The content of the article:
- Types of anti-fogging agents and their principle of action
- The problem of choosing anti-foggers
The problem of fogging windows in a car is of the same natural origin as fogging window panes in a living space. Therefore, all motorists are familiar with this natural phenomenon, even if they only got behind the wheel for the first time today.
However, if it's just a nuisance indoors, then in a car is a safety issue, since the driver must have sufficient visibility and visibility so as not to drive "where it is not necessary" and does not create an emergency situation on the road during maneuvers.
In technical terms, "glass fogging" is the formation and precipitation of condensation (moisture) on the glass surface, with a sharp temperature drop (the so-called "dew point"). This process looks quite simple: warm, moist vapor enters the cold surface of the glass, which cools when interacting with the cold glass and turns into a liquid state. Indeed, as is known from the school physics course, depending on the temperature, water can be in three states: gaseous (steam), liquid (water) and solid (ice). And the "dew point" is just that boundary temperature at which the vapor begins to turn into a liquid state and turn into water (condensate).
And in order to eliminate this problem, anti-foggers were created, which are or an anti-fogging chemical or electrical appliance.
Types of anti-fogging agents and their principle of action
There are two types of anti-fogging agents, which differ in form and principle of use: chemical and electrical.
Chemical anti-fogging agents
- Aerosol (in a metal container). Sprayed under pressure in a cylinder.
- Spray (in a plastic bottle). Sprayed with a built-in push-type spray gun.
- Foam spray similar to aerosol (available in various containers). Sprays to form foam.
- Regular liquid.
- Anti-condensation wipes.
- Plastic ampoules with a sponge. (Disposable product).
All types of chemical anti-fogging agents are a kind of "anti-freeze" for washing glass from the outside, and are based on an alcohol-containing solution with surfactants (surfactants). That is, the main component of anti-fogging agents is alcohol, which has effective properties: degreasing the surface, ensuring the homogeneity of the substance for its uniform distribution over the surface, solubility with water and rapid evaporation together with water, followed by removal of condensate with alcohol vapor through the vehicle ventilation system (with closed windows ).
Electric defoggers
Essentially, electric de-foggers are a variation of the conventional electric hair dryer, but in a modern automotive version. Such electrical anti-condensation devices differ from each other mainly in size and technical data:
- dimensions (approximately 200 x 150 x 100 mm);
- electric motor power (100 - 200 W);
- air flow speed (0.35 m / s - 0.45 m / s);
- air flow temperature (400 ° С - 450 ° С);
- heater material (ceramic or metal);
- power supply from a 12 V "cigarette lighter" (some devices can be powered from a 24 V electric source and have a two-mode operation algorithm: "hot" and "cold").
- overheating protection;
- auto shutdown and other "chips".
In fact, there are even more types of electric defoggers, but it hardly makes sense to list them. It is only worth noting that they are all installed in the passenger compartment in two ways: using special brackets or using adhesive tape.
The problem of choosing anti-fogging for car windows
The problem with choosing car anti-foggers is that it is "difficult" to choose from what is the same and ... not particularly necessary!
Even in primitive models of cars "a hundred years ago" the problem of fogging was solved simply - by turning on the interior heater (stove). And in modern cars with climate control systems and convection (ventilation) of air in the cabin under the control of an on-board computer, there can be no problems with fogging.
And if, nevertheless, a problem with the fogging of the windows has arisen, you can not buy an anti-fogger, but repair the heating system (in old cars) or do climate control diagnostics (in modern cars).
