VEHICULAR ATMOSPHERE PURIFYING APPARATUS

• US 20150007731A1
• Filed: 11/24/2011
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shinoda, Yoshihisa
• Application Number:
  US14/360,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20150007731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/111
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/106 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40009 using sensors or gas analysers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/40088 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0454 Controlling adsorption controlling temperature swing adsorption B01D53/0462, controlling pressure swing adsorption B01D53/047
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0462 Temperature swing adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/20 for preventing development of microorganisms

Abstract

A vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus diagnoses deterioration in the performance of an ozone purifier. In a routine, when it is determined that there is a deterioration diagnosis request, the amount of moisture that has already accumulated at ozone purification sites of activated charcoal at the time of the request is calculated. If the accumulated moisture amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, it is determined whether the state is such that calculation of a desorbed moisture amount is possible. If it is determined that calculation of the desorbed moisture amount is possible, the desorbed moisture amount is calculated, and the calculated desorbed moisture amount and a deterioration determination value are compared. If the desorbed moisture amount is less than the deterioration determination value, it is determined that the activated charcoal has deteriorated, and an MIL is lit.

Claims

1. A vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus comprising:

a vehicle component that is arranged at a location at which a flow path of atmospheric air is formed while a vehicle is running;

an ozone purifier that is provided on the vehicle component and includes activated charcoal;

a humidity sensor that acquires a parameter that is associated with a moisture amount that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal or that desorbs therefrom;

a deterioration determination device that determines deterioration of the ozone purifier using the parameter; and

a sensor heating device that heats the humidity sensor utilizing heat that is generated by a heat source apparatus that is mounted in the vehicle.

2. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a moisture supply device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, supplies moisture to the ozone purifier to cause the moisture to adsorb onto the activated charcoal;

wherein the deterioration determination device determines deterioration of the ozone purifier using a parameter that is associated with a moisture amount that adsorbs on the activated charcoal at a time of supplying the moisture from the moisture supply device.

3. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heating the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom;

wherein the deterioration determination device determines deterioration of the ozone purifier using a parameter that is associated with a moisture amount that desorbs from the activated charcoal at a time of heating by the heating device.

4. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a moisture supply device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, supplies moisture to the ozone purifier to cause the moisture to adsorb onto the activated charcoal; and

a moisture supply control device that, prior to heating of the ozone purifier by the heating device, controlling the moisture supply device so that the activated charcoal enters a state in which the activated charcoal is saturated with adsorbed moisture.

5. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the ozone purifier is formed at one portion of the vehicle component;

the vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus further comprising;

a correction parameter acquisition device that acquires a correction parameter associated with a moisture amount around a portion at which the ozone purifier is not formed of the vehicle component; and

a parameter correction device that corrects the parameter that is acquired by the humidity sensor using the correction parameter.

6. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor that acquires a parameter that is associated with a moisture amount that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal or that desorbs therefrom;

wherein the parameter that is acquired by the humidity sensor is corrected using the parameter that is acquired by the temperature sensor.

7. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heats the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom;

wherein the heating device heats the ozone purifier utilizing heat that is generated by a heat source apparatus that is mounted in the vehicle.

8. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heats the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom;

wherein the heating device preferentially heats the ozone purifier in a vicinity of an installation location of the humidity sensor.

9. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle component is a radiator in which is formed an inner channel that comprises an inlet and an outlet of cooling water for cooling a heat source apparatus that is mounted in the vehicle; and

the humidity sensor is provided in a vicinity of the outlet.

10. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the inner channel comprises a first inner channel that is formed so that a flow path length from the inlet to the outlet is a shortest length therebetween, and a second inner channel that has a longer flow path length than the first inner channel; and

the radiator comprises a channel switching device capable of switching a distribution destination of cooling water between the first inner channel and the second inner channel;

the vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus further comprising;

a request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heats the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom;

wherein the heating device heats the ozone purifier by controlling the channel switching device so that the distribution destination of the cooling water is the first inner channel.

11. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier; and

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heats the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom;

wherein the heating device heats the ozone purifier by causing cooling water to flow backwards from the outlet towards the inlet.

12. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the humidity sensor is subjected to waterproofing.

14. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

request determination device that determines existence or non-existence of a deterioration diagnosis request with respect to the ozone purifier;

a heating device that, in a case where existence of the deterioration diagnosis request is determined, heats the ozone purifier to a temperature greater than or equal to a temperature at which it is possible for moisture that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal to desorb therefrom; and

a sensor heating control device that controls the sensor heating device so as to heat the humidity sensor prior to heating of the ozone purifier by the heating device.

15. The vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deterioration countermeasure control device that executes countermeasure control based on a determination result obtained by the deterioration determination device.

13. (canceled)

16. A vehicular atmosphere purifying apparatus comprising:

a vehicle component that is arranged at a location at which a flow path of atmospheric air is formed while a vehicle is running;

an ozone purifier that is provided on the vehicle component and includes activated charcoal;

a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor that acquire a parameter that is associated with a moisture amount that is adsorbed on the activated charcoal or that desorbs therefrom;

a deterioration determination device that determines deterioration of the ozone purifier using the parameter; and

a sensor heating device that heats the humidity sensor utilizing heat that is generated by a heat source apparatus that is mounted in the vehicle.