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EP-4735280-A1 - AIR TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, WHICH SYSTEM IS PROVIDED WITH A HEPA FILTER

EP4735280A1EP 4735280 A1EP4735280 A1EP 4735280A1EP-4735280-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an air treatment system (1) for a motor vehicle comprising an exterior air intake duct (2), a passenger compartment air recirculation duct (3), a distribution duct (4) housing a motor-fan unit (5) and a first air filter (6), a two-way circulation filtration duct (7) housing a second HEPA air filter (8) and two bypass ducts (9, 10), the system further comprising a first flap for controlling the air flow (11) arranged at the interface between the outlet of the intake duct, a first inlet/outlet of the filtration duct and the inlet of the first bypass duct; and a second flap for controlling the air flow (12) arranged at the interface between the outlet of the recirculation duct, the second inlet/outlet of the filtration duct and the inlet of the second bypass duct.

Inventors

  • DUMUR, DENIS

Assignees

  • Stellantis Auto SAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240605

Claims (10)

  1. [Claim 1] Air treatment system (1) for a motor vehicle comprising an exterior air intake duct (2), a passenger compartment air recirculation duct (3), a diffusion duct (4) opening into the passenger compartment (H) of said vehicle and housing a motor-fan unit (5) and a first air filter (6); characterized in that it also comprises: - a two-way circulation filtration duct (7) housing a second HEPA-type air filter (8) and extending between the outlet of said intake duct (2) and the outlet of said recirculation duct (3), - a first bypass duct (9) extending between the outlet of said intake duct (2) and the inlet of the diffusion duct (4), and - a second bypass duct (10) extending between the outlet of said recirculation duct (3) and the inlet of said diffusion duct (4), said system further comprising: - a first air flow control flap (11) arranged at the interface between the outlet of said intake duct (2), a first inlet/outlet of said filtration duct (7) and the inlet of said first bypass duct (9); and - a second air flow control flap (12), arranged at the interface between the outlet of said recirculation duct (3), the second inlet/outlet of said filtration duct (7) and the inlet of said second bypass duct (10).
  2. [Claim 2] Air treatment system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first control flap (11) is movable between: - a first position in which said intake duct (2), said first bypass duct (9) and said filtration duct (7) are fluidically connected; - a second position in which only said intake (2) and filtration (7) conduits are fluidically connected while the inlet of said first bypass conduit (9) is closed; and - a third position in which only said filtration duct (7) and said first bypass duct (9) are fluidically connected while the outlet of said intake duct (2) is closed; said second control flap (12) being movable between: - a first position in which only said filtration duct (7) and said second bypass duct (10) are fluidically connected, while the outlet of said recirculation duct (3) is closed; and - a second position in which only said recirculation (3) and filtration (7) conduits are fluidically connected, while the inlet of said second bypass conduit (10) is closed.
  3. [Claim 3] Air treatment system (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it is capable of operating in a first mode in which: - said first control flap (11) occupies its first position so that the pulsed air, entering the passenger compartment (H) and coming only from the exterior (E) of the vehicle, circulates successively in said intake duct (2), said first bypass duct (9) and said diffusion duct (4) while passing only through said first air filter (6), and - said motor-fan unit (5) operates at its maximum electrical power.
  4. [Claim 4] Air treatment system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said first operating mode is configured to activate automatically in the presence of at least one passenger in the vehicle and when the temperature in the passenger compartment (H) is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature.
  5. [Claim 5] Air treatment system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it is capable of operating in a second mode in which: - said first control flap (11) occupies its second position and where said second control flap (12) occupies its first position, such that the pulsed air, entering the passenger compartment (H) and coming only from the exterior (E) of the vehicle, circulates successively in said intake duct (2), said filtration duct (7), said second bypass duct (10) and said diffusion duct (4) by successively passing through said second HEPA air filter (8) and said first air filter (6); and - said motor-fan unit (5) operates at its maximum electrical power.
  6. [Claim 6] Air treatment system (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said second mode is configured to activate automatically in the absence of a passenger in the vehicle and when the temperature in the passenger compartment (H) is higher than a predetermined threshold temperature.
  7. [Claim 7] Air treatment system (1) according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the face of said second HEPA air filter (8) crossed first by the air flow in said second operating mode is covered with an antistatic pre-filter (8A).
  8. [Claim 8] Air treatment system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that it is capable of operating in a third mode in which said first control flap (11) occupies its third position and where said second control flap (12) occupies its second position, so that the pulsed air, entering the passenger compartment (H) and consisting only of recycled air, circulates successively in said recirculation duct (3), said filtration duct (7), said first bypass duct (9) and said diffusion duct (4) by successively passing through said second HEPA air filter (8) and said first air filter (6).
  9. [Claim 9] Air treatment system (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said third operating mode is configured to activate automatically in the presence of at least one passenger in the vehicle and when the temperature in the passenger compartment (H) is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold temperature.
  10. [Claim 10] Motor vehicle comprising an air treatment system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Air treatment system for a motor vehicle provided with a HEPA filter [Technical field] [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2306877 filed on June 29, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. [2] The present invention relates generally to air treatment systems within the passenger compartment of motor vehicles. [3] The invention relates in particular to such an air treatment system for a motor vehicle provided with a HEPA type air filter. [Previous technique] [4] As is known, a motor vehicle includes an air treatment system within the passenger compartment of the vehicle in order to ensure passenger comfort. [5] Generally referred to by the acronym HVAC (for Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning in English), such an air treatment system typically includes: - an external air intake duct whose inlet is fluidically connected to the exterior of the vehicle; - a passenger compartment air recirculation duct whose inlet is fluidically connected to the interior of the vehicle passenger compartment; and - a diffusion duct whose outlet is fluidically connected to the interior of the vehicle passenger compartment. [6] The HVAC air treatment system also includes a motor-fan unit and at least one first air filter housed in the diffusion duct, these two elements generally being integrated into an HVAC module located under the dashboard of the vehicle. [7] Such an HVAC air treatment system further comprises an air flow control flap arranged at the interface between the outlet of the outside air intake duct, the outlet of the recirculation duct and the inlet of the diffusion duct. [8] This control flap is movable between an open position in which said exterior air intake and diffusion ducts are fluidically connected so that the pulsed air entering the passenger compartment comes only from outside the vehicle, and a closed position in which said recirculation and diffusion ducts are fluidically connected so that the pulsed air entering the passenger compartment is only recycled air. [9] The actuation of this air flow control flap can generally be controlled either manually by the driver or front passenger via mechanical or tactile control devices, or automatically via the HVAC air treatment system supervision module. [10] In order to improve the quality of the air in the passenger compartment, it is also known, in particular from US 10525395 B2, to have a HEPA type air filter (for “High Efficiency Particulate Arresting” in English, translating into French as [filter] with high efficiency against airborne particles) in the exterior air intake duct. [11] Such a HEPA filter is capable of filtering at least 99.95% of fine particles, invisible to the naked eye, with a diameter greater than or equal to 0.3 micrometers (pm). [12] In order to compensate for the pressure losses generated by these HEPA filters, the latter must have relatively large surface dimensions which can reach or even exceed 30 dm2 , so that they must be installed in the engine compartment of the vehicle outside the HVAC module due to lack of sufficient free space under the dashboard. [13] These significant pressure losses also lead to a significant increase in the electrical power absorbed by the motor-fan unit for a given air flow rate at the filter outlet. [14] This electrical power proves to be particularly important during the rapid cooling phases initiated, for example, when starting vehicles with a very high passenger compartment temperature resulting from prolonged exposure in the summer to direct sunlight. [15] During such a rapid cooling phase, the pressure losses caused by the HEPA filter (and which evolve according to the square of the air flow rate entering this filter) are in fact particularly significant since the motor-fan unit then operates at its maximum electrical power so that the air flow rate entering the passenger compartment is as high as possible (approximately 500 kg/h) so as to ensure rapid cooling of this passenger compartment. [16] It is therefore understood that the installation of such a HEPA filter requires oversizing of the motor-fan unit, the maximum operating power of which must be greater than that of a conventional motor-fan unit fitted to vehicles without this type of filter. [17] In addition to the additional cost and the increase in operating noise generated by this oversizing of the motor-fan unit, the major drawback of installing such a HEPA filter lies in the excess electricity consumption generated, this criterion being particularly sensitive in the case of electric vehicles for which the loss of autonomy can be relatively significant. [18] Also known from document US 2020/0376934 A1 is an HVAC module comprising: - a housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet connected by an air duct, this air inlet being able to be fluidically connected selectively to an exterior air intake duct and to a passe