Vehicle thermal management system and method and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a vehicle thermal management system and method and a vehicle, and belongs to the field of vehicle control. The system comprises a heat collection module used for collecting heat generated in the vehicle driving process or after flameout; the first conveying module is used for conveying the heat collected by the heat collecting module to the heat storage module when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode; the heat storage module is used for storing heat; the second conveying module is used for conveying the heat-carrying medium to the to-be-heated component when the vehicle is in the heat release mode, and the heat-carrying medium is used for heating the to-be-heated component; the control module is used for dynamically adjusting at least one of the opening degree of a first control valve, the opening degree of a second control valve or the operation state of a first water pump in the first conveying module and the second conveying module based on sensor data so as to control the vehicle to be in a heat storage mode or a heat release mode. The vehicle thermal management system can improve the utilization efficiency of energy and the performance of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of vehicle control, and in particular, to a vehicle thermal management system, method, and vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As vehicles develop, they need to be used in different environments. During vehicle use, the vehicle's thermal management system adjusts the operating temperature of vehicle components to ensure that each component of the vehicle is within a safe temperature range to avoid malfunctions or damage caused by excessively high or low temperatures.

[0003] In the related art, the vehicle component is taken as an example of the engine system. When starting the vehicle in a low temperature environment, the vehicle's engine system needs to be cold-started. After the engine system is started, the vehicle's thermal management system will work. Because the various components of the engine system are not fully lubricated and preheated in the low temperature environment, during the cold start of the engine system, the oil viscosity is high, the carbon deposits are hardened, and the atomization effect of the fuel is poor, which reduces the performance of the engine system. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a vehicle thermal management system, method and vehicle, which can improve energy utilization efficiency and vehicle performance. The technical solution is as follows:

[0005] In one aspect, the present application provides a vehicle thermal management system, the system comprising:

[0006] A heat collection module, used to collect heat generated during vehicle driving or after the engine is turned off, the heat including at least one of heat dissipation of the engine system, exhaust heat or heat dissipation of electronic devices;

[0007] A first delivery module, connected to the heat collection module and the heat storage module, comprising a first control valve and a first water pump, for delivering the heat collected by the heat collection module to the heat storage module when the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the heat being carried based on a medium;

[0008] The heat storage module is used to store the heat;

[0009] a second delivery module connected to the heat storage module and the component to be heated, comprising a second control valve, for delivering a heat-carrying medium to the component to be heated when the vehicle is in a heat release mode, wherein the component to be heated comprises an engine system, and the heat-carrying medium is used to heat the component to be heated;

[0010] A control module is used to dynamically adjust at least one of the opening of the first control valve, the opening of the second control valve or the operating state of the first water pump in the first delivery module and the second delivery module based on sensor data to control the vehicle to be in the heat storage mode or the heat release mode.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the control module is used to control the opening of the first control valve and the start of the first water pump when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, and to transport the heat-carrying medium to the heat storage module through the first transport module; the control module is used to control the first water pump to stop running when the heat stored in the heat storage module meets a heat threshold, and the heat stored in the heat storage module is determined based on at least one of the temperature, volume or type of the heat-carrying medium.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the control module is used to control the second control valve in the second delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; the control module is used to control the second control valve to close when the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the second delivery module also includes a second water pump and a first thermostat, the first thermostat is used to adjust the flow direction of the medium, the second water pump is connected to the second control valve and the first thermostat, and the first thermostat is connected to the component to be heated; the control module is also used to control the second control valve in the second delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; the control module is also used to control the first thermostat during the heating process of the component to be heated so that the heat-carrying medium is delivered to the component to be heated through the second water pump and the second control valve, and the component to be heated is cyclically heated until the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the vehicle thermal management system also includes a second thermostat and a radiator, the second thermostat is connected to the first control valve and the radiator, and the radiator is connected to the second water pump; the control module is also used to control the first control valve of the first delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat dissipation conditions, so that the medium carrying the first heat is delivered to the radiator through the second thermostat; the radiator is used to reduce the first heat carried by the medium to the second heat; the control module is used to control the second water pump and the second control valve to deliver the medium carrying the second heat to the heat-generating components of the vehicle, so as to circulate and dissipate heat for the heat-generating components of the vehicle.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the medium is a phase change material, and the phase change material includes at least one of water, paraffin, molten salt, salt hydrate, bio-based phase change material, or paraffin-based composite phase change material.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the heat storage container includes a first heat storage unit and a second heat storage unit that store different amounts of heat; the control module is further used to control at least one of the first heat storage unit or the second heat storage unit to release stored heat based on different heat requirements.

[0017] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle thermal management method, the method comprising:

[0018] Collecting heat generated during vehicle driving or after engine shutdown based on a medium to obtain a medium carrying heat, wherein the heat includes at least one of heat dissipation of an engine system, exhaust heat, or heat dissipation of electronic devices;

[0019] When the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the heat-carrying medium is stored in a heat preservation manner;

[0020] When the vehicle is in a heat release mode, the heat-carrying medium is used to heat a component to be heated, and the component to be heated includes an engine system.

[0021] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle, comprising any one of the vehicle thermal management systems described above.

[0022] The technical solution provided by this application brings at least the following beneficial effects:

[0023] In this application, when the vehicle is in heat storage mode, the control module can control the heat collection module to collect the heat generated during the vehicle's driving or after the engine is turned off, and the collected heat is stored in the heat storage module through the first delivery module, thereby avoiding energy waste. The stored heat can be released when needed, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency; when the vehicle is in heat release mode, the control module controls the heat storage module to release heat, and the medium carrying heat is delivered to the components to be heated through the second delivery module, and the components to be heated are heated to improve the performance of the vehicle. For example, using the stored heat to heat the engine before the vehicle is started can improve the performance of the engine. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of an implementation environment provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle thermal management system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat storage mode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat release mode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another vehicle in a heat release mode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat dissipation mode provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a flow chart of a vehicle thermal management method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the implementation methods of the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0033] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in this application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the terms used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. On the contrary, they are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0034] When a vehicle is used in different environments, the vehicle's thermal management system plays an important role in improving vehicle performance by controlling the temperature of vehicle components. Taking the engine system as an example, when the vehicle is started in a low-temperature environment, the temperature of the vehicle's engine system is low, resulting in high oil viscosity, carbon deposit hardening, and poor fuel atomization, thereby reducing engine system performance.

[0035] For example, the viscosity of engine oil increases as the temperature decreases. High-viscosity engine oil not only increases the resistance when the engine system starts, but also affects the circulation speed of the engine oil in the engine system, resulting in insufficient lubrication of components, which accelerates wear and reduces engine system performance. After the engine system has been running for a long time, the residues produced by fuel combustion will form carbon deposits on components such as the combustion chamber and the intake duct. Carbon deposits are more likely to harden in low temperature environments and are not easy to remove, thereby hindering the normal injection of fuel and the formation of mixed gas, resulting in reduced engine power and increased fuel consumption. Due to the low temperature, the evaporation rate of the fuel slows down, making it difficult to form uniform and fine oil droplets, resulting in reduced quality of the mixed gas and incomplete combustion. This will not only reduce the power output of the engine, but also increase the content of exhaust pollutants.

[0036] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an implementation environment provided by the embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the implementation environment may include a vehicle 101 and a vehicle thermal management system 102 , where the vehicle thermal management system 102 is used to control the vehicle 101 to perform corresponding operations.

[0037] The vehicle thermal management system 102 may include a control module, wherein the control module may be located in the vehicle 101, for example, the control module is a vehicle-mounted terminal; the control module may also be located outside the vehicle 101, for example, the control module is a cloud control system.

[0038] The control module in the vehicle thermal management system 102 may be an independent server, or the control module in the vehicle thermal management system 102 may be a server cluster composed of multiple servers that implement different functions, or the control module in the vehicle thermal management system 102 may be a cloud computing center.

[0039] The vehicle 101 may include a fuel vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a gas vehicle, etc. Designated vehicle components of the vehicle 101 (such as an engine system, a battery pack, an electric motor, etc.) may be configured with temperature sensors, which may monitor the temperature of the vehicle components in real time and feed back the temperature data to the vehicle thermal management system 102.

[0040] The vehicle thermal management system 102 controls the vehicle in different modes through temperature data to adjust the temperature of vehicle components. For example, the designated component of the vehicle may be an engine system, and the vehicle thermal management system 102 may control the circulation path and circulation speed of the coolant to control the temperature of the engine.

[0041] The vehicle 101 may also have a wireless communication function. A communication module supporting wireless communication technology or wired communication technology may be provided in the vehicle 101. The vehicle 101 exchanges data with the vehicle thermal management system 102 through the communication module.

[0042] Based on the above Figure 1 In the implementation environment shown, the present application embodiment provides a vehicle thermal management system. Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle thermal management system may include a heat collection module 210 , a first delivery module 220 , a heat storage module 230 , a second delivery module 240 and a control module 250 .

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the heat collection module 210 is used to collect heat generated during vehicle driving or after the engine is turned off, and the heat includes at least one of heat dissipation of the engine system, exhaust heat, or heat dissipation of electronic devices.

[0044] Exemplarily, a certain amount of heat will be generated during the driving process of the vehicle or within a period of time after the flameout. For example, when the engine is running, the fuel burns inside the engine to generate heat, and the temperature of the engine is relatively high. During the operation of the engine, a medium (such as engine coolant) can be used to cool the engine and collect the heat generated by the engine. The engine accumulates a large amount of heat energy during operation, and this heat energy will not be dissipated immediately due to the flameout of the engine. Therefore, after the vehicle is turned off, the engine will still have a certain amount of heat remaining, and the medium can be used to continue to collect the heat of the engine after the vehicle is turned off. For example, the heat collection module 210 may include the engine cooling system of the vehicle, and the engine cooling system can collect the heat dissipated by the engine system.

[0045] For example, when the vehicle is running, the exhaust gas generated by the engine combustion carries a large amount of heat energy when it is discharged through the exhaust system, and the surface temperature of the exhaust pipe increases. Through the heat collection device integrated in the exhaust pipe section, the heat in the high-temperature exhaust gas is collected by the medium; after the vehicle is turned off, the exhaust system still retains a certain amount of residual heat, and the heat collection device can be used to collect the heat of the exhaust system after the vehicle is turned off. For example, the heat collection module 210 may include an exhaust heat exchanger, which is installed on the exhaust pipe and can collect exhaust heat.

[0046] Exemplarily, electronic devices generate heat when they continue to work during vehicle operation, especially high-power components such as motor controllers and on-board chargers. A heat-conducting substrate can be installed on the electronic device to introduce the heat of the electronic device into the medium, thereby collecting the heat dissipation of the electronic device. After the vehicle is turned off, the electronic device will still have a certain amount of heat remaining, and the medium can be used to continue to collect the heat of the electronic device after the vehicle is turned off. For example, the heat collection module 210 may include electronic components integrated on motor controllers, chips, etc., which can collect the heat dissipation of electronic devices.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the first delivery module 220 is connected to the heat collection module 210 and the heat storage module 230, and includes a first control valve 221 and a first water pump 222, which are used to deliver the heat collected by the heat collection module 210 to the heat storage module 230 when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, and the heat is carried by the medium. When the medium carrying heat is delivered to the heat storage module 230 through the first delivery module 220, the heat storage module 230 can store the medium carrying heat.

[0048] Among them, the medium is a phase change material (PCM), and the phase change material includes at least one of water, paraffin, molten salt, salt hydrate, bio-based phase change material or paraffin-based composite phase change material. Among them, the phase change material is a substance that can absorb or release heat through physical phase change (such as conversion between solid and liquid) within a specific temperature range. During the phase change process, the temperature of the material remains basically unchanged or changes slightly, but heat will be stored or released. It should be noted that this application uses the medium as a phase change material as an example for explanation, and other types of media can also be used, and this application does not limit this.

[0049] For example, the control module 250 can control the heat management mode of the vehicle. The control module 250 can control the vehicle to be in a heat storage mode, that is, the heat collection module 210 starts to collect heat and stores the collected heat in the heat storage module 230. The control module 250 can be a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU).

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the control module 250 is used to control the opening of the first control valve 221 and the start of the first water pump 222 when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, so as to transport the heat-carrying medium to the heat storage module 230 through the first transport module 220.

[0051] For example, when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, the heat collection module 210 can use the medium to collect the heat generated during the vehicle's driving or after the engine is turned off, and control the medium's delivery path by controlling the first control valve 221 to be in an open state, and use the first water pump 222 to make the medium flow to the heat storage module 230. The first control valve 221 includes a two-way valve, a three-way valve, and other valves that can control the flow direction, and the first water pump 222 includes an electronic water pump.

[0052] The heat collected by the heat collection module is used as an example to dissipate heat from the engine system after the vehicle is turned off. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat storage mode provided by an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 3 As shown, when the user finishes using the vehicle, the vehicle enters the heat storage mode. The control module (not shown in the figure) can control the water inlet B and the water outlet C of the first three-way water valve 221 to be in an open state. After the medium collects the heat of the engine system 211, the first water pump 222 can start working. The medium carrying heat can flow into the heat storage module 230 through the water inlet B, the water outlet C of the first three-way water valve 221 and the first water pump 222. The process of the heat storage mode can be shown as the dotted line in the figure.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the heat storage module 230 includes a heat storage container and a heat insulation layer wrapping the heat storage container, the heat insulation layer is used to insulate the heat storage container, and the heat insulation layer includes at least one of a vacuum heat insulation layer and an aerogel heat insulation layer. The heat storage container is the core part of the heat storage module 230 and is used to store thermal energy. The heat insulation layer can be wrapped around the outside of the heat storage container, reducing the heat exchange between the heat storage container and the external environment, thereby maintaining the stability of the temperature inside the heat storage container.

[0054] In the vacuum insulation layer, the gas inside the insulation layer is exhausted by evacuating the vacuum layer to form a near-vacuum environment. Since heat cannot be transferred by convection and conduction in a vacuum state, the vacuum insulation layer can reduce the heat exchange between the heat storage container and the external environment, thereby improving the heat storage performance of the heat storage module and reducing heat loss.

[0055] The aerogel insulation layer is made of nanoporous aerogel material, which contains a large number of three-dimensional network-like microporous structures. Due to the unique physical properties of aerogel, heat transfer is suppressed. By wrapping aerogel on the outside of the heat storage container, the heat exchange between the heat storage container and the external environment can be reduced, thereby improving the heat storage performance of the heat storage module and reducing heat loss. In addition, aerogel is flexible and can adapt to various curved surfaces, which has less restrictions on the heat storage container.

[0056] Optionally, the number of insulation layers including the heat storage container can be one layer or multiple layers. For example, the inner insulation layer of the heat storage container can use aerogel to absorb the radiant heat of the heat storage container, and the outer insulation layer is a vacuum layer to isolate heat convection conduction, thereby further improving the heat storage performance of the heat storage module.

[0057] It should be noted that the material of the insulation layer and the number of insulation layers in this application are only exemplary descriptions. The appropriate material of the insulation layer and the number of insulation layers can be selected based on actual conditions, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the control module 250 is used to control the first water pump 222 to stop running when the heat stored in the heat storage module 230 meets the heat threshold, and the heat stored in the heat storage module 230 is determined based on at least one of the temperature, volume or type of the medium carrying the heat.

[0059] Exemplarily, the control module 250 is used to intelligently manage the heat storage process of the heat storage module 230, and automatically control the operation state of the first water pump 222 when a preset heat threshold is met. When the heat stored in the heat storage module 230 reaches or exceeds the set heat threshold, the control module 250 will send an instruction to stop the first water pump 222 to avoid energy waste or equipment overload caused by excessive heat storage. The heat threshold can be set based on the actual situation of the vehicle.

[0060] In one embodiment, a temperature sensor and a liquid level sensor may be provided in the heat storage container, and the temperature sensor is used to monitor the temperature change of the medium in the heat storage container in real time, and the liquid level sensor is used to monitor the volume change of the medium in the heat storage container in real time. The heat stored in the heat storage module 230 can be calculated based on the thermophysical properties of the medium (such as specific heat capacity), the temperature of the medium, and the volume of the medium. When the heat stored in the heat storage module 230 is greater than or equal to the heat threshold, the first water pump 222 is controlled to stop running.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the second delivery module 240 is connected to the heat storage module 230 and the component to be heated 260. The second delivery module 240 includes a second control valve 241, which is used to deliver the medium carrying heat to the component to be heated 260 when the vehicle is in the heat release mode. The component to be heated 260 includes an engine system, and the medium carrying heat is used to heat the component to be heated. Among them, the second control valve 241 includes a two-way valve, a three-way valve and other valves that can control the flow direction; the component to be heated 260 can be the same as the component that generates heat in the vehicle, or it can be different from the component that generates heat in the vehicle, and this application does not limit this.

[0062] Exemplarily, the control module 250 can be used to control the second control valve 241 in the second delivery module 240 to open when the vehicle meets the heat release conditions, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module 230 is delivered to the component to be heated 260 through the second control valve 241.

[0063] The control module 250 is used to intelligently control the release process of the heat stored in the heat storage module 230. When the vehicle operating state and environmental parameters meet the preset heat release conditions, the control module 250 automatically controls the opening of the second control valve 241 in the second delivery module 240, so that the medium carrying heat (such as phase change material) in the heat storage module 230 is directed to the component to be heated 260, wherein the component to be heated 260 may include but is not limited to the engine system, the power battery and the cabin heating unit.

[0064] Among them, the heat release conditions include but are not limited to the following conditions:

[0065] Condition 1: The preset time triggers the heat release mode.

[0066] Before using the vehicle, the user can reserve the heat release time of the vehicle. For example, the heat release time of the vehicle can be reserved through a mobile phone application. After the current time reaches the heat release time reserved by the user, the heat storage module 230 starts to release the stored heat.

[0067] Condition 2: Use a signal to trigger the heat release mode.

[0068] Before using the vehicle, the user can use the remote control key to send a use signal to the vehicle, or, when detecting that the distance between the remote control key and the vehicle is less than or equal to the distance threshold, the remote control key automatically sends a use signal to the vehicle. After the vehicle receives the use signal, the control module 250 of the thermal management system can control the heat storage module 230 to start releasing the stored heat. The distance threshold can be set based on actual conditions.

[0069] Condition three: Ambient temperature or component temperature triggers heat release mode.

[0070] For example, a heat release request is generated through an ambient temperature sensor (e.g., detecting below -10°C) or a humidity sensor (e.g., icing risk > 80%); or, the current temperature of the component to be heated (e.g., power battery temperature ≤ -10°C) is detected to automatically generate a heat release request. After the vehicle receives the heat release request, the control module 250 of the thermal management system can control the heat storage module 230 to start releasing the stored heat.

[0071] It should be noted that the above heat release conditions are exemplary descriptions, and the heat release conditions of the vehicle can be set based on the actual situation of the vehicle, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0072] The component to be heated is taken as the engine system 211 as an example for description. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat release mode provided by an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the vehicle is in the heat release mode, the control module (not shown in the figure) can control the water inlet C and the water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241 to be in an open state. The medium carrying heat can flow into the engine system 211 through the water inlet C and the water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241, and the medium carrying heat can heat the engine system 211. The process of the heat release mode can be shown as the dotted line in the figure.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the control module 250 is further used to obtain the temperature of the component to be heated 260, and when the temperature of the component to be heated 260 reaches a first temperature threshold, the second control valve 241 is controlled to be closed, that is, the heat release mode is exited. Exemplarily, the control module 250 can monitor the temperature of the component to be heated 260 in real time, and when it is detected that the temperature of the component to be heated 260 reaches a preset first temperature threshold, the control module 250 can generate a closing instruction, and the closing instruction can control the second control valve 241 in the second delivery module 240 to be closed, terminate heat delivery and exit the heat release mode, so as to prevent the component to be heated 260 from overheating or excessive heat consumption.

[0074] Optionally, the second delivery module 240 may further include a second water pump 243 and a first thermostat 242, wherein the first thermostat 242 is used to adjust the flow direction of the medium, and the second water pump 243 is connected to the second control valve 241 and the first thermostat 242, and the first thermostat 242 is connected to the component to be heated 260. The control module 250 is further used to control the second control valve 241 in the second delivery module 240 to open when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, so that the medium carrying heat stored in the heat storage module 230 is delivered to the component to be heated 260 through the second control valve 241. The control module 250 is further used to control the first thermostat 242 to deliver the medium carrying heat to the component to be heated 260 through the second water pump 243 and the second control valve 241 during the heating process of the component to be heated 260, and cyclically heat the component to be heated 260 until the temperature of the component to be heated 260 reaches the first temperature threshold.

[0075] Among them, the heat release conditions have been described in detail above and will not be repeated here. When the vehicle is in the heat release mode, the second control valve 241, the second water pump 243 and the first thermostat 242 in the second delivery module 240 are connected with the heat storage module 230 and the component to be heated 260 to form a closed-loop circulation passage. The heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module 230 can flow to the second water pump 243 based on the distribution path of the first thermostat 242. The second water pump 243 can drive the heat-carrying medium to flow to the component to be heated 260 through the second control valve 241 to achieve cyclic heating of the component to be heated 260. After the temperature of the component to be heated 260 reaches the first temperature threshold, the second control valve 241 is closed, and the first thermostat 242 is switched to the bypass mode to stop heating. The vehicle's thermal system achieves efficient heating and safety protection through the linkage control of valve opening, water pump power and thermostat flow direction.

[0076] The component to be heated is taken as the engine system 211 as an example for description. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of another vehicle in a heat release mode provided by an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 5As shown, when the vehicle is in the heat release mode, the control module (not shown in the figure) can control the water inlet C, water inlet A and water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241 to be in an open state. The medium carrying heat can flow into the engine system 211 through the water inlet C and water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241, and the medium carrying heat can heat the engine system 211. After the medium carrying heat heats the engine system for the first time, it can be transported to the first thermostat 242. The first thermostat 242 can control the medium carrying heat to pass through the second water pump 243, the water inlet A and water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241, and finally reach the engine system 211. The medium carrying heat can heat the engine system 211 again, and finally realize the cyclic heating of the engine system 211. The process of the heat release mode can be shown as the dotted line in the figure.

[0077] In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the vehicle thermal management system further includes a second thermostat 244 and a radiator 245. The second thermostat 244 is connected to the first control valve 221 and the radiator 245. The radiator 245 is connected to the second water pump 243. The control module 250 is also used to control the first control valve 221 of the first delivery module 220 to open when the vehicle meets the heat dissipation conditions, so that the medium carrying the first heat is delivered to the radiator 245 through the second thermostat 244; the radiator 245 is used to reduce the first heat carried by the medium to the second heat; the control module 250 is used to control the second water pump 243 and the second control valve 241 to deliver the medium carrying the second heat to the heat-generating components of the vehicle, so as to circulate and dissipate heat for the heat-generating components of the vehicle.

[0078] When the vehicle is in the heat release mode, the vehicle's heat-generating components, the first control valve 221, the second thermostat 244, the radiator 245 are connected, and the second water pump 243 and the second control valve 241 are connected to form a heat dissipation circulation path. When the heat dissipation conditions are met during the operation of the vehicle (such as the medium temperature exceeds the preset threshold or the heat-generating components need to be actively cooled), the control module 250 starts the first control valve 221, so that the high-temperature medium carrying the first heat flows into the radiator 245 through the second thermostat 244 for cooling. The radiator 245 reduces the medium temperature from the first heat (such as 90°C) to the second heat (such as 40°C) by air cooling or liquid cooling. Then the control module 250 controls the second water pump 243 and the second control valve 241 to drive the cooled medium to be transported to the vehicle's heat-generating components (such as the engine system), forming a closed-loop heat dissipation path, and continuously reducing the temperature of the heat-generating components until they are restored to a safe range. During the heat dissipation process, the second thermostat 244 dynamically adjusts the flow direction of the medium to ensure that the high-temperature heat enters the radiator 245 for cooling first, while avoiding the ineffective circulation of the low-temperature medium. The control module 250 monitors the temperature changes of the heat-generating components in real time, and achieves a balance between heat dissipation efficiency and energy consumption by adjusting the valve opening, water pump power and thermostat path allocation.

[0079] The heat generating component of the vehicle (ie, the component to be cooled) is taken as the engine system 211 as an example for description. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle in a heat dissipation mode provided by an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 6 As shown, when the vehicle enters the heat dissipation mode, the control module (not shown in the figure) controls the water inlet B and the water outlet A of the first three-way water valve 221 to be in an open state. The medium carrying heat flows into the second thermostat 244 through the water inlet B and the water outlet C of the first three-way water valve 221. The second thermostat 244 controls the medium to flow through the radiator 245, and the radiator 245 cools down the heat carried by the medium. The cooled medium is then transported to the second water pump 243, and the second water pump 243 drives the medium through the water inlet A and the water outlet B of the second three-way water valve 241 to the engine system 211, forming a closed-loop heat dissipation path, and circulating the heat dissipation of the engine system 211. The control module 250 controls the hierarchical heat dissipation and circulation control of the engine system 211, realizes the efficient transfer of heat, and ensures the stable operation of the vehicle under high temperature conditions.

[0080] Optionally, the heat storage container may include multiple heat storage units, and different heat storage units may store different amounts of heat. Exemplarily, the heat storage container includes a first heat storage unit and a second heat storage unit that store different amounts of heat; the control module 250 is further used to control at least one of the first heat storage unit or the second heat storage unit to release the stored heat based on different heat requirements.

[0081] Exemplarily, the first heat storage unit and the second heat storage unit store heat in different temperature ranges to adapt to diversified heat demand. The first heat storage unit stores high-temperature heat through high-density phase change materials (such as erythritol with a melting point of 120°C), and the second heat storage unit uses medium-low temperature phase change materials (such as paraffin with a melting point of 45°C) to store medium-low temperature heat. The control module dynamically selects to release the heat of a specific heat storage unit based on the real-time working conditions of the vehicle and the priority of heat demand to achieve graded utilization of thermal energy. For example, when the engine cold start demand is detected, the control module 250 activates the first heat storage unit to release high-temperature heat (such as above 100°C) to the engine system, quickly raising the oil temperature to reduce cold start wear; in the cabin heating scenario, the control module 250 calls the medium-temperature heat (such as 50°C to 80°C) of the second heat storage unit to provide a stable heat source for the air conditioning system through a heat exchanger; for the low-temperature environment of the power battery, the control module 250 calls the second heat storage unit to release low-temperature heat (such as 30°C to 50°C) and delivers it to the battery module in a directional manner to prevent capacity decay. The control module 250 determines the type of heat demand in real time through the temperature sensor and the vehicle status signal. Optionally, the first heat storage unit and the second heat storage unit can be used at the same time. For example, during a cold start in winter, the first heat storage unit is used first to heat the engine, while the second heat storage unit is used to heat the cabin.

[0082] In this application, when the vehicle is in heat storage mode, the control module can control the heat collection module to collect the heat generated during the vehicle's driving or after the engine is turned off, and the collected heat is stored in the heat storage module through the first delivery module, thereby avoiding energy waste. The stored heat can be released when needed, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency; when the vehicle is in heat release mode, the control module controls the heat storage module to release heat, and the medium carrying heat is delivered to the components to be heated through the second delivery module, and the components to be heated are heated to improve the performance of the vehicle. For example, using the stored heat to heat the engine before the vehicle is started can improve the performance of the engine.

[0083] Based on the above Figure 1 In the implementation environment shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle thermal management method. Figure 7 is a flow chart of a vehicle thermal management method provided by an embodiment of the present application, such as Figure 7 As shown, this method can be Figure 1 The vehicle 101 and the vehicle thermal management system 102 interact to perform the method. The method may include steps 701 to 703.

[0084] Step 701, collecting heat generated during vehicle driving or after engine shutdown based on a medium to obtain a medium carrying heat, wherein the heat includes at least one of heat dissipation of an engine system, exhaust heat, or heat dissipation of electronic devices.

[0085] Step 702 , when the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the medium carrying heat is stored in a heat preservation manner.

[0086] Step 703 : When the vehicle is in a heat release mode, a heat-carrying medium is used to heat a component to be heated, and the component to be heated includes an engine system.

[0087] It should be noted that step 701 has been described in detail in the relevant content of the heat collection module 210, and the contents of step 702 and step 703 have been described in detail in the relevant content of the control module 250 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0088] In a possible implementation, when the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the medium carrying heat is stored in a heat preservation manner, including: when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, controlling the opening of the first control valve and starting the operation of the first water pump, and delivering the medium carrying heat to the heat storage module through the first delivery module; when the heat stored in the heat storage module meets a heat threshold, controlling the first water pump to stop operating, and the heat stored in the heat storage module is determined based on at least one of the temperature, volume or type of the medium carrying heat.

[0089] In one possible implementation, when the vehicle is in a heat release mode, a heat-carrying medium is used to heat a component to be heated, including: when the vehicle meets a heat release condition, controlling a second control valve in a second delivery module to open, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; when the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold, controlling the second control valve to close.

[0090] In one possible implementation, when the vehicle is in a heat release mode, a heat-carrying medium is used to heat the component to be heated, including: when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, controlling the second control valve in the second delivery module to open, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; during the heating process of the component to be heated, controlling the first thermostat to deliver the heat-carrying medium to the component to be heated through the second water pump and the second control valve, and cyclically heating the component to be heated until the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold.

[0091] In a possible implementation, the method also includes: when the vehicle meets the heat dissipation conditions, controlling the first control valve of the first delivery module to open, so that the medium carrying the first heat is delivered to the radiator through the second thermostat; using the radiator to reduce the first heat carried by the medium to the second heat; controlling the second water pump and the second control valve to deliver the medium carrying the second heat to the heating components of the vehicle, so as to circulate and dissipate heat for the heating components of the vehicle.

[0092] In a possible implementation, the medium is a phase change material, and the phase change material includes at least one of water, paraffin, molten salt, salt hydrate, bio-based phase change material, or paraffin-based composite phase change material.

[0093] In a possible implementation, the heat storage module includes a heat storage container and a heat insulation layer wrapping the heat storage container, the heat insulation layer is used to insulate the heat storage container, and the heat insulation layer includes at least one of a vacuum heat insulation layer or an aerogel heat insulation layer.

[0094] In a possible implementation, the method further includes: controlling at least one of the first heat storage unit or the second heat storage unit to release stored heat based on different heat demands.

[0095] The present application collects the heat generated during the driving process or after the engine is turned off. When the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, the collected heat is stored, that is, the heat-carrying medium is insulated and stored, thereby avoiding energy waste. The stored heat can be released when needed, thereby improving energy utilization efficiency. When the vehicle is in the heat release mode, the heat-carrying medium is used to heat the heated components to improve the performance of the vehicle. For example, using the stored heat to heat the engine before the vehicle is started can improve the performance of the engine.

[0096] The present application may also provide a vehicle, in which a vehicle thermal management system may be configured to perform heat storage management, heat release management, and heat dissipation management on the vehicle, wherein the details of the vehicle thermal management system have been described in detail above and will not be repeated here.

[0097] It should be understood that the "plurality" mentioned in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0098] The above description is only an exemplary embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the principles of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A vehicle thermal management system, characterized in that: The system comprises: A heat collection module, used to collect heat generated during vehicle driving or after the engine is turned off, the heat including at least one of heat dissipation of the engine system, exhaust heat or heat dissipation of electronic devices; A first delivery module, connected to the heat collection module and the heat storage module, comprising a first control valve and a first water pump, for delivering the heat collected by the heat collection module to the heat storage module when the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the heat being carried based on a medium; The heat storage module is used to store the heat; a second delivery module connected to the heat storage module and the component to be heated, comprising a second control valve, for delivering a heat-carrying medium to the component to be heated when the vehicle is in a heat release mode, wherein the component to be heated comprises an engine system, and the heat-carrying medium is used to heat the component to be heated; A control module is used to dynamically adjust at least one of the opening of the first control valve, the opening of the second control valve or the operating state of the first water pump in the first delivery module and the second delivery module based on sensor data to control the vehicle to be in the heat storage mode or the heat release mode.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The control module is used to control the opening of the first control valve and the start of operation of the first water pump when the vehicle is in the heat storage mode, so as to transport the heat-carrying medium to the heat storage module through the first transport module; The control module is used to control the first water pump to stop running when the heat stored in the heat storage module meets the heat threshold, and the heat stored in the heat storage module is determined based on at least one of the temperature, volume or type of the medium carrying the heat.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The control module is used to control the second control valve in the second delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; The control module is used to control the second control valve to close when the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The second delivery module further includes a second water pump and a first thermostat, the first thermostat is used to adjust the flow direction of the medium, the second water pump is connected to the second control valve and the first thermostat, and the first thermostat is connected to the component to be heated; The control module is further configured to control the second control valve in the second delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat release condition, so that the heat-carrying medium stored in the heat storage module is delivered to the component to be heated through the second control valve; The control module is further used to control the first thermostat so that the heat-carrying medium is transported to the component to be heated through the second water pump and the second control valve during the heating process of the component to be heated, and cyclically heat the component to be heated until the temperature of the component to be heated reaches a first temperature threshold.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that The vehicle thermal management system further includes a second thermostat and a radiator, wherein the second thermostat is connected to the first control valve and the radiator, and the radiator is connected to the second water pump; The control module is further configured to control the first control valve of the first delivery module to open when the vehicle meets the heat dissipation condition, so that the medium carrying the first heat is delivered to the radiator through the second thermostat; The heat sink is used to reduce the first heat carried by the medium to a second heat; The control module is used to control the second water pump and the second control valve to transport the medium carrying the second heat to the heat-generating components of the vehicle to circulate and dissipate heat for the heat-generating components of the vehicle.

6. The system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The medium is a phase change material, and the phase change material includes at least one of water, paraffin, molten salt, salt hydrate, bio-based phase change material or paraffin-based composite phase change material.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The heat storage module includes a heat storage container and a heat insulation layer wrapping the heat storage container, the heat insulation layer is used to insulate the heat storage container, and the heat insulation layer includes at least one of a vacuum heat insulation layer and an aerogel heat insulation layer.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that The heat storage container comprises a first heat storage unit and a second heat storage unit that store different amounts of heat; The control module is further used to control at least one of the first heat storage unit or the second heat storage unit to release stored heat based on different heat requirements.

9. A vehicle thermal management method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Collecting heat generated during vehicle driving or after engine shutdown based on a medium to obtain a medium carrying heat, wherein the heat includes at least one of heat dissipation of an engine system, exhaust heat, or heat dissipation of electronic devices; When the vehicle is in a heat storage mode, the heat-carrying medium is stored in a heat preservation manner; When the vehicle is in a heat release mode, the heat-carrying medium is used to heat a component to be heated, and the component to be heated includes an engine system.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: A vehicle thermal management system comprising the vehicle thermal management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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