Apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle air compressor to track water content in compressor oil

An apparatus for controlling a vehicle air compressor having compressor oil to track water content in the compressor oil due to condensation during operation of the compressor over a plurality of time intervals, the apparatus comprising:

• a data storage unit arranged to store a condensation control algorithm;
• and
• a processing unit arranged to apply the condensation control algorithm to:
• calculate a net rate of condensation of water in the compressor oil during operation of the compressor over a first time interval of the plurality of time intervals;
• maintain a running total of how much water is in the compressor oil at any given time over the first time interval to enable the compressor to operate in different modes of operation based upon the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil;
• store in a memory the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil at the end of the first time interval, when the compressor is shut down;
• retrieve the running total of how much water was in the compressor oil from the memory when the compressor is subsequently restarted;
• calculate a net rate of condensation of water in the compressor oil as the compressor operates over a second time interval of the plurality of time intervals;
• maintain a running total of how much water is in the compressor oil at any given time over the second time interval based upon the retrieved running total of how much water was in the compressor oil at the end of the first time interval;
• set a caution code whenever the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil during any time interval of the plurality of time intervals is greater than a first water limit threshold;
• and
• set a warning code whenever the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil during any time interval of the plurality of time intervals is greater than a second water limit threshold, which is greater than the first water limit threshold, wherein the compressor is operating in a normal mode of operation when the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil during any time interval of the plurality of time intervals is below the first water limit threshold value, a caution mode of operation when the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil during any time interval of the plurality of time intervals is between the first water limit threshold value and the second water limit threshold value, and a warning mode of operation when the running total of how much water is in the compressor oil ding any time interval of the plurality of time intervals is above the second water limit threshold value.