|
Article Excerpt
Drivers can be beset by uncomfortable or unhealthy levels of toxic exhaust gases (such as carbon monoxide, NOx, or unburned hydrocarbons) when they are in congested areas, tunnels or garages, or following polluting vehicles. They can also be vulnerable to noxious odors from, for example, farms, roads, or buildings, that can enter the vehicle cabin.
An air quality sensing module, located near the fresh air inlet, can reduce the amount of harmful pollutants or undesired odors entering the vehicle cabin through the HVAC/climate control system by signaling to close the fresh air inlet door/ventilation flap when a high level of pollutants or unpleasant odors are detected. Although cars typically have a recirculation switch to close the ventilation flap, manual activation of the recirculation switch can be slow and cumbersome and divert the driver from paying attention to the traffic. Furthermore, the driver may not bother to activate the recirculation switch; or he/she may forget to reopen the ventilation flap, which could lead to excessive condensation on the windows and, possibly fatigue due to insufficient oxygen.
An air quality sensing module that senses harmful or unpleasant levels of exhaust gases or unpleasant odorous substances and triggers the climate control unit to automatically close the inlet air door allows for rapidly optimizing air quality in the car's interior, facilitating passenger health and comfort.
Spearheading and capitalizing on opportunities for automotive air quality sensing and control, Texas Instruments (headquartered in Dallas, TX)(www.ti.com)(NYSE: TXN) and AppliedSensor (Linkoping, Sweden/Parsippany, NJ, 973-887- 6900)(www.appliedsensor.com) have finalized a development and supply agreement aimed at enhancing intake air quality control in vehicles. TI's Sensors & Controls unit, headquartered in Attleboro, MA, is a key provider of automotive and HVAC/R pressure transducers. AppliedSensor is a developer and manufacturer of advanced chemical sensor components and modules for air quality, control, and safety applications.
AppliedSensor will provide to TI Sensors & Controls in the Netherlands MEMS MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) sensors (with signal conditioning electronics) that consist of multiple sensor elements for detecting carbon monoxide (CO), NOx (nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide), and hydrocrabons/VOCs (volatile organic compounds, associated with unpleasant odorous compounds, such as manure, asphalt, compost, etc.), as these toxic gases or unpleasant odors enter the vehicle cabin from sources such as streets, tunnels, garages, or other high-polluting vehicles.
AppliedSensor's MOS sensors are designed, developed and produced at the company's facility in Tubingen, Germany. TI will incorporate the MOS sensor in an air classification module (ACM) used to activate control of the air intake in automobiles. TI intends to market the ACM, which is under development, by the 2006 model year, with production beginning around 2005.
The MEMS MOS sensor-based ACM will be mounted in the air intake of the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) unit. It will provide an output signal classifying intake air quality along with internal diagnostic validation. To minimize the intake of undesired levels of unhealthy and unpleasant gases, TI's air classification module will be designed to provide high sensitivity, high stability, and a response time that is significantly faster (by several seconds) than a manual response emanating from driver or passenger recognition, by using highly sensitive materials and processes. The TI ACM offers microprocessor-based signal conditioning using smart...
|
