AUTOMOTIVE
iStockphoto/humonia
Cabin Air Quality What Could Stink in the Nostrils of Automotive Evaporator Cores By Dr. Iyad Al-Attar
R
apid economic empowerment is driving a long-term surge Air Pollution and Cabin Air Quality in vehicle ownership. The increased number of cars has conExhaust gases, tire abrasion, transportation systems, and factotributed to traffic-related air pollution and public health isries pollute our atmospheric air. Driving in a contaminated urban sues1-3. As a result, cities have become canyons for air pollution as environment where the outdoor air is filled with various types they attract population, construction, traffic, and extensive enerand concentrations of pollutants can challenge the cabin air filgy use4. Increased urban vehicle emissions from light and heavyters14. Drawing outdoor polluted air into the cabin environment duty vehicles pose a pollution challenge as pedestrians and cars is a filtration-intensive process, given the limited space available coexist in the same proximity5. The transport sector contributes for filter installation and the confined enclosures of vehicles. approximately one-quarter of all energy-related Greenhouse Gas Although poor air quality in buildings has gained more atten(GHG) emissions6,7. Transport emissions have grown at an annual tion mainly due to the recent pandemic, cabin air quality does not average of 1.7% from 1990 to 2022, faster than any other end-use garner the same concern, sufficient research funding, or approsector7. Transport emissions are responsible for more than 3.2 priate actions to enhance it. Cabin air quality is paramount; some million premature deaths annually8. studies suggest that many individuals spend up to three hours Cities constitute the primary source of greenhouse gas emisdaily in their cars. Today, air quality is critical in facilitating a sions. Several studies have suggested that most of the high conhealthy and comfortable cabin environment, and many automocentrations of airborne pollutants that drivers, passengers, and tive companies are competing to take it to the next level. pedestrians are exposed to are emitted by vehicles1-3,5,9. The HVAC Systems of Nanosized particles, includLight-duty Vehicles ing those originating from The air conditioning (AC) the combustion of different systems used in the automaterials, have been linked motive industry are shown to various health concerns in Figure 1, illustrating the such as fibrosis, chronic inrefrigerant flow throughout flammatory lung disease, the system. The process and cancer10,11. Several studstarts when the compressor ies have suggested that chilreceives cool, low-pressure dren living near roads with gas, which is compressed heavy-duty vehicle traffic into a gas with high preshave twice the risk of respisure and temperature. The ratory problems as those refrigerant is pumped out living near less congested p Figure 1: Illustration of a typical HVAC system used in the automotive industry. of the discharge side of streets12,13. the compressor and flows
26 IFN ISSUE 6 2023
