GB2343851A - Vehicle with air pollution monitoring and control - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent polluted air being drawn into the passenger compartment of a vehicle, shutters in a gate 6 at the rear of the engine compartment are closed automatically or manually, and the air is diverted into an air cleaning chamber 15 before being vented from the vehicle. Gauges at the base 4 of the gate 6 measure the quality or temperature of the incoming air, and cause the shutters to close. Alternatively, the gauges may be manually monitored. The diverted air may be cleaned by filters, catalysts or cyclonic action in the air cleaning chamber, which is located in the vehicle bonnet.

Description

VEHICLE ANTI-POLLUTION SYSTENI This invention relates to motor vehicles and traffic/air pollution.

The generation of air-borne pollution by industry and the motor car in particular is a well recognised problem. In relation to the internal combustion engine a number of methods and techniques have been progressively adopted to control and reduce the amount and type of polluants it generates, for example by designing more efficient engines, producing more efficient, cieaner sources of fuel, and in the use of cleaning systems attachecl to tile engine itself, for exampte cata) ytic converters which seek to reduce the pollution emitted by exhaust fumes.

However, despite these efforts, the internal combustion engine said generates substantial pollution, wlich has hOtll a global atmospheric impact and also a particular impact on urban areas with a high vehicle density. In addition the growing numbers of cars produced and sold and in use on the roads adds continually to the scale of the problem. As a consequence, traffic pollution may dirty the air in cities to the extent where breathing under stress is recognised as hazardous to health.

Such pollution may be worsened still further by changes in temperature and climate, for example when bright suniight combines which) low air movement to create static smog whose characteristics alter bio-chemically and become even more hazardous to health.

III summary, it may be statecl that traffic poHution is a serious prohlem for the environment in general, for inhahitants of turban areas in particular, anci is espeeially so ciuring periods of intense sunshine, most commonly in the summer months.

It may be added that such pollution also affects the occupants of polluting cars in that polluted air is drawn into cars during urban driving especiaHy when vehicles are caught in traffic congestion.

The present invention seeks to address this problem by providing a system whereby motor cars in use may actively reduce the pollution they create. most especially when that pollution is above a certain level and/or when hot weather and traffic jams intensify that pollution, According to the present invention there is provided a semai-open chamber having as it's front the radiator grill of an air-cooled motor vehicle and either incorporating a dedicated fan or utiliin, within it's parameters the radiator fan such chamber having at it's rear a multi-shuttered gate closeable automatically via a control mechanism linked to gauges/devices which mollitol levels of air pollution chemically mechanically or via other current technology and also optionally monitors engine andlor ambient air temperature such that pre-set levels of air-borne pollution and optionally temperature level rises trigger the said shutter control mechanism thereby closing the shutters while optionally activating the radiator coo) ing fan or dedicated fan thereby diverting air flow from the engie compartment into a connected filtration chamber via a grilled aperture which forms a third side of the semi-open chamber such grilled aperture containing an optional air-filter. Having entered the said fihration chamber the diverted air flow thereupon passes over/through an air-cleaning and/or fihration system and/or an air-How architecture such that the air has a maximum range of general and/or specific pollutants removed from it before being vented into the atmosphere via an exit point. Such air being alos optionally purified or cleaned of jeneral unwanted air particles carbon dust and simitar.

Such filtration compartment as above specified being conveniently positioned within the car or connected to or attached to the caras for example within the bonnet or along the underside of the car. or in some other convenient area providing space and having an air through-put potential with the outside environment.

) n addition the present invention provides that such air-flow control shutters and air-monitoring devices and/or gauges as above mentioned being so designed as to be calibrated to optionally operate and close during normal engine cooling fan activation as for example in heavy traffic and/or in hot weather and in addition independently when the air flowing into the chamber from the outside is registered as being high in either specific or general pollutants. Such air-flow control shutters and air-monitoring devices and/or gauges being optionally variable in their calibration to allow for activation in accordance with different air-pollution or temperature criteria.

In addition the present invention provides that the fittration chamber as above-mentioned may operate using a variety of filter devices and systems including paper and/or carbon and/or IllesIl and/or a dedicated system whereby the air flow is so arrangez as to permit the settling and/or separation of polluants on a cyclone or similar basis incorporating current technology commonly is use in vacuum cleaners air-conditioning systems and the like ol-liqtilci or catalytic systems designed to neutralise and/or remove designated polluants and/or unwanted gases or other systems judged to be effective in pollution control.

Such filtration system within die filiation chamber being so designed as to permit the periodica) cteaning or replacement of the active filtration elements, such elements or material being optionally mociular or removable to allow such cleaning and/or replacement with relative ease when dirty ctogged or used.

In addition the present invention provides that a given air-flow re-directed into the filtration chamber via die semi-open chamber may after the said air has undergone cleaning/and or filtration then be vented from a section of the vehicle such as at the rear of the vehicle or a) ongside estabtished exhaust systems such that the said air may be potentially further cleaned and/or filtered by other vehicles in close proximity containing a similar or identical vehicle anti-pollution system.

In addition the present invention provides that the said vehicle anti-pollution system may be so constructed and placed within a given motor vehicte as to comprise an indepencient moclular system unconnected to the host vehicle's cooling system and/or radiator and fan and comprising a separate system incorporating integral fan or fans and chamber or chambers and optional airflow filters and air-cleaning devices. Such an independent system being optionally positioned within a host motor vehicle as to place the monitoring devices/gauges in an optimum position to gauge and access air pollution as generated by other motor vehicles for exainple at a height and position as to he directiy in the tine of flow of exhaust gases emitted by other motor vehicles for example in the bottom front of a ; ives host vehicle such positioning being of ptimum use during traffic congestion.

Such apparats as described optionally including a second or additional fans so situated as to increase the rate of air-flow when required and being optionally gradeable according to the engine and energy generating capacity of the host vehicle.

In addition the present invention provides for the said vehicle anti-pollution system to operate in such a way as to be optionally arrange and constructed as to act as a barrier and air-diverter such as to block air-flow into the engine compartment of a host vehicle and thus reduce the through-flow of polluted air and exhaust gases into the said engine compartment and thus also via the engine compartment into the passenger compartment.

In addition, the present invention provides that such system as herein described may further be constructed so as to allow the host vehicle to optionally recycle through the cleaning system it's own exhaust gases prior to venting into the outside air. Such recycling optionally including cyclonic particle cleaning systems and/or chemical/physical pollutant removal materials.

A specific embodiment of the invention with now be described by way of reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 Shows a sample vehicle containing the invention in vies.

Figure 2 Shows a sample vehicle containing the invention in side view with bonnet section open.

Figure 3 Shows a front and pian view of shuttered gate, with shutters open and ciosedandpositionofshuttercontro!mechanismand.m monitoring gauges/devices.

Referring to the drawings the vehicle anti-poliution system comprises a semi-closed chamber within the front of a car t ! consisting of a chamber wall and sides and having at front the radiator grill 2 and at top a venting grill 7 and having at it's rear a multi-shuttered gate 6. Such gate comprising a frame with a fan drive shaft aperture 18 a series of shutters 19 attached at base to an enclosed shutter-control belt motor system 17 which may operate to open or close the shutters in response to temperature increase and/or air pollution increase as registered by the pollution/temperature control gauge/s at the base of the gate 4.

Such clopine of shutters t4 having the effect of stopping the forward air-ftow 12 into the engine compartment 6 and divertie the air-flow upwards through a chamber venting grin 7 and thereby into a filtration chamber 1 contained within the car bonnet 8. Such divel ted air-tlow then passing over a modular/cleanable/removable pollution extraction/air-cleaning filtration system such as a series of carbon filters 10 and exiting at the bonnet top through a bonnet venting grill 13.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS A vehicle anti-air-pollution system comprising a semi-open or sealed chamber within or attached to a motor vehicle optionally incorporating the host vehicle radiator fan or comprising a separate and independent system utilising fan fans or available air-flow architecture whereby air from the surrounding environment is drawn or directed into the chamber and therein or otherwise monitored for pollutants and/or ambient temperature via chemical and/or mechanical gauges and/or devices such gauges/devices being manually monitored or so calibrated as to trigger at certain predetermined pollution levels and/or temperature ranges a controlled shutter device thereby diverting the given air-flow mechanically or otherwise assisted into a second or subsequent air cleaning chamber or chambers wherein the said air is cleaned and/or treated via a filtration and/or cleaning system utilising filters catalysts vortex/cylonic technology carbon filters or similar systems such that the said air may thereafter be vented from the vehicle with specified or general air-pollutants and/or gases removed. Such system allowing for optional manual operation and optionally permitting the described monitoriy/cleaning system to act upon exhaust gases generated by the host vehicle.
2. 2 A vehicle anti-air-pollution system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system may be fully integrated into the pre-existing X ehi. lc cooling system and cycle such that air diversion and cleaning is inaugurated during normal fan operation as for example in hot weather and traffic congestion.
3. 3 A vehicle anti-air-pollution system as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the system may be so positioned as to operate tu receive optimum quantities of polluted exhaust gases from adjacent vehicles and expel such gases/air after cleaning in such a position as for example in the vicinity of the exhaust outlet pipe such as to permit other adjacent vehicles with similar or identical systelns to add additional cleaning/filtratio cycles to the said air.
4. 4 A vehicle anti-air-pollution system as claimed in claim I and claim 2 and Claim 3 wherein the air diverted into the filtration chamber may be cleaned utilising air-flow architecture such as the vortex system and such architecture being so placed as to provide easy access for removal and disposal of the consequent air pollutants.
5. 5 A vehicle anti-air-pollution system as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and Claim 3 and Claim 4 wherein the filtration chamber may consist of a modular cleaning system such that the Ineíllo (ls and materials used my be easily accessed for removal, cteaning and/or replacement.
6. 6 A vehicle anti-air-pollution system as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and Claim 3 and Claim 4 wherein the system may be so calibrated so as to operate at a higher or lower level of efficieocy according to the engine capacity and power generating capacity of the vehicle concerne.
7. 7 A vehicle anti-ail-polltltion systenl as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and Claim 3 and Claim 4 wherein the system may be adapted and positioned to act upon those exhaust t cases emitted by the host vehicle in addition to polluted air in and around the said vehicle or exclusively of it. Such system optionally utilising the exhaust output as a source of energy for air movement either via fan/vacuum mechanics or other air flow manipulation