Water purifier and supply in a vehicle
Systems and methods are provided for a water purifier and supply in a vehicle. In particular, the water purifier and supply system may filter or purify collected precipitation for vehicle occupants to consume inside the vehicle cabin. Certain embodiments of the water purifier and supply system may include a water management system operated by an electronic control unit that detects the level of water in the water management system, determines a preferred level of water in the water management system, compares the detected level of water to the preferred level of water, and adjusts features of the water management system to increase the stored supply of purified or filtered water for vehicle occupant hydration.
1. A water management system, comprising:
an environmental sensor configured to detect precipitation;
a closeable water collection inlet configured to open when the environmental sensor detects precipitation and close when the environmental sensor ceases to detect precipitation;
a water purifier;
a reservoir;
a water dispenser disposed within a cabin of a vehicle, wherein the closeable water collection inlet, the water purifier, the reservoir, and the water dispenser are in fluidic connection; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) including machine executable instructions in non-transitory memory to:
detect a default preferred water level in the water management system;
determine whether a vehicle occupant has set a preferred water level different from the default preferred water level;
adjust the closeable water collection inlet to increase a detected water level in the reservoir to reach the default preferred water level;
maintain the default preferred water level unless the vehicle occupant has set a different preferred water level, in which case adjust the default preferred water level to the vehicle occupant's different preferred water level; and
purify precipitation collected by the closeable water collection inlet, through the water purifier, and deposit the purified precipitation into the reservoir for dispensing through the water dispenser.
2. The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the closeable water collection inlet is located externally on the vehicle adjacent to a lower edge of the vehicle's windshield, the water purifier and the reservoir are located internally on the vehicle, and the water dispenser is located in the vehicle's cabin.
3. The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit includes further instructions to:
detect the default preferred water level in the water management system, which comprises either:
detect a water level inside the reservoir; or
detect a combined water level inside the water purifier, reservoir, and water dispenser.
4. The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit includes further instructions to:
actuate at least one motor to adjust the opening of the closeable water collection inlet.
5. The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the collected precipitation is transported through an HVAC system of the vehicle to heat or cool the collected precipitation.
6. The water management system of claim 5 , further comprising a temperature control system, wherein the temperature control system further comprises a heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy between the vehicle's HVAC system and the collected precipitation.
7. The water management system of claim 6 , wherein the temperature control system further comprises a temperature sensor positioned to monitor the temperature of the water, and the electronic control unit is configured to regulate the operation of the HVAC system based on the monitored temperature to achieve a desired water temperature.
8. The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the water dispenser comprises an opening to drain spilled water that is rerouted back to the water purifier for recycled use.
9. A computer-implemented method comprising:
detecting, by an electronic control unit (ECU), a detected water level in a vehicle's water management system;
determining, by the ECU, a default preferred water level;
comparing, by the ECU, the detected water level and the default preferred water level;
adjusting at least one collection inlet of the vehicle's water management system to increase the detected water level to reach the default preferred water level;
determine, by the ECU, whether a vehicle occupant has set a preferred water level different from the default preferred water level; and
maintain, by the ECU, the default preferred water level unless the vehicle occupant has set the different preferred water level, in which case, adjust the default preferred water level to the vehicle occupant's different preferred water level,
wherein the preferred water level is determined by an environmental sensor, a rate of water use, the detected water level, and a user preference.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the at least one collection inlet of the vehicle's water management system comprises adjusting an opening of the collection inlet, such that water is collected through the opening.
11. A water management system for a vehicle, comprising:
an environmental sensor configured to detect precipitation;
a closeable water collection inlet configured to open when the environmental sensor detects precipitation and close when the environmental sensor ceases to detect precipitation;
a water purifier;
a reservoir;
a water temperature control system, wherein collected precipitation is transported through an HVAC system of the vehicle to heat or cool the collected precipitation;
a water dispenser disposed within a cabin of the vehicle, wherein the closeable water collection inlet, the water purifier, the water temperature control system, the reservoir, and the water dispenser are in fluidic connection; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) including machine executable instructions in non-transitory memory to:
adjust the closeable water collection inlet to increase a detected water level in the reservoir to reach a preferred water level; and
purify precipitation collected by the closeable water collection inlet, through the water purifier and water temperature control system, and deposit purified precipitation into the reservoir for dispensing through the water dispenser.
12. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the closeable water collection inlet is located externally on the vehicle adjacent to a lower edge of the vehicle's windshield, the water purifier, the temperature control system, and the reservoir are located internally on the vehicle, and the water dispenser is located in the vehicle's cabin.
13. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit includes further instructions to:
detect a default preferred water level in the water management system, which comprises either:
detect a water level inside the reservoir; or
detect a combined water level inside the water purifier, water temperature control system, reservoir, and water dispenser.
14. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit includes further instructions to:
detect a default preferred water level in the water management system;
determine whether a vehicle occupant has set a different preferred water level from the default preferred water level; and
maintain the default preferred water level unless the vehicle occupant has set a different preferred water level, in which case, adjust the preferred water level to the vehicle occupant's different preferred water level.
15. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic control unit includes further instructions to actuate at least one motor to adjust the opening of the closeable water collection inlet.
16. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the water dispenser comprises an opening to drain spilled water that is rerouted back to the water purifier for recycled use.
17. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the temperature control system further comprises a heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy between the vehicle's HVAC system and the collected precipitation.
18. The water management system of claim 11 , wherein the temperature control system further comprises a temperature sensor positioned to monitor the temperature of the water, and the electronic control unit is configured to regulate the operation of the HVAC system based on the monitored temperature to achieve a desired water temperature.
19. A computer-implemented method comprising:
collecting, by a collection inlet of a vehicle's water management system, precipitation;
transporting the collected precipitation through an HVAC system of the vehicle to heat or cool the collected precipitation;
detecting, by an electronic control unit (ECU), a detected water level in the vehicle's water management system, wherein the detected water level comprises a level of heated or cooled water in a reservoir;
determining, by the ECU, a preferred water level;
comparing, by the ECU, the detected water level and the preferred water level;
adjusting the collection inlet of the vehicle's water management system to increase the detected water level to reach the preferred water level;
wherein the preferred water level is determined by an environmental sensor, a rate of water use, the detected water level, the HVAC system, and a user preference.
20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein adjusting the collection inlet of the vehicle's water management system comprises adjusting an opening of the collection inlet, such that water is collected through the opening.