FR3128902A1 - Method for managing a cabin air filtration system and air filtration system implementing such a method. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing a filtration system for the cabin air of a motor vehicle, the filtration system being of the type making it possible to transform a flow of air entering the system into a flow of air filtered and injected into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the flow of incoming air undergoing in the system at least a first filtration by a first filter, the system comprising a first configuration (PC) in which the flow of incoming air undergoes a second filtration by a second filter after the first filtration, the system comprising a second configuration (DC) in which at least part of the filtered air flow is injected into the passenger compartment by bypassing the second filter, the management method comprising at least an intervention step (EI) consisting in taking into account a choice of a user of the vehicle to determine a configuration to be adopted chosen between the first (PC) and second (DC) configurations. (Figure 2)

Description

Method for managing a cabin air filtration system and air filtration system implementing such a method.

The technical field concerns methods for managing a vehicle cabin air filtration system, air filtration systems and vehicles fitted with such systems.

Car manufacturers pay a lot of attention to the comfort of the passengers in their vehicles. Among the essential comfort criteria is obviously the management of the air inside the passenger compartment, in particular by controlling the temperature, the level of ventilation and the quality of the air.

The quality of the air in the passenger compartment can be deteriorated by different types of pollutants: particulate pollutants (dust, particles of various sizes from fine to ultrafine), gaseous pollutants (harmful gases, Volatile Organic Compounds also called VOCs, odors ) and biological pollutants (bacteria, viruses, fungi or even allergens such as pollen).

To improve the quality of the air in the passenger compartment, there are several methods such as mechanical filtration or purification by ionization, combustion or UV radiation. The purification methods are particularly complex to implement in a motor vehicle and offer unsatisfactory results. As a result, mechanical filtration methods remain unavoidable and use several filters. Thus, conventional devices first use a coarse filter, or pre-filter, effective mainly on the largest particles; it is used to improve the life of the other filter(s) by preventing them from clogging up too quickly. In some cases, a pre-filter can be combined with activated carbon traps, effective only against gaseous pollutants. Prefilters have the advantage of causing only low pressure drops and therefore consume little energy.

Usually the pre-filter and possibly the activated carbon trap are followed by a high-efficiency HEPA-type filter. A HEPA filter causes, meanwhile, significant pressure drops, significant consequent energy consumption. In addition, without a prefilter, a HEPA filter would have a fairly short lifespan and is therefore rarely used alone, which further increases the energy consumption of conventional devices. To overcome this problem, very large format HEPA filters are currently used. Also, the air filtration devices entering the passenger compartment tend to become very bulky.

New filtration devices, such as that described in document EP3634791, use HEPA filters of more modest sizes combined with pre-filters but have several configurations, one of which allows the air introduced into the filtration device to bypass the HEPA filter. . Such filtration devices make it possible to increase the longevity of the filters used and to limit the fuel consumption they induce. However, the management of such filtration devices is complex and the user does not have the possibility of influencing the operation of the filtration device, in particular of choosing the configuration.

Thus, there is a need for a solution allowing the user to interact with the management of a filtration system in order to take into account his needs which may differ from consumption considerations.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for managing a filtration system making it possible to take into account a choice made by the user concerning the mode of filtration used.

To this end, the present invention relates to a method for managing a filtration system for the cabin air of a motor vehicle, the filtration system being of the type making it possible to transform a flow of air entering the system into a flow of filtered air injected into a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the incoming air flow undergoing in the system at least a first filtration by a first filter, the system comprising a first configuration in which the flow of filtered air undergoes a second filtration by a second filter after the first filtration, the system comprising a second configuration in which at least part of the filtered air flow is injected into the passenger compartment bypassing the second filter,

the management method comprising at least one intervention step consisting in taking into account a choice of a user of the vehicle to determine a configuration to be adopted chosen between the first and second configurations and to operate the system in the configuration to be adopted.

The invention also relates to a filtration system making it possible to transform a flow of air entering the system into a flow of filtered air injected into a vehicle passenger compartment, the flow of incoming air undergoing in the system at least a first filtration by a first filter, the system comprising a first configuration in which the filtered air flow undergoes a second filtration by a second filter after the first filtration, the system comprising a second configuration in which at least part of the filtered air flow is injected into the passenger compartment bypassing the second filter, the system being characterized in that it is designed to implement a method according to the invention.

The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising at least one system according to the invention.

Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to manage a filtration system according to the invention implementing several filtration configurations such as the first and second configurations. In addition, the method makes it possible to take into account the choice of the user thanks to the step of intervention to modify the operating configuration of the filtration system.

According to one mode of implementation of the method according to the invention, an intervention step includes a proposal made to the user of a configuration to adopt.

Advantageously, a proposal is made when the air in the passenger compartment is considered polluted.

According to one possibility of the management method according to the invention, an intervention step comprises the collection of a request from the user to determine the configuration to be adopted.

Advantageously, the collection of a request causes the determination of at least one other parameter relating to the vehicle in order to determine the configuration to be adopted.

Advantageously, the other parameter corresponds to a level of pollution of the air in the passenger compartment, of the air outside the passenger compartment and/or a state of operation of the vehicle.

According to one possibility of the system, the first filter is a coarse prefilter designed to eliminate dust and the second filter is a high performance filter of the HEPA type.

The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

there , represents a schematic sectional view of a filtration system according to the invention;

there , represents a flowchart illustrating the progress of a method according to the invention.

In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

A management method according to the invention implements an air filtration system 1, illustrated in the , designed for this purpose. The method according to the invention makes it possible to filter the air in the passenger compartment 2 of a motor vehicle.

The filtration system 1 is of the type making it possible to transform a flow of air entering 3 into the system 1 into a flow of filtered air 4 injected into the passenger compartment 2 of the vehicle. The incoming air flow 3 undergoes in the system 1 at least a first filtration by a first filter 5. The system 1 comprises a first PC configuration in which the incoming air flow 2 undergoes a second filtration by a second filter 6 after the first filtration. System 1 also includes a second DC configuration in which at least part of the filtered air flow 4 is injected into the passenger compartment 2 bypassing the second filter 6.

The first filter 5 is, for example, a coarse pre-filter designed to eliminate dust. The second filter 6 is, for example, a high performance filter of the HEPA type.

Advantageously, the system 1 also comprises a heating and ventilation device 7, also called HVAC, the flow of filtered air 4 then being injected into the passenger compartment 2 after having passed through the HVAC.

As illustrated on the , the second filter 6 of the filtration system 1 is mounted in rotation so that in the first PC configuration, the second filter 6 is positioned across a duct 8 so that the flow of filtered air 4 from the first filter 5 passes through the second filter 6. To pass from the first PC configuration to the second DC configuration, the second filter 6 is turned by 90° for example by a motor 9, illustrated on the , so that the flow of filtered air 4, coming from the first filter 5 bypasses at least partly the second filter 6 by following the duct 8. Alternatively, not illustrated on the , a movable shutter makes it possible to open a bypass pipe between the first 5 and second 6 filters, the flow of filtered air 4 then bypassing the second filter 6.

The system 1 according to the invention thus equips a vehicle according to the invention. Conventionally, as illustrated in the , the system 1 is installed under an awning grid, not shown, between a front cover 10 and a windshield 11, shown in the . In addition, the system 1 according to the invention comprises a plurality of sensors, not illustrated, in particular sensors of pollution of the air in the passenger compartment 2 and of the air outside the passenger compartment 2.

The management method according to the invention implements the system 1 and comprises at least one intervention step EI consisting in taking into account a choice of a user of the vehicle to determine a configuration to be adopted chosen between the first PC and second DC setups. Thus, the system 1 switches from the first configuration PC to the second configuration DC and vice versa to operate according to the configuration to be adopted determined by the method according to the invention.

According to a first possibility, illustrated in the , the intervention step EI comprises a proposal P made to the user of a configuration to be adopted. Thus, taking into account the choice of the user makes it possible, for example, to change the configuration of the system 1 into the configuration to be adopted if the user accepts the proposal P.

In the example shown in the , the system 1 is designed to operate in a first MP mode, in which the vehicle is off, and a second MF mode in which the vehicle is in operation.

Thus, in the method according to the invention described in the , the proposal P is made when the system 1 is operating in the first mode MP, after a first step of EHA analysis of the air in the passenger compartment 2 consisting in determining whether the air in the passenger compartment 2 is considered polluted. In order to perform such a first EHA analysis step, the system 1 comprises, for example, at least one pollutant sensor placed in the passenger compartment 2.

Thus, in the event of detection of a pollutant in the air of the passenger compartment 2, the proposal P made by the method according to the invention consists in asking the user for his agreement to pre-condition the air of the passenger compartment 2 The pre-conditioning of the air in the passenger compartment 2 consists, for example, in operating the system 1 in its first PC configuration. Alternatively, illustrated in the , in the event of agreement on the user's proposal P, a second EAE analysis step consisting in determining the level of pollution of the air outside the passenger compartment 2 is carried out, for example thanks to suitable sensors arranged outside the vehicle or upstream of the first filter 5. The second EAE analysis step is followed either by a step consisting in using the system 1 in its first PC configuration to renew the air in the passenger compartment 2 when the air outside the passenger compartment 2 is polluted, or to renew the air in the passenger compartment 2 by the system 1 in its second DC configuration when the air outside the passenger compartment 2 is not or only slightly polluted.

In the flowchart illustrated on the , the first MP mode is maintained as long as the vehicle is switched off, this being determined in step EV.

According to a second possibility, illustrated in the , the intervention step EI consists in collecting a request D from the user to determine the configuration to be adopted.

When the filtration system 1 operates according to the first MP mode, as illustrated in the flowchart of the , the collection of the request D causes the determination of at least one other parameter relating to the vehicle in order to determine the configuration to be adopted. In this case, the parameter relating to the vehicle corresponds to a level of pollution of the air outside the passenger compartment 2 of the vehicle: the collection of the user's request D causes the execution of the second step of analysis EAE . It should be noted that another parameter relating to the vehicle is taken into account and corresponds to the operating state of the vehicle which determines the operating mode of system 1 (off or on) according to the first mode MP or the second mode MF.

Thus, the request D from the user, when the system 1 operates according to the first MP mode, causes the implementation of the second analysis step EAE of analysis of the air outside the passenger compartment 2. At the end of this second EAE step, the method determines the configuration to be adapted as described above.

When the system 1 operates according to the second mode MF, the collection of the user's request D is made possible only when the heating and ventilation device 7 has reached a steady state RE in which the heating and ventilation setpoints are achieved, as illustrated in the . The method according to the invention determines the regime of the heating and ventilation device 7 during a step denoted RH. When the heating and ventilation device 7 is in the PHC convergence phase towards the temperature and ventilation setpoints, the system 1 is then programmed to operate according to the second DC configuration.

As illustrated on the , when the heating and ventilation device 7 is in steady state RE, the detection of pollution of the air in the passenger compartment 2, during a first step of EAH analysis of the air in the passenger compartment 2 causes system 1 to operate according to the first PC configuration. The absence of pollution of the air outside the passenger compartment 2 causes the system 1 to operate according to the second configuration DC, unless the user makes a request D consisting in changing the configuration to be adopted so that the system 1 operates according to the first PC configuration.

Thus, the system 1 according to the invention allows the implementation of the method according to the invention allowing the user of the vehicle to interact with the system 1 to take into account a choice made by the user in order to determine the configuration to adopt.

The invention is not limited to the mode of implementation of the method according to the invention or of the filtration system according to the invention described above, only by way of examples, but other embodiments can be designed. by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims (9)

Method for managing a system (1) for filtering the cabin air (4) of a motor vehicle, the filtering system (1) being of the type making it possible to transform a flow of incoming air (3) into the system (1) into a flow of filtered air (4) injected into a passenger compartment (2) of the vehicle, the incoming air flow (3) undergoing in the system (1) at least a first filtration by a first filter (5), the system (1) comprising a first configuration (PC) in which the flow of filtered air (4) undergoes a second filtration by a second filter (6) after the first filtration, the system (1) comprising a second configuration (DC) in which at least part of the filtered air flow (4) is injected into the passenger compartment (2) bypassing the second filter (6),
the management method comprising at least one intervention step (EI) consisting in taking into account a choice of a user of the vehicle to determine a configuration to be adopted chosen between the first (PC) and second (DC) configurations and to make operate the system (1) in the configuration to be adopted. Management method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the intervention step (EI) includes a proposal (P) made to the user of a configuration to adopt. Management method according to Claim 2, characterized in that a proposal (P) is made in the event of detection of a pollutant in the air of the passenger compartment (2). Management method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the intervention step (EI) comprises collecting a request (D) from the user to determine the configuration to be adopted. Management method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the collection of a request (D) causes the determination of at least one other parameter relating to the vehicle with a view to determining the configuration to be adopted. Management method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the other parameter corresponds to a level of pollution of the air in the passenger compartment (2), of the air outside the passenger compartment (2) and/or a vehicle operating status. Filtration system (1) making it possible to transform a flow of air entering (3) into the system (1) into a flow of filtered air (4) injected into a vehicle passenger compartment (2), the flow of incoming air (3) undergoing in the system (1) at least a first filtration by a first filter (5), the system (1) comprising a first configuration (PC) in which the flow of filtered air (4) undergoes a second filtration by a second filter (6) after the first filtration, the system (1) comprising a second configuration (DC) in which at least part of the filtered air flow (4) is injected into the passenger compartment (2) bypassing the second filter (6), the system (1) being characterized in that it is designed to implement a method according to one of claims 1 to 6. Filtration system (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the first filter (5) is a coarse pre-filter designed to eliminate dust and in that the second filter (6) is a high-performance filter of the HEPA type. Vehicle comprising at least one system according to claim 7 or 8.