Heat recovery method and device and electric vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a heat recovery method and device and an electric vehicle. The electric automobile comprises a heating system, a heat consumption device, a heat recovery device and a brake heat collection unit. The brake heat collecting unit can recycle heat generated in the braking process of the electric automobile to serve as a supplementary heat source of the heating system. When the electric automobile continuously brakes, the heat recovery device controls the brake heat collection unit to be connected with the heating system, and heat is conducted to the heat consumption device from the brake heat collection unit. The braking heat is recycled to serve as a supplementary heat source of the heating system of the electric vehicle, energy loss of the battery pack can be reduced, and therefore the endurance mileage is effectively increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of thermal management of electric vehicles, and in particular to a heat recovery method, device and electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] An electric vehicle (BEV) is a vehicle that uses an onboard power battery to provide power, converts electrical energy into kinetic energy, and drives the wheels with an electric motor. Electric vehicles can be broadly divided into pure electric vehicles (BEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and fuel cell vehicles (FCV). Both traditional fuel vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles include an internal combustion engine drive system that can directly convert thermal energy into kinetic energy. Therefore, both traditional fuel vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles can obtain heat from the internal combustion engine. The electric drive power assembly of a pure electric vehicle does not generate as much heat as an internal combustion engine, and generally requires a battery pack to power the heating system to meet the vehicle's heating needs. Especially under low temperature conditions, there is a need to heat the passenger compartment, battery pack, motor and other electronic components of an electric vehicle. The electric heater used in the heating system has high power and often consumes a large amount of battery energy in the battery pack, greatly reducing the range of the electric vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0003] To this end, the present application provides a heat recovery method, device and electric vehicle, which are used to recover the heat generated during the braking process of the electric vehicle as a supplementary heat source for the heating system, thereby reducing the consumption of battery pack energy by the heating system and increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle. Specifically, the present application includes the following technical solutions:

[0004] On the one hand, the present application provides a heat recovery method for an electric vehicle, comprising: receiving a heating demand of a heat consumption device of the electric vehicle; determining that the electric vehicle is continuously braking; and controlling a brake heat collection unit to conduct its connection with a channel of a heating system of the electric vehicle so that the heat collected by the brake heat collection unit from the braking process is transferred to the heat consumption device.

[0005] According to the heat recovery method provided in the present application, the waste heat generated during the braking process can be collected as a supplementary heat source for the heat consumption device of the electric vehicle, which can reduce the energy loss of the battery pack and thus improve the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0006] In some implementations, in the method, controlling the brake heat collection unit to conduct the connection between it and the channel of the electric vehicle heating system includes: controlling the electronic control switch between the brake heat collection unit and the channel to open.

[0007] By controlling the electronic control switch to switch the heat source of the heating system, the brake heat is conducted through the channel. Compared with the manual control method, it is more operational and there is no need to set up a new heating system circuit, which saves space for the heating system, improves system integration and reduces costs.

[0008] In some implementations, the electronically controlled switch involved in the method is an electronic three-way valve.

[0009] Compared with single-seat and double-seat valves, one electronic three-way valve can replace two single-seat and double-seat switches, saving installation channels and reducing costs. Compared with other electric control switches, the pressure difference between the front and back of the electronic multi-way valve is lower, and the degree of influence by the viscosity of the liquid in the channel is small. The liquid leakage in the valve core is large, and the flow capacity is strong.

[0010] In some implementations, the method of determining that the electric vehicle is continuously braking includes: receiving a braking signal, and the braking signal continues for a first time period; or receiving a braking signal every second time period.

[0011] By considering different braking scenarios, the amount of brake heat collected by electric vehicles is increased, the energy consumption of the battery pack is minimized as much as possible, which is beneficial to increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0012] In some implementations, the method further includes: controlling other heat source generating devices of the heating system to stop generating heat.

[0013] Timely control to disconnect other heat source generating devices of the heating system to stop generating heat further saves battery energy and is beneficial to increase the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0014] In some implementations, the method further includes: when no brake signal is received for more than a second time period, controlling the brake heat collection unit to cut off its connection with the channel.

[0015] After ensuring that the brake heat has been collected, other heat source generation devices are promptly restored to operation, which can ensure that the heating system can meet the heating needs of the electric vehicle in a timely manner and improve system stability.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present application provides a heat recovery device for an electric vehicle, comprising: a receiving unit and a processor, the receiving unit being used to receive the heating demand of a heat consumption device of the electric vehicle; the processor being used to determine whether the electric vehicle is continuously braking; wherein the processor is also used to control a brake heat collection unit to conduct the connection between the brake heat collection unit and a channel of a heating system of the electric vehicle, so that the heat collected by the brake heat collection unit during the braking process is transferred to the heat consumption device.

[0017] The heat recovery device can recover brake heat as a supplementary heat source for heat consumption devices, thereby reducing the loss of battery energy by other heat source generating devices and increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0018] In some implementations, the processor of the device is used to control the brake heat collection unit to open the connection between it and the channel of the heating system, including: the processor is used to control the electronic control switch between the brake heat collection unit and the channel to open.

[0019] By controlling the opening and closing of the electronic control switch, the working state of the heating system is controlled, which is flexible and convenient, saves system space, reduces the complexity and difficulty of system integration, and is easy to implement.

[0020] In some implementations, the processor of the device is used to determine that the electric vehicle is continuously braking, including: the processor is used to receive a brake signal and determine that the brake signal lasts for a first time period; or determine that a brake signal is received every second time period.

[0021] By considering different braking scenarios, the amount of brake heat collected by electric vehicles is increased, the energy consumption of the battery pack is minimized as much as possible, which is beneficial to increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0022] In some implementations, the processor of the device is further configured to: control other heat source generating devices of the heating system to stop generating heat.

[0023] The processor promptly controls the disconnection of other heat source generating devices in the heating system to stop generating heat, thereby further saving battery energy and helping to increase the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0024] In some implementations, the processor of the device is further configured to: when no brake signal is received for more than a second time period, control the brake heat collection unit to cut off its connection with the channel.

[0025] After ensuring that the brake heat has been collected, other heat source generation devices are promptly restored to operation, which can ensure that the heating system can meet the heating needs of the electric vehicle in a timely manner and improve system stability.

[0026] In a third aspect, the present application also provides an electric vehicle, comprising the above-mentioned heat recovery device for an electric vehicle.

[0027] Through the heat recovery device, brake heat is recovered and used as a heat source for the heat consumption device, reducing battery energy loss and increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0028] In some implementations, the electric vehicle further includes a heating system for providing heat to a heat consumption device of the electric vehicle, wherein the heating system includes a brake heat collection unit for collecting brake heat.

[0029] A brake heat collection unit is added to the heating system, and the brake heat collection unit is connected to the channel. There is no need to add an independent heating circuit, which improves the integration rate of the heating system and facilitates structural improvement and production.

[0030] In some implementations, the heating system of the electric vehicle further includes: an electronic control switch for connecting the brake heat collection unit and a channel of the heating system.

[0031] The electronic control switch is small in size, highly flexible and easy to control. The introduction of the electronic control switch allows the heating system to add a brake heat collection unit without other structural adjustments, saving system space.

[0032] In some implementations, when the brake of the electric vehicle is a disc brake, the brake heat collection unit is disposed at the brake caliper of the electric vehicle; or when the brake is a drum brake, the brake heat collection unit is disposed at the brake shoe of the electric vehicle.

[0033] The brake heat collection unit is arranged at the brake caliper or brake shoe to absorb the brake heat and reduce the waste of brake heat.

[0034] In some implementations, a brake heat collection unit for an electric vehicle includes one or more fluid channels.

[0035] By providing one or more liquid channels at the brake of the electric vehicle, the brake heat can be conducted to the heat consumption device through the channel of the heating system. The liquid channel is easy to manufacture and convenient to use.

[0036] The heat recovery method, device and electric vehicle proposed in the present application recycle waste heat generated by brake friction during braking as a supplementary heat source for the heat consumption device, reducing the use of battery energy and thus increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application 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 the drawings without paying creative work.

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a heat recovery device for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0039] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0040] Figure 3A flow chart showing a heat recovery method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a heat consumption device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0042] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a brake heat collection unit according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The following detailed description and drawings of the embodiments of the present application are used to illustrate the principles of the present application, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present application, that is, the present application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0044] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, “plurality” means more than two; in addition, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0045] In low temperature environments, the performance of electric vehicle battery packs, motors and other electronic components declines, and they need to be heated and maintained at a safe and suitable operating temperature. The driver and passengers in the passenger compartment need to be warm, and the windshield needs to be defrosted and defogged. In winter, the heating needs of electric vehicles are particularly urgent. However, the current mainstream high-voltage electric heating or heat pump heating methods have high power and low efficiency, which seriously consumes battery energy and greatly reduces the range of electric vehicles. Therefore, the waste heat and waste heat during the operation of electric vehicles can be collected and utilized to alleviate the power consumption pressure of the battery pack, thereby increasing the range.

[0046] The driving motor of an electric vehicle needs to rotate at high speed during operation. Generally, the high temperature and heat generated by the motor during operation and the waste heat generated by reverse braking of the motor can be transmitted to the passenger compartment and battery pack through a fan to heat the passenger compartment and battery pack of the electric vehicle as a supplementary heat source for the passenger compartment and battery pack of the electric vehicle. However, this solution only uses the heat generated by the motor, and other waste heat and waste heat of the electric vehicle will still be wasted. Especially in low temperature environments, the vehicle will have more heating needs, and the friction heat generated by the brake disc and brake caliper of the electric vehicle during braking is not fully utilized.

[0047] The embodiment of the present application provides a heat recovery method, which recycles the friction heat generated by the brake disc and the brake caliper during braking as a supplementary heat source for the heat consumption device 300 of the electric vehicle 1000, thereby reducing the use of battery energy and increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle. The heat recovery method provided in this embodiment can be applied to a vehicle such as an electric vehicle. Among them, the vehicle includes but is not limited to electric vehicles, and can also be other vehicles equipped with battery packs as driving energy, such as two-wheeled electric vehicles, three-wheeled electric vehicles, aircraft, ships, etc.

[0048] The electric vehicle heat recovery method of the embodiment of the present application relates to the heating system 100 of the electric vehicle, and the heating system 100 transfers heat to the battery pack and the passenger compartment as the heat consumption device 300 respectively. For example, the heating system 100 can heat the fluid in the water-cooling plate of the battery pack through a heat exchanger. The water-cooling plate is usually arranged at the bottom or side of the battery pack to heat the battery pack. The passenger compartment is located on the upper part of the battery pack and can receive warm air delivered by the fan. Based on this, the present application provides a heat recovery method, which adds a brake heat collection unit 110 and connects it to the existing heating system. Figure 1 As shown, the brake heat collection unit 110 can recover the heat generated during the braking process of the electric vehicle 1000 as a supplementary heat source for the heating system 100 .

[0049] Specifically, a brake heat collection unit 110 is added to the brake of the electric vehicle 1000 to collect the heat generated by the brake friction during the braking process. When the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking, the heat recovery device 800 controls the connection between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the heating system 100, and the heat is transferred from the brake heat collection unit 110 to the heat consumption device 300.

[0050] The heat dissipation device 300 is a device that absorbs heat to increase its own temperature, restore normal working performance or maintain a safe and comfortable state. In the electric vehicle 1000, there can be multiple heat dissipation devices 300, which can be a passenger compartment, a battery pack, a windshield, a motor, and / or other electronic components.

[0051] The heating system 100 may be a water-heating system in a water-cooling and water-heating system, which heats the heat consumption device 300, and the heating system 100 may include a heater, a channel, etc. Among them, the water-cooling and water-heating system is a thermal management system for electric vehicles.

[0052] The heat recovery device 800 is used to receive the heating demand of the electric vehicle 1000 , determine the brake signal, and control the heating system 100 to transfer heat to the heat consumption device 300 .

[0053] The brake heat collection unit 110 is arranged at the brake of the electric vehicle 1000 and connected to the heating system 100 for collecting brake heat. The brake is a device with the function of slowing down, stopping or keeping the moving machinery in a stopped state. It is a mechanical part that stops or slows down the moving parts in the machinery, commonly known as brakes or gates. The brakes used in automobiles are basically friction type, which can be divided into two categories: drum type and disc type. The rotating element of the drum brake friction is the brake drum, and its working surface is a cylindrical surface; the rotating element of the disc brake is the brake disc, and its end face is the working surface.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a heat recovery method for an electric vehicle 1000, comprising:

[0055] S100 : receiving a heating demand of a heat consumption device 300 of an electric vehicle 1000 .

[0056] Receiving means receiving various heating demand information from the heat consumption device 300 of the electric vehicle 1000 through the sensors in the electric control system of the electric vehicle 1000. The above-mentioned heating demand information can be received through the CAN bus. The aforementioned electric control system is the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the electric vehicle, which serves as the main control console of the electric vehicle 1000 and is composed of various subsystems. The electric control system controls the electric vehicle by integrating the functions of each subsystem. The electric control system and various devices of the electric vehicle 1000 can communicate through the CAN bus. Communication refers to the transmission of information between a sender and a receiver through a certain medium. The CAN bus refers to a serial data communication protocol that is widely used in the automotive field and has high performance and high reliability.

[0057] The above heating requirements may include: heating requirements for the passenger compartment, heating requirements for the battery pack, defrosting or defogging requirements for the windshield, heating requirements for the motor, and / or heating requirements for electronic components. In a low temperature environment, the passenger compartment needs to be heated, and the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor often causes frost or fogging of the windshield, which requires defrosting or defogging. The acceleration and torque of the motor decrease in a low temperature environment, and the operating efficiency is also significantly reduced, so heating is required. The battery pack usually includes a number of battery cells, a battery management system, etc. The battery management system is called the "battery butler" of the electric vehicle 1000. It can monitor the battery status in real time, manage the on-board battery pack, enhance the battery efficiency, prevent the battery from overcharging and over-discharging, and increase the service life of the battery pack. The battery cell is the core component of the battery pack and is used to output electrical energy. Since the characteristics of the battery cell are significantly affected by the ambient temperature, especially in a low temperature environment, the internal resistance of the battery increases, the charging and discharging performance is significantly reduced, and the available capacity and power decay seriously. This will affect the starting and charging and discharging of electric vehicles, reduce the driving range, and long-term use in low-temperature environments will accelerate aging and shorten the service life. The battery pack needs to be heated to a certain temperature, such as above about 0°C. Similarly, in low-temperature environments, the working performance of electronic components will also be affected, and heating is required to restore normal working performance.

[0058] The method further includes S200: determining that the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking.

[0059] Braking, also known as braking, refers to the action of slowing down or stopping a running locomotive, vehicle, other means of transport or machinery. The general principle of braking is to fix a wheel or disc on the high-speed shaft of the machine, install a brake shoe, belt or disc corresponding to it on the machine base, and generate a braking torque under the action of external force. The brake is a mechanical braking device used to control the brake wheel disc to slow down or stop. When the vehicle is running, the brake wheel disc rotates with the wheel. When braking, step on the brake pedal or use the handbrake, the brake lever is linked and compressed and transmitted to the brake, and the brake reduces the speed of the brake wheel disc until it stops rotating, thereby slowing down or stopping the wheel, and slowing down or stopping the vehicle. There are two main common brakes, disc brakes and drum brakes. Disc brakes clamp the brake disc through the caliper, so that the wheel speed is reduced until it stops rotating; drum brakes squeeze the brake drum through the brake shoe on the brake drum, so that the wheel speed is reduced until it stops rotating.

[0060] Continuous braking means that the braking process of the electric vehicle 1000 lasts for a period of time. That is, during this period of time, the vehicle is always in a braking state and / or in a braking state, so that the vehicle speed gradually decreases or stops. Braking means that the brake pedal is lightly pressed several times and then released, pressed once, released once, pressed again, released once, and gradually reduced the vehicle speed to a suitable value.

[0061] In some embodiments, the braking process lasts for a period of time, which means that in a long downhill scenario, the electric vehicle 1000 lasts for a period of time from the start of braking to the end of braking. During this period of time, the vehicle is always in a braking state.

[0062] In other embodiments, the braking process may last for a period of time, and the electric vehicle 1000 may be in a point braking state to slow down at a continuous curve. During this period of time, the brake pedal is intermittently released, and brake heat is continuously generated.

[0063] In other embodiments, the braking process may last for a period of time, which may be a combination of being in the braking state and / or being in the braking state as described above.

[0064] Accordingly, determining continuous braking means determining that the electric vehicle 1000 is always in a braking state and / or in a braking state. The determining action may include two sub-actions, namely, receiving a braking signal, and determining whether it is a series of continuous braking signals and / or a short-term and multiple-segment braking signal. The receiving here means receiving mechanical information (i.e., braking information) such as the pressure of the brake pedal monitored by the sensor of the brake pedal position.

[0065] The method further includes S300 : controlling the brake heat collection unit 110 to conduct the connection with the channel 120 of the heating system 100 of the electric vehicle 1000 , so that the brake heat collection unit 110 transfers the heat collected during the braking process to the heat consumption device 300 .

[0066] Control means to control the object so that it does not move beyond the range or to make it move according to the controller's will. Specifically, it means that in response to the heating demand received in S100 and the brake information determined in S200, the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 are instructed to be turned on.

[0067] The brake heat collection unit 110 is connected to the channel 120 of the heating system 100 and is used to collect the heat generated by the brake friction during the braking process of the electric vehicle 1000.

[0068] In some embodiments, the brake heat collection unit 110 may be disposed at the brake of the wheel of the electric vehicle 1000, and include one or more brake heat collection channels, all of which are connected to form the brake heat collection unit 110, and transfer the brake heat to the heat consumption device 300. The brake heat collection may be one or more liquid channels.

[0069] The heating system 100 refers to a water-heating system in a water-cooling and water-heating system. Liquid circulates in a channel 120 to transfer heat to a heat consumption device 300 for heating the heat consumption device 300. The heating system 100 may include a brake heat collection unit 110, a channel 120, and the like.

[0070] The channel 120 is used to connect the various devices of the heating system 100 to form a liquid circulation loop. The liquid can be water or other liquid medium as long as heat transfer can be performed. In some embodiments, the other liquid medium can be water with antifreeze added, so that the heating system 100 can still work normally in a low temperature environment.

[0071] Conductive connection means that the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 are coupled as part of the liquid circulation loop of the above-mentioned heating system. Heat is transferred in the channel 120, and when the channel 120 is close to the heat consumption device 300, the heat consumption device 300 is heated. Heat is transferred in the liquid circulation loop and conducted to the heat consumption device 300.

[0072] Compared with the existing heat recovery method that only recovers the residual heat and waste heat of the motor, the heat recovery method provided by the present application recovers the friction heat during braking, so that the braking heat is not directly dissipated into the air, thereby saving battery energy and increasing the cruising range of electric vehicles.

[0073] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, controlling the brake heat collection unit 110 to conduct the connection between it and the channel 120 of the heating system 100 of the electric vehicle 1000 includes: the electronic control switch 140 between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 is turned on. The electronic control switch 140 includes an electric actuator, and the electric actuator has a servo system, which does not need to be equipped with a servo amplifier, has high reliability, and is simple to connect. It only needs to be equipped with an AC / DC 4-20mA or AC / DC 1-5V input signal and a 220AC single-phase power supply to control the operation.

[0074] The electronic control switch 140 includes a first port connected to the brake heat collection unit 110, and a plurality of ports corresponding to different ports of the channel 120 of the heating system 100, wherein the second port of the plurality of ports is used to correspond to the brake heat collection unit 110. When collecting brake heat, the electronic control switch 140 opens the first port and the second port, and conducts the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120, so that the brake heat is conducted through the channel 120. The electronic control switch 140 can be an electronic multi-way valve, which is usually composed of a valve body, a valve core, a spring, an electromagnetic coil, an actuator, etc. The interior of the valve body is designed according to different requirements, and usually includes an inlet and outlet, a central channel, and a plurality of channel connection holes. The valve core is usually cylindrical, with a plurality of channels opened inside, and different channels can be connected to each other during rotation. The electronic multi-way valve pulls the valve core through the electromagnetic force generated by the electromagnetic coil, and the valve opens, so that different channels are connected to each other. When collecting brake heat, the electronic multi-way valve opens the valve connecting the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120.

[0075] In the embodiment of the present application, the heat recovery device 800 of the electric vehicle 1000 controls the working state of the electronic control switch 140 and conducts the brake heat through the channel 120. Compared with the manual control adjustment method, it reduces the dependence on manpower, has feasibility, and does not need to set up a new heating circuit, which saves the space of the heating system 100, improves the integration and reduces the cost.

[0076] In some embodiments, the electronic control switch 140 may be an electronic three-way valve having two states, open and closed, for switching different channels 120 to connect the heating system 100 to form a loop. The electronic three-way valve includes three channel connection holes, one channel connection hole is connected to the brake heat collection unit 110, and the other two holes are connected to the channel 120 of the heating system 100. The electronic three-way valve is powered by a power supply and receives a uniform AC / DC signal, such as 0-10 mADC, 4-20 mADC or 1-5 VDC, to drive the valve to open and close.

[0077] Compared with single-seat and double-seat regulating valves, one electronic three-way valve can replace two single-seat and double-seat switches. It has a larger liquid leakage, strong flow capacity, saves installation channels, occupies less space, and is flexible and convenient to use.

[0078] In some embodiments, action S200 determining that the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking includes: action S210: receiving a braking signal, and the braking signal continues for a first time period; or includes S220: receiving a braking signal every second time period.

[0079] Receiving a brake signal means that the brake signal is received by the sensor of the heat recovery device 800 and the continuous state of the brake signal is determined by analyzing the signal processing circuit thereof to determine whether the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking.

[0080] During the first time period, the car is always in a braking state. The first time period may be a long downhill scenario where the car needs to brake all the time. At intervals of the second time period, the car brakes intermittently, which may be on a continuous curved road. During the second time period, the car does not brake, but the brake heat generated by braking can still be collected. If the brake signal is not received beyond the second time period, there is no brake heat to be collected. The length of the second time period may be less than the first time period, or it may be equal to or greater than the first time period.

[0081] In addition, the electric vehicle 1000 may also be in a braking state and / or a point braking state, for example, a long downhill scene combined with continuous curves.

[0082] By considering different braking scenarios, the amount of brake heat collected by electric vehicles is increased and the energy consumption of the battery pack is minimized as much as possible.

[0083] In some embodiments, the method further includes: controlling other heat source generating devices of the heating system 100 to stop generating heat.

[0084] Other heat source generating devices may be electric heaters, etc. The electric heater uses the battery energy of the electric vehicle 1000, and then converts the electrical energy into heat energy to heat the medium in the channel 120. The electric heater may be a high-pressure water heater, which is a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC) element, which generates gentle hot air and has high heating efficiency. The embodiment of the present application can save the consumption of battery energy by other heat source generating devices by timely controlling the disconnection of other heat source generating devices of the heating system 100, thereby improving the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0085] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the brake signal is not received for more than a second time period, controlling the brake heat collection unit 110 to cut off the connection between the unit and the channel 120 .

[0086] Among them, after the second time period, the car no longer brakes and the brake no longer generates brake heat. This indicates that the continuous braking has ended and the above connection should be cut off in time. Cutting off the connection means closing the connection port between the channel 120 and the brake heat collection unit 110 by controlling the electronic control switch 140. At this time, the channel 120 is not conductive with the brake heat collection unit 110. This can prevent the liquid in the channel 120 from flowing back to the brake heat collection unit 110, causing unnecessary heat consumption, and improve the heating efficiency of the heating system 100. In some embodiments, the method will further control other heat source generation devices to resume work in time. Other heat source generation devices can meet the heating needs of the electric vehicle in a timely manner. This improves the stability of the system.

[0087] like Figure 2 As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a heat recovery device 800 for an electric vehicle 1000. The heat recovery device 800 includes: a receiving unit 810, for receiving a heating demand of a heat consumption device 300 of the electric vehicle 1000; and a processor 820, for determining that the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking; wherein the processor 820 is also used to control the brake heat collection unit 110 to conduct its connection with the channel 120 of the heating system 100 of the electric vehicle 1000, so that the heat collected by the brake heat collection unit 110 during the braking process is transferred to the heat consumption device 300.

[0088] The receiving unit 810 receives the above-mentioned multiple heating requirements generated by the heat consumption device 300. The heating requirements may be electrical signals transmitted via the CAN bus or other required forms.

[0089] The processor 820 is used to determine that the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking according to the above-mentioned action S200. Specifically, in some embodiments, the processor 820 determines that the electric vehicle 1000 is continuously braking including: the processor 820 receives a brake signal of the electric vehicle 1000 from a sensor, and determines that the brake signal lasts for a first time period; or determines that a brake signal is received every second time period. In the first time period, the car is always in a braking state, the processor 820 receives a brake signal, and the brake signal lasts for a period of time. Between the time intervals of the two second time periods, the car brakes, which is a continuous point brake. The processor 820 can receive a series of intermittent brake signals, and the car is also continuously braking. The second time period means that no brake heat can be collected beyond the second time period.

[0090] The processor 820 is also used to perform the above action S300, that is, to control the brake heat collection unit 110 to connect with the channel 120 of the heating system 100 of the electric vehicle 1000, so that the brake heat collection unit 110 transfers the heat collected during the braking process to the heat consumption device 300.

[0091] By determining the continuous braking state through the processor 820 and considering different braking situations, the braking heat can be fully collected to reduce the battery energy consumption, thereby improving the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0092] The brake heat collection unit 110 may include one or more liquid channels, which are arranged on the surface of the brake caliper or brake shoe of the brake to collect the heat on the brake during the braking process.

[0093] The embodiment of the present application provides a heat recovery device 800 for an electric vehicle 1000, which can recover brake heat and serve as a supplementary heat source for the heat consumption device 300, thereby reducing the loss of battery energy by other heat source generation devices and increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0094] In some embodiments, the brake heat collection unit 110 is connected to the channel 120 of the heating system 100 through the electronic control switch 140. Accordingly, the processor 820 is used to control the brake heat collection unit 110 to conduct the connection with the channel 120 of the heating system 100, including: the processor 800 is used to control the electronic control switch 140 between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 to open. The electronic control switch 140 is controlled by the processor 820 and can be opened and closed, thereby conducting and disconnecting the connection between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120. By controlling the opening and closing of the electronic control switch 140, the working state of the heating system 100 is controlled, which is flexible and convenient, saves system space, reduces the complexity and difficulty of system integration, and is easy to implement.

[0095] In some embodiments, the electronic control switch 140 can be an electronic multi-way valve, such as an electronic three-way valve, which is used to connect the brake heat collection unit 110 and other heat source generating devices to the channel 120. The electronic multi-way valve is opened and closed according to the control of the processor 820. The connection between the control channel 120 and different heat sources. The electronic multi-way valve has the advantages of saving channels and occupying a small space. Compared with other electronically controlled switches, the electronic multi-way valve has a lower pressure difference before and after the valve, is less affected by the viscosity of the liquid in the channel, has a large amount of liquid leakage in the valve core, and has a strong flow capacity.

[0096] In some embodiments, the processor 820 is also used to control other heat source generating devices of the heating system 100 to stop generating heat. When the brake heat collection unit 110 and other heat source generating devices are connected to the channel 120, because the brake heat collection unit 110 has provided heat as a heat source generating device, the processor 820 can control other heat source generating devices of the heating system 100 to stop generating heat. This can reduce the consumption of battery energy by other heat source generating devices, thereby improving the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0097] In some embodiments, the processor 820 is also used to control the brake heat collection unit 110 to cut off its connection with the channel 120 when the brake signal is not received for more than the second time period. When the processor 820 does not receive the brake signal for more than the second time period, the processor 820 controls the brake heat collection unit 110 to cut off the connection between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 through the electronic control switch 140. By cutting off the connection between the brake heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120, it is prevented that the liquid in the channel 120 flows back to the brake heat collection unit 110, causing unnecessary heat consumption. This can improve the heating efficiency of the heating system 100. In some embodiments, the processor 820 will further control other heat source generation devices to resume work in time to meet the heating needs of the electric vehicle in a timely manner. This improves the stability of the system.

[0098] like Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides an electric vehicle 1000 , comprising the above-mentioned heat recovery device 800 .

[0099] The heat recovery device 800 includes a signal receiving unit 810 for receiving heating demand information of the electric vehicle 1000 ; and also includes a processor 820 for receiving and analyzing braking information, and controlling the connection between the braking heat collection unit 110 and the channel 120 .

[0100] Specifically, the processor 820 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be configured to implement one or more integrated circuits of the embodiments of the present application.

[0101] The electric vehicle 1000 also includes a memory storing computer program instructions. The memory may include a large capacity memory for data or instructions. By way of example and not limitation, the memory may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, or a universal serial bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these. In some instances, the memory may include removable or non-removable media, or the memory may be a non-volatile solid-state memory.

[0102] In some examples, the memory may be a read-only memory (ROM). In one example, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), an electrically rewritable ROM (EAROM), or a flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these.

[0103] The memory may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk storage medium device, an optical storage medium device, a flash memory device, an electrical, optical or other physical / tangible memory storage device. Thus, typically, the memory includes one or more tangible computer-readable storage media (e.g., a memory device) encoded with software including computer-executable instructions, and when the software is executed, it is operable to perform the operations described in accordance with the method of one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0104] The heat collection device 800 reads and executes the computer program instructions stored in the memory to achieve Figure 3 The method / steps in the embodiment shown in the figure can achieve Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment implements the corresponding technical effects achieved by the method / steps thereof, and the specific implementation method / steps of the embodiment are as described in the aforementioned heat recovery method.

[0105] An embodiment of the present application provides an electric vehicle 1000, including the above-mentioned heat recovery device 800. The heat recovery device 800 recovers brake heat and serves as a heat source for the heat consumption device 300, thereby reducing battery energy loss and increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0106] In some embodiments, when the brake of the electric vehicle 1000 is a disc brake, the brake heat collection unit 110 is disposed at the brake caliper of the electric vehicle 1000; or when the brake is a drum brake, the brake heat collection unit 110 is disposed at the brake shoe of the electric vehicle 1000. The brake caliper and the drum brake are located at the wheel position of the vehicle. When the disc brake is used, the brake caliper clamps the brake disc to prevent the brake disc from rotating, and friction generates heat; when the drum brake is used, the brake shoe squeezes the brake drum, and friction generates heat. Therefore, the brake heat collection unit 110 is disposed at the brake caliper or the brake shoe to collect the heat generated by the brake. The brake heat collection unit 110 is disposed at the brake caliper or the brake shoe to facilitate the absorption of brake heat and reduce the waste of brake heat.

[0107] In some embodiments, the brake heat collection unit 110 includes one or more liquid channels, which are arranged on the surface of the brake caliper or brake shoe of the brake. If the brake heat collection unit 110 includes multiple liquid channels, the multiple liquid channels are connected through the channel 120 to form a liquid channel. The liquid in the liquid channel absorbs the brake heat and conducts the heat to the heat consumption device 300 through the channel 120 of the heating system 100. For example, when the brake is a disc brake, the liquid channel can be as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the liquid channel is arranged on the surface of the brake caliper. By setting one or more liquid channels at the brake of the electric vehicle 1000, the brake heat can be transferred to the heat consumption device 300 through the channel 120 of the heating system 100. The liquid channel is easy to manufacture and convenient to use.

[0108] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the electric vehicle 1000 further includes a heating system 100 for providing heat to the heat consumption device 300. To facilitate understanding, a specific implementation of the heating system 100 is introduced as follows.

[0109] In addition to the brake heat collection unit 110 , the channel 120 and the electronic three-way valve 140 , the heating system 100 generally further includes a water pump and a heater as other heat generating devices.

[0110] Among them, the water pump is generally a warm air electronic water pump, which is the power source for driving the liquid circulation in the heating system 100 circuit. It can be set at any position in the warm air circuit. As an electrically driven water pump, the water pump can be driven by the electronic control system of the electric vehicle 1000 to adjust its working condition and drive the liquid circulation. The front end of the water pump can be a centrifugal impeller, which has a large flow rate and meets the pressure requirements. The rear end of the water pump is a motor, which can be a brushless motor. The water pump also includes a circuit board as a control module of the water pump. The circuit board communicates with the electronic control system to control the rotation speed of the water pump to meet the heat transfer requirements of any working condition.

[0111] The heater can be a high-pressure water heater, which is an electric heater. As a heat source generating device in the heating system 100, it belongs to a PTC element. The higher the heating demand temperature, the greater the resistance of the PTC element. When the heating demand is high, the on-board battery pack directly supplies power to generate heat. For pure electric vehicles, considering that the battery pack is a high-voltage battery, a high-pressure water heater is selected, which has high voltage and high efficiency, and can convert more electrical energy into thermal energy. The heater can also be an air-heating PTC and a water-heating PTC that indirectly heats the air by heating water. The principle of the air-heating PTC is the same as that of an electric hair dryer, and can only be used to heat the passenger compartment. Compared with the air-heating PTC, the water-heating PTC has a large electric power and can meet the heating needs of the battery pack and the passenger compartment in the same water pump pipeline. Moreover, the hot air generated by the water-heating method is mild, and it can be powered by high voltage, which is more efficient.

[0112] Optionally, the heat source generating device in the heating system 100 can be a high-pressure water-heating PTC, which has the advantages of high efficiency in converting electric energy, being able to simultaneously meet the heating requirements of the battery pack and the passenger compartment, high efficiency in heat generation, and gentle hot air generated by the water-heating form.

[0113] The heating system 100 circuit may further include a warm air core as a heat transfer component disposed in the passenger compartment. The warm air core may be a radiator, and the fan acts on the warm air core to transfer heat into the passenger compartment through the warm air duct.

[0114] like Figure 4As shown, the heating system 100 may also include a heat exchanger 500, which is also called a heat exchanger or heat exchange equipment, and is used to realize heat exchange between the heating system 100 and the battery pack 310. Through the heat exchanger 500, heat enters the battery heating circuit from the heating system loop, thereby heating the battery pack 310. The heat exchanger 500 is a device used to transfer heat from a hot fluid to a cold fluid, including a dry heat exchanger, a full liquid heat exchanger, a falling film heat exchanger, and a plate heat exchanger. The heat exchanger 500 in this embodiment is an intermediate component for heat exchange between the battery pack 310 and the heating system 100, and is preferably a plate heat exchanger, which is a heat exchanger 500 formed by pressing a thin metal plate into a heat exchange plate with a certain corrugated shape, stacking a plurality of heat exchange plates, and fastening them with a clamp and bolts. The plate heat exchanger is provided with a refrigerant inlet and outlet and a fluid inlet and outlet, and a thin rectangular channel is formed between the plurality of plates, and heat exchange is performed through the plates. The fluid flows through the narrow and tortuous channel formed between the two plates. The cold and hot fluids pass through the refrigerant inlet and the fluid inlet in turn, and then through the flow channel formed by the plates. There is an interlayer plate in the middle to separate the fluids, and heat is exchanged through this plate. The fluids that have completed the heat exchange flow back to their respective circuits through the refrigerant outlet and the fluid outlet. The plate heat exchanger has a compact structure, high pressure bearing capacity, small footprint, large flow rate, small fluid pressure drop, less heat dissipation loss, high heat transfer efficiency, reliable operation, and the plate heat exchanger is easy to manufacture. A set of molds can be used to press plates of different lengths to form plate bundles of different specifications, forming a product series of the same width, with many specifications and models, and a wide range of choices, which can better meet the working conditions.

[0115] In some embodiments, the heating system loop of the electric vehicle 1000 is a liquid circulation loop formed by a water pump-heater / brake heat collection unit 110-electronic three-way valve-(fan / heat exchanger 500)-water pump, and the liquid circulation process is as follows: the liquid flows into the heater core or the heat exchanger 500 through the electronic three-way valve. When the battery pack 310 needs to be heated, the heater works, the liquid is heated, the water pump drives the liquid circulation, and when it flows through the heat exchanger 500, the heat is absorbed by the liquid in the water-heating circuit of the battery pack 310, and the water-heating circuit heats the battery pack 310. When the passenger compartment 320 needs to be defrosted, defogged or heated, the heater works, the liquid is heated, the water pump drives the liquid circulation, the liquid flows through the heater core, the heater core absorbs heat, the passenger compartment 320 controls to turn on the warm air mode, and the fan blows air to the heater core to send the heat into the passenger compartment 320 through the warm air duct.

[0116] Figure 4 A specific implementation of the heat consumption device 300 is also described in detail. The heat consumption device 300 may include a battery pack 310 and a passenger compartment 320, and is used to consume the heat transmitted by the heating system 100.

[0117] Among them, the battery pack 310 generally includes a number of battery cells, a battery management system, a thermal management system, etc. The thermal management system of the battery pack is used to cool or heat the battery pack. It can adopt a water-heat cooling method. Generally, a water cooling plate or a cooling channel is set at the bottom or side wall of the battery pack to cool or heat the battery pack through liquid convection heat exchange. The battery pack 310 has different shapes according to different design requirements and is usually arranged on the chassis of the vehicle, below the passenger compartment 320. When the battery pack 310 needs to be heated, the battery management system sends heating demand information to the heat recovery device 800, and the water-heat structure in the battery pack 310 heats the battery pack 310 through the heat conducted by the heat exchanger 500.

[0118] The passenger compartment 320 generally includes seats, a roof, a door seal structure, and window glass, and is used to accommodate the driver and passengers. In a low temperature environment, the passengers in the passenger compartment 320 need to be heated. When the front window glass is frosted and fogged due to the cold liquefaction of water vapor in the vehicle, the passenger compartment 320 also needs to be heated to defrost or defog. Therefore, when the passenger compartment 320 has a heating demand, after the passenger compartment 320 sends a heating demand information to the heat recovery device 800, the passenger compartment 320 absorbs the heat transmitted from the heating system 100.

[0119] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the electric vehicle 1000 further includes a heat recovery device 800 , and the heat recovery device 800 includes a receiving unit 810 and a processor 820 .

[0120] In some embodiments, when the receiving unit 810 receives the heating demand information but does not receive the continuous braking information, the processor 820 controls the heater of the heating system 100 to operate.

[0121] In some embodiments, when the receiving unit 810 does not receive heating demand information, regardless of whether the processor 820 receives continuous braking information, the processor 820 controls the heater of the heating system 100 to turn off and disconnects the brake heat collection unit 110 from the channel 120.

[0122] Compared with the existing heat recovery method that only recovers the residual heat and waste heat of the motor, the heat recovery method provided in this embodiment recovers the friction heat during braking, so that the braking heat is not directly dissipated into the air, thereby saving battery energy and increasing the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A heat recovery method for an electric vehicle (1000), characterized in that: include: Receiving (S100) a heating demand of a heat consumption device (300) of the electric vehicle (1000); Determining (S200) that the electric vehicle (1000) is continuously braking; and The brake heat collection unit (110) is controlled (S300) to conduct the connection between the unit and the channel (120) of the heating system (100) of the electric vehicle (1000), so that the heat collected by the brake heat collection unit (110) during the braking process is transferred to the heat consumption device (300).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The control (S300) of the brake heat collection unit (110) to connect the brake heat collection unit (110) to the channel (120) of the heating system (100) of the electric vehicle (1000) comprises: controlling the electronic control switch (140) between the brake heat collection unit (110) and the channel (120) to open.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The electronic control switch (140) is an electronic three-way valve.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The determining (S200) that the electric vehicle (1000) is continuously braking comprises: A brake signal is received (S210), and the brake signal lasts for a first period of time; or The brake signal is received ( S220 ) at intervals of a second time period.

5. A heat recovery device (800) for an electric vehicle (1000), characterized in that: include: A receiving unit (810), used for receiving a heating demand of a heat consumption device (300) of the electric vehicle (1000); and A processor (820) for determining that the electric vehicle (1000) is continuously braking; The processor (820) is further used to control the brake heat collection unit (110) to connect itself to the channel (120) of the heating system (100) of the electric vehicle (1000), so that the heat collected by the brake heat collection unit (110) during the braking process is transferred to the heat consumption device (300).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that The processor (820) is used to control the brake heat collection unit (110) to open the connection between it and the channel (120) of the heating system (100), including: the processor (800) is used to control the electronic control switch (140) between the brake heat collection unit (110) and the channel (120) to open.

7. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that The processor (820) is used to determine that the electric vehicle (1000) is continuously braking, comprising: the processor (820) is used to receive (210) a braking signal, and determine that the braking signal continues for a first time period; or Determine that the brake signal is received (220) every second time period.

8. An electric vehicle (1000), characterized in that: include: A heat recovery device (800) for an electric vehicle (1000) as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7.

9. The electric vehicle (1000) according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes a heating system (100) for providing heat to a heat consumption device (300) of the electric vehicle (1000), wherein the heating system (100) includes the brake heat collection unit (110) for collecting brake heat.

10. The electric vehicle (1000) according to any one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that: in, When the brake of the electric vehicle (1000) is a disc brake, the brake heat collection unit (110) is arranged at the brake caliper of the electric vehicle (1000); or When the brake is a drum brake, the brake heat collection unit (110) is arranged at the brake shoe of the electric vehicle (1000).

Images