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01/10/2007
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Until now it has only been possible in HVAC systems to adjust the direction and volume of the airflow from vents in the cockpit. Horizontal and vertical louvres divert the airflow to the left and right, and up and down, and a shut-off valve closes or reduces airflow. As a result, draft-free ventilation is not usually possible.
Now Behr of Stuttgart has designed the ‘comfort vent’, claiming it to be a world first. It provides an individually adjustable, draft-free air current through the vehicle interior, without taking up any additional space.
Occupants can choose between three airflow options: spot flow (concentrated airflow, focused on a single point); diffused flow (airflow spread over a wide area); and combined spot and diffused flow (the two basic spot and diffused flow functions can also be combined as desired).
The comfort vent differs from conventional vents in that instead of one there are two air ducts – a helical diffused-flow duct and a centred spot flow duct. Because of the duct geometry, air flowing through the diffused flow duct is discharged with a circular flow, spreading it over a wide area.
The result as perceived by occupants is an air current that is no longer focused on a particular point but instead has the characteristics of a draft-free, diffused flow. The flow through the spot duct is not ‘swirled’ in this way, allowing a very direct flow of air.
The flow can be adjusted in various directions, horizontally and vertically, using a movable spot cylinder, with the possibility of added louvres. In the basic design, the airflow modes and deflection can be altered manually. And the motor-driven system also allows integration into smart systems such as Behr’s Physio-Control.
The comfort vent can eliminate the need for an additional indirect diffuse ventilation function in the instrument panel and offers many new vent styling options.
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Author
Roger Bishop
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Copyright European Automotive Design.
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