Evaluation of windshield defogging process in an automobile

Mutlu M., Sevilgen G., Kılıç M.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF VEHICLE DESIGN, vol.71, pp.103-121, 2016 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 71
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Doi Number: 10.1504/ijvd.2016.078770
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF VEHICLE DESIGN
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.103-121
  • Keywords: defogging, computational fluid dynamic, CFD, windshield, droplet model, wall film model, HEAT-TRANSFER, NUMERICAL-SIMULATION, AIR-FLOW, SURFACE, PERIOD, CABIN
  • Bursa Uludag University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The defogging process on a windshield is one of the important concerns in the automotive industry for driver safety and certification. Therefore, the simulation of the windshield defogging process provides a very effective and useful tool for the designers to obtain a more efficient and rapid defogging process. In this paper, an experimental and numerical study is presented for the windshield defogging process of an automobile. A computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) tool was used to perform the relevant three dimensional (3-D) transient simulations. Both droplet and wall film models are employed for comparison of the demisted area on a windshield in the numerical calculations. The 3-D fluid flow, temperature distribution and heat transfer characteristics of the interior surfaces of the automobile cabin are also considered. It is shown that the results of the simulations are in a good agreement with the experimental data presented in this study.