2013-01-1338-Sensor Less Wash Fluid Detection in Automotive Application

Downloaded from SAE International by Columbia Univ, Wednesday, April 15, 2020
2013-01-1338
Published 04/08/2013
Copyright © 2013 SAE International
doi:10.4271/2013-01-1338
saepcelec.saejournals.org
Sensor less Wash Fluid Detection in Automotive Application

Sidharth Gupta
Tata Motors, Ltd.
ABSTRACT
The proposed paper describes the hardware and software method used for detection of wash fluid level in water tank
used in automotive; thereby eliminating the need for sensor (Reed type switch mounted on washer bottle) for low wash
fluid detection.
Wash motor is used for water spray on windscreen during wash and wipe operation. The proposed system makes use of
hardware circuit used to drive the wash motor usually of DC (Direct current) type and a feedback circuitry to read back the
current consumed by motor during particular wash operation. This hardware system is coupled with software algorithm
such that during IGNITION ON instance wash motor will be turned on such as to get motor current readings to determine
amount of load operated by motor which is related to wash fluid inside the washer bottle. Motor operation is optimized so
as to avoid water spray causing nuisance to user.
It also eliminates the cost of the sensor, wiring harness and related signal conditioning circuitry used for sensor data
processing. The proposed invention does not suffer from mundane sensor faults such as short to battery / ground, sensor
open wire output, variation due to vibration and wear/tear.
CITATION: Gupta, S., "Sensor less Wash Fluid Detection in Automotive Application," SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars –
Electron. Electr. Syst. 6(1):2013, doi:10.4271/2013-01-1338.
____________________________________
1.0. INTRODUCTION
Washer pump is generally made of motor coupled with
the impeller (vane wheel).
Control within the car can be operated to squirt fluid onto
the windshield, typically using an electrical pump via jets
mounted either beneath the windshield or beneath the wiper
blade(s). The windshield wipers are automatically turned on,
cleaning dirt and debris off the windshield.
Low wash switch (reed type switch) is located inside the
washer bottle which detects the low wash fluid and sends the
digital signal to BCM (Body Control Module), in response
BCM turn OFF the power supply to washer motor, so as to
avoid the damages to washer motor.
If washer motor run at no load condition (washer fluid is
empty or less than 10 %) then motor efficiency is very poor;
results more motor heats up and may get damaged.
There is an indication on Instrument cluster or on display
device for low wash fluid inside the washer bottle which
informs user that washer fluid is to be added in washer bottle. Figure 1. Body control module internal schematic to
To provide the low wash fluid indication to customer, sense the washer motor current feedback
generally low wash switch (Reed type) sensor is implemented
along with extra digital input pin inside the BCM and relative
wiring harness.
335
336 Gupta / SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars – Electron. Electr. Syst. / Volume 6, Issue 1(May 2013)
In this paper we will define methodology to detect the 2.0. WASHER MOTOR CURRENT
washer fluid by sensing the washer motor current &
eliminating low wash fluid sensor. MEARUEMENT AT DIFFERNET
Washer pump is used to take the washer fluid from the LOAD CONDITIONS
washer bottle which acts as a load on the motor. If washer
Below data shows the washer pump currents taken at
fluid quantity inside the washer bottle is more then there is
different washer fluid levels inside the washer bottle.
more load on the motor which consequently results in
drawing more current from the battery. • Full load condition - Washer bottle is completely filled
with washer fluid.
Figure 3. Full Load Condition Washer Motor operating

current - 4.5 Amps @ 12 Volts
• Half Load Condition - Washer bottle is half filled with the

washer fluid.
Figure 2. Washer and wiper component placement
Figure 4. Half Load Condition Washer Motor Operating

Current - 2.8 Amps@ 12 Volts
Gupta / SAE Int. J. Passeng. Cars – Electron. Electr. Syst. / Volume 6, Issue 1(May 2013) 337
• No load condition - Washer bottle is empty or washer fluid

is less than 10 %.
Figure 7. Typical Inrush or Starting Current
Figure 5. No Load Condition Washer Motor Operating

Inrush current will persists for about 250 m Seconds from
Current - 1.0 Amp @ 12 Volts
the time when the washer motor is activated
TIME REQUIRED FOR SENSING THE

WASHER MOTOR CURRENT
Below data has shows the initial washer motor inrush
current i.e. the current drawn by washer motor when it is
activated and BCM shall ignore the same to avoid the false
measurement.
Figure 8. System Level Block Diagram
Figure 6. Typical Inrush or Starting Current

Figure 9. Typical washer pump & motor picture
Figure 10. Typical Low wash switch
3.0. ALGORITHM TO SENSE THE Below table shows washer motor current at different
washer fluid levels inside the washer bottle.
LOW WASH FLUID WITHIN BCM
SOFTWARE Table 1. Washer motor currents measurement with
different fluid levels inside the washer bottle
Following software algorithm is used within BCM (Body
Control Module) to detect the low wash fluid functionality
with the help of the washer motor current measurements:
• Every time user activates the washer pump then BCM

measures the current drawn by washer motor and records it
inside the EPROM (Erasable programmable read only
memory).
• Washer motor current recorded by the BCM is proportional

to the fluid left inside the washer motor.
• The washer motor current threshold value for ¼ th or empty • Speed - 23539 Rpm
washer fluid is set in the EPROM.
• Current - 2.847 Amp
• At every washer pump activation by user the BCM will
sense & record the washer motor current and will compare • Output - 23.520 Watts.
with the threshold value.
At Full load Condition
• While washer motor operation is in progress or after
completing the washer pump operation, if BCM detects that • Torque - 15.000 m-Nm
the washer motor current recorded is less than the threshold
value then it will send the CAN message to instrument cluster • Speed - 20793 Rpm
to indicate “low wash fluid” to the user. • Current - 4.146 Amp
• If BCM senses the IGN (Ignition supply) turned ON to OFF • Efficiency - 58.38 %
and again from OFF to ON state then BCM will activate the
washer pump for very short time i.e. 300 milli - second to • Output - 32.675 Watts.
check the washer fluid level inside the washer bottle. Note -
300 milli seconds time is defined as per measurement plots
• If washer motor run at no load condition (washer fluid is
and varies with different washer motors. Initial 250 milli
empty or less than 10 %) then motor efficiency is very poor,
seconds time is ignored by BCM so as to avoid the in rush or
more ever motor heats up and may get damaged
starting current and after that BCM records the washer motor
current for 50 milli seconds.
• Generally if the wash fluid level inside the washer bottle is
• Generally BCM will operate the rear washer pump instead low then it shall be indicated to the user so that user can fill
of the front washer motor as length of the rear washer pipe is the fluid in washer bottle to avoid the motor damage and to
more as compared with the front washer pump so there is no avoid the dry wipe across the windshield.
chance that the washer fluid will come out through the
nozzle, with operation time of the 300 m Seconds.
• During the initial operation of the washer pump if BCM
detects that the washer motor current is less than or equal to
defined threshold then BCM will immediately send the CAN
(Controller area network) message for “low wash fluid” to
instrument cluster.
• During initial washer operation if the washer motor current
is more than the threshold then BCM will not send the low
wash fluid CAN message to the instrument cluster.
• Once BCM recorded and detects that the washer current is
more than threshold current value than in next ignition cycle
BCM will not operate the washer motor for short duration i.e.
300 m sec to check the washer fluid level.
4.0. MOTOR SPEED VS TORQUE,

EFFICIENCY, AND CURRENT
CHARACTERISTIC
At maximum efficiency
• Efficiency - 61.18 % Figure 11. Motor torque - Current & Speed
characteristic
• Torque - 9.538 m- Nm
5.0. FLOWCHART TO SENSE THE

LOW WASH FLUID WITHIN BCM
SOFTWARE
6.0. CONCLUSION
Above implementation will eliminate the cost of the low
wash sensor, wiring harness and related signal conditioning
circuitry used for sensor data processing with out
compromising the functionality and performance.
Above system will also eliminate the faults due to the low
wash sensor i.e. sensor faulty etc and faults related to the
wiring harness.
REFERENCES
1. Driving Improvements in Motor Control Design - Issue 2 2009.
2. Modeling of Automotive Wiper and Washer System.
takayuki_sugimoto@exars.com Sugimoto Takayuki, Tamai Etsu,
Nakahara Keiko and Hida Shigeki shigeki_hida@exars.com EXARS
Corporation (Aichi, Japan)
3. Ghannam, M. and Schumack, M., “Analysis of an Automotive
Windshield Washer Fluid Delivery System,” SAE Technical Paper
2000-01-0128, 2000, doi:10.4271/2000-01-0128.
4. A Model for Automotive Windshield Washer Spray Delivered by a
Fluidic Nozzle,” Proc Instn Mech Engrs (Journal of Automotive
Engineering), vol. 210, pp. 327-333, with Ghannam Mahmoud (1996).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Sidharth Gupta
Manager (Dev)
gupta.sidharth@tatamotors.com
Engineering Research centre
Tata Motors Limited
Pune, India
ACKNOWLEDMENTS
We would like to thank Mr. Randeep Singh Khokar (Head
(Elect & Electronics - PCBU) ERC, Mr. Sanjeev V.M
(A.G.M) & Ms Ashwini (Design engineer) for the support
and for giving us great amount of freedom in analyzing the
subject.
Also we would like to express our gratitude to all our
colleagues, seniors and management of TATA motors
Engineering Research Center for the support extended to us.
DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS,
ABBREVIATIONS
BCM - Body Control module
DC - Direct Current
% - Percentage
m-Nm - Meter Newton meter
Rpm - Rotation per minutes
Amp - Ampere
Watts - Wattages.
mSecond - Milli seconds.
EPROM - Erasable programmable read only memory.

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Downloaded from SAE International by Columbia Univ, Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Sensor less Wash Fluid Detection in Automotive Application

Figure 3. Full Load Condition Washer Motor operating

• Half Load Condition - Washer bottle is half filled with the

Figure 2. Washer and wiper component placement

Figure 4. Half Load Condition Washer Motor Operating

• No load condition - Washer bottle is empty or washer fluid

Figure 7. Typical Inrush or Starting Current

Figure 5. No Load Condition Washer Motor Operating

TIME REQUIRED FOR SENSING THE

Figure 8. System Level Block Diagram

Figure 6. Typical Inrush or Starting Current

Figure 9. Typical washer pump & motor picture

Figure 10. Typical Low wash switch

• Every time user activates the washer pump then BCM

• Washer motor current recorded by the BCM is proportional

4.0. MOTOR SPEED VS TORQUE,

5.0. FLOWCHART TO SENSE THE

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