| Aspirating airbag modules include special features in their design that enable them to pull in air from the vehicle cabin during deployment. The goal of this design is to fill the airbag with a mixture of gas from a GG and aspirated air from the vehicle cabin. In theory, this design allows for a reduction in the required amount of GG-delivered gas to fill an airbag.; To measure the aspiration flow rate, the flow field around the canister was conditioned so that it could be quantified by a single velocity measurement. This velocity was measured using a CTA and hot-film probe. In addition to measurement of the aspiration, high-speed digital imaging was used to capture the location of the airbag during keypoints in the aspiration process. These images were also used to provide the velocity and volume history of the airbag during the deployment process.; Based on the experimental results a physical model was developed based on four flow regimes that are present during airbag deployment. These four regimes represent significant changes in the airbag deployment; ignition, maximum travel, airbag filled and venting. The aspiration process is shown to be closely coupled with the motion of the airbag. |
