Vehicle muffler assembly, heating control method thereof, and vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a vehicle muffler assembly, a heating control method thereof and a vehicle, and belongs to the field of vehicles. The vehicle muffler assembly comprises a muffler assembly, the muffler assembly comprising a muffler and a heating device, the muffler comprising at least one drain hole, the heating device being connected to the muffler, and the heating device comprising a heat preservation cover, a first temperature detection device, a second temperature detection device, a liquid level detection device, a controller and a heater. The drain hole and the heater are heat preserved by using the heat preservation cover, the first temperature detection device acquires the temperature at the drain hole, the second temperature detection device acquires the ambient temperature, the liquid level detection device acquires the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole, and the controller controls the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature, so that the heater can be accurately controlled to heat according to the actual condition of the drain hole, energy consumption is effectively saved, the ice blockage phenomenon of the muffler is solved, and the NVH performance of the vehicle is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicles, in particular to a vehicle muffler assembly, a heating control method thereof and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] The exhaust system of an automobile includes an exhaust pipe and a muffler, and exhaust gas is discharged from the muffler through the exhaust pipe. Because the temperature inside the exhaust system is greatly different from the temperature of the external environment (the temperature of the exhaust gas is very high, generally greater than 300 DEG C), the water vapor in the exhaust gas will be liquefied into condensed water and remain in the exhaust system, that is, in the muffler. Generally, the bottom of the muffler is provided with a drain hole, so that the condensed water can be discharged from the drain hole. However, when the temperature of the external environment is low, the condensed water may freeze before it can be discharged from the drain hole, thereby blocking the drain hole of the muffler, so that the condensed water cannot be discharged from the drain hole of the muffler. This situation is called ice blocking phenomenon, which can cause the NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) performance of the vehicle to decrease, and even cause the engine to be unable to start.

[0003] In the related art, a heating device can be installed on the muffler to solve the ice blocking phenomenon of the muffler, the heating device including a heater and a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor being configured to obtain the temperature of the external environment around the drain hole of the muffler, and the heater being configured to heat the drain hole of the muffler when the temperature of the external environment is lower than 0 DEG C, and stop heating after a preset time, so as to solve the ice blocking phenomenon of the muffler.

[0004] However, the above heating device can heat the drain hole of the muffler when the temperature of the external environment is lower than 0 DEG C but the ice blocking phenomenon does not occur, which causes waste of electric energy. If the temperature of the external environment is always lower than 0 DEG C, the above heating device can be repeatedly started, which causes a large amount of waste of electric energy. SUMMARY

[0005] The present disclosure provides a vehicle muffler assembly, a heating control method thereof and a vehicle, which can accurately solve the ice blocking phenomenon of the drain hole of the muffler while saving energy. The technical solution at least includes the following solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, a vehicle muffler assembly is provided, comprising: a muffler and a heating device, the muffler comprising at least one drain hole, the heating device being connected to the muffler, the heating device comprising: a heat preservation cover, a first temperature detecting device, a second temperature detecting device, a liquid level detecting device, a heater, and a controller; the heat preservation cover being arranged outside the at least one drain hole and connected to the muffler; the first temperature detecting device being arranged in the heat preservation cover and configured to obtain the temperature at the drain hole; the second temperature detecting device being arranged outside the heat preservation cover and configured to obtain the ambient temperature; the liquid level detecting device being arranged in the heat preservation cover and configured to detect the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole; the heater being arranged in the heat preservation cover and configured to heat the drain hole; and the controller being configured to control the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole, and the ambient temperature.

[0007] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole when the vehicle is in an off state and the ambient temperature is in a first temperature range, the maximum value of the first temperature range being less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius.

[0008] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole in the following manner: when the time period during which the liquid level remains at a first liquid level is greater than a first time period, the controller controls the heater to start heating to reduce the liquid level; when the time period during which the liquid level is reduced reaches a second time period or when the liquid level is reduced to 0, the controller controls the heater to stop heating; after the controller controls the heater to stop heating, if it is detected that the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the controller controls the heater to heat until the liquid level is 0.

[0009] Optionally, the controller is further configured to control the heater to heat when the vehicle is in an off state and the ambient temperature is less than the minimum value of the first temperature range until the liquid level is 0.

[0010] Optionally, the controller is further configured to control the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole, and the change in the operating state of the vehicle when the time period during which the vehicle is in an idle state is greater than a third time period and the ambient temperature is less than 0 degrees Celsius.

[0011] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the heater to heat in the following manner according to the change of the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the operating state of the vehicle: when the time period during which the liquid level is at or above the first liquid level is greater than the first time period, the controller controls the heater to start heating; during the heating of the heater, if the operating state of the vehicle changes from the idling state to a running state and the time period during which the liquid level decreases reaches a second time period, the controller controls the heater to stop heating.

[0012] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the heater to heat in the following manner according to the change of the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the operating state of the vehicle: when the time period during which the liquid level is at or above the first liquid level is greater than the first time period, the controller controls the heater to start heating; during the heating of the heater, if the operating state of the vehicle changes from the idling state to an engine-off state and the time period during which the liquid level decreases reaches a second time period, the controller controls the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole.

[0013] Optionally, the controller is configured to control the heater in the following manner according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole: if the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the controller controls the heater to heat; if the temperature at the drain hole is greater than 0 degrees Celsius or the liquid level is 0, the controller controls the heater to stop heating.

[0014] The second aspect also provides a heating control method of a vehicle muffler assembly, the muffler assembly comprising a muffler and a heating device, the muffler comprising at least one drain hole, the heating device being connected to the muffler, the heating control method of the vehicle muffler assembly being implemented by the heating device, and the method comprising: obtaining an ambient temperature and a temperature at the drain hole; obtaining a liquid level of a liquid in the drain hole; and heating the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature.

[0015] Optionally, the heating of the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature comprises: when the vehicle is in an engine-off state and the ambient temperature is within a first temperature range, the first temperature range having a maximum value less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius, heating the drain hole according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole.

[0016] Optionally, the heating the drain hole according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole comprises: when the time length of the liquid level remaining at the first liquid level is greater than a first time length, controlling the heater to start heating to make the liquid level decrease; when the time length of the liquid level decreasing reaches a second time length or when the liquid level decreases to 0, controlling the heater to stop heating; after the heater stops heating, if the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, controlling the heater to heat until the liquid level is 0.

[0017] Optionally, the heating the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature further comprises: when the vehicle is in an engine-off state and the ambient temperature is less than a minimum value of the first temperature range, controlling the heater to heat until the liquid level is 0.

[0018] Optionally, the heating the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature further comprises: when the time length of the vehicle being in an idle state is greater than a third time length and the ambient temperature is less than 0 degrees Celsius, controlling the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the operating state of the vehicle.

[0019] Optionally, the controlling the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the operating state of the vehicle comprises: when the time length of the liquid level being at or above the first liquid level is greater than a first time length, controlling the heater to start heating; during the heating of the heater, if the operating state of the vehicle changes from the idle state to a driving state and the time length of the liquid level decreasing reaches a second time length, controlling the heater to stop heating.

[0020] Optionally, the controlling the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the operating state of the vehicle further comprises: when the time length of the liquid level being at or above the first liquid level is greater than a first time length, controlling the heater to start heating; during the heating of the heater, if the operating state of the vehicle changes from the idle state to an engine-off state and the time length of the liquid level decreasing reaches a second time length, controlling the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole.

[0021] Optionally, the controlling the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole comprises: if the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, controlling the heater to heat; if the temperature at the drain hole is greater than 0 degrees Celsius or the liquid level is 0, controlling the heater to stop heating.

[0022] The third aspect also provides a vehicle comprising the muffler assembly according to the first aspect.

[0023] The technical scheme provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0024] By adopting the heat preservation cover to heat preserve the drain hole and the heater, the first temperature detection device acquires the temperature at the drain hole, the second temperature detection device acquires the ambient temperature, the liquid level detection device detects the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole, and the controller controls the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature, so that the heater can be accurately controlled to heat according to the actual condition of the drain hole, the energy consumption is maximally saved, the ice blocking phenomenon of the muffler is effectively solved, the vehicle NVH performance is improved, and the user driving experience is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical schemes in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0026] Figure 1 The structure of a vehicle muffler assembly provided by one of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 2 The structure of another vehicle muffler assembly provided by one of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 The flow chart of the heating control method of the vehicle muffler assembly provided by one of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the liquid level measurement of the ultrasonic liquid level sensor provided by one of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Unless otherwise defined, technical terms or scientific terms used herein shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terms "first", "second", "third", and the like, as used in the description and the claims herein, do not have any specific meaning, and are used only to distinguish one component from another. Also, the terms "a", "an", and the like, do not limit the number of the components or the quantity of the components. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", and the like, mean including but not limited to. The terms "connected", "coupled", and the like, mean to be directly or indirectly connected or coupled.

[0031] For the purpose of making the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 The structure of a vehicle muffler assembly provided by one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Referring to Figure 1 , the muffler assembly 10 includes a muffler 11 and a heating device 12, and the heating device 12 is connected to the muffler 11. The muffler 11 includes at least one drain hole 111. The heating device 12 includes a heat preservation cover 121, a first temperature detecting device 122, a second temperature detecting device 123, a liquid level detecting device 124, a heater 125, and a controller 126.

[0033] The heat preservation cover 121 is arranged outside the at least one drain hole 111 and is connected to the muffler 11. The first temperature detecting device 122 is arranged inside the heat preservation cover 121 and is used to obtain the temperature at the drain hole 111. The second temperature detecting device 123 is arranged outside the heat preservation cover 121 and is used to obtain the ambient temperature. The liquid level detecting device 124 is arranged inside the heat preservation cover 121 and is used to detect the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole 111. The heater 125 is arranged inside the heat preservation cover 121 and is used to heat the drain hole 111. The controller 126 is used to control the heater 125 to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111, and the ambient temperature.

[0034] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drain hole 111 and the heater are kept warm by the heat preservation cover 121, the first temperature detecting device 122 acquires the temperature at the drain hole 111, the second temperature detecting device 123 acquires the ambient temperature, the liquid level detecting device 124 detects the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole 111, and the controller 126 controls the heater 125 according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111 and the ambient temperature, so that the heater can be accurately controlled according to the actual situation of the drain hole, the energy consumption is maximally saved, the ice blocking phenomenon of the muffler is effectively solved, the NVH performance of the vehicle is improved, and the driving experience of the user is improved.

[0035] The muffler 11 comprises at least one drain hole 111. The drain hole 111 is located at the bottom of the muffler 11 and is used to drain the liquid (such as water) in the muffler 11.

[0036] In some embodiments, the muffler 11 comprises two drain holes, and in other embodiments, the muffler 11 comprises three or even more drain holes, so that the liquid in the muffler 11 can be fully drained. In this case, one heating device 12 is installed on each drain hole, or a single heating device 12 can cover all the drain holes, so that the heating device 12 can fully heat each drain hole of the muffler 11, and the drainage performance of the drain hole of the muffler 11 is not affected by the ice blocking phenomenon.

[0037] The heating device 12 comprises a heat preservation cover 121, which is arranged outside the at least one drain hole 111 and connected with the muffler 11. The heat preservation cover 121 is used to reduce the temperature drop speed of the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 on the one hand, and to protect the controller 126 and the heater 125 on the other hand, thereby prolonging the service life thereof.

[0038] In some embodiments, the heat preservation cover 121 has a circular opening corresponding to the drain hole 111, and the circular opening has the same shape as the drain hole 111, so that the liquid in the drain hole 111 can be normally drained. In other embodiments, the diameter of the circular opening is greater than the diameter of the drain hole 111, so that the liquid in the drain hole 111 can be quickly drained.

[0039] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises thermal insulation cotton (not shown in the figure). The thermal insulation cotton is located in the thermal insulation cover 121 and is used to further increase the thermal insulation performance of the thermal insulation cover 121. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the thermal insulation cotton is fully filled in the thermal insulation cover 121, which can on the one hand maximize the thermal insulation effect on the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 and on the other hand play a role of shock absorption protection. By filling the thermal insulation cotton, the vibration received by the controller 126 and the heater 125 in the heating device 12 is reduced, so that the controller 126 and the heater 125 can be kept in place, thereby prolonging the service life of the heating device 12. In addition, since the vibration received by the controller 126 and the heater 125 is reduced, the noise generated is also reduced, thereby improving the NVH performance of the whole vehicle.

[0040] In some embodiments, the thermal insulation cotton covers the inner wall of the thermal insulation cover 121, thereby being able to strengthen the thermal insulation effect of the thermal insulation cover 121.

[0041] Exemplarily, the thermal insulation cotton is glass fiber thermal insulation cotton, ceramic fiber thermal insulation cotton or like plastic thermal insulation cotton, and the embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, by arranging the thermal insulation cover 121 and the thermal insulation cotton in the heating device 12, the influence of the external environment temperature on the temperature at the drain hole 111 can be reduced, the time for the temperature at the drain hole 111 to decrease after the heating device 12 is heated can be delayed, and the controller 126 and the heater 125 can be protected, thereby prolonging the service life thereof.

[0043] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises a first temperature detection device 122, which is used to acquire the temperature at the drain hole 111.

[0044] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first temperature detection device 122 is located in the thermal insulation cover 121. Optionally, the first temperature detection device 122 is installed in the thermal insulation cover 121 away from the heating wire, thereby being able to avoid the influence of the temperature of the heating wire on the temperature detection result; or the first temperature detection device 122 is installed in the thermal insulation cover 121 as close as possible to the drain hole 111, thereby being able to accurately acquire the temperature at the drain hole 111; or the first temperature detection device 122 is installed in the thermal insulation cover 121 away from the heating wire and as close as possible to the drain hole 111, thereby further accurately acquiring the temperature at the drain hole 111.

[0045] Exemplarily, the first temperature detection device 122 is installed on the left side of the drain hole 111 and is connected to the muffler 11 and is next to the drain hole.

[0046] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first temperature detecting device 122 can be any small-volume measuring device for obtaining temperature values in the related art, for example, a temperature sensor, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not make any limitation in this regard. Wherein, the small-volume measuring device for obtaining temperature values can facilitate the installation of the first temperature detecting device 122 in the heat preservation cover 121, and reduce the volume of the heating device.

[0047] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises a second temperature detecting device 123 for obtaining the ambient temperature.

[0048] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the second temperature detecting device 123 is located outside the heat preservation cover 121. Optionally, the second temperature detecting device 123 is installed outside the heat preservation cover 121 and connected with the heat preservation cover 121. Since the heat preservation cover 121 has good heat preservation performance, the second temperature detecting device 123 installed outside the heat preservation cover 121 can also accurately obtain the ambient temperature.

[0049] The type of the second temperature detecting device 123 can be consistent with the type of the first temperature detecting device 122, and will not be described in detail herein.

[0050] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, since the heat preservation cover 121 and the heat preservation cotton are arranged in the heating device 12, the temperature drop speed at the drain hole 111 can be reduced. In this way, the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 can not be consistent with the ambient temperature, and therefore two temperature detecting devices are selected, one for detecting the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11, and the other for detecting the ambient temperature, so that the controller 126 can accurately control the heater 125 according to the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 and the ambient temperature, thereby saving energy consumption.

[0051] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises a liquid level detecting device 124 for obtaining the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole 111.

[0052] In a possible implementation, the liquid level detecting device 124 is an ultrasonic liquid level sensor or a radar liquid level sensor.

[0053] The ultrasonic liquid level sensor is based on the TOF (Time Of Flight) technology to measure the liquid level. The TOF technology refers to that the ultrasonic liquid level sensor sends ultrasonic waves to the liquid surface, the ultrasonic waves are reflected after encountering the liquid surface, and the ultrasonic liquid level sensor calculates the time difference between the emission and reflection of the ultrasonic waves and the ultrasonic wave propagation speed to convert the distance D1 between the ultrasonic sensor and the liquid surface.

[0054] In this case, the ultrasonic liquid level sensor can be installed at the top of the muffler 11 opposite the drain hole 111, and the distance D2 between the ultrasonic liquid level sensor and the bottom of the muffler 11 is known. Thus, after the ultrasonic liquid level sensor detects the distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the liquid level, D2 minus D1 is the liquid level height. If D2 minus D1 is 0 or negative, it means that the liquid level is 0 at this time. The top of the muffler 11 refers to the part of the muffler 11 opposite the part where the drain hole 111 is located, and the bottom of the muffler 11 refers to the part of the muffler 11 where the drain hole 111 is located.

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the ultrasonic liquid level sensor measuring the liquid level provided by one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, wherein Figure 4 is a cross section perpendicular to the drain hole of the muffler in the axial direction of the muffler. Referring to Figure 4 , the ultrasonic sensor 401 is installed at the top of the muffler 11 opposite the drain hole 111.

[0056] The ultrasonic liquid level sensor 401 sends ultrasonic waves 403 to the liquid surface 402, and the ultrasonic waves 403 are reflected back to the ultrasonic liquid level sensor 401 after encountering the liquid surface 402. The ultrasonic liquid level sensor 401 calculates the distance D1 between the ultrasonic liquid level sensor 401 and the liquid surface based on the time difference between sending the ultrasonic waves 403 and receiving the returned ultrasonic waves 403 and the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves. Since the distance D2 between the ultrasonic liquid level sensor 403 and the bottom of the muffler 11 is known, the height of the liquid surface 402 at this time is D2-D1.

[0057] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic liquid level sensor is installed at the top of the muffler 11 and not opposite the drain hole 111, and the distance D2 between the ultrasonic liquid level sensor and the bottom of the muffler 11 is known. In this case, D2 minus D1 is the liquid level height. If D2 minus D1 is 0, it means that the liquid level is 0 at this time. If D2 minus D1 is negative, it means that the ultrasonic liquid level sensor is malfunctioning at this time.

[0058] The radar liquid level sensor works similarly to the ultrasonic liquid level sensor, with the difference being that the radar liquid level sensor sends ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic waves, while the ultrasonic liquid level sensor sends ultrasonic waves. The rest of the working principle is consistent with that of the ultrasonic liquid level sensor, and will not be described in detail here.

[0059] By using an ultrasonic liquid level sensor or a radar liquid level sensor as the liquid level detecting device 124, the liquid level in the muffler 11 can be accurately obtained, even if the liquid in the muffler 11 is frozen due to too low temperature, the ultrasonic liquid level sensor or the radar liquid level sensor can still obtain the liquid level (or the thickness of the ice block) at this time, so that the liquid level in the muffler can be accurately obtained.

[0060] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises a heater 125. The heater 125 is arranged along the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11, connected with the muffler 11 and located in the heat preservation cover 121.

[0061] Optionally, the heater 125 is a resistance wire. In some embodiments, the heater 125 is a combination of a resistance wire and a shell, and the shell is used to protect the resistance wire so as to prolong the service life of the resistance wire. In other embodiments, the heater 125 is a combination of a resistance wire and a heat-conducting plate, and the heat-conducting plate is located between the resistance wire and the muffler 11, used to accelerate the heating efficiency of the heater 125 on the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11, so as to reduce the heating time and the energy consumption caused by heating.

[0062] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises a controller 126, which is used to control the heater 125 according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111 and the ambient temperature. Optionally, the controller 126 is an MCU (Microcontroller Unit) or the like.

[0063] Optionally, the controller 126 is used to control the heater 125 according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111 and the ambient temperature.

[0064] The way in which the controller 126 controls the heater 125 is described in detail below.

[0065] The controller 126 controls the heater 125 in different ways when the vehicle is in different driving states. This is described below.

[0066] In the first case, when the vehicle is in an engine-off state, the controller 126 can control the heater 125 in the following strategies.

[0067] Strategy A: when the ambient temperature is in a first temperature range, the heater 125 is controlled according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111.

[0068] Optionally, the maximum value of the first temperature range is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius.

[0069] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first temperature range is 0 to -15 degrees Celsius, and the ambient temperature is in the first temperature range, i.e., the ambient temperature is in the range of 0 to -15 degrees Celsius. For example, the ambient temperature is 0 degrees Celsius, or the ambient temperature is -15 degrees Celsius, or the ambient temperature is -5 degrees Celsius, in which case the ambient temperature is in the first temperature range.

[0070] Optionally, the heater 125 is controlled according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111, including the following three steps:

[0071] In the first step, when the time length for which the liquid level remains at the first liquid level is greater than a first time length, the heater 125 is controlled to start heating to make the liquid level drop.

[0072] Optionally, the first liquid level is the liquid level detected at the previous second of the current time. For example, the liquid level at a certain time is 10 mm, and the liquid level one second later is 9 mm, so when the liquid level of 9 mm is detected, the first liquid level is the liquid level of 10 mm at the previous second.

[0073] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first time length is in the range of 2-5 seconds, for example, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 5 seconds.

[0074] When the time length for which the liquid level remains at the first liquid level is greater than the first time length, it indicates that the liquid level in the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 no longer changes, i.e., it indicates that ice blocking occurs in the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11, so the controller 126 needs to control the heater 125 to start heating to make the liquid level drop.

[0075] In the second step, when the time length for which the liquid level drops reaches a second time length or when the liquid level drops to 0, the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating.

[0076] Optionally, the second time length is in the range of 2-5 seconds, for example, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 5 seconds.

[0077] Optionally, whether the liquid level continuously drops is determined by calculating a first difference between the current liquid level and the liquid level at the previous second. When the first difference is negative, it indicates that the liquid level drops, when the first difference is positive, it indicates that the liquid level rises, and when the first difference is 0, it indicates that the liquid level remains unchanged or the liquid level is 0. In this case, the controller 126 is configured to determine whether the current liquid level is 0.

[0078] When the time length for which the liquid level drops reaches the second time length, it indicates that the liquid in the muffler 11 is continuously discharged, which means that there is no ice blocking phenomenon in the muffler 11 or the ice blocking phenomenon has basically disappeared, so the controller 126 stops the heater 125 from heating, thereby saving energy consumption.

[0079] When the liquid level drops to 0, it indicates that there is no liquid in the muffler 11, and since the vehicle is in the off state, no liquid will be added to the muffler 11, and the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating, which can save energy.

[0080] In the third step, after the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating, if the temperature at the drain hole 111 is detected to be less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heater 125 is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0, and then the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating.

[0081] If the first temperature detection device 122 detects that the temperature at the drain hole 111 is less than 0 or equal to degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, it indicates that the ice blocking phenomenon may occur again at this time, so the heater 125 is controlled to heat again until the liquid level is 0, and then the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating. In this way, on the one hand, the waste of energy caused by long heating is avoided, and on the other hand, the ice blocking phenomenon in the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 is avoided from occurring again, thereby realizing precise control of the heating device 12.

[0082] In some embodiments, after the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating, if the temperature at the drain hole 111 is detected to be less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heater 125 is controlled to heat, and then the second step to the third step are repeatedly executed, so as to intermittently heat the drain hole 111, and then the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating when the liquid level is 0.

[0083] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the liquid level remains the first liquid level for a time greater than the first time, the heater 125 is controlled to start heating to make the liquid level drop; when the liquid level drops for a time reaching a second time or when the liquid level drops to 0, the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating; after the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating, if the temperature at the drain hole 111 is detected to be less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heater 125 is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0, and then the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating, so that the controller 126 can accurately control the heater 125 according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111 when the vehicle is in the off state and the external environment temperature is in the first temperature range, thereby saving energy.

[0084] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, by controlling the heater 125 according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111 when the vehicle is in the off state and the external environment temperature is in the first temperature range, the heater 125 is accurately controlled according to the actual situation of the drain hole 111, and energy is effectively saved.

[0085] In one implementation, the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123 and the liquid level detecting device 124 can work continuously, so that the controller 126 controls the heater 125 according to the parameters detected by the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123 and the liquid level detecting device 124.

[0086] In another implementation, in order to further save power consumption, the controller 126 is further configured to control the turning on or turning off of the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123 and the liquid level detecting device 124. The turning on or turning off time of these devices will be described in detail below.

[0087] Optionally, the controller 126 can turn on the second temperature detecting device 123 to obtain the ambient temperature when the vehicle is just turned off or within a set time period after the vehicle is turned off.

[0088] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to turn off the second temperature detecting device 123 when the ambient temperature is greater than the maximum value of the first temperature range.

[0089] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the maximum value of the first temperature range is 0, and when the vehicle is in the off state and the ambient temperature is greater than 0, it can be indicated that the ambient temperature is high and the ice blocking phenomenon will not occur temporarily. In this case, even if there is liquid in the muffler 11, the liquid will be quickly discharged from the muffler 11 and will not be left in the muffler 11 due to the ice blocking phenomenon, so the second temperature detecting device 123 can be turned off at this time to save power consumption.

[0090] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to turn on the liquid level detecting device 124 to obtain the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole 111 when the ambient temperature is less than or equal to the maximum value of the first temperature range.

[0091] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to control the liquid level detecting device 124 after controlling the heater 125 to stop heating.

[0092] Optionally, after the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to stop heating, the controller 126 controls the first temperature detecting device 122 to be turned on to obtain the temperature at the drain hole 111.

[0093] Strategy B: When the ambient temperature is less than the minimum value of the first temperature range, the heater 125 is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0, and then the heater 125 is controlled to stop heating.

[0094] The outside environment temperature less than the minimum value of the first temperature range indicates that the outside environment temperature is extremely low, in this case, as long as there is water in the muffler 11, ice blocking phenomenon is likely to occur in the muffler 11, therefore, in order to avoid the ice blocking phenomenon, the heater 125 is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0 to stop, which ensures that the vehicle NVH performance is good, and ensures that the vehicle can be started normally next time without starting failure due to ice blocking phenomenon.

[0095] The second case, when the vehicle is in the parking idle state, the controller 126 can control the heater 125 by strategy C.

[0096] Strategy C, the controller 126 is configured to control the heater 125 to heat according to the change of the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111 and the running state of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the parking idle state for more than a third time length and the outside environment temperature is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius.

[0097] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the third time length is in the range of 40-80 seconds, for example, it can be 40s, 60s or 80s.

[0098] Optionally, the heater 125 is controlled to heat according to the change of the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole 111 and the running state of the vehicle, including the following three steps:

[0099] The first step, when the liquid level is at or above the first liquid level for more than the first time length, the heater 125 is controlled to start heating.

[0100] The first liquid level and the first time length are related to the first step of the foregoing controller 126 for controlling the heater 125 according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111 when the vehicle is in the off state and the outside environment temperature is in the first temperature range, which will not be described here.

[0101] The liquid level is at the first liquid level for more than the first time length, which indicates that the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 has ice blocking when the vehicle is in the parking idle state, and the controller 126 is configured to control the heater 125 to heat.

[0102] Since the vehicle is in the idling state rather than the off state, the engine is still running at this time, and exhaust gas will be discharged, but the exhaust gas amount of the vehicle in the idling state is smaller than that of the vehicle in the running state, so although the exhaust gas is high-temperature exhaust gas, the influence of the exhaust gas on the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 is small because the exhaust gas is a small amount of exhaust gas, and the muffler 11 may continue to produce condensed water in the drain pipe due to the small amount of exhaust gas. In this case, if the ice blocking phenomenon occurs at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11, the liquid level detection device 124 may also detect that the current liquid level is higher than the first liquid level, that is, the time period during which the liquid level is higher than the first liquid level is greater than the first time period, indicating that the ice blocking phenomenon occurs, and therefore the controller 126 also needs to control the engine to heat.

[0103] Optionally, during the process in which the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to heat, if the running state of the vehicle changes from the idling state to the running state and the time period during which the liquid level drops reaches a second time period, a second step is performed; if the running state of the vehicle changes from the idling state to the off state and the time period during which the liquid level drops reaches the second time period, a third step is performed.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, since the vehicle does not always remain in the idling state, the running state of the vehicle will inevitably change, for example, from the idling state to the running state, or from the idling state to the off state.

[0105] The second step is to control the heater 125 to stop heating.

[0106] When the vehicle changes from the idling state to the running state, since the vehicle will discharge a large amount of exhaust gas in the running state, and the exhaust gas temperature is high, the ice blocking phenomenon will not occur in the running state, and the controller 126 can control the heater 125 to stop heating.

[0107] However, if the ice blocking phenomenon in the muffler 11 does not disappear when the vehicle changes from the idling state to the running state, it will affect the NVH performance of the vehicle. Therefore, in order to improve the NVH performance of the vehicle, the heater needs to be stopped when the time period during which the liquid level drops reaches the second time period and the vehicle changes from the idling state to the running state, that is, when the ice blocking phenomenon basically disappears and the vehicle starts to run, so as to improve the NVH performance of the vehicle and improve the user experience.

[0108] The third step is to control the heater 125 according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111.

[0109] Specifically, the third step includes: if the temperature at the drain hole 111 is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, controlling the heater 125 to heat; if the temperature at the drain hole 111 is greater than 0 degrees Celsius or the liquid level is 0, controlling the heater 125 to stop heating.

[0110] When the vehicle changes from the idling state to the off state, if there is ice blocking phenomenon in the muffler 11, it may affect the next start of the vehicle, therefore, when the vehicle changes from the idling state to the off state, the controller 126 controls the heater 125 according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole 111, so as to effectively save the energy consumption.

[0111] If the temperature at the drain hole 111 is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, it means that the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 is low and there is water in it at this time, and the muffler 11 has a high possibility of ice blocking phenomenon in this state, so the controller 126 needs to control the heater 125 to heat to drain the liquid in the drain hole 111; when the liquid level is 0, it means that the liquid in the muffler 11 has been drained, so there is no need to heat at this time, and the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to stop heating.

[0112] If the temperature at the drain hole 111 is greater than 0 degrees Celsius, it means that the temperature of the muffler 11 is high at this time, and the ice blocking phenomenon will not occur temporarily, and in this case, due to the influence of gravity, even if there is still liquid in the muffler 11, it will be quickly drained, so at this time the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to stop heating. If the liquid level is 0, it means that there is no liquid in the muffler 11, so the heater 125 can also be controlled to stop heating. In this way, the controller 126 realizes accurate control of the heating of the heater 125 according to the temperature at the drain hole 111 of the muffler 11 and the liquid level, thereby accurately saving the energy consumption of the heating device 12.

[0113] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 126 controls the heater to heat according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole, and the change of the running state of the vehicle when the vehicle is in the parking idling state for more than a third time and the external environment temperature is less than 0 degrees Celsius, thereby saving energy consumption while improving the vehicle NVH performance and improving the user experience.

[0114] In one implementation, the first temperature detection device 122, the second temperature detection device 123 and the liquid level detection device 124 can work continuously, so that the controller 126 controls the heater 125 according to the parameters detected by the first temperature detection device 122, the second temperature detection device 123 and the liquid level detection device 124.

[0115] In another implementation, in order to further save power consumption, the controller 126 is also used to control the opening or closing of the first temperature detection device 122, the second temperature detection device 123 and the liquid level detection device 124. The opening or closing time of these devices is described in detail below.

[0116] Optionally, the controller 126 can start the second temperature detecting device 123 to obtain the ambient temperature when the vehicle is in the parking idle state for more than a third time length.

[0117] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to turn off the second temperature detecting device 123 when the ambient temperature is greater than 0 degree Celsius.

[0118] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to start the liquid level detecting device 124 to obtain the liquid level in the drain hole 111 when the vehicle is in the parking idle state for more than a third time length and the ambient temperature is less than or equal to 0 degree Celsius, and turn off the liquid level detecting device 124 when the liquid level in the drain hole 111 is 0.

[0119] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to turn off the second temperature detecting device 123 when the liquid level drops for a second time length, and then turn off the liquid level detecting device 124 when the liquid level is 0.

[0120] When the liquid level drops for a second time length, it means that the liquid level is continuously dropping. Since the vehicle is in the parking idle state, if the liquid level in the muffler 11 continuously drops, it means that the temperature of the muffler 11 is high (e.g. 200 degree Celsius), and the ambient temperature has little effect on the temperature of the muffler 11. Therefore, the second temperature detecting device 123 can be turned off at this time to save power consumption.

[0121] Optionally, the controller 126 can be further configured to start the first temperature detecting device 122 to obtain the temperature at the drain hole 111 when the vehicle changes from the parking idle state to the engine off state.

[0122] Optionally, the controller 126 is further configured to control other devices in the heating device 12 to stop working when the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to stop heating. The other devices in the heating device 12 are devices other than the controller and the heater, such as the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123, or the liquid level detecting device 124. If one or more of the other devices in the heating device 12 are still not turned off when the controller 126 controls the heater 125 to stop heating, the controller 126 is configured to turn off these other devices in the heating device 12 to maximize the energy saving of the heating device 12.

[0123] Figure 2 Another structure of a vehicle muffler assembly is shown in another example embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 2, the vehicle muffler assembly comprises a muffler 11, a heating device 12, and a controller 126. Figure 2The muffler 11, the drain hole 111, the heat preservation cover 121, the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123, the liquid level detecting device 124, the heater 125 and the controller 126 in the muffler assembly 10 in the application are consistent with those shown in the prior art, except that Figure 1 The muffler assembly 10 in the application further comprises a wind power generating device 127 and a storage battery 128. Figure 2

[0124] Optionally, the heating device 12 further comprises the wind power generating device 127 and the storage battery 128. The storage battery 128 is connected with the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123, the liquid level detecting device 124, the heater 125 and the controller 126 respectively, for supplying power to the first temperature detecting device 122, the second temperature detecting device 123, the liquid level detecting device 124, the heater 125 and the controller 126.

[0125] The wind power generating device 127 is connected with the storage battery 128 and the exhaust fan of the exhaust pipeline of the exhaust system. When the automobile is running, the exhaust gas will drive the exhaust fan to rotate. Based on this, the wind power generating device 127 is installed on the exhaust fan, and when the automobile is running and the exhaust gas is exhausted, the exhaust fan will rotate, and the wind power generating device 127 can convert the mechanical energy generated by the rotation of the exhaust fan into electrical energy and store it in the storage battery 128. In this way, the energy for charging the storage battery 128 is saved, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the heating device 12. At the same time, since the wind power generating device 127 can automatically charge the storage battery 128 when the automobile is running, it is not necessary for the user to manually charge or replace the battery, thereby effectively improving the user experience.

[0126] In some embodiments, for example, when the vehicle is in the parking idle state, the heating device 12 can be directly powered by the storage battery 128 of the vehicle, thereby saving the power of the storage battery 128 in the heating device 12, and further saving the energy consumption of the heating device 12.

[0127] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the storage battery 128 and the wind power generating device 127 installed in the exhaust system are combined to supply power to the heating device, without the need for the user to manually charge or replace the battery, thereby effectively improving the user experience, and at the same time, since there is no need for charging, the energy consumption of the heating device is further saved.

[0128] The following is a method embodiment of the present application. For details not described in the method embodiment, reference can be made to the above-described device embodiments.

[0129] Figure 3 A flow chart of a heating control method of a vehicle muffler assembly provided by an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, referring to Figure 3 The method comprises:

[0130] ​In step 301, the ambient temperature and the temperature at the drain hole are acquired.

[0131] In step 302, the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole is acquired.

[0132] In step 303, the drain hole is heated according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature.

[0133] The implementation process of step 303 is described above, and the detailed description is omitted here.

[0134] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, by acquiring the ambient temperature, the temperature at the drain hole and the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole, and then heating the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature, the drain hole can be heated accurately according to the actual situation of the drain hole, the energy consumption is minimized, the ice blocking phenomenon of the muffler is effectively solved, the vehicle NVH performance is improved, and the user driving experience is improved.

[0135] The embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a vehicle, which comprises the muffler assembly provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0136] The above description is only optional embodiments of the present disclosure, and is not used to limit the present disclosure. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A vehicle muffler assembly, characterized by, The muffler assembly comprises a muffler and a heating device, the muffler comprises at least one drain hole, the heating device is connected with the muffler, and the heating device comprises a heat preservation cover, a first temperature detection device, a second temperature detection device, a liquid level detection device, a heater and a controller. The heat preservation cover is arranged outside the at least one drain hole and connected with the muffler. The first temperature detection device is arranged in the heat preservation cover and used for acquiring the temperature at the drain hole. The second temperature detection device is arranged outside the heat preservation cover and used for acquiring the ambient temperature. The liquid level detection device is arranged in the heat preservation cover and used for detecting the liquid level of the liquid in the drain hole. The heater is arranged in the heat preservation cover and used for heating the drain hole. The controller is used for controlling the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature. The controller is used for controlling the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the ambient temperature in the following manner: When the vehicle is in an off state and the ambient temperature is in a first temperature range, the maximum value of which is less than or equal to 0 ℃, the heater is controlled according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole. When the liquid level remains a first liquid level for a time greater than a first time, the heater is controlled to start heating to make the liquid level decrease. When the liquid level decreases for a time reaching a second time or when the liquid level decreases to 0, the heater is controlled to stop heating. After the heater is controlled to stop heating, if the temperature at the drain hole is detected to be less than or equal to 0 ℃ and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heater is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0.

2. The vehicle muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein The controller is further used for controlling the heater to heat when the vehicle is in an off state and the ambient temperature is less than the minimum value of the first temperature range, and the heater is controlled to stop heating when the liquid level is 0.

3. The vehicle muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein The controller is used for controlling the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the running state of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a parking idle state for a time greater than a third time and the ambient temperature is less than 0 ℃.

4. The vehicle muffler assembly of claim 3, wherein The controller is used for controlling the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the running state of the vehicle in the following manner: When the liquid level is at a first liquid level or higher than the first liquid level for a time greater than a first time, the heater is controlled to start heating. During the heating of the heater, if the running state of the vehicle changes from the parking idle state to a driving state and the liquid level decreases for a time reaching a second time, the heater is controlled to stop heating.

5. The vehicle muffler assembly of claim 3, wherein, The controller is used for controlling the heater according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole and the change of the running state of the vehicle in the following manner: When the liquid level is at a first liquid level or higher than the first liquid level for a time greater than a first time, the heater is controlled to start heating. During the heating of the heater, if the operating state of the vehicle changes from the idling state to an engine-off state and the liquid level drops for a second time period, the heater is controlled according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole.

6. The vehicle muffler assembly of claim 5, wherein, The controller is configured to control the heater according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole in the following manner: If the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heater is controlled to heat; If the temperature at the drain hole is greater than 0 degrees Celsius or the liquid level is 0, the heater is controlled to stop heating.

7. A method of heating control of a vehicle muffler assembly, characterized by, The muffler assembly includes a muffler and a heating device, the muffler includes at least one drain hole, the heating device is connected to the muffler, and a heating control method of the vehicle muffler assembly is implemented by the heating device. The method includes: obtaining an ambient temperature and a temperature at the drain hole; obtaining a liquid level of liquid in the drain hole; heating the drain hole according to the liquid level, the temperature at the drain hole, and the ambient temperature, including: when the vehicle is in an engine-off state and the ambient temperature is within a first temperature range, the maximum value of which is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius, the heating device is controlled according to the liquid level and the temperature at the drain hole; when the liquid level remains at a first liquid level for a first time period, the heating device is controlled to start heating to reduce the liquid level; when the liquid level drops for a second time period or when the liquid level drops to 0, the heating device is controlled to stop heating; after the heating device is controlled to stop heating, if the temperature at the drain hole is less than or equal to 0 degrees Celsius and the liquid level is greater than 0, the heating device is controlled to heat until the liquid level is 0, and the heating device is controlled to stop heating.

8. A vehicle characterized by comprising: The vehicle includes the muffler assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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