Method and assembly for controlling water recovery in a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11511601-B2
Application number	US-201917289321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the recovery of water in a motor vehicle, in which method, to recover water in an air-conditioning system (12) of the motor vehicle, air is cooled to a temperature below its dew point, and the water dropping out as a result of the cooling is collected in a water container (13). During water recovery, the air-conditioning system (12) is controlled by means of a water recovery control device (11), wherein, to control the water recovery by means of the water recovery control device (11), the air-conditioning system (12) is adjusted on the basis of at least one parameter value which is detected by a detection unit (10) and transmitted to the water recovery control device (11).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling water recovery in a motor vehicle, in which method,
to recover water in an air-conditioning system of the motor vehicle, air is cooled to a temperature below its dew point and the water precipitating as a result of the cooling is collected in a water container,
wherein, during water recovery, the air-conditioning system is controlled by means of a water-recovery controller,
wherein, to control the water recovery by means of the water-recovery controller, the air-conditioning system is adjusted on the basis of at least one detected parameter value that is transmitted to the water-recovery controller,
wherein target values for water recovery per electrical output and/or target values for water recovery per mechanical output of the air-conditioning system are stored in the water-recovery controller, and
wherein water recovery is controlled on the basis of said target values.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that an ambient climate of the motor vehicle is used as the parameter value.

3. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a vehicle data set is used as the parameter value.

4. The method according to claim 3 , characterized in that the vehicle data set is selected from one or more of the following data:
navigation data and/or weather forecast data and/or data about a water level in the water container.

5. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that an actual water level in the water container is measured and compared to a target water level.

6. The method according to claim 5 , characterized in that a change in the actual water level is determined on the basis of a driving distance of the motor vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 5 , characterized in that the actual water level is measured before and/or during a journey of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the target values for the water recovery per time and/or the target values for the water recovery per electrical output and/or the target values for the water recovery per mechanical output are determined experimentally and/or calculated from simulation data from the air-conditioning system.

9. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the water-recovery controller interacts with an air-conditioning controller and the water-recovery device is regulated on the basis of air-conditioning system parameters detected in the air-conditioning controller.

10. The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the air-conditioning system parameters are selected from at least one of the following data: minimum air-conditioning system temperature (T_minAC) and/or maximum air-conditioning system temperature (T_maxAC) and/or minimum air outlet velocity (V_minAC) and/or maximum air outlet velocity (V_maxAC).

11. The method according to claim 9 , characterized in that the air-conditioning system parameters are selected on the basis of a comfort setting of a vehicle occupant of the motor vehicle.

12. An assembly for controlling water recovery in a motor vehicle, comprising
an air-conditioning system by means of which, to recover water, air can be cooled to a temperature below its dew point,
a water container in which the water that precipitates as a result of the cooling can be collected,
and
a water-recovery controller,
wherein the assembly is configured
to recover water in the air-conditioning system of the motor vehicle by cooling air to a temperature below its dew point and collecting the water precipitating as a result of the cooling in the water container,
wherein, during water recovery, the air-conditioning system is controlled by means of the water-recovery controller,
wherein, to control the water recovery by means of the water-recovery controller, the air-conditioning system is adjusted on the basis of at least one parameter value that is transmitted to the water-recovery controller, wherein
target values for water recovery per electrical output and/or target values for water recovery per mechanical output of the air-conditioning system are stored in the water-recovery controller, and
wherein water recovery is controlled on the basis of said target values.

Assignees

• Kautex Textron Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Lipperheide Moritz
• Stell Björn
• Dreschers Daniel

Classifications

• E03B3/28

  from humid air (condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14) · CPC title

• B60H1/32331 Primary

  comprising means for the use of condensed liquid, e.g. for humidification or for improving condenser performance · CPC title

• B60H1/3233

  characterised by condensed liquid drainage means · CPC title

• Y02A20/00

  Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use · CPC title