. The air curtain is activated preemptively in high-risk conditions to prevent contaminant adherence, rather than waiting for contamination to occur and then cleaning it. This preliminary protective action reduces the need for frequent high-energy cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses high-pressure air to form an air curtain around the sensor that creates a physical barrier preventing contaminant adherence. This pneumatic protective barrier continuously shields the sensor surface without requiring contact-based cleaning mechanisms, thereby maintaining sensor cleanliness with lower energy consumption compared to traditional mechanical or fluid-based cleaning methods.
2Reliability
If continuous cleaning is performed to maintain sensor performance, then sensor protection is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air curtain system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time driving environment analysis. The controller modifies the air curtain intensity and duration according to contamination risk levels determined by topography, meteorological conditions, and time of day. This dynamic adaptation ensures sensor protection is maintained while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption during low-risk periods.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuous operation, the air curtain is activated periodically based on predicted contamination risks. The system analyzes environmental factors and triggers air curtain formation only when contamination probability exceeds thresholds, creating a periodic protective action pattern that maintains sensor performance while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous cleaning approaches.
3Reliability
If air curtain intensity is increased to prevent contamination, then sensor protection is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters of air curtain operation (intensity, duration, activation timing) based on analyzed driving environment factors. Rather than using fixed high-intensity operation, the controller adjusts air curtain parameters dynamically according to contamination risk levels, ensuring adequate sensor protection while optimizing energy consumption by matching air curtain intensity to actual protective needs.
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
Effectively prevents contamination of environment sensors by forming an air curtain that reduces the adherence of contaminants, maintaining sensor performance and reducing energy consumption by targeted cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
air filtered through an air filter (4) provided in the vehicle is introduced into a compressor (6)
Implementation Method 2
instructing the sensor cleaning system to form an air curtain on an environment sensor, when the driving environment is determined to be a predetermined setting environment
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor cleaning system for an environment sensor mounted on a vehicle is proposed. A method of controlling the sensor cleaning system includes: analyzing driving environment of a vehicle; and instructing the sensor cleaning system to form an air curtain on an environment sensor when the driving environment is determined to be a predetermined setting environment.