A vehicle thermal management method, system, and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a vehicle thermal management method, system, and vehicle. The method is applied to a controller installed on the vehicle and connected to the vehicle's water heater and heater core valve. The vehicle is equipped with a waste heat exchanger and a heater core, the waste heat exchanger including a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The method includes: acquiring a first temperature obtained by temperature sampling of the waste heat collection side; determining a heating mode based on a preset waste coolant temperature and the first temperature; and adjusting the water output ratio of the heater core valve according to the heating mode, so that the heater core uses coolant from the heater core valve to heat the vehicle. The water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater core valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater core valve to the waste heat recovery side. This invention reduces the energy consumption for vehicle heating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of thermal management technology, and in particular to a vehicle thermal management method, system, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most mainstream vehicles in China use electric heaters to heat the air in their air conditioning systems.

[0003] However, this heating method leads to a significant waste of heat resources, resulting in high energy consumption for vehicle heating, which urgently needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a vehicle thermal management method, system, and vehicle that reduces energy consumption for vehicle heating.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle thermal management method is provided, applied to a controller, the controller being disposed on a vehicle and connected to a water heater and a heater valve on the vehicle, respectively. The vehicle is provided with a waste heat exchanger and a heater core, the waste heat exchanger including a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The method may include: acquiring a first temperature obtained by temperature sampling of the waste heat collection side, and determining a heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature; adjusting the water output ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode, so that the heater core heats the vehicle through coolant from the heater valve, wherein the water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle thermal management system is provided, which may include: a water heater, a heater valve, a waste heat exchanger, a heater core, a heater pipe, and a controller for implementing the vehicle thermal management method provided in any embodiment of the present invention. The controller is connected to the water heater and the heater valve respectively, and the waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, wherein the target vehicle includes a vehicle thermal management system provided in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0008] The technical solution of this invention involves acquiring a first temperature obtained from temperature sampling on the waste heat collection side, and determining a heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature. This determines the thermal management strategy. According to the heating mode, the water outlet ratio of the heater core valve is adjusted so that the heater core uses coolant from the heater core valve to heat the vehicle. This allows for thermal management according to the strategy corresponding to the heating mode, thereby achieving vehicle heating. The above technical solution determines the heating mode using the waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature, and then adjusts the water outlet ratio accordingly. In a heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible, the recovered waste heat is used through a waste heat exchanger to heat the coolant flowing from the heater core valve to the waste heat recovery side, allowing the heater core to use the heated coolant to heat the vehicle, thus reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0009] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or important features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0010] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0011] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a vehicle thermal management method provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another vehicle thermal management method provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of yet another vehicle thermal management method provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle thermal management system provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of an optional example of a vehicle thermal management system provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 6 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle thermal management device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device that implements the vehicle thermal management method of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. The same applies to "target," "original," etc., and will not be repeated here. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0020] Before introducing the embodiments of the present invention, the implementation process of the current vehicle thermal management scheme and the reasons for the high energy consumption of vehicle heating will be explained by way of example, so as to better understand why the scheme proposed in the embodiments of the present invention reduces the energy consumption of vehicle heating.

[0021] For example, currently, the air conditioning and heating systems of mainstream vehicles in China, such as new energy commercial vehicles, generally use electric heaters. This heating method cannot fully utilize the waste heat on the vehicle to meet the air conditioning and heating functions, resulting in high energy consumption for vehicle heating and failing to meet user needs.

[0022] To address this, this invention determines the heating mode by using the waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, and then adjusts the water output ratio according to the heating mode. This achieves the following: in a heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible, the recovered waste heat is used through a waste heat exchanger to heat the coolant flowing from the heater core valve towards the waste heat recovery side. This allows the heater core to heat the vehicle using the heated coolant, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption. This will be explained in detail below.

[0023] Figure 1This is a flowchart of a vehicle thermal management method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is applicable to vehicle thermal management situations. The method can be executed by the vehicle thermal management device provided in this embodiment of the present invention. The device can be implemented by software and / or hardware. The device can be integrated into a controller, which can be installed on the vehicle and connected to the vehicle's water heater and heater valve respectively. The vehicle is equipped with a waste heat exchanger and a heater core. The waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side.

[0024] See Figure 1 The method of this invention specifically includes the following steps:

[0025] S110. Obtain the first temperature obtained by temperature acquisition on the waste heat collection side, and determine the warm air mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature.

[0026] The controller is a component used to control and implement vehicle thermal management. The water heater is a component used to heat coolant or other water flowing through it. The heater valve is a valve that controls the flow of coolant or other water into the water heater and / or waste heat exchanger. The waste heat exchanger is a component used to capture waste heat from the vehicle on the waste heat collection side and transfer it to coolant or other water flowing through the waste heat recovery side. The heater core is a component used to heat the air or blow warm air to warm the vehicle. The waste heat recovery side is the side of the waste heat exchanger that transfers waste heat to coolant or other water flowing through it. The waste heat collection side is the side of the waste heat exchanger that captures or removes waste heat from the vehicle. The first temperature is the temperature obtained by temperature sampling on the waste heat collection side; a waste heat temperature sensor can be installed on the heater water pipe at the water inlet end of the waste heat collection side to collect the first temperature. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of collecting the first temperature is not specifically limited. The waste heat coolant temperature is a preset temperature that the coolant in the waste heat collection side, which can recover and exchange waste heat through a waste heat heat exchanger, needs to reach. The heating mode is a vehicle thermal management mode for heating the vehicle; the heating mode can be, for example, an electric heating mode, a switching mode, or a waste heat recovery mode.

[0027] In this embodiment of the invention, the waste heat coolant temperature can be obtained through calibration or derived from the formula Td = Ka * Kb * Tw - Kc. Wherein, Td is the waste heat coolant temperature; Ka is the water flow compensation coefficient; Kb is the heat transfer loss compensation coefficient; Tw is the heater coolant temperature, which can refer to the first, second, or third heater coolant temperature mentioned in this embodiment; Kc is the ambient temperature loss compensation parameter; the parameters Ka, Kb, Tw, and Kc can be obtained from the calibration results.

[0028] In this embodiment of the invention, if the waste heat is insufficient to meet the heating demand based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, the heating mode can be determined to be an electric heating mode; if the current state is a switching process between waste heat recovery mode and electric heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, the heating mode can be determined to be a switching mode; if the waste heat meets the heating demand and the first temperature shows a stable upward trend based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, the heating mode can be determined to be a waste heat recovery mode. In this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the heating mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature is not specifically limited.

[0029] In this embodiment of the invention, the first temperature obtained by temperature acquisition on the waste heat collection side can be acquired in real time or periodically, and the heating mode can be determined according to the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature, so as to switch the current heating mode or keep it unchanged.

[0030] S120. According to the heating mode, adjust the water output ratio of the heater water valve so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heater water valve. The water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater water valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater water valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0031] The water output ratio refers to the ratio between the coolant flowing from the warm air water valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the warm air water valve to the waste heat recovery side. It can also be understood as the ratio between the coolant flowing from the first outlet of the warm air water valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the second outlet of the warm air water valve to the waste heat exchanger. Alternatively, it can be understood as the opening and closing ratio of the first and second outlets or the ratio of coolant flowing out.

[0032] It is understandable that by adjusting the water output ratio in the heating mode, waste heat from the vehicle's electric drive and / or fuel cell stack can be recovered through a waste heat exchanger during vehicle heating, in a heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible. After adjusting the water output ratio of the heater valve, the waste heat is used to heat the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side. The heated coolant then flows from the waste heat recovery side to the heater core to heat the vehicle, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0033] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, when the heating mode is electric heating mode, the water outlet ratio of the heating water valve can be adjusted so that only coolant flows from the heating water valve to the water heater; when the heating mode is switching mode, the water outlet ratio of the heating water valve can be adjusted to 1; when the heating mode is waste heat recovery mode, the water outlet ratio of the heating water valve can be adjusted so that only coolant flows from the heating water valve to the waste heat recovery side. In this embodiment of the invention, there is no specific limitation on the method of adjusting the water outlet ratio of the heating water valve according to the heating mode.

[0034] The technical solution of this invention involves acquiring a first temperature obtained from temperature sampling on the waste heat collection side, and determining a heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature. This determines the thermal management strategy. According to the heating mode, the water outlet ratio of the heater core valve is adjusted so that the heater core uses coolant from the heater core valve to heat the vehicle. This allows for thermal management according to the strategy corresponding to the heating mode, thereby achieving vehicle heating. The above technical solution determines the heating mode using the waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature, and then adjusts the water outlet ratio accordingly. In a heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible, the recovered waste heat is used through a waste heat exchanger to heat the coolant flowing from the heater core valve to the waste heat recovery side, allowing the heater core to use the heated coolant to heat the vehicle, thus reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0035] An optional technical solution involves determining a heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, including: determining the heating mode as an electric heating mode when the first temperature is lower than the preset waste heat coolant temperature; and determining the heating mode as a waste heat recovery mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a first preset duration.

[0036] The electric heating mode can be understood as a mode where the coolant is heated primarily or solely by a water heater, allowing the heater core to heat the vehicle through the heated coolant. The waste heat recovery mode can be understood as a mode where the coolant is heated primarily or solely by a waste heat exchanger, allowing the heater core to heat the vehicle through the heated coolant. The first preset duration is the preset duration for which the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, satisfying the minimum duration required for the heater mode to be in waste heat recovery mode.

[0037] It should be noted that if the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has not yet reached the first preset duration, the heating mode is determined to be electric heating mode.

[0038] In this embodiment of the invention, if the first temperature is lower than a preset waste heat coolant temperature, it indicates that the waste heat is insufficient to meet the heating demand, and the heating mode can be determined to be an electric heating mode. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a first preset duration, it indicates that the waste heat can meet the heating demand, and the heating mode can be determined to be a waste heat recovery mode. The above technical solution enables the heating mode to be determined to be a waste heat recovery mode when the waste heat can meet the heating demand. In this mode, the recovered waste heat is used through a waste heat heat exchanger to heat the coolant flowing from the heater core to the waste heat recovery side, allowing the heater core to heat the vehicle through the heated coolant, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0039] Another alternative technical solution involves connecting the controller to the vehicle's heater pump, with the outlet of the heater pump connected to the inlet of the heater valve via a heater water pipe. The method further includes adjusting the pump status of the heater pump according to the heater mode.

[0040] The heater pump is used to circulate coolant and other water, allowing the coolant and other water to flow within the heater hoses. The heater hoses are used to connect various components that handle or allow coolant and other water to flow between these components. The pump status refers to the state of the heater pump; the pump status can be, for example, on, off, operating at a first preset speed, or operating at a second preset speed.

[0041] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, if the heating mode can be determined, the water pump status of the heating water pump can be adjusted to the on state. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of adjusting the water pump status according to the heating mode is not specifically limited.

[0042] In this embodiment of the invention, by adjusting the pump status of the warm air water pump according to the warm air mode, the status of the warm air water pump can be made to better meet the current requirements of the warm air mode.

[0043] Based on the above solution, another optional technical solution is to adjust the pump status of the heating water pump according to the heating mode, including: when the heating mode is electric heating mode or waste heat recovery mode, adjusting the pump status of the heating water pump to run at a first preset speed; when the heating mode is switching mode, adjusting the pump status of the heating water pump to run at a second preset speed; wherein, the second preset speed is greater than the first preset speed.

[0044] The first preset speed is the preset speed of the heater pump when the heating mode is in electric heating mode or waste heat recovery mode; the first preset speed can be determined by calibration, and for example, it can be taken as 60% of the full speed of the heater pump. The second preset speed is the preset speed of the heater pump when the heating mode is in switching mode; the second preset speed can be determined by calibration, and for example, it can be taken as 80%-100% of the full speed of the heater pump.

[0045] In this embodiment of the invention, by adjusting the water pump state of the heater to run at a first preset speed when the heater mode is electric heating mode or waste heat recovery mode, and by adjusting the water pump state of the heater to run at a second preset speed when the heater mode is switching mode, the water pump state of the heater can be made more suitable for the corresponding heater mode, thereby improving the heating effect of the vehicle.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another vehicle thermal management method provided in this embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is an optimization based on the above-described technical solutions. In this embodiment, optionally, adjusting the water output ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode includes: adjusting the heater state of the water heater and the water output ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode. The explanations of terms that are the same as or corresponding to those in the above embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0047] See Figure 2 The method in this embodiment may specifically include the following steps:

[0048] S210. Obtain the first temperature obtained by temperature acquisition on the waste heat collection side, and determine the warm air mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature.

[0049] S220. According to the heating mode, adjust the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the heater valve so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heater valve. The water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0050] Among them, the heater status refers to the state of the water heater; the heater status can be, for example, the on state, the off state, or the state of operating at the initial power.

[0051] For example, when the heating mode is in electric heating mode, the heater pump can be turned on, the water outlet ratio of the heater valve can be adjusted so that only coolant flows from the heater valve to the water heater, and the heater state of the water heater can be turned on, so that the heater core heats the vehicle using the coolant from the heater valve. When the heating mode is in switching mode, the speed of the heater pump can be adjusted, the water outlet ratio of the heater valve can be adjusted, and the heating power of the water heater can be adjusted to achieve a smooth transition when switching between electric heating mode and waste heat recovery mode. When the heating mode is in waste heat recovery mode, the heater pump can be turned on, the water outlet ratio of the heater valve can be adjusted so that only coolant flows from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side, so that the heater core heats the vehicle using the coolant from the heater valve. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of adjusting the heater state of the water heater and the water outlet ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode is not specifically limited.

[0052] The technical solution of this invention, by adjusting the heater state of the water heater and the water output ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode, can make the heater state of the water heater also suitable for the corresponding heating mode, thereby improving the heating effect of the vehicle.

[0053] An optional technical solution involves adjusting the heater state of the water heater and the water outlet ratio of the warm air valve according to the warm air mode, including: when the warm air mode is electric heating mode, adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, and adjusting the water outlet ratio of the warm air valve to a first preset ratio, wherein the first preset ratio is greater than 1.

[0054] The first preset ratio is the water output ratio when the preset heating mode is electric heating mode. The first preset ratio can be, for example, a ratio greater than 1 such as 8:2 (i.e. 4), or a ratio such as 10:0 where coolant flows only from the heating water valve to the water heater.

[0055] It is understandable that when the heating mode is in electric heating mode, it means that the residual heat is insufficient to meet the heating demand. A water-based heater is needed to heat the coolant to achieve adequate heating. Therefore, in electric heating mode, the water heater's status is adjusted to be on, and the water outlet ratio of the heater valve is adjusted to a first preset ratio. This ensures that the amount of coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater is greater than the amount flowing from the heater valve to the residual heat recovery side, allowing the water heater to heat the coolant and achieve the desired heating. This technical solution, by adjusting the water outlet ratio of the heater valve to a first preset ratio in electric heating mode, enables vehicles to meet heating needs even when residual heat is insufficient.

[0056] Based on the above solution, another optional technical solution, after adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, the vehicle thermal management method further includes: obtaining a first heating demand, and determining a first heating coolant temperature based on the first heating demand; obtaining a second temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the water inlet end of the heater core, and adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the first heating coolant temperature and the second temperature.

[0057] The first heating demand refers to the heating requirement for the vehicle; this demand can be obtained through user operation, such as adjusting the vehicle's heating settings. The first heater coolant temperature is the required temperature of the coolant flowing through the heater core while meeting the first heating demand. The second temperature is the temperature obtained by sampling the water inlet of the heater core; a heater water temperature sensor can be installed on the heater water pipe at the inlet of the heater core to collect the second temperature. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of collecting the second temperature is not specifically limited. The heating power is the power of the water heater in heating the flowing coolant.

[0058] It is understandable that different heating needs may lead to different temperatures of the cooling fluid flowing through the heating core, and consequently, different heating power requirements for the water heater. Therefore, the first heating demand can be obtained, and the first heating fluid temperature can be determined based on the first heating demand, so as to adjust the heating power accordingly.

[0059] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, the required temperature of the coolant flowing through the heater core can be determined in advance for different heating needs through calibration or other methods; a first heating need is obtained, and a first heating coolant temperature corresponding to the first heating need is determined from the required temperatures of the coolant flowing through the heater core for each heating need; in this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the first heating coolant temperature based on the first heating need is not specifically limited.

[0060] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, a first heating air temperature difference between a first heating air coolant temperature and a second temperature can be determined. The heating power of the heater is then adjusted in a closed-loop manner based on this first heating air temperature difference until the first heating air coolant temperature equals the second temperature, achieving temperature stability. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the first heating air coolant temperature and the second temperature is not specifically limited.

[0061] In this embodiment of the invention, by adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the second temperature and the first heating coolant temperature determined according to the first heating demand, the temperature of the coolant flowing through the heater core for vehicle heating can be made more in line with the first heating demand, thereby improving the vehicle heating effect.

[0062] Another optional technical solution involves adjusting the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the heating valve according to the heating mode, including: when the heating mode is in switching mode, adjusting the heater status of the water heater to the on state, and adjusting the water output ratio of the heating valve to a second preset ratio, wherein the second preset ratio is equal to 1.

[0063] The second preset ratio is the water output ratio when the preset heating mode is the switching mode. For example, the second preset ratio can be a ratio of 5:5 (i.e., 1) or more than 1. In addition, the second preset ratio can also be a ratio of coolant that flows out from the heating water valve to the water heater or from the heating water valve to the waste heat recovery side. For example, it can be a ratio of 3:4 or 4:3, etc., rather than a ratio of 10:0 or 0:10.

[0064] Understandably, when the heating mode is in switching mode, it indicates a potential need to switch from electric heating mode to waste heat recovery mode. A smooth transition is required to avoid affecting the stability of the heating temperature. Therefore, when the heating mode is in switching mode, the water heater's status is adjusted to be on, and the water outlet ratio of the heating valve is adjusted to a second preset ratio. This balances the amount of coolant flowing from the heating valve to the water heater with the amount flowing from the heating valve to the waste heat recovery side, facilitating a smooth transition from electric heating mode to waste heat recovery mode. The above technical solution achieves a smooth transition from heating mode by adjusting the water outlet ratio of the heating valve to the second preset ratio when the heating mode is in electric heating mode.

[0065] Based on the above solution, another optional technical solution is that, after adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, the vehicle thermal management method further includes: obtaining a second heating demand and determining a second heating coolant temperature based on the second heating demand; obtaining a third temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side, and adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the second heating coolant temperature and the third temperature.

[0066] The second heating demand refers to the heating demand for vehicle heating; this demand can be obtained through user operation, such as adjusting the vehicle's heating settings. The second heating coolant temperature is the temperature that the coolant flowing through the waste heat recovery side needs to reach while meeting the second heating demand. The third temperature is the temperature obtained by collecting data from the outlet of the waste heat recovery side; a waste heat recovery temperature sensor can be installed on the heating water pipe at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side to collect the third temperature. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of collecting the third temperature is not specifically limited.

[0067] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, the required temperature of the coolant flowing through the waste heat recovery side corresponding to each different heating demand can be determined in advance through calibration or other methods; a second heating demand is obtained, and a second heating coolant temperature corresponding to the second heating demand is determined from the required temperatures of the coolant flowing through the waste heat recovery side corresponding to each heating demand. In this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the second heating coolant temperature based on the second heating demand is not specifically limited.

[0068] In this embodiment of the invention, for example, a second heating air temperature difference between the second heating air coolant temperature and the third temperature can be determined. The heating power of the heater is then adjusted in a closed loop based on this second heating air temperature difference until the second heating air coolant temperature equals the third temperature, achieving temperature stability. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the second heating air coolant temperature and the third temperature is not specifically limited.

[0069] In this embodiment of the invention, by adjusting the heating power of the water heater based on the third temperature and the second heating coolant temperature determined according to the second heating demand, the temperature of the coolant flowing through the heating core for vehicle heating can be made more in line with the second heating demand, thereby improving the vehicle heating effect.

[0070] Another optional technical solution involves adjusting the heater status of the water heater and the water outlet ratio of the heating valve according to the heating mode, including: when the heating mode is the waste heat recovery mode, adjusting the heater status of the water heater to the off state, and adjusting the water outlet ratio of the heating valve to a third preset ratio, wherein the third preset ratio is less than 1.

[0071] The third preset ratio is the water output ratio when the preset heating mode is the waste heat recovery mode. The third preset ratio can be, for example, a ratio less than 1 such as 2:8 (i.e., 1 / 4), or a ratio such as 0:10, which is the ratio of coolant flowing only from the heating water valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0072] It is understandable that when the heating mode is in waste heat recovery mode, it means that the waste heat is sufficient to meet the heating demand. Heating the coolant using a waste heat exchanger can achieve the desired heating. Therefore, in waste heat recovery mode, adjusting the water heater's status to the off position and setting the water outlet ratio of the heater valve to the third preset ratio ensures that the amount of coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater is less than the amount flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side. This allows the waste heat exchanger to heat the coolant and achieve the desired heating. The above technical solution, by adjusting the water outlet ratio of the heater valve to the third preset ratio in waste heat recovery mode, enables vehicle heating when the waste heat is sufficient to meet the heating demand.

[0073] Figure 3This is a flowchart of another vehicle thermal management method provided in this embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is based on the above-mentioned technical solutions and optimized. In this embodiment, optionally, determining the heating mode according to the preset waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature includes: determining the temperature difference between the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the preset temperature value; and determining the heating mode as a switching mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the first temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration.

[0074] The explanations of terms that are the same as or corresponding to those in the above embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0075] See Figure 3 The method in this embodiment may specifically include the following steps:

[0076] S310. Obtain the first temperature obtained by temperature acquisition on the waste heat collection side.

[0077] S320. Determine the temperature difference between the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the preset temperature value.

[0078] The temperature difference value is the minimum temperature value of the first temperature when the heating mode is switched. The preset temperature value is the temperature difference between the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the temperature difference value.

[0079] S330: If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the first temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached the second preset duration, the heating mode is determined to be the switching mode.

[0080] The second preset duration is the duration during which the preset first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the residual heat coolant temperature, which can satisfy the minimum duration when the warm air mode is the switching mode.

[0081] In this embodiment of the invention, when the duration of the first temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration, it indicates that it may be necessary to switch from the electric heating mode to the waste heat recovery mode. A smooth switch is required during the switch from the electric heating mode to the waste heat recovery mode to avoid affecting the stability of the heating temperature due to the mode switch. Therefore, the warm air mode is determined as the switching mode.

[0082] Understandably, in order to ensure the stability of the heating temperature, the heating mode can be switched, meaning that the heating mode can be selected based on the actual usage of the vehicle.

[0083] S340. According to the heating mode, adjust the water output ratio of the heater valve so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heater valve. The water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0084] The technical solution of this invention determines the temperature difference between a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a preset temperature value; when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the first temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration, the heating mode is determined to be a switching mode. A switching mode can be added between other heating modes to ensure a smooth switching between other heating modes, thereby ensuring the stability of the heating temperature and achieving the goal of reducing the energy consumption of vehicle heating without affecting the heating effect.

[0085] An optional technical solution for determining the heating mode as a switching mode includes: acquiring temperature data over a continuous second preset duration, and determining the temperature change trend over the continuous second preset duration based on the temperature data; and determining the heating mode as a switching mode if the temperature change trend is an upward trend.

[0086] The temperature data consists of data collected over a second preset period of time during which the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference but less than the waste heat coolant temperature. The temperature change trend is the trend of the first temperature changes over the second preset period of time.

[0087] In this embodiment of the invention, the sustained second preset duration can be divided into at least one time period based on a fixed time interval. The temperature change rate for each time period is determined, and the temperature change trend is determined based on the temperature change rates corresponding to the at least one time period. For example, the fixed time interval can be 1 second. Based on the fixed time interval, the sustained second preset duration is divided into at least one time period. The temperature change rate ΔT for each time period is determined according to the formula ΔT = (T11 - T12) / (t2 - t1), where t2 is the end time point of the time period, t1 is the beginning time point of the time period, T12 is the temperature value corresponding to t2 in the temperature data, and T11 is the temperature value corresponding to t1 in the temperature data. If the temperature change rate corresponding to the at least one time period is greater than 0, that is, if each temperature change rate satisfies ΔT > 0, the temperature change trend is determined to be an upward trend; otherwise, it is a non-upward trend. In this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the temperature change trend within the sustained second preset duration based on temperature data is not specifically limited.

[0088] In this embodiment of the invention, when the temperature change trend is upward, it indicates that the current demand is to switch to the waste heat recovery mode, so the heating mode can be determined as the switching mode.

[0089] In this embodiment of the invention, by determining that the heating mode is a switching mode when the temperature change trend is upward, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the current situation requires switching the heating mode, and thus more accurately determine whether the heating mode is a switching mode.

[0090] Another optional technical solution, which determines the heating mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature, further includes: determining the heating mode as an electric heating mode when the first temperature is less than the temperature difference; and determining the heating mode as a waste heat recovery mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a third preset duration.

[0091] The third preset duration is the duration during which the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, which can satisfy the minimum duration of the heating mode as a waste heat recovery mode.

[0092] Understandably, if the first temperature is less than the temperature difference, it indicates that the vehicle's residual heat capacity is insufficient during initial heating, and the heating mode is set to electric heating mode. During the switching process between electric heating mode and residual heat recovery mode, a switching mode can be set to transition between the two modes. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference but less than the residual heat coolant temperature, and the duration of this condition has reached a second preset duration, the heating mode is set to switching mode. As the vehicle operates in a low-temperature environment, the residual heat coolant temperature rises. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the residual heat coolant temperature, and the duration of this condition has reached a third preset duration, the heating mode is set to residual heat recovery mode.

[0093] In this embodiment of the invention, considering that although the current integrated thermal management method of vehicles can realize the recovery of waste heat from the heating circuit, the temperature control is not ideal, the heating temperature fluctuates greatly, and it is easy to cause user complaints, the technical solution of this embodiment of the invention is proposed. By setting a switching mode between electric heating mode and waste heat recovery mode, a stable switching between electric heating mode and waste heat recovery mode can be achieved, thereby controlling the vehicle heating more stably, improving the temperature control effect, and reducing the fluctuation of heating temperature.

[0094] It should be noted that when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference but less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the condition being greater than or equal to the temperature difference but less than the waste heat coolant temperature has not yet reached the second preset duration, the heating mode can be the electric heating mode; when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the condition being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has not yet reached the third preset duration, the heating mode is determined to be the switching mode.

[0095] In this embodiment of the invention, by determining the heating mode as electric heating mode when the first temperature is less than the temperature difference value, determining the heating mode as waste heat recovery mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a third preset duration, and determining the heating mode as switching mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference value and less than the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature difference value and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration, it is possible to set a switching mode between electric heating mode and waste heat recovery mode, thereby stabilizing the switching between electric heating mode and waste heat recovery mode, achieving more stable control of vehicle heating, improving temperature control effect, and reducing heating temperature fluctuations.

[0096] Based on the above solution, another optional technical solution is to determine the heating mode as the waste heat recovery mode, including: obtaining the third heating demand and determining the third heating coolant temperature based on the third heating demand; obtaining a fourth temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side, and determining the heating mode as the waste heat recovery mode when the fourth temperature is greater than or equal to the third heating coolant temperature.

[0097] The third heating demand refers to the heating demand for vehicle heating; this demand can be obtained through user operation, such as adjusting the vehicle's heating settings. The third heating coolant temperature is the temperature that the coolant flowing through the waste heat recovery side needs to reach while meeting the third heating demand. The fourth temperature is the temperature obtained by collecting data from the outlet of the waste heat recovery side; a waste heat recovery temperature sensor can be installed on the heating water pipe at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side to collect the fourth temperature. In this embodiment of the invention, the method of collecting the fourth temperature is not specifically limited.

[0098] In this embodiment of the invention, the method for determining the third heater coolant temperature based on the third heater demand can be the same as or different from the method for determining the second heater coolant temperature based on the second heater demand. In this embodiment of the invention, no specific limitation is made to the method for determining the third heater coolant temperature based on the third heater demand.

[0099] In this embodiment of the invention, when the fourth temperature is greater than or equal to the third warm air coolant temperature, it indicates that the switching mode is used to complete its transitional task as a warm air mode switching, and the warm air mode can be determined to be a waste heat recovery mode.

[0100] It should be noted that the heating mode is set to switch modes when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature reaches the third preset duration, and the fourth temperature is less than the third heater coolant temperature.

[0101] In this embodiment of the invention, when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a third preset duration, the heating mode is determined to be the waste heat recovery mode, which can enable the heating mode to be switched to the waste heat recovery mode in a timely manner, thereby further reducing the energy consumption of vehicle heating.

[0102] To better understand the technical solutions of the above embodiments of the present invention, an optional example is provided here. For example, the heating demand is obtained, and based on the heating demand, the heating coolant temperature Tw is determined. This heating demand can refer to a first heating demand, a second heating demand, or a third heating demand, and the heating coolant temperature can refer to a first heating coolant temperature, a second heating coolant temperature, or a third heating coolant temperature; the waste heat coolant temperature Td is obtained; the first temperature T1 fed back by the waste heat temperature sensor, the second temperature T2 fed back by the heating water temperature sensor, and the third temperature T3 fed back by the waste heat recovery temperature sensor are obtained; the temperature difference Td-3 between the preset waste heat coolant temperature Td and the preset temperature value T3 is determined; if T1 is less than Td-3, the heating mode is determined to be electric heating mode; the water-to-coolant ratio of the first and second outlets of the heating water valve is adjusted to 10:0; the heating water pump is turned on and adjusted to run at a first preset speed R1; the water heater is controlled to turn on, and the water heater is adjusted in a closed loop according to the difference between T2 and Tw. The heating power P of the heater is increased until the temperature stabilizes at T2 = Tw. If T1 is greater than or equal to Td-3 but less than Td, and the duration has reached 10 seconds, it is determined whether the temperature trend is upward within these 10 seconds. If the temperature trend is upward, the heating mode is switched to the switching mode. The ratio of coolant flowing from the first and second outlets of the heating water valve is adjusted to 5:5. The speed of the heating water pump is increased from R1 to the first preset speed R2. The heating power P of the water heater is slowly reduced. The heating power P can be adjusted in a closed loop based on the difference between T3 and Tw until T1 is greater than or equal to Td, the duration has reached 5 seconds, and T3 = Tw. The heating mode is then set to waste heat recovery mode. The ratio of coolant flowing from the first and second outlets of the heating water valve is adjusted to 0:10. The heating water pump is turned on and operates according to R1. The water heater is then turned off.

[0103] Figure 4 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is applicable to vehicle thermal management applications. The system can be integrated into a vehicle.

[0104] See Figure 4 The vehicle thermal management system of this invention includes: a water heater 410, a heater valve 420, a waste heat exchanger 430, a heater core 440, a heater water pipe 450, and a controller 460 for implementing the vehicle thermal management method provided in any of the above embodiments of this invention. The controller 460 is connected to the water heater 410 and the heater valve 420 respectively. The waste heat exchanger 430 includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The explanations of terms that are the same as or corresponding to those in the above embodiments are not repeated here.

[0105] Optionally, the water inlet of the heater core is connected to the water outlet of the water heater and the water outlet of the waste heat recovery side via a heater water pipe. The first outlet of the heater water valve is connected to the water inlet of the water heater via a heater water pipe, and the second outlet of the heater water valve is connected to the water inlet of the waste heat recovery side via a heater water pipe. This technical solution facilitates heating the coolant flowing from the heater water valve to the waste heat recovery side via the water heater in the heating mode where the coolant needs to be heated by the water heater. This allows the heater core to heat the vehicle using the heated coolant. In the heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible, the recovered waste heat is used through a waste heat exchanger to heat the coolant flowing from the heater water valve to the waste heat recovery side, allowing the heater core to heat the vehicle using the heated coolant, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0106] The technical solution of this invention includes a water heater, a heater valve, a waste heat exchanger, a heater core, a heater water pipe, and a controller for implementing the vehicle thermal management method provided in any of the above embodiments of this invention. The controller is connected to the water heater and the heater valve respectively. The waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The heating mode can be determined by the waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, and then the water output ratio can be adjusted according to the heating mode. In the heating mode where waste heat recovery is possible, the recovered waste heat is used to heat the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side through the waste heat exchanger, so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the heated coolant, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0107] To better understand the technical solutions of the above embodiments of the present invention, an optional example is provided herein. For example, see... Figure 5The vehicle thermal management system comprises components such as a heater core 11, a heater water pump 12, a heater water valve 13, a water heater 14, a waste heat exchanger 15, a waste heat temperature sensor 16, a waste heat recovery temperature sensor 17, a heater water temperature sensor 18, a controller 21, and heater water pipes. The waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The vehicle thermal management system is divided into a main heater circuit, a heater electric heating circuit, a heater waste heat recovery circuit, and a vehicle waste heat circuit. The heater core, heater water pump, and heater water valve are located in the main heater circuit, the water heater is located in the heater electric heating circuit, and the waste heat exchanger... The waste heat recovery side is located in the heater waste heat recovery loop, and the waste heat collection side of the waste heat exchanger is connected to the vehicle waste heat loop. This allows the waste heat collected from the vehicle waste heat loop to be transferred to the heater waste heat recovery loop, thus heating the coolant flowing through the waste heat recovery side. The controller is connected to the water heater, heater valve, heater pump, waste heat temperature sensor, waste heat recovery temperature sensor, and heater water temperature sensor to determine the heating mode, collect parameters from these sensors, and control the heater pump and heater valve. And the adjustment and control of components such as the water heater; the water inlet of the heater core is connected to the water outlet of the water heater and the water outlet of the waste heat recovery side through the heater water pipe, and the water outlet of the heater core is connected to the water inlet of the heater water pump through the heater water pipe, so that the heater core can use the coolant heated by the water heater or waste heat exchanger flowing from the water inlet of the heater core to heat the vehicle; the water outlet of the heater water pump is connected to the water inlet of the heater water valve through the heater water pipe, so that the coolant flowing from the water outlet of the heater water pump to the water inlet of the heater water valve provides power for the operation of the coolant in the vehicle thermal management system; the first of the heater water valve One outlet is connected to the inlet of the water heater via a warm air water pipe. The second outlet of the warm air water valve is connected to the inlet of the waste heat recovery side via a warm air water pipe to proportionally regulate the flow rate of the coolant to the water heater and the waste heat exchanger. A waste heat temperature sensor can be installed on the warm air water pipe at the inlet of the waste heat collection side to detect the first temperature. A warm air water temperature sensor can be installed on the warm air water pipe at the inlet of the warm air core to detect the second temperature. A waste heat recovery temperature sensor can be installed on the warm air water pipe at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side to detect the third temperature after waste heat recovery in the warm air waste heat recovery loop.

[0108] Figure 6 This is a structural block diagram of a vehicle thermal management device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. This device is used to execute the vehicle thermal management method provided in any of the above embodiments. This device and the vehicle thermal management methods of the above embodiments belong to the same inventive concept. Details not described in detail in the embodiments of the vehicle thermal management device can be found in the embodiments of the above vehicle thermal management methods. See also... Figure 6The device may specifically include: a warm air mode determination module 510 and a water output ratio adjustment module 520.

[0109] The heating mode determination module 510 is used to acquire the first temperature obtained by temperature sampling on the waste heat collection side, and determine the heating mode according to the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature; the water outlet ratio adjustment module 520 is used to adjust the water outlet ratio of the heater valve according to the heating mode, so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heater valve. The water outlet ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side.

[0110] Optionally, the water output ratio adjustment module 520 includes: a water output ratio adjustment submodule, used to adjust the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the warm air valve according to the warm air mode.

[0111] Optionally, based on the above device, the water output ratio adjustment submodule includes: a first water output ratio adjustment unit, used to adjust the heater state of the water heater to the on state when the heating mode is electric heating mode, and to adjust the water output ratio of the heating water valve to a first preset ratio, wherein the first preset ratio is greater than 1.

[0112] Optionally, based on the above-mentioned device, the device may further include: a first heating coolant temperature determination module, used to obtain a first heating demand after adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, and determine the first heating coolant temperature according to the first heating demand; and a first heating power adjustment module, used to obtain a second temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the water inlet end of the heating core, and adjust the heating power of the water heater according to the first heating coolant temperature and the second temperature.

[0113] Optionally, based on the above device, the water output ratio adjustment submodule includes: a second water output ratio adjustment unit, used to adjust the heater state of the water heater to the on state when the heating mode is the switching mode, and to adjust the water output ratio of the heating water valve to a second preset ratio, wherein the second preset ratio is equal to 1.

[0114] Optionally, based on the above-mentioned device, the device may further include: a second heating air coolant temperature determination module, used to obtain a second heating air demand after adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, and determine the second heating air coolant temperature according to the second heating air demand; and a second heating power adjustment module, used to obtain a third temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side, and adjust the heating power of the water heater according to the second heating air coolant temperature and the third temperature.

[0115] Optionally, based on the above device, the water output ratio adjustment submodule includes: a third water output ratio adjustment unit, used to adjust the heater state of the water heater to the off state when the heating mode is the waste heat recovery mode, and to adjust the water output ratio of the heating water valve to a third preset ratio, wherein the third preset ratio is less than 1.

[0116] Optionally, the heating mode determination module 510 includes: a first heating mode determination submodule, used to determine the heating mode as electric heating mode when the first temperature is less than a preset waste heat coolant temperature; and a second heating mode determination submodule, used to determine the heating mode as waste heat recovery mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a first preset duration.

[0117] Optionally, the heating mode determination module 510 includes: a temperature difference determination submodule, used to determine the temperature difference between a preset waste heat coolant temperature and a preset temperature value; and a third heating mode determination submodule, used to determine the heating mode as a switching mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the temperature difference being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration.

[0118] Optionally, based on the above device, the third heating mode determination submodule includes: a temperature change trend determination unit, used to acquire temperature data within a continuous second preset duration, and determine the temperature change trend within the continuous second preset duration based on the temperature data; and a first heating mode determination unit, used to determine the heating mode as a switching mode when the temperature change trend is an upward trend.

[0119] Optionally, based on the above-mentioned device, the heating mode determination module 510 further includes: a fourth heating mode determination submodule, used to determine the heating mode as electric heating mode when the first temperature is less than the temperature difference value; and a fifth heating mode determination submodule, used to determine the heating mode as waste heat recovery mode when the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a third preset duration.

[0120] Optionally, based on the above device, the fifth heating mode determination submodule includes: a third heating coolant temperature determination unit, used to obtain the third heating demand and determine the third heating coolant temperature according to the third heating demand; and a second heating mode determination unit, used to obtain the fourth temperature obtained by temperature sampling at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side, and determine the heating mode as waste heat recovery mode if the fourth temperature is greater than or equal to the third heating coolant temperature.

[0121] Optionally, the controller is also connected to the vehicle's heater pump, the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the heater valve via a heater water pipe. The device may also include a pump status adjustment module for adjusting the pump status of the heater pump according to the heating mode.

[0122] Optionally, based on the above device, the water pump status adjustment module includes: a first water pump status adjustment submodule, used to adjust the water pump status of the heating water pump to operate at a first preset speed when the heating mode is electric heating mode or waste heat recovery mode; and a second water pump status adjustment submodule, used to adjust the water pump status of the heating water pump to operate at a second preset speed when the heating mode is switching mode; wherein, the second preset speed is greater than the first preset speed.

[0123] The vehicle thermal management device provided in this embodiment of the invention obtains a first temperature from temperature sampling on the waste heat collection side through a heating mode determination module, and determines the heating mode based on a preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature, so as to determine the thermal management strategy through the determined heating mode; through a water outlet ratio adjustment module, the water outlet ratio of the heater valve is adjusted according to the heating mode, so that the heater core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heater valve. The water outlet ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heater valve to the waste heat recovery side, so as to realize thermal management according to the strategy corresponding to the heating mode, thereby realizing vehicle heating. The aforementioned device determines the heating mode by using the waste heat coolant temperature and a first temperature, and then adjusts the water output ratio according to the heating mode. This enables the waste heat recovery mode to heat the coolant flowing from the heater water valve to the waste heat recovery side by using the recovered waste heat through a waste heat exchanger, so that the heater core can heat the vehicle through the heated coolant, thereby reducing vehicle energy consumption.

[0124] The vehicle thermal management device provided in the embodiments of the present invention can execute the vehicle thermal management method provided in any embodiment of the present invention, and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of executing the method.

[0125] It is worth noting that in the above embodiments of the vehicle thermal management device, the various units and modules included are only divided according to functional logic, but are not limited to the above division, as long as the corresponding functions can be achieved; in addition, the specific names of each functional unit are only for easy differentiation and are not used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0126] Figure 7A schematic diagram of an electronic device 10 that can be used to implement embodiments of the present invention is shown. The electronic device is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptop computers, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The electronic device can also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital processors, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices (e.g., helmets, glasses, watches, etc.), and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the implementation of the invention described and / or claimed herein.

[0127] like Figure 7 As shown, the controller 10 includes at least one processor 11 and a memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM) 12 or a random access memory (RAM) 13, communicatively connected to the at least one processor 11. The memory stores computer programs executable by the at least one processor. The processor 11 can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on the computer program stored in the ROM 12 or loaded into the RAM 13 from storage unit 18. The RAM 13 may also store various programs and data required for the operation of the controller 10. The processor 11, ROM 12, and RAM 13 are interconnected via a bus 14. An input / output (I / O) interface 15 is also connected to the bus 14.

[0128] Multiple components in controller 10 are connected to I / O interface 15, including: input unit 16, such as keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 17, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; storage unit 18, such as disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 19, such as network card, modem, wireless transceiver, etc. Communication unit 19 allows controller 10 to exchange information / data with other devices through computer networks such as the Internet and / or various telecommunications networks.

[0129] Processor 11 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of processor 11 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. Processor 11 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as vehicle thermal management methods.

[0130] In some embodiments, the vehicle thermal management method may be implemented as a computer program tangibly contained in a computer-readable storage medium, such as storage unit 18. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or mounted on controller 10 via ROM 12 and / or communication unit 19. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 13 and executed by processor 11, one or more steps of the vehicle thermal management method described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, processor 11 may be configured to perform the vehicle thermal management method by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0131] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described above herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload-programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments may include implementations in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, capable of receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0132] Computer programs used to implement the methods of the present invention can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. These computer programs can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, such that when executed by the processor, the computer programs cause the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The computer programs can be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, or as a standalone software package, partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine.

[0133] In the context of this invention, a computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a computer program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination thereof. Alternatively, a computer-readable storage medium may be a machine-readable signal medium. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0134] To provide interaction with the user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a controller having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the controller. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0135] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as data servers), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., application servers), or computing systems that include frontend components (e.g., user computers with graphical user interfaces or web browsers through which users can interact with implementations of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication of any form or medium (e.g., communication networks). Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), blockchain networks, and the Internet.

[0136] A computing system can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located far apart and typically interact through communication networks. The client-server relationship is created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. The server can be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, which is a hosting product within the cloud computing service system to address the shortcomings of traditional physical hosts and VPS services, such as high management difficulty and weak business scalability.

[0137] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0138] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management method, characterized in that, The system is applied to a controller installed on a vehicle and connected to a water heater and a heater valve. The vehicle is equipped with a waste heat exchanger and a heater core. The waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side. The water inlet of the heater core is connected to the water outlet of the water heater and the water outlet of the waste heat recovery side via a heater water pipe. The first outlet of the heater valve is connected to the water inlet of the water heater via a heater water pipe. The second outlet of the heater valve is connected to the water inlet of the waste heat recovery side via a heater water pipe. The water outlet of the heater core is connected to the water inlet of the heater valve via a heater water pipe. The method includes: The first temperature is obtained by temperature acquisition on the waste heat collection side, and the heating mode is determined according to the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature. According to the heating mode, the water output ratio of the heating water valve is adjusted so that the heating core heats the vehicle through the coolant from the heating water valve. The water output ratio is the ratio between the coolant flowing from the heating water valve to the water heater and the coolant flowing from the heating water valve to the waste heat recovery side. The step of determining the heating mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature includes: If the first temperature is lower than the preset waste heat coolant temperature, the heating mode is determined to be electric heating mode. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a first preset duration, then the heating mode is determined to be a waste heat recovery mode. Determine the temperature difference between the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the preset temperature value; If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the first temperature being greater than or equal to the temperature difference and less than the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a second preset duration, then the heating mode is determined to be a switching mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the water output ratio of the heating water valve according to the heating mode includes: According to the heating mode, adjust the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the heating water valve.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the warm air valve according to the warm air mode includes: When the heating mode is electric heating mode, the heater state of the water heater is adjusted to the on state, and the water output ratio of the heating water valve is adjusted to a first preset ratio, wherein the first preset ratio is greater than 1.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, After adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, the method further includes: Obtain the first heating demand and determine the first heating coolant temperature based on the first heating demand; The second temperature is obtained by collecting the temperature at the water inlet of the heater core, and the heating power of the water heater is adjusted according to the temperature of the first heater coolant and the second temperature.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the warm air valve according to the warm air mode includes: When the warm air mode is in switching mode, adjust the heater status of the water heater to the on state, and adjust the water output ratio of the warm air water valve to the second preset ratio, wherein the second preset ratio is equal to 1.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, After adjusting the heater state of the water heater to the on state, the method further includes: Obtain the second heating demand, and determine the second heating coolant temperature based on the second heating demand; A third temperature is obtained by collecting temperature data at the outlet of the waste heat recovery side, and the heating power of the water heater is adjusted according to the temperature of the second warm air coolant and the third temperature.

7. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the heater status of the water heater and the water output ratio of the warm air valve according to the warm air mode includes: When the heating mode is in waste heat recovery mode, the heater status of the water heater is adjusted to the off state, and the water output ratio of the heating water valve is adjusted to a third preset ratio, wherein the third preset ratio is less than 1.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the heating mode as a switching mode includes: Acquire temperature data over a sustained second preset duration, and determine the temperature change trend over the sustained second preset duration based on the temperature data; If the temperature change trend is upward, the heating mode is determined to be a switching mode.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the heating mode based on the preset waste heat coolant temperature and the first temperature further includes: If the first temperature is less than the temperature difference, the heating mode is determined to be an electric heating mode. If the first temperature is greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature, and the duration of the temperature being greater than or equal to the waste heat coolant temperature has reached a third preset duration, then the heating mode is determined to be a waste heat recovery mode.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Determining that the heating mode is a waste heat recovery mode includes: Obtain the third heating demand, and determine the third heating coolant temperature based on the third heating demand; A fourth temperature is obtained by collecting the temperature of the water outlet on the waste heat recovery side, and if the fourth temperature is greater than or equal to the third warm air coolant temperature, the warm air mode is determined to be the waste heat recovery mode.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also connected to the heater pump on the vehicle, and the outlet of the heater pump is connected to the inlet of the heater valve via a heater water pipe. The method further includes: Adjust the pump status of the heating water pump according to the heating mode.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the water pump status of the heating water pump according to the heating mode includes: When the heating mode is electric heating mode or waste heat recovery mode, the water pump status of the heating water pump is adjusted to run at the first preset speed. When the heating mode is in switching mode, adjust the water pump status of the heating water pump to run at the second preset speed; The second preset speed is greater than the first preset speed.

13. A vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that, The system includes: a water heater, a heater valve, a waste heat exchanger, a heater core, a heater pipe, and a controller for implementing the vehicle thermal management method as described in any one of claims 1-12. The controller is connected to the water heater and the heater valve respectively, and the waste heat exchanger includes a waste heat recovery side and a waste heat collection side.

14. The system according to claim 13, characterized in that, The water inlet of the heating core is connected to the water outlet of the water heater and the water outlet of the waste heat recovery side through the heating water pipe. The first outlet of the heating water valve is connected to the water inlet of the water heater through the heating water pipe, and the second outlet of the heating water valve is connected to the water inlet of the waste heat recovery side through the heating water pipe.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a vehicle thermal management system as described in any one of claims 13-14.

Images