Mathematical description of automobile headlight contamination when driving on a wet road

Abstract

The article describes the process of contamination of automobile headlights in order to calculate contamination speed using a mathematical model. The authors published results of the study aimed at solving the problem of negative application of the CAIM (chemical anti-icing materials) on winter roads. In particular, it was found that when driving vehicles on winter roads covered with CAIM, the headlights become contaminated. The headlight contamination with dirty droplets from under the wheels of a vehicle ahead was analyzed. The detachment of droplets from the moving wheel and the path of droplets from the wheel to the headlights of the vehicle behind were analyzed and described. Process is studied of contaminant film formation which decreases light transmission was carried out. Road experiments were carried out. Along with the physicomathematical description of the process under consideration, they give new knowledge about headlight contamination depending on the vehicle speed. The mathematical model supplemented by the experimental study allows us to predict the rate of headlight contamination by the wheels of vehicles ahead when moving along roads covered with chemical anti-icing reagents depending on the speed and the distance between the vehicles.