A method for determining a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) passenger cabin air filter filtration performance includes determining a vehicle-exterior atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, a passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and an HVAC airflow rate. The passenger cabin particulate contaminant concentration is calculated from the determined atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and HVAC airflow rate.

A method for determining a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) passenger cabin air filter filtration performance includes determining a vehicle-exterior atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, a passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and an HVAC airflow rate. The passenger cabin particulate contaminant concentration is calculated from the determined atmospheric particulate contaminant concentration, passenger cabin air filter efficiency, and HVAC airflow rate.

A filter device of an air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle is provided. The filter device has at least one indicator device arranged in the filter device, the indicator device having at least one electrically conductive indicator material, the conductive characteristics of which vary in a manner dependent on the degree of loading of the filter device with filtered particles. Also provided is a motor vehicle having an air-conditioning system comprising the filter device, and a method for detecting the state of the filter device.

An air filter monitoring system and method includes a plenum, a pressurization blower, a first motor driving the pressurization blower, a first motor current sensor, a recirculation blower, a second motor driving the recirculation blower, a second motor current sensor, a speed selector, a fresh air filter, a recirculation air filter, a pressurization blower speed sensor, a recirculation blower speed sensor, and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a program instruction for permitting a controller to monitor the HVAC system. The program instruction is adapted to produce a first and a second motor control signal to drive independently the pressurization blower and the recirculation blower, respectively. The first and second motor control signals are a function of the speed sensor signals to maintain a constant speed. Comparing a first and second motor current sensor signal to a baseline and triggers a replacement action when either signal falls below a threshold.

An air treatment system may create an air flow pattern in a vehicle interior space, using air discharges in multiple directions and louvers such that some vanes within a louver are not parallel to other vanes within the louver. An air treatment system may provide bulk air flow to the vehicle interior and directed airflow to a driver region. An air flow system may comprise, internally, a constriction bounded by an edge of a UV light shield and an edge of a filter housing. Such air treatment systems, using filtration and UV light, effectively remove or kill viruses and other pathogens, for use in buses and similar vehicles.

A debris shield is disclosed for preventing debris from being sucked into the recirculate inlet of certain trucks used in the rental truck industry and thereby clogging the air conditioning evaporator coils and other components of the air conditioning system. The shield includes a segmented frame configured to fit over an opening of the system in such a way that any debris sucked into the recirculate inlet within the cab encounters and is arrested by the shield before reaching sensitive components. A method of shielding an automotive air conditioning system from entrained debris also is disclosed.

Disclosed herein are base metal catalyst devices for removing ozone, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants from an air flow stream. A catalyst device includes a housing, a solid substrate disposed within the housing, and a catalyst layer disposed on the substrate. The catalyst layer includes a first base metal catalyst at a first mass percent, a second base metal catalyst at a second mass percent, and a support material impregnated with at least one of the first base metal catalyst or the second base metal catalyst. The preferred catalyst composition is a combination of manganese oxide and copper oxide.

The present invention relates to a photocatalytic module for an automobile air conditioner and an automobile air conditioner having the same and, more particularly, to a photocatalytic module capable of eliminating various germs resulting from dew formed on an evaporator installed in an automobile air conditioner and corresponding bad smell, and an air conditioner having the same.

The photocatalytic module includes a duct fixation frame 54 adjacent to an inner wall of the duct 10; a filter fixation frame 55 having one end connected to the duct fixation frame, the filter fixation frame 55 fixing the photocatalytic filter 52; a photocatalytic filter 52 fixed by the fixation frame 55, being formed by applying a photocatalytic material onto a supporter having a shape of a plurality of cells neighboring each other and provided with a plurality of airflow paths; and a substrate 58 fixed to the duct fixation frame 54 and equipped with an ultraviolet (UV) light emitting diode (LED) 59 for radiating ultraviolet light toward the photocatalytic filter 52.

The present provides an air conditioner having the photocatalytic module installed therein and an LED disposed upstream of the photocatalytic filter on the flow path of the duct.

An apparatus and methods are provided for an aesthetic air filter to remove airborne particulate matter from an airstream. The aesthetic air filter comprises a supportive frame and a colored filter medium retained within the supportive frame. The supportive frame orients the aesthetic air filter within a ventilation system. The filter medium removes the particulate matter from air flowing through the ventilation system. The filter medium is treated with a suitable dye, or other substance, that gives the filter medium an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The filter medium may include a color that matches other nearby engine components, such as braided sheaths on hoses and wires, as well as decorative metallic couplings, and the like. The filter medium may be endowed with any of various desirable colors. The supportive frame may include a color that is coordinated with the color of the filter medium.

An apparatus and methods are provided for an aesthetic air filter to remove airborne particulate matter from an airstream. The aesthetic air filter comprises a supportive frame and a colored filter medium retained within the supportive frame. The supportive frame orients the aesthetic air filter within a ventilation system. The filter medium removes the particulate matter from air flowing through the ventilation system. The filter medium is treated with a suitable dye, or other substance, that gives the filter medium an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The filter medium may include a color that matches other nearby engine components, such as braided sheaths on hoses and wires, as well as decorative metallic couplings, and the like. The filter medium may be endowed with any of various desirable colors. The supportive frame may include a color that is coordinated with the color of the filter medium.