An exhaust system heat recovery device, system, method, and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of automobile thermal management and exhaust system, and discloses an exhaust system heat recycling device, system, method and automobile. An exhaust cooling water jacket is wrapped around the periphery of an exhaust pipe, forming a heat exchange structure with cooling liquid flowing outside and exhaust gas flowing inside. A water pump is connected with the exhaust cooling water jacket and a radiator, and drives the circulation of the cooling liquid. A three-way valve is connected to the water outlet side of the water pump, and has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage is connected with the radiator to form a conventional cooling circulation loop, and the second passage is connected with a water channel bottom plate to form a battery heating circulation loop. The water channel bottom plate is fixedly installed on the lower end face of a battery pack, and the internal flow channel is connected with the second passage of the three-way valve and the water inlet of the radiator. The two loops are switched by the three-way valve. Under normal working conditions, the cooling liquid absorbs exhaust waste heat and then flows to the radiator for heat dissipation. Under low-temperature working conditions, the cooling liquid is switched to the water channel bottom plate to heat the battery pack, thereby providing a stable heat source for the battery pack, and the application can be used in PHEV / REEV hybrid vehicles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive thermal management and exhaust system technology, and in particular to an exhaust system heat recovery device, system, method, and automobile. Background Technology

[0002] In hybrid vehicles such as PHEVs and REEVs, both a new energy power source (battery) and a traditional power source (engine) are present. The engine, as the traditional power source, generates a significant amount of heat during operation, with approximately 30% of this energy dissipated through the exhaust system. The exhaust pipe is typically arranged longitudinally along the chassis on the side of the battery pack. The outer wall of the exhaust pipe has a high temperature, which over a long period causes thermal radiation to the surrounding rubber components, wiring harnesses, and battery pack. Because the exhaust pipe is located on one side of the battery pack, the side of the battery pack closest to the exhaust pipe is continuously exposed to high-temperature radiation, easily leading to a large temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack, affecting the temperature uniformity of the individual battery cells. Simultaneously, low-temperature environments increase the battery's internal resistance, electrolyte viscosity, and ion transport speed, thus affecting the battery's charging and discharging capabilities and driving range. However, the heat carried by the engine exhaust is directly dissipated through the exhaust system in the existing structure and is not effectively recovered and utilized. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide an exhaust system heat recovery device, system, method and automobile to solve the above problems.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: In a first aspect, an exhaust system heat recovery device includes: The exhaust pipe is located on the side of the battery pack. The exhaust pipe is surrounded by an exhaust cooling water jacket, forming a heat exchange structure in which coolant flows through the outside of the exhaust pipe and exhaust gas is discharged from the inside. A radiator, used in conjunction with a cooling fan, is designed to dissipate heat from the coolant. A water pump, connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket and the radiator, drives the coolant to circulate. The three-way valve is connected to the outlet side of the water pump and has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage connects to the radiator to form a conventional cooling circulation loop, and the second passage connects to the water circuit base plate of the battery pack to form a battery heating circulation loop. The flow channel inside the water circuit base plate is connected to the second passage of the three-way valve and the water inlet of the radiator.

[0005] As a further implementation, the exhaust pipe includes an exhaust pipe body, with an exhaust cooling water jacket wrapped around the periphery of the exhaust pipe body and welded and fixed to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body. A channel for coolant flow is formed between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body to reduce the high-temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe.

[0006] As a further implementation, the water pump is connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the exhaust pipe outlet pipe, the radiator outlet side is connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the radiator outlet pipe, and the radiator inlet side is connected to the three-way valve through the radiator inlet pipe.

[0007] As a further implementation, the outlet side of the water pump is connected to a three-way valve through a water pump outlet pipe; the water pump is connected to the radiator through the three-way valve and the radiator inlet pipe.

[0008] As a further implementation, the exhaust pipe outlet and the radiator outlet are respectively connected to the two ends of the exhaust cooling water jacket.

[0009] As a further implementation, the passage between the water pump, the first passage of the three-way valve, the radiator inlet pipe, the radiator, the radiator outlet pipe, the exhaust cooling water jacket, and the exhaust pipe outlet pipe forms a conventional cooling circulation loop.

[0010] As a further implementation, the water channel base plate is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack.

[0011] As a further implementation, the flow channel inside the waterway bottom plate is a continuous U-shaped flow channel.

[0012] As a further implementation, the second passage of the three-way valve is connected to the water inlet of the water circuit base plate through the water inlet pipe.

[0013] As a further implementation, the water outlet of the water circuit base plate is connected to the radiator inlet pipe through a water outlet pipe.

[0014] As a further implementation, the passage between the water pump, the second passage of the three-way valve, the water circuit base plate, the radiator inlet pipe, the radiator, the radiator outlet pipe, the exhaust cooling water jacket, and the exhaust pipe outlet pipe forms a battery heating circulation loop.

[0015] As a further implementation, the three-way valve switches between the first and second channels according to the battery pack temperature, thereby switching between the conventional cooling cycle and the battery heating cycle.

[0016] As a further implementation, the exhaust pipe is arranged longitudinally along the chassis of the vehicle on the side of the battery pack.

[0017] As a further implementation, the channel between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body has a spiral structure.

[0018] As a further implementation, the radiator is the vehicle's original cooling device.

[0019] Secondly, an exhaust system heat recovery system includes a recovery device as described above, and a vehicle controller, wherein the vehicle controller acquires a battery temperature signal and switches between the first and second passages of a three-way valve according to the battery pack temperature.

[0020] Thirdly, a method for reusing heat from an exhaust system, employing the exhaust system heat reuse system described above, includes the following steps: The vehicle controller switches between the first and second channels of the three-way valve according to the battery pack temperature. When the first channel is open, it is in the normal cooling cycle mode. The normal cooling cycle loop is put into operation. The coolant enters the exhaust cooling water jacket to exchange heat with the exhaust pipe body, reducing the high temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe. Then the coolant returns to the water pump, enters the radiator through the first channel of the three-way valve to cool down, and continues to return to the exhaust cooling water jacket. When the second passage is opened, it is in battery heating cycle mode. The battery heating cycle loop is put into operation. After the coolant reduces the high temperature radiation from the exhaust pipe, it returns to the water pump and enters the water circuit bottom plate through the second passage of the three-way valve to heat the battery pack. Then it returns to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the radiator.

[0021] Fourthly, an automobile comprising an exhaust system heat recovery device as described in any of the preceding claims, and an engine and a battery pack disposed on the automobile.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention utilizes a double-layered heat exchange structure, where the exhaust cooling water jacket completely surrounds the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body. This allows the coolant to directly contact the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body within the cooling water jacket, continuously absorbing the high-temperature heat emitted from the outer wall. Compared to existing technologies where the exhaust pipe is exposed and high temperatures radiate directly into the chassis space, this invention significantly reduces the outer wall temperature of the exhaust pipe body downstream of the catalytic converter. It weakens the heat radiation intensity from the exhaust system to surrounding chassis components such as rubber parts, wiring harnesses, heat shields, and battery packs, effectively improving the overall chassis thermal environment and reducing the risk of chassis component aging and failure due to high-temperature heat radiation.

[0023] This invention utilizes a single three-way valve to switch between the conventional cooling circulation loop and the battery heating circulation loop. The two operating modes can be flexibly switched simply by changing the coolant flow direction, eliminating the need for additional independent electric heating devices or dedicated heating pipes. The structure is simple, the control is flexible, and the manufacturing cost is low. The entire device is integrated into the vehicle chassis, directly modifying the existing cooling and exhaust systems without requiring significant adjustments to the overall vehicle layout. It is highly adaptable and suitable for various hybrid vehicles, such as PHEVs / REEVs, that combine traditional and new energy power sources.

[0024] In hybrid vehicles such as PHEVs and REEVs, the exhaust pipe is typically arranged longitudinally along the chassis on the side of the battery pack. When the exhaust pipe is exposed, it continuously exerts high-temperature heat radiation on the side of the battery pack closest to the exhaust pipe, resulting in a large temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack. This affects the temperature uniformity of the individual battery cells, leading to problems such as uneven charging and discharging, and localized overheating and degradation. This invention uses an exhaust cooling water jacket to completely enclose and cool the exhaust pipe body, significantly reducing the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe. This reduces the continuous heat radiation from the exhaust pipe to one side of the battery pack, making the temperature on both sides of the battery pack more even. This effectively avoids the problem of battery cell uniformity degradation caused by excessive localized temperature differences, improves battery thermal management, and is beneficial to improving the overall battery performance and lifespan. At the same time, it reduces the possibility of false alarms caused by excessive temperature differences between the two sides of the battery pack. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust system heat recovery device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust system heat recovery device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the exhaust system heat recovery device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exhaust cooling water jacket in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] The diagram exaggerates the spacing or dimensions between parts to show their positions; the diagram is for illustrative purposes only.

[0028] The components are: 1. Radiator, 2. Cooling fan, 3. Water pump, 4. Exhaust pipe, 41. Exhaust pipe body, 42. Exhaust cooling water jacket, 5. Cooling water circuit, 51. Radiator outlet pipe, 52. Radiator inlet pipe, 53. Exhaust pipe outlet pipe, 54. Water pump outlet pipe, 55. Water circuit base plate inlet pipe, 6. Three-way valve, 7. Water circuit base plate, 8. Battery pack. Detailed Implementation

[0029] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0030] Example 1 In a typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1- Figure 4 As shown, an exhaust system heat recovery device is available. This device is applicable to hybrid vehicles such as PHEVs and REEVs. By recovering and reusing the exhaust heat from the engine, it solves technical problems such as waste of exhaust heat, high temperature radiation from the chassis, low temperature performance degradation of the battery, and excessive temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack in existing hybrid vehicles.

[0031] In this embodiment, the exhaust system heat recovery device includes a radiator 1, a cooling fan 2, a water pump 3, an exhaust pipe 4, a cooling water circuit 5, a three-way valve 6, a water circuit base plate 7, and a battery pack 8. These components are assembled in an orderly manner on the vehicle chassis, cooperating to form two automatically switchable cooling water circulation loops: a conventional cooling circulation loop and a battery heating circulation loop.

[0032] Specifically, the battery pack 8 is located in the middle of the vehicle chassis, serving as the core installation area for the vehicle's power battery. The battery pack 8 integrates multiple battery cells, each of which is highly sensitive to its operating temperature range; excessively high or low temperatures can adversely affect battery performance.

[0033] The exhaust pipe 4 is located on the side of the battery pack 8, and is arranged longitudinally along the chassis. The high-temperature exhaust gas generated by the engine is discharged through the exhaust pipe 4. The exhaust pipe 4 is surrounded by an exhaust cooling water jacket 42. Specifically, the main body of the exhaust pipe 4 is the exhaust pipe body 41, and the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is wrapped around the exhaust pipe body 41.

[0034] In this embodiment, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is completely wrapped around the outer wall surface of the exhaust pipe body 41 and welded to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 to form a double-layer jacket heat exchange structure with coolant flowing on the outside and exhaust gas being discharged on the inside, namely, the "outer water and inner gas" structure.

[0035] The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can contact the high-temperature outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 with the largest possible area. When the coolant flows inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, it can continuously absorb the high-temperature heat conducted by the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, ensuring heat exchange efficiency and effectively controlling the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41.

[0036] The cooling water circuit 5 consists of several pipes used to connect the radiator 1, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, the water pump 3, the three-way valve 6, and the water circuit base plate 7, forming a complete coolant circulation channel. Specifically, the cooling water circuit 5 includes the radiator outlet pipe 51, the radiator inlet pipe 52, the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, the water pump outlet pipe 54, and the water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55.

[0037] One end of the radiator outlet pipe 51 is connected to the outlet of the radiator 1, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, used to transport the low-temperature coolant after the radiator 1 has been cooled to the exhaust cooling water jacket 42. One end of the radiator inlet pipe 52 is connected to the three-way valve 6, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the radiator 1, used to transport the hot coolant after heat absorption back to the radiator 1 for cooling in the normal cooling circulation mode.

[0038] The two ends of the exhaust pipe outlet 53 are connected to the outlet of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the inlet of the water pump 3, respectively, to deliver the coolant that has absorbed the exhaust waste heat in the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to the water pump 3. One end of the water pump outlet pipe 54 is connected to the outlet of the water pump 3, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the three-way valve 6, to deliver the coolant pressurized by the water pump 3 to the three-way valve 6. One end of the water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55 is connected to the second passage of the three-way valve 6, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the water circuit base plate 7, to deliver hot coolant to the water circuit base plate 7 in the battery heating cycle mode. The connections between the above pipes can be made using clamp connections, which are convenient to install, have reliable sealing, and are easy to maintain and replace.

[0039] Water pump 3 is connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and radiator 1, and is used to drive the coolant to flow continuously throughout the entire circulation loop. The inlet of water pump 3 is connected to the outlet of exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, and the outlet of water pump 3 is connected to the inlet of three-way valve 6 through water pump outlet pipe 54. Water pump 3 provides driving force for the entire coolant circulation, ensuring that the coolant circulates continuously in the loop at an appropriate flow rate and pressure.

[0040] The radiator 1 and the cooling fan 2 are designed to cool the coolant. The cooling fan 2 is mounted on the outside of the radiator 1 and accelerates the cooling process of the coolant inside the radiator 1 through forced convection, quickly dissipating the heat carried by the coolant into the atmosphere.

[0041] It should be noted that radiator 1 can be the vehicle's existing cooling system. The cooling water passage 5 of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can be directly connected to the vehicle's existing cooling system, eliminating the need for an additional independent radiator, thus saving space in the vehicle layout and reducing system complexity. Radiator 1 can also be connected to an expansion tank to compensate for volume changes in the coolant caused by temperature variations, ensuring stable pressure in the coolant circulation system.

[0042] The three-way valve 6 is connected to the outlet side of the water pump 3. The three-way valve 6 has one inlet port and two outlet ports, corresponding to the first passage and the second passage, respectively. The first passage connects to the radiator 1, forming a conventional cooling circulation loop; the second passage connects to the water circuit base plate 7, forming a battery heating circulation loop. The three-way valve 6 switches between the first passage and the second passage based on the temperature signal of the battery pack 8 collected by the vehicle controller, thereby realizing the switching between the conventional cooling circulation loop and the battery heating circulation loop.

[0043] The water channel base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The water channel base plate 7 has internal flow channels that connect to the second passage of the three-way valve 6 and the inlet of the radiator 1. The water channel base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack 8 via a threaded connection, ensuring convenient installation and reliable connection. The internal flow channels of the water channel base plate 7 are continuous U-shaped channels. The coolant flows back and forth along these continuous U-shaped channels within the water channel base plate 7, forming a large-area uniform contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8. This ensures uniform heating of all areas of the battery pack 8 by the coolant and avoids excessive temperature differences between individual battery cells due to uneven local heating.

[0044] Under normal operating conditions, the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 is within the normal operating range, and there is no need to heat battery pack 8. The specific process of the normal cooling cycle is as follows: the three-way valve 6 is controlled to open the first passage and close the second passage. The water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate is in the closed state, and no coolant flows through the water circuit base plate 7, so it does not participate in heat exchange. At this time, the normal cooling cycle is put into operation. The overall coolant circulation path is as follows: radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, three-way valve 6 (first passage), radiator inlet pipe 52, radiator 1, thus completing a complete normal cooling cycle.

[0045] During the above-mentioned conventional cooling cycle, the low-temperature coolant from radiator 1 enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through the radiator outlet pipe 51. Inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, it flows along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, continuously absorbing the high-temperature heat conducted by the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. After the coolant temperature rises, it flows to the water pump 3 through the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53. After being pressurized by the water pump 3, it enters the three-way valve 6 through the water pump outlet pipe 54. Through the first passage of the three-way valve 6, it is connected to the radiator inlet pipe 52 and flows into radiator 1. The cooling fan 2 performs forced cooling on radiator 1, dissipating the heat carried by the coolant into the atmosphere. After the coolant temperature drops, it enters the next conventional cooling cycle.

[0046] Through the above conventional cooling cycle, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 continuously cools the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, and the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is effectively controlled. The overall temperature of the exhaust pipe body 41 after the catalytic converter is greatly reduced, and the heat radiation intensity of the exhaust system to the chassis surrounding rubber parts, wiring harness, heat insulation plate and battery pack 8 and other components is significantly reduced, effectively improving the thermal environment of the whole vehicle chassis.

[0047] At the same time, since the exhaust pipe 4 is located on the side of the battery pack 8, after the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 drops, the heat radiation intensity received by the side of the battery pack 8 near the exhaust pipe is greatly reduced, the temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8 is reduced, and the overall temperature field of the battery pack 8 tends to be more uniform. This effectively avoids the problem of uniform degradation of battery cells caused by excessive temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8, improves the battery thermal management effect, enhances the overall performance and service life of the battery, and reduces the possibility of false alarms caused by excessive temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8.

[0048] In addition, since the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 provides full-process cooling for the exhaust pipe body 41, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe 4 is effectively controlled. The exhaust pipe 4 can be placed closer to the battery pack 8 or chassis peripheral parts, which helps to save chassis layout space and improve the flexibility of vehicle layout.

[0049] In hybrid vehicles such as PHEV / REEV, the exhaust pipe 4 is usually arranged longitudinally along the chassis on the side of the battery pack 8. When the exhaust pipe 4 is exposed, it will continuously apply high-temperature heat radiation to the side of the battery pack 8 near the exhaust pipe, resulting in a large temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8, affecting the temperature consistency of the battery cells, and thus causing problems such as uneven charging and discharging of battery cells and local overheating and degradation.

[0050] This invention uses an exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to completely enclose and cool the exhaust pipe body 41, significantly reducing the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe 4. This reduces the continuous heat radiation from the exhaust pipe 4 to one side of the battery pack 8, making the temperature on both sides of the battery pack 8 more even. This effectively avoids the problem of uniform degradation of battery cells caused by excessive local temperature differences, improves the battery thermal management effect, and helps to improve the overall performance and service life of the battery. At the same time, it reduces the possibility of false alarms caused by excessive temperature differences on both sides of the battery pack 8.

[0051] By wrapping the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 with an exhaust cooling water jacket 42, a double-layered heat exchange structure of external water and internal air is formed. The coolant is in direct contact with the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, which can continuously absorb the high-temperature heat emitted by the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. Compared with the existing technology where the exhaust pipe is exposed and the high temperature is directly radiated into the chassis space, the present invention can significantly reduce the outer wall temperature of the exhaust pipe body 41 after the catalytic converter, weaken the heat radiation intensity of the exhaust system to the surrounding rubber parts, wiring harnesses, heat insulation plates and battery pack 8 of the chassis, effectively improve the thermal environment of the vehicle chassis, and reduce the risk of aging and failure of chassis components caused by high-temperature heat radiation.

[0052] The three-way valve 6 enables adaptive switching between the conventional cooling circulation loop and the battery heating circulation loop. Testing has shown that it fully utilizes approximately 30% of the heat lost during engine exhaust to provide a continuous and stable waste heat source for the battery pack 8. This effectively addresses issues such as high internal resistance at low temperatures, high electrolyte viscosity, and slow ion transport speed, improving the battery's charging and discharging performance under low-temperature conditions and thus ensuring the vehicle's range. It is particularly suitable for winter driving conditions in cold regions. Example 2 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, an exhaust system heat recovery device is provided. Based on Embodiment 1, this embodiment further describes in detail the internal flow channel structure of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the working process of the battery heating circulation loop. In particular, it describes the working principle of the battery heating circulation loop in response to the heating requirements of the battery pack 8 under low temperature conditions.

[0053] In this embodiment, the overall structure of the exhaust system heat recovery device is the same as that in Embodiment 1, including radiator 1, cooling fan 2, water pump 3, exhaust pipe 4, cooling water circuit 5, three-way valve 6, water circuit base plate 7, and battery pack 8. The connection relationship and arrangement of each component are consistent with those in Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0054] In this embodiment, the channel between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body 41 is designed as a spiral structure. Specifically, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 wraps around the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, forming a spiral channel for coolant flow between the inner wall of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. The coolant flows spirally along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 within the spiral channel. Compared to a direct-flow channel, the spiral structure significantly extends the flow path of the coolant within the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, increasing the contact time between the coolant and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. This allows the coolant to more fully absorb the high-temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, further improving heat exchange efficiency. Under the same coolant flow rate, the spiral structure of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can absorb more exhaust waste heat, effectively reducing the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. Simultaneously, it results in a higher coolant outlet temperature, carrying more heat and providing a more sufficient heat source for subsequent heat dissipation or battery heating.

[0055] refer to Figure 4 As shown, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is a cylindrical sleeve structure, fitted onto the outside of the exhaust pipe body 41. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 has an inlet and an outlet at each end. The inlet connects to the radiator outlet pipe 51, and the outlet connects to the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is welded and fixed to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 to ensure a tight seal between them, preventing coolant leakage, and ensuring sufficient contact between the coolant and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 for efficient heat exchange.

[0056] In the operation of the battery heating cycle loop, under low-temperature conditions, the vehicle controller continuously collects the temperature signal of the battery pack 8. When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of the battery pack 8 is lower than the set temperature threshold, it determines that the battery pack 8 needs to be heated. The vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to close the first passage and open the second passage. The radiator inlet pipe 52 is in a closed state, and the radiator 1 does not participate in the cooling process of the coolant. At this time, the battery heating cycle loop is put into operation. The overall coolant circulation path is as follows: radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, the second passage of the three-way valve 6, water inlet pipe 55 of the water system base plate, water system base plate 7, water outlet of the water system base plate, radiator inlet pipe 52, and radiator 1, completing a complete battery heating cycle. It can be understood that the water outlet of the water system base plate 7 and the radiator inlet pipe 52 are connected through the outlet pipe.

[0057] During the aforementioned battery heating cycle, the coolant from radiator 1 enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through radiator outlet pipe 51. It spirals within the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, fully absorbing the high-temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, causing a significant increase in coolant temperature, thus becoming a hot coolant carrying a large amount of exhaust waste heat. The hot coolant flows to water pump 3 through exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53. After being pressurized by water pump 3, it enters three-way valve 6 through water pump outlet pipe 54, and then through the second passage of three-way valve 6 to the water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate, entering the water circuit base plate 7.

[0058] After the hot coolant enters the water circuit base plate 7, it flows back and forth in the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit base plate 7. The water circuit base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit base plate 7 allows the coolant to form a large-area uniform contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The exhaust heat carried by the coolant is conducted to the battery pack 8 through the water circuit base plate 7, uniformly heating the battery pack 8 and forming a stable battery heating cycle. After heat exchange, the coolant, whose temperature has decreased, flows out from the outlet of the water circuit base plate 7, flows through the outlet pipe to the radiator inlet pipe 52, enters the radiator 1, and then flows again through the radiator outlet pipe 51 into the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to start the next battery heating cycle.

[0059] Through the aforementioned battery heating cycle, the hot coolant that has absorbed the exhaust heat from the engine continues to flow through the water channel base plate 7. The coolant then makes large-area contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8 through the continuous U-shaped flow channel of the water channel base plate 7, transferring the exhaust heat to the battery pack 8 and causing the temperature of the battery pack 8 to rise continuously until the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of the battery pack 8 has reached or exceeded the set temperature threshold. Then, the three-way valve 6 is switched back to the first passage to restore the normal cooling cycle mode.

[0060] In the battery heating cycle mode, this device fully utilizes the exhaust heat lost during engine exhaust to provide a continuous and stable heat source for the battery pack 8. This effectively improves the problems of high internal resistance, high electrolyte viscosity, and slow ion transport speed at low temperatures, thereby enhancing the battery's charging and discharging performance under low-temperature conditions and ensuring the vehicle's range. Compared with existing technologies where the battery pack relies solely on its own electric heating or external heat sources for heating in low-temperature environments, this embodiment heats the battery pack 8 by recovering and utilizing engine exhaust heat, eliminating the need for additional electrical energy consumption for heating. This effectively reduces the vehicle's energy consumption and improves the vehicle's energy utilization rate.

[0061] In addition, the continuous U-shaped flow channel design inside the water channel base plate 7 ensures the uniformity of cooling to each area of ​​the battery pack 8, avoiding the problem of excessive temperature difference between individual battery cells due to uneven local heating. This helps to improve the uniformity of the overall temperature field of the battery, improve the battery thermal management effect, and further enhance the overall performance and service life of the battery.

[0062] In this embodiment, the switching control logic of the three-way valve 6 is as follows: the vehicle controller continuously collects the temperature signal of the battery pack 8. When the temperature of the battery pack 8 is lower than the set temperature threshold, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to open the second passage and close the first passage, and the device enters the battery heating cycle mode. When the temperature of the battery pack 8 rises above the set temperature threshold, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage, and the device switches back to the normal cooling cycle mode.

[0063] Through the above control logic, the three-way valve 6 can adaptively switch between the two circulation loops according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8, thereby realizing mode switching and ensuring that the battery pack 8 is always within a suitable operating temperature range, thus achieving intelligent thermal management of the battery pack 8.

[0064] In this embodiment, the radiator 1 can be the vehicle's existing cooling system. The cooling water passage 5 of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is directly connected to the vehicle's existing cooling system, eliminating the need for an additional independent radiator. This saves space in the vehicle layout, reduces system complexity, and is suitable for vehicles with a relatively compact layout. In cases where the vehicle layout is not compact, a separate cooling structure can be installed on the side or rear of the vehicle body. This involves a separate radiator 1 and cooling fan 2 specifically for exhaust waste heat recovery, without affecting the vehicle's existing cooling cycle, while achieving higher heat dissipation and heat recovery effects.

[0065] In summary, this embodiment further improves the efficiency of exhaust waste heat recovery by designing the internal channel of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 as a spiral structure. At the same time, combined with the working principle of the battery heating circulation loop, it achieves efficient heating of the battery pack 8 in a low-temperature environment, effectively improving the low-temperature performance of the battery and enhancing the overall vehicle range. It has significant technical effects and practical value.

[0066] Example 3 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, an exhaust system heat recovery system is provided. Based on the exhaust system heat recovery device described in Embodiment 1, the system further introduces a vehicle controller. The vehicle controller intelligently controls the three-way valve 6 to achieve adaptive switching between the conventional cooling cycle loop and the battery heating cycle loop, thereby enabling precise thermal management of the battery pack 8 according to the actual operating conditions of the vehicle.

[0067] In this embodiment, the exhaust system heat recovery system includes an exhaust system heat recovery device and a vehicle controller. The structure of the exhaust system heat recovery device is the same as in Embodiment 1, including a radiator 1, a cooling fan 2, a water pump 3, an exhaust pipe 4, a cooling water circuit 5, a three-way valve 6, a water circuit base plate 7, and a battery pack 8. The connection relationship and arrangement of each component are consistent with those in Embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0068] The vehicle controller is the core control unit of the exhaust system heat recovery system in this embodiment. It is responsible for collecting the temperature signal of the battery pack 8 and sending control commands to the three-way valve 6 according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8. This controls the three-way valve 6 to switch between the first and second channels, thereby realizing adaptive switching between the conventional cooling cycle and the battery heating cycle. The vehicle controller can be the original vehicle control unit (VCU) of the vehicle or an independent control module specifically designed for thermal management functions. This embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0069] Specifically, the vehicle controller is electrically connected to a temperature sensor installed on the battery pack 8. The temperature sensor collects temperature data from various areas inside the battery pack 8 in real time and transmits the temperature signal to the vehicle controller. The vehicle controller has preset temperature thresholds, including a heating start temperature threshold and a heating stop temperature threshold. Based on the received temperature signal from the battery pack 8, the vehicle controller compares it with the preset temperature thresholds to determine whether the battery pack 8 needs to be heated under the current operating conditions, and sends corresponding control commands to the three-way valve 6 accordingly.

[0070] In one embodiment, the heating start temperature threshold can be set to 5°C and the heating stop temperature threshold can be set to 15°C. However, the present invention is not limited to the above specific values. Those skilled in the art can adjust the above temperature thresholds according to the actual vehicle model and usage scenario.

[0071] When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 is lower than the heating start temperature threshold, the vehicle controller determines that battery pack 8 is in a low-temperature state and needs to be heated. At this time, the vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to close the first passage and open the second passage, and the device enters the battery heating cycle mode. When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 rises above the heating stop temperature threshold, the vehicle controller determines that battery pack 8 has reached a suitable operating temperature and does not need to be heated further. At this time, the vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage, and the device switches back to the normal cooling cycle mode.

[0072] After the vehicle starts, the vehicle controller continuously collects the temperature signal of the battery pack 8. Under normal driving conditions, the vehicle controller monitors the temperature change of the battery pack 8 in real time and dynamically adjusts the passage state of the three-way valve 6 according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8 to ensure that the exhaust system heat recovery system is always in the optimal working mode.

[0073] When the vehicle is operating at normal temperature and the battery pack 8 is at a normal temperature, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage, and the exhaust system heat recovery system operates in the normal cooling cycle mode. At this time, the normal cooling cycle loop is engaged, and the coolant circulates between the radiator 1, the radiator outlet pipe 51, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, the water pump 3, the water pump outlet pipe 54, the first passage of the three-way valve 6, and the radiator inlet pipe 52. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 continuously cools the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, absorbing the high-temperature heat emitted from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. The coolant carries the heat to the radiator 1, and the cooling fan 2 forcibly cools the radiator 1, dissipating the heat into the atmosphere, thus completing the cooling and heat dissipation process of exhaust waste heat.

[0074] Through conventional cooling cycles, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is effectively controlled, and the heat radiation intensity of the exhaust system to the chassis surrounding components and battery pack 8 is significantly reduced, effectively improving the thermal environment of the entire vehicle chassis. At the same time, it makes the temperature difference on both sides of the battery pack 8 tend to be balanced, improving the battery thermal management effect.

[0075] When the vehicle is in a low-temperature environment and the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of the battery pack 8 is lower than the heating start-up temperature threshold, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to close the first passage and open the second passage, and the exhaust system heat reuse system switches to the battery heating cycle mode. At this time, the battery heating cycle loop is put into operation, and the coolant circulates between the radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, the second passage of the three-way valve 6, the water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate, and the water circuit base plate 7. After the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 absorbs the high temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, the hot coolant flows to the water circuit base plate 7 through the second passage of the three-way valve 6. It flows back and forth in the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit base plate 7. Through the large-area contact between the water circuit base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, the exhaust waste heat is conducted to the battery pack 8, which heats the battery pack 8 evenly and causes the temperature of the battery pack 8 to gradually increase.

[0076] The vehicle controller continuously monitors the temperature change of the battery pack 8. When the temperature of the battery pack 8 rises above the heating stop temperature threshold, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage. The exhaust system heat reuse system switches back to the normal cooling cycle mode and restores the cooling and heat dissipation function of the exhaust system.

[0077] Through the intelligent control of the three-way valve 6 by the vehicle controller, the exhaust system heat recovery system can adaptively switch between two working modes according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8, ensuring that the battery pack 8 is always within a suitable working temperature range, and achieving precise and intelligent thermal management of the battery pack 8.

[0078] Through intelligent scheduling by the vehicle controller, the exhaust heat of the engine is fully utilized to effectively heat the battery pack 8 without consuming additional electrical energy, which significantly reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle and improves the energy utilization rate and low-temperature range of the vehicle.

[0079] In this embodiment, the vehicle controller can further optimize the switching control logic of the three-way valve 6 by combining various parameters such as the vehicle ambient temperature signal and the engine operating status signal.

[0080] For example, when the vehicle controller detects that the engine is idling or operating at low load, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is relatively low, and the amount of exhaust heat recovery is limited. The vehicle controller can delay switching to the battery heating cycle mode according to the actual situation to avoid unsatisfactory battery heating effect due to insufficient heat. When the vehicle controller detects that the engine is operating at high load, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is high, and the amount of exhaust heat recovery is sufficient. The vehicle controller can prioritize switching to the battery heating cycle mode to make full use of the engine exhaust heat to heat the battery pack 8 and maximize the utilization efficiency of exhaust heat.

[0081] In addition, the vehicle controller can combine information such as vehicle mileage prediction and battery state of charge (SOC) to intelligently plan the timing and duration of battery heating, further optimizing the vehicle's energy management strategy and improving the overall performance of the vehicle.

[0082] In this embodiment, the control signal transmission between the vehicle controller and the three-way valve 6 can be achieved using CAN bus communication, LIN bus, or other vehicle communication protocols. This invention does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0083] The three-way valve 6 can be an electrically controlled three-way valve. After receiving the electronic control signal from the vehicle controller, it drives the valve core to rotate, realizing the switching between the first and second channels. The electrically controlled three-way valve has a fast response speed and high control precision, which can meet the needs of the vehicle thermal management system for rapid response and precise control.

[0084] By introducing a vehicle controller into the exhaust system heat recovery device, a complete exhaust system heat recovery system was constructed, realizing intelligent control of the exhaust waste heat recovery process. It can adaptively switch between the conventional cooling cycle mode and the battery heating cycle mode according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8, ensuring that the battery pack 8 is always within a suitable operating temperature range, effectively improving the low-temperature performance of the battery, enhancing the vehicle's range, and fully recovering and utilizing the engine exhaust waste heat, thereby improving the vehicle's energy utilization rate.

[0085] Example 4 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, an exhaust system heat recovery method is provided, which adopts the exhaust system heat recovery system of Embodiment 3. The vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 according to the temperature of the battery pack 8 to achieve adaptive switching between the conventional cooling cycle mode and the battery heating cycle mode, thereby effectively recovering the exhaust waste heat of the engine and using it for the thermal management of the battery pack 8.

[0086] The vehicle controller switches between the first and second passages of the three-way valve 6 based on the temperature of the battery pack 8. When the first passage is open, it is in the normal cooling cycle mode. The normal cooling cycle loop is put into operation, and the coolant enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to exchange heat with the exhaust pipe body 41, reducing the high temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe 4. After that, the coolant returns to the water pump 3, enters the radiator 1 through the first passage of the three-way valve 6 to cool down, and then continues to return to the exhaust cooling water jacket 42.

[0087] When the second passage is opened, it is in battery heating cycle mode. The battery heating cycle circuit is put into operation. After the coolant reduces the high temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe 4 (specifically the exhaust pipe body 41), it returns to the water pump 3, enters the water circuit bottom plate 7 through the second passage of the three-way valve 6, heats the battery pack 8, and then returns to the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through the radiator 1.

[0088] Specifically, in step one, after the vehicle starts, the vehicle controller completes initialization and begins continuously acquiring the temperature signal of battery pack 8. The vehicle controller reads the real-time temperature data of battery pack 8 transmitted by the temperature sensor and compares it with the preset heating start-up temperature threshold and heating stop temperature threshold to determine the operating mode that the exhaust system heat recovery system should operate under the current conditions. Water pump 3 starts, driving the coolant to flow in the circulation loop, and the exhaust system heat recovery device enters the working state.

[0089] Step 2: The vehicle controller continuously collects the temperature signal of battery pack 8 and judges the temperature status of battery pack 8 in real time. If the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 is higher than or equal to the heating start temperature threshold, it determines that the current operating condition is a normal temperature condition, and battery pack 8 does not need to be heated, and proceeds to step 3; if the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 is lower than the heating start temperature threshold, it determines that the current operating condition is a low temperature condition, and battery pack 8 needs to be heated, and proceeds to step 4.

[0090] Step 3: The vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage. The water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate is in the closed state, and the water circuit base plate 7 does not participate in the coolant circulation. The conventional cooling circulation loop is put into operation. The coolant circulation flow path is radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, the first passage of the three-way valve 6, radiator inlet pipe 52, and radiator 1, completing a complete conventional cooling cycle.

[0091] In the normal cooling cycle mode, the low-temperature coolant from radiator 1 enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through the radiator outlet pipe 51. Inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, it flows along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, continuously absorbing the high-temperature heat conducted by the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. After the coolant temperature rises, it flows to the water pump 3 through the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53. After being pressurized by the water pump 3, it enters the three-way valve 6 through the water pump outlet pipe 54. Through the first passage of the three-way valve 6, it is connected to the radiator inlet pipe 52 and flows into radiator 1. The cooling fan 2 performs forced cooling on radiator 1, dissipating the heat carried by the coolant into the atmosphere. After the coolant temperature drops, it re-enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to start the next normal cooling cycle.

[0092] Through the conventional cooling cycle, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is effectively controlled, the heat radiation intensity of the exhaust system to the chassis peripheral components and battery pack 8 is significantly reduced, the temperature difference on both sides of the battery pack 8 tends to be balanced, and the thermal environment of the entire vehicle chassis is effectively improved. During the operation of the conventional cooling cycle mode, the vehicle controller continuously monitors the temperature change of the battery pack 8. If the temperature of the battery pack 8 drops below the heating start temperature threshold, it will proceed to step four and switch to the battery heating cycle mode.

[0093] Step 4: For the battery heating cycle mode, the vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to close the first passage and open the second passage. The radiator inlet pipe 52 is in a closed state, and the radiator 1 does not directly participate in the cooling process of the coolant. The battery heating cycle loop is put into operation, and the coolant circulation flow path is as follows: radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, the second passage of the three-way valve 6, water inlet pipe 55 of the water system base plate, water system base plate 7, radiator inlet pipe 52, and radiator 1, completing a complete battery heating cycle.

[0094] In the battery heating cycle mode, the coolant from radiator 1 enters the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 through the radiator outlet pipe 51. Inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, it flows along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, fully absorbing the high-temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, causing the coolant temperature to rise significantly, becoming a hot coolant carrying a large amount of exhaust waste heat. The hot coolant flows to the water pump 3 through the exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53. After being pressurized by the water pump 3, it enters the three-way valve 6 through the water pump outlet pipe 54, and is then guided through the second passage of the three-way valve 6 to the water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit bottom plate, entering the water circuit bottom plate 7. The hot coolant flows back and forth in the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit bottom plate 7, forming a large area of ​​uniform contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The exhaust waste heat carried by the coolant is conducted to the battery pack 8 through the water circuit bottom plate 7, uniformly heating the battery pack 8 and causing its temperature to gradually rise. After heat exchange, the coolant, whose temperature has decreased, flows out from the outlet of the water circuit base plate 7, flows through the outlet pipe to the radiator inlet pipe 52, enters the radiator 1, and then flows through the radiator outlet pipe 51 into the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to start the next battery heating cycle.

[0095] During battery heating cycle operation, the vehicle controller continuously monitors the temperature change of battery pack 8. With the continuous input of exhaust heat, the temperature of battery pack 8 gradually increases. When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 has risen above the heating stop temperature threshold, step five is executed.

[0096] Step 5: When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 has risen above the heating stop temperature threshold, it determines that battery pack 8 has reached a suitable operating temperature and no further heating is needed. The vehicle controller sends a control command to the three-way valve 6, controlling the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage. The exhaust system heat recovery system switches back to the normal cooling cycle mode, and Step 3 is executed. During subsequent operation, the vehicle controller continuously monitors the temperature change of battery pack 8 and dynamically adjusts the passage state of the three-way valve 6 according to the actual temperature of battery pack 8, realizing adaptive switching between the normal cooling cycle mode and the battery heating cycle mode.

[0097] Step Six: Understandably, during vehicle operation, the vehicle controller continuously executes steps two through five in a loop, adjusting the operating mode of the exhaust system heat recovery system in real time based on the actual temperature of the battery pack 8, ensuring that the battery pack 8 is always within a suitable operating temperature range, while continuously cooling the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, reducing the thermal radiation impact of the exhaust system on the chassis surrounding components and the battery pack 8, and achieving efficient recovery and resource utilization of exhaust waste heat.

[0098] The aforementioned method for reusing exhaust heat enables the organized recovery and on-demand utilization of engine exhaust waste heat. Under normal temperature conditions, conventional cooling cycles reduce the exhaust system temperature and improve the chassis thermal environment. Under low temperature conditions, battery heating cycles transfer the exhaust waste heat to the battery pack 8 for heating, effectively improving the battery's low-temperature performance and enhancing the vehicle's range. Compared to existing solutions where engine exhaust waste heat is directly dissipated and the battery relies solely on its own electric heating in low-temperature environments, this method fully utilizes approximately 30% of the heat lost during engine exhaust, achieving effective heating of the battery pack 8 without additional electrical energy consumption. This significantly reduces overall vehicle energy consumption and improves the vehicle's energy utilization rate.

[0099] It should be noted that the execution order and switching logic of each step in the above-mentioned exhaust system heat reuse method are only a preferred implementation of this embodiment. In other examples, the above method can be appropriately adjusted and optimized according to the actual vehicle model and usage scenario, such as introducing more operating condition judgment parameters, setting multi-level temperature thresholds, and combining battery state of charge (SOC) for comprehensive judgment.

[0100] The adaptive switching between the conventional cooling circulation loop and the battery heating circulation loop is achieved by switching the three-way valve 6 through its passage. In low-temperature environments, the vehicle controller controls the three-way valve 6 to open the second passage based on the temperature signal of the battery pack 8, switching the coolant that has absorbed the exhaust heat from the engine to flow towards the water channel base plate 7. The coolant then makes large-area contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8 through the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water channel base plate 7, achieving efficient heating of the battery pack 8 and forming a stable battery heating circulation loop. Compared with existing solutions where the battery pack relies solely on its own electric heating or external heat source heating in low-temperature environments, this embodiment fully utilizes approximately 30% of the heat lost during engine exhaust to provide a continuous and stable waste heat source for the battery pack 8. This effectively improves the problems of high internal resistance, high electrolyte viscosity, and slow ion transport speed of the battery at low temperatures, enhancing the battery's charging and discharging performance under low-temperature conditions, thereby ensuring the vehicle's range, and is especially suitable for winter driving conditions in low-temperature regions.

[0101] This invention employs a three-way valve (6) to switch between the conventional cooling circulation loop and the battery heating circulation loop. The two operating modes can be flexibly switched simply by changing the coolant flow direction, eliminating the need for additional independent electric heating devices or dedicated heating pipes. The structure is simple, the control is flexible, and the manufacturing cost is low. The entire device is integrated into the vehicle chassis, directly modifying the existing cooling and exhaust systems without requiring significant adjustments to the overall vehicle layout. It is highly adaptable and suitable for various hybrid vehicles, such as PHEVs / REEVs, that combine traditional and new energy power sources.

[0102] Example 5 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, a car is provided, which is equipped with the exhaust system heat recovery device or exhaust system heat recovery system described in Embodiments 1 to 3.

[0103] In this embodiment, the vehicle includes a body, chassis, engine, battery pack 8, and exhaust system heat recovery device. The engine, as a traditional power source, is installed at the front of the vehicle body, while the battery pack 8, as a new energy power source, is centrally located in the chassis, serving as the core installation area for the vehicle's power battery.

[0104] The exhaust system heat recovery device is integrated into the vehicle chassis, which can be directly modified on the basis of the original cooling system and exhaust system structure without the need for major adjustments to the overall vehicle layout, making it highly adaptable.

[0105] Specifically, the exhaust pipe 4 is arranged longitudinally along the side of the battery pack 8, conforming to the longitudinal arrangement of the chassis. The high-temperature exhaust gas generated by the engine is discharged through the exhaust pipe 4 throughout the entire process. The exhaust pipe 4 includes an exhaust pipe body 41 and an exhaust cooling water jacket 42 wrapped around the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is completely wrapped around the outer wall surface of the exhaust pipe body 41 and welded to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, forming a double-layer jacket heat exchange structure with coolant flowing on the outside and exhaust gas being discharged on the inside. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can contact the high-temperature outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 with the largest possible area. When the coolant flows inside the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, it can continuously absorb the high-temperature heat conducted by the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, ensuring heat exchange efficiency and effectively controlling the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41.

[0106] Radiator 1 is located at the front of the vehicle and works in conjunction with cooling fan 2 to dissipate heat from the coolant. When the vehicle layout is compact, radiator 1 can be an existing cooling system; the cooling water passage 5 of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can be directly connected to the existing cooling system, eliminating the need for an additional independent radiator, saving space and reducing system complexity. When the vehicle layout is not compact, a separate cooling structure can be installed on the side or rear of the vehicle, with radiator 1 and cooling fan 2 specifically designed for exhaust waste heat recovery. This does not affect the vehicle's existing cooling cycle and achieves higher heat dissipation and heat recovery efficiency.

[0107] Water pump 3 is connected to exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and radiator 1, and is used to drive the coolant to flow continuously throughout the entire circulation loop. A three-way valve 6 is located on the outlet side of water pump 3, and has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage connects to radiator 1 to form a conventional cooling circulation loop, and the second passage connects to water circuit base plate 7 to form a battery heating circulation loop. Water circuit base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of battery pack 8. The water circuit base plate 7 has a continuous U-shaped flow channel inside, and the coolant flows back and forth along the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit base plate 7, forming a large-area uniform contact with the lower end face of battery pack 8, ensuring the uniformity of cooling of all areas of battery pack 8 by the coolant.

[0108] The vehicle is also equipped with a vehicle controller, which is electrically connected to the temperature sensor installed on the battery pack 8. The vehicle controller collects the temperature signal of the battery pack 8 in real time and sends a control command to the three-way valve 6 according to the actual temperature of the battery pack 8. The three-way valve 6 controls the switching between the first and second channels to realize the adaptive switching between the conventional cooling cycle and the battery heating cycle.

[0109] In hybrid vehicles such as PHEVs and REEVs, the engine thermal efficiency is typically around 40%, with about 30% of the energy lost to the outside through the exhaust system. This invention addresses this by installing an exhaust cooling water jacket 42 on the outside of the exhaust pipe body 41, recovering the exhaust waste heat that would otherwise be directly lost to the atmosphere into the coolant. Depending on the vehicle's operating conditions, this heat can be used for cooling or battery heating, achieving resource utilization of exhaust waste heat, effectively improving the vehicle's energy efficiency, reducing overall energy consumption, and demonstrating significant energy saving and emission reduction effects.

[0110] Under normal operating conditions, the vehicle controller detects that the battery pack 8 temperature is within the normal operating range and controls the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage, thus activating the conventional cooling circulation loop. Coolant circulates between the radiator 1, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, water pump 3, the first passage of the three-way valve 6, and the radiator inlet pipe 52. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 continuously cools the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, absorbing the high-temperature heat emitted from it. The coolant carries the heat to the radiator 1, where the cooling fan 2 provides forced cooling, dissipating the heat into the atmosphere. Through this conventional cooling cycle, the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is effectively controlled, significantly reducing the heat radiation intensity from the exhaust system to components such as chassis rubber parts, wiring harnesses, heat insulation plates, and the battery pack 8, effectively improving the overall chassis thermal environment. Since the exhaust pipe 4 is located on the side of the battery pack 8, after the temperature of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 drops, the heat radiation intensity received by the side of the battery pack 8 near the exhaust pipe is greatly reduced, the temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8 is reduced, and the overall temperature field of the battery pack 8 tends to be uniform. This effectively avoids the problem of uniform degradation of battery cells caused by excessive temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack 8, improves the battery thermal management effect, and enhances the overall performance and service life of the battery.

[0111] Under low-temperature driving conditions, the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of the battery pack 8 is lower than the heating start-up temperature threshold, controls the three-way valve 6 to close the first passage and open the second passage, and the battery heating circulation loop is put into operation. The coolant circulates between the radiator 1, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, the water pump 3, the second passage of the three-way valve 6, the water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate, and the water circuit base plate 7. After the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 absorbs the high-temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, the hot coolant flows to the water circuit base plate 7 through the second passage of the three-way valve 6. It flows back and forth in the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water circuit base plate 7. Through the large-area contact between the water circuit base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, the exhaust waste heat is conducted to the battery pack 8, which heats the battery pack 8 evenly and gradually increases the temperature of the battery pack 8. This improves the problems of high internal resistance, high electrolyte viscosity, and slow ion transport speed of the battery at low temperatures, improves the charging and discharging performance of the battery under low-temperature conditions, and ensures the range of the vehicle.

[0112] When the vehicle controller detects that the temperature of battery pack 8 has risen above the heating stop temperature threshold, it controls the three-way valve 6 to open the first passage and close the second passage, switching the vehicle back to the normal cooling cycle mode and restoring the cooling and heat dissipation function of the exhaust system. During subsequent operation, the vehicle controller continuously monitors the temperature changes of battery pack 8 and dynamically adjusts the passage state of the three-way valve 6 according to the actual temperature of battery pack 8, achieving adaptive switching between the normal cooling cycle mode and the battery heating cycle mode, ensuring that battery pack 8 is always within a suitable operating temperature range.

[0113] In this embodiment, the vehicle's exhaust system heat recovery device is integrated into the vehicle chassis. It directly modifies the existing cooling and exhaust system structure without requiring significant adjustments to the overall vehicle layout. The entire device is compact, highly adaptable, and suitable for various hybrid vehicles, including PHEVs and REEVs, which utilize both traditional and new energy power sources. By effectively recovering and utilizing engine exhaust heat on demand, the vehicle in this embodiment can effectively reduce exhaust system temperature and improve the chassis thermal environment under normal temperature conditions. Under low temperature conditions, it can fully utilize exhaust heat to heat the battery pack 8, improving the vehicle's range. This achieves comprehensive optimization of vehicle energy utilization, demonstrating significant technical effects and practical value, and is particularly suitable for winter driving conditions in low-temperature regions.

[0114] The vehicle described in this embodiment is applicable to hybrid vehicles such as PHEV / REEV that combine traditional and new energy power sources. By recovering and reusing exhaust heat from the engine, it effectively solves problems such as waste of exhaust heat, high-temperature radiation from the chassis, low-temperature performance degradation of the battery, and excessive temperature difference between the two sides of the battery pack in hybrid vehicles.

[0115] Example 6 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment further explains the specific arrangement of the exhaust system heat recovery device on the vehicle chassis and the installation and fixing methods of each component.

[0116] The battery pack 8 is located in the middle of the vehicle chassis, extending longitudinally and occupying the central area of ​​the chassis. The exhaust pipe 4 is arranged longitudinally along the vehicle chassis on one side of the battery pack 8. The direction of the exhaust pipe 4 is basically parallel to the longitudinal side of the battery pack 8, so that the exhaust pipe 4 and the battery pack 8 are kept at a close distance. This is conducive to the effective cooling of the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 by the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, while reducing the heat radiation impact of the exhaust pipe 4 on one side of the battery pack 8.

[0117] The radiator 1 is located at the front of the vehicle, the cooling fan 2 is mounted on the outside of the radiator 1, the water pump 3 is located at an appropriate position in the cooling water circuit 5, the three-way valve 6 is located on the outlet side of the water pump 3, and the water circuit base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack 8. All components are interconnected through the pipes in the cooling water circuit 5 to form a complete coolant circulation system.

[0118] The exhaust pipe body 41 is fixed to the vehicle chassis via a conventional exhaust system mounting bracket. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is entirely wrapped around the outer wall surface of the exhaust pipe body 41. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 are fixedly connected by full-circumferential welding to ensure the airtightness between them and prevent coolant leakage from the weld joint. At the same time, it ensures full contact between the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 to achieve efficient heat exchange. A heat insulation layer can be provided on the outer wall of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to reduce the heat radiation of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to the external space, further reducing the heat radiation impact of the exhaust system on the surrounding chassis components.

[0119] The dimensions of the water channel base plate 7 match the dimensions of the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The water channel base plate 7 is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack 8 through multiple threaded connection points to ensure a tight fit between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, reduce contact thermal resistance, and improve heat exchange efficiency.

[0120] Thermal grease or a thermal pad can be placed between the water circuit base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8 to further reduce the contact thermal resistance between the two and improve the heating effect of the water circuit base plate 7 on the battery pack 8. The water inlet and outlet of the water circuit base plate 7 are located at both ends of the water circuit base plate 7, respectively. The water inlet is connected to the second passage of the three-way valve 6 through the water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55, and the water outlet is connected to the radiator inlet pipe 52 through the outlet pipe.

[0121] The radiator outlet pipe 51, radiator inlet pipe 52, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump outlet pipe 54, and water inlet pipe 55 of the water system base plate are connected by clamps. Clamp connections are convenient to install, provide reliable sealing, facilitate maintenance and replacement, and can accommodate slight deformation of the pipes caused by temperature changes during operation of the coolant circulation system, ensuring long-term reliability of the pipe connections. The materials for each pipe can be high-temperature resistant and corrosion-resistant rubber hoses or metal pipes, selected according to the temperature and pressure conditions of the location.

[0122] The three-way valve 6 is located on the outlet side of the water pump 3. The inlet port of the three-way valve 6 is connected to the outlet end of the water pump 3 through the water pump outlet pipe 54. The first outlet port of the three-way valve 6 is connected to the inlet of the radiator 1 through the radiator inlet pipe 52. The second outlet port of the three-way valve 6 is connected to the inlet of the water circuit base plate 7 through the water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55.

[0123] The three-way valve 6 can be an electrically controlled three-way valve. It drives the valve core to rotate through the electronic control signal sent by the vehicle controller, realizing the switching between the first and second channels. It has a fast response speed and high control accuracy.

[0124] The radiator 1 is located at the front of the vehicle and is parallel to or shares the same engine cooling radiator as the vehicle. If the vehicle layout space allows, the exhaust cooling water circuit 5 can be directly connected to the vehicle's original radiator and the vehicle's original cooling fan 2 can be used to dissipate and cool the exhaust waste heat. There is no need to add an independent radiator and cooling fan, which saves vehicle layout space and reduces system complexity and manufacturing costs.

[0125] In this embodiment, all components of the exhaust system heat recovery device use standardized parts, facilitating mass production and vehicle assembly. The entire device is integrated into the vehicle chassis, requiring only modifications to the existing cooling and exhaust systems. This minimizes the need for significant modifications to the chassis structure, resulting in minimal work and high adaptability. It is suitable for new vehicle development and upgrades of various hybrid models, including PHEVs and REEVs, demonstrating high engineering practicality and market promotion value.

[0126] Example 7 In another typical embodiment of the present invention, two heat dissipation schemes for the exhaust system heat recovery device under different vehicle layout conditions are described in detail.

[0127] There are two types of heat dissipation solutions. When the overall vehicle layout is relatively compact and the chassis space is limited, the radiator 1 of the exhaust system heat recovery device adopts the original heat dissipation device of the vehicle, and the cooling water circuit 5 of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is directly connected to the original heat dissipation device of the vehicle. This is a shared heat dissipation solution, which is suitable for models with a compact overall layout.

[0128] Specifically, one end of the radiator outlet pipe 51 is connected to the outlet of the original radiator of the vehicle, one end of the radiator inlet pipe 52 is connected to the inlet of the original radiator of the vehicle, and the exhaust cooling water circuit 5 is connected to the original radiator of the vehicle in parallel or in series with the original cooling water circuit of the vehicle, and the original cooling fan 2 of the vehicle is used to dissipate and cool the exhaust waste heat.

[0129] When using a shared cooling solution, there is no need to add separate radiators and cooling fans, saving space in the vehicle layout, reducing system complexity and manufacturing costs. However, it is necessary to recalculate the total heat exchange of the vehicle's cooling system to ensure that the cooling capacity of the vehicle's cooling system can meet the dual needs of engine cooling and exhaust waste heat dissipation.

[0130] Another approach is an independent cooling solution, suitable for vehicles with a less compact layout. When the vehicle has ample space, the exhaust system heat recovery device is equipped with a separate cooling structure located on the side or rear of the vehicle. This consists of a dedicated radiator 1 and cooling fan 2 specifically for exhaust heat recovery, without connecting to the vehicle's existing cooling water circuit and thus not affecting the vehicle's original cooling cycle. With this independent cooling solution, the exhaust cooling water circuit 5 forms an independent coolant circulation system. All exhaust heat absorbed by the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is cooled by the independently installed radiator 1 and cooling fan 2, resulting in better heat dissipation and higher heat recovery efficiency. Simultaneously, it does not affect the vehicle's original engine cooling system, offering strong system independence and suitability for vehicles with high requirements for exhaust heat recovery efficiency.

[0131] In the conventional cooling cycle mode, regardless of whether a shared or independent heat dissipation scheme is used, the circulation flow of the coolant is as follows: radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, three-way valve 6 (first passage), radiator inlet pipe 52, radiator 1, to complete a complete conventional cooling cycle. Exhaust waste heat is dissipated into the atmosphere through radiator 1 and cooling fan 2.

[0132] In the battery heating cycle mode, regardless of the heat dissipation scheme used, the circulation process of the coolant is as follows: radiator 1, radiator outlet pipe 51, exhaust cooling water jacket 42, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump 3, water pump outlet pipe 54, three-way valve 6 (second passage), water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55, water circuit base plate 7, radiator inlet pipe 52, radiator 1, to complete a complete battery heating cycle. The exhaust waste heat is conducted to the battery pack 8 through the water circuit base plate 7 to heat the battery pack 8.

[0133] The choice between the two cooling solutions can be flexibly made based on the actual layout of the vehicle, and there are no restrictions on this. In practical applications, the most suitable cooling solution can be selected by comprehensively considering factors such as the vehicle chassis layout space, cooling requirements, and cost budget, in order to achieve the best exhaust waste heat recovery and utilization effect and the overall vehicle thermal management performance.

[0134] This embodiment further expands the scope of application of the present invention by providing a detailed description of the two heat dissipation schemes, enabling the present invention to be applied to hybrid vehicles with different layout conditions, thereby improving the versatility and engineering practical value of the present invention.

[0135] In this embodiment, the coolant used in the exhaust system heat recovery device can be an aqueous solution of ethylene glycol. The volume ratio of ethylene glycol to water can be adjusted according to the lowest temperature of the vehicle's operating environment. For example, in some low-temperature regions, the lowest winter temperature can reach below -30°C. In this case, the proportion of ethylene glycol in the coolant can be appropriately increased to ensure that the coolant does not freeze in extreme low-temperature environments and to ensure the normal operation of the exhaust system heat recovery device.

[0136] In one embodiment, the volume ratio of ethylene glycol in the coolant can be set to 50%, corresponding to a freezing point of approximately -37°C, which can meet the usage requirements of most low-temperature regions. This invention does not limit the specific composition and ratio of the coolant; those skilled in the art can select according to the actual application scenario.

[0137] The normal operating temperature range of the exhaust system heat recovery device depends on the boiling point and freezing point of the coolant. In the normal cooling cycle mode, the coolant absorbs exhaust waste heat in the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and its temperature rises. After being dissipated by the radiator 1, its temperature drops. The temperature of the coolant during the circulation process usually fluctuates between 40°C and 90°C. The specific temperature depends on the engine operating conditions, ambient temperature, and the radiator's heat dissipation capacity.

[0138] In battery heating cycle mode, after the coolant absorbs exhaust heat in the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, the temperature of the hot coolant is typically between 50°C and 80°C. After heat exchange with the battery pack 8 via the water channel base plate 7, the temperature decreases, and the temperature of the coolant exiting the water channel base plate 7 is typically between 30°C and 60°C. The specific temperature depends on the amount of exhaust heat recovered and the current temperature of the battery pack 8. The above temperature range is only an illustrative description, and the present invention does not limit the specific operating temperature.

[0139] The exhaust system's heat recovery device can be equipped with safety protection measures. For example, the coolant circulation system includes an expansion tank to compensate for coolant volume changes caused by temperature variations, ensuring stable coolant circulation system pressure and preventing damage to pipelines due to coolant expansion and overpressure. The coolant circulation system also features a pressure relief valve that automatically opens when the system pressure exceeds a set value, releasing excess pressure and protecting pipelines and components. The vehicle controller monitors the temperature and pressure of the coolant circulation system in real time. When abnormal temperature or pressure is detected, the vehicle controller issues an alarm signal to alert the driver and takes appropriate protective measures, such as reducing engine power or increasing cooling fan speed.

[0140] The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is connected to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 by full-circumference welding to ensure sealing, prevent coolant leakage into the exhaust pipe, and avoid contact between coolant and high-temperature exhaust gas, which could lead to safety accidents.

[0141] The speed of water pump 3 can be adjusted according to the vehicle's operating conditions and cooling requirements. In the normal cooling cycle mode, water pump 3 operates at an appropriate speed to ensure that the coolant flows through the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 with sufficient flow to effectively cool the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. In the battery heating cycle mode, the speed of water pump 3 can be adjusted according to the heating requirements of battery pack 8. When the temperature of battery pack 8 is low and rapid heating is required, the speed of water pump 3 can be appropriately increased to increase the coolant flow, accelerate the transfer of exhaust waste heat to battery pack 8, and improve the heating rate of battery pack 8.

[0142] In this embodiment, the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can be a direct-flow channel structure, forming a direct-flow channel between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body 41, allowing the coolant to flow linearly along the axial direction of the exhaust pipe body 41. The coolant enters from the inlet at one end of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, flows linearly along the axial direction of the exhaust pipe body 41, and exits from the outlet at the other end. The direct-flow channel structure is simple, easy to manufacture, and has low coolant flow resistance, making it suitable for applications with low requirements for coolant flow resistance. However, the contact time between the coolant and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 is relatively short in the direct-flow channel, resulting in a relatively lower heat exchange efficiency compared to the spiral structure. When heat exchange efficiency requirements are not high and the overall vehicle layout space is limited, a direct-flow channel structure for the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can be adopted.

[0143] In other examples, a spiral channel structure can also be used, as described in Embodiment 2, where a spiral channel for the spiral flow of coolant is formed between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body 41. The coolant flows spirally along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 within the spiral channel. Compared to a direct-flow channel, the spiral structure significantly extends the flow path of the coolant within the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, increasing the contact time between the coolant and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41. This allows the coolant to more fully absorb the high-temperature heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, further improving heat exchange efficiency. The spiral channel structure is suitable for applications requiring high heat exchange efficiency and full recovery of exhaust waste heat, and is a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0144] In other examples, a multi-channel parallel structure can be used, where multiple parallel coolant channels are formed between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body 41. The coolant enters from the inlet of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and is distributed to these parallel channels, flowing along the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 before finally converging at the outlet. This multi-channel parallel structure increases the contact area between the coolant and the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41, improving heat exchange efficiency while reducing coolant flow resistance. It is suitable for applications requiring large coolant flow rates and high heat exchange area. While the manufacturing of the multi-channel parallel structure exhaust cooling water jacket 42 is relatively complex, it offers excellent heat exchange performance and is suitable for high-performance hybrid vehicles with high requirements for exhaust waste heat recovery efficiency.

[0145] In other examples, it can also be a segmented structure, with the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 divided into multiple independent heat exchange sections along the axial direction of the exhaust pipe body 41. Each heat exchange section is provided with an inlet and an outlet, and the heat exchange sections are connected in series or in parallel through external pipelines.

[0146] The segmented structure allows for independent adjustment of the coolant flow rate in each heat exchange section based on the axial temperature distribution of the exhaust pipe body 41, thereby achieving precise control of the outer wall temperature of each section of the exhaust pipe body 41.

[0147] The segmented structure is suitable for applications where the temperature distribution along the axial direction of the exhaust pipe body 41 is uneven and differentiated cooling of each section is required, offering high flexibility and controllability. A spiral channel structure is preferred in this invention.

[0148] It is understood that all the above-mentioned variations of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 structure are within the protection scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art can select the most suitable exhaust cooling water jacket 42 structure according to the actual vehicle layout conditions, heat exchange requirements and manufacturing process requirements to achieve the best exhaust waste heat recovery and utilization effect.

[0149] This embodiment does not limit the specific structural form of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42. Any structure that can cool the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 and absorb exhaust waste heat is within the protection scope of this invention.

[0150] The structure of the waterway bottom plate 7 can be designed according to specific needs, such as a continuous U-shaped flow channel structure, a serpentine flow channel structure, a multi-channel parallel structure, or a zoned independent control flow channel structure.

[0151] As described in Embodiment 1, a continuous U-shaped flow channel is provided inside the water channel base plate 7. The coolant flows back and forth along the continuous U-shaped flow channel inside the water channel base plate 7, forming a large-area uniform contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The continuous U-shaped flow channel structure can ensure that the coolant is evenly distributed inside the water channel base plate 7, so that the coolant heats all areas of the battery pack 8 evenly, avoiding excessive temperature differences between individual battery cells due to uneven local heating. This is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The number of folds in the continuous U-shaped flow channel can be adjusted according to the size of the water channel base plate 7 and the heat exchange requirements. The more folds, the longer the flow path of the coolant inside the water channel base plate 7, the larger the heat exchange area, and the better the heating effect on the battery pack 8. However, the flow resistance of the coolant will also increase accordingly.

[0152] In some examples, a serpentine flow channel is provided inside the water channel base plate 7, allowing the coolant to flow back and forth along the serpentine channel, forming a large-area contact with the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The serpentine flow channel structure is similar to the continuous U-shaped flow channel structure, both achieving uniform distribution of coolant within the water channel base plate 7 and ensuring uniform heating of all areas of the battery pack 8. The bending shape and number of folds in the serpentine flow channel can be flexibly designed according to the size of the water channel base plate 7 and heat exchange requirements, making it suitable for battery packs 8 of various shapes and sizes.

[0153] In some examples, the water channel base plate 7 has multiple parallel coolant flow channels inside. After entering through the inlet of the water channel base plate 7, the coolant is distributed into multiple parallel flow channels, flowing through different areas of the water channel base plate 7, and finally converging at the outlet to flow out. The multi-channel parallel structure can increase the contact area between the coolant and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, improve heat exchange efficiency, and reduce coolant flow resistance. It is suitable for applications with large coolant flow rates and high requirements for heat exchange area.

[0154] In some examples, the water channel base plate 7 is equipped with multiple independent heat exchange zones. Each heat exchange zone has its own independent coolant inlet / outlet and flow control valve, and the coolant flow rate of each heat exchange zone can be independently controlled by the vehicle controller. This zone-based independent control flow channel structure can independently adjust the coolant flow rate of each heat exchange zone according to the temperature distribution in different areas of the battery pack 8, achieving precise temperature control in different areas of the battery pack 8, further improving the uniformity of the temperature field in the battery pack 8, and enhancing battery thermal management. This zone-based independent control flow channel structure is suitable for large-capacity battery packs with high requirements for temperature uniformity and a large number of individual battery cells.

[0155] Regarding the connection method between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, in addition to threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection, welding, or bonding can also be used to fix the water channel base plate 7 to the lower end face of the battery pack 8. In one embodiment, a thermally conductive silicone grease layer can be provided between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The thermally conductive silicone grease can fill the tiny gap between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, reducing the contact thermal resistance between the two and improving the heating effect of the water channel base plate 7 on the battery pack 8. In another embodiment, a thermally conductive pad can be provided between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8. The thermally conductive pad has a certain degree of elasticity and can adapt to the slight unevenness between the water channel base plate 7 and the lower end face of the battery pack 8, ensuring uniform contact between the two and further reducing the contact thermal resistance.

[0156] In this embodiment, the cooling water circuit 5 consists of five main pipes: radiator outlet pipe 51, radiator inlet pipe 52, exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53, water pump outlet pipe 54, and water circuit base plate inlet pipe 55. The pipes are arranged in an orderly manner on the vehicle chassis and cooperate with each other to form a complete coolant circulation channel.

[0157] Regarding the selection of pipe materials, different materials can be selected for each pipe according to the temperature, pressure, and degree of bending requirements of its location. The radiator outlet pipe 51 connects the outlet of radiator 1 to the inlet of exhaust cooling water jacket 42. This section of pipe needs to withstand high-temperature coolant and can use high-temperature resistant rubber hoses or metal corrugated pipes with a temperature resistance rating of not less than 150℃ to accommodate the coolant's remaining temperature after heat dissipation. The exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53 connects the outlet of exhaust cooling water jacket 42 to the inlet of water pump 3. This section of pipe carries hot coolant that has absorbed exhaust waste heat, reaching temperatures of 80℃ to 90℃. High-temperature resistant and pressure-resistant rubber hoses or stainless steel metal pipes should be used to ensure the long-term reliability of the pipeline under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions.

[0158] The water pump outlet pipe 54 connects the outlet of water pump 3 to the inlet of three-way valve 6. This section of pipe withstands the pressure of the coolant after being pressurized by water pump 3 and should have sufficient pressure resistance. Reinforced rubber hoses or metal rigid pipes can be used. The radiator inlet pipe 52 connects the first outlet port of three-way valve 6 to the inlet of radiator 1. The water inlet pipe 55 connects the second outlet port of three-way valve 6 to the inlet of water inlet plate 7. The operating conditions of the above two sections of pipe are relatively mild, and ordinary heat-resistant rubber hoses can be used. They are easy to install, maintain, and replace.

[0159] Regarding pipe connection methods, all pipes are connected using clamp connections. Clamp connections are easy to install, provide reliable sealing, and facilitate maintenance and replacement. They also accommodate slight thermal expansion and contraction of the pipes due to temperature changes during operation of the coolant circulation system, ensuring long-term reliability of the pipe connections. When selecting clamps, appropriate specifications should be chosen based on the pipe's outer diameter and operating pressure. Stainless steel can be used for the clamps to ensure corrosion resistance in high-temperature and humid environments.

[0160] When installing the various structures of this invention, the arrangement of each pipeline on the vehicle chassis should follow the following principles: First, the pipeline route should be as smooth as possible, avoiding sharp bends and folds to reduce coolant flow resistance; Second, the pipeline should maintain sufficient safety distance from the vehicle chassis structure, wiring harness, rubber parts, and other components to avoid damage to surrounding components due to high temperature or vibration of the pipeline; Third, the pipeline should be fixed to the vehicle chassis structure with pipe clamps or cable ties to prevent displacement or wear due to vehicle vibration; Fourth, high-temperature pipelines such as radiator outlet pipe 51 and exhaust pipe outlet pipe 53 should be kept away from vehicle wiring harnesses and rubber parts. If necessary, heat insulation sleeves can be wrapped around the outside of the pipelines to further reduce the heat radiation impact of high-temperature pipelines on surrounding components; Fifth, the water inlet pipe 55 of the water circuit base plate should be shortened as much as possible to reduce heat loss of hot coolant during the flow from the three-way valve 6 to the water circuit base plate 7, ensuring that the coolant entering the water circuit base plate 7 has a sufficiently high temperature to effectively heat the battery pack 8.

[0161] After the exhaust system heat recovery device is assembled into the vehicle, the coolant circulation system should undergo a sealing test to ensure there are no coolant leaks at any pipe connections. The sealing test can be performed using a pressure holding test method, where a certain pressure of gas or coolant is introduced into the coolant circulation system, maintained for a certain period, and then the connections are checked for leaks to ensure the system's sealing meets the vehicle's operating requirements.

[0162] The exhaust system heat recovery device of the present invention is applicable to various hybrid vehicle models such as PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) and REEV (range-extended electric vehicle) that are equipped with both engines and batteries, covering different engine configurations from small displacement to large displacement, as well as different vehicle platforms from compact to mid-to-large.

[0163] Regarding compatibility with small-displacement engine models (engine displacement 1.0L to 1.5L), the exhaust heat generated by small-displacement engines under normal operating conditions is relatively limited, the outer wall temperature of the exhaust pipe body 41 is relatively low, and the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 absorbs relatively little exhaust heat. In this case, the radiator 1 of the exhaust system heat recovery device should preferably use the original cooling device of the vehicle to reduce system complexity and manufacturing costs by sharing a cooling solution.

[0164] In battery heating cycle mode, since the exhaust heat is relatively limited, the speed of water pump 3 can be appropriately reduced to prolong the residence time of hot coolant in the exhaust cooling water jacket 42, so as to fully absorb the heat from the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body 41 and improve the exhaust heat recovery efficiency. At the same time, the internal channels of the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 should preferably adopt a spiral structure to prolong the coolant flow path, improve heat exchange efficiency, and compensate for the relatively insufficient exhaust heat of small displacement engines.

[0165] Regarding the adaptation of medium-displacement engine models (engine displacement from 1.5L to 2.0L), medium-displacement engines are currently the most common engine configuration in PHEV / REEV models. Under normal operating conditions, the exhaust heat generated by the engine is moderate, and the outer wall temperature of the exhaust pipe body 41 is usually between 200°C and 400°C. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can absorb sufficient exhaust heat, providing a sufficient heat source for the regular cooling cycle and battery heating cycle.

[0166] The various technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention are applicable to medium-displacement engine vehicles and are the main applicable scenarios of the present invention. In terms of vehicle layout, the chassis layout of medium-displacement engine vehicles is usually relatively compact, and the radiator 1 should preferably use the original cooling device of the vehicle to save chassis layout space.

[0167] The switching temperature threshold of the three-way valve 6 can be adjusted according to the actual capacity and low-temperature performance requirements of the battery pack 8. The heating start temperature threshold can be set between 0°C and 10°C, and the heating stop temperature threshold can be set between 15°C and 25°C to ensure that the battery pack 8 can quickly heat up to the appropriate operating temperature range in a low-temperature environment.

[0168] Regarding compatibility with large-displacement engine models (engine displacement of 2.0L and above), the exhaust heat generated by large-displacement engines under normal operating conditions is sufficient, and the outer wall temperature of the exhaust pipe body 41 is high. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 can absorb a large amount of exhaust heat. In this case, the radiator 1 of the exhaust system heat recovery device can be set with an independent heat dissipation structure, located on the side or rear of the vehicle body, to fully dissipate the large amount of exhaust heat, while not affecting the normal operation of the vehicle's original engine cooling system.

[0169] In battery heating cycle mode, due to sufficient exhaust heat, the heat exchange area of ​​the water circuit base plate 7 can be appropriately increased, or a zoned independent control flow channel structure can be adopted to differentiate heating of different areas of the battery pack 8, further improving the uniformity of the temperature field of the battery pack 8. The switching control logic of the vehicle controller can be further optimized, combining various parameters such as engine load status and battery pack 8 temperature distribution to achieve precise control of the three-way valve 6, maximizing the utilization efficiency of exhaust heat.

[0170] Regarding adaptation to different vehicle platforms, the dimensions and arrangement of the components of the exhaust system heat recovery device can be adaptively adjusted according to the chassis structure of different vehicle platforms. For vehicle platforms with a front-engine, rear-battery-pack layout, the exhaust pipe 4 extends from the engine compartment to the rear of the vehicle body, arranged longitudinally along the side of the battery pack 8. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 covers the portion of the exhaust pipe body 41 closest to the battery pack 8 to achieve effective recovery of exhaust waste heat and effective control of the temperature of the exhaust pipes around the battery pack 8. For vehicle platforms with a front-engine, mid-battery-pack layout, the exhaust pipe 4 is arranged parallel to the side of the battery pack 8 in the central area of ​​the chassis. The exhaust cooling water jacket 42 covers the portion of the exhaust pipe body 41 parallel to the side of the battery pack 8. The arrangement of each pipe in the cooling water circuit 5 should fully consider the spatial relationship with other components in the central area of ​​the chassis, and the pipe routing should be rationally planned to avoid interference.

[0171] The exhaust system heat recovery device can be deeply integrated with the vehicle's original thermal management system. Through the vehicle controller, multiple subsystems such as the exhaust waste heat recovery system, battery thermal management system, and engine cooling system can be uniformly coordinated and controlled to achieve comprehensive optimization management of the vehicle's thermal energy.

[0172] For example, when the vehicle simultaneously requires engine cooling and battery heating, the vehicle controller can rationally allocate the distribution ratio of exhaust waste heat among the subsystems based on their actual heat demands, thereby maximizing the vehicle's thermal energy utilization efficiency. When the vehicle is in pure electric driving mode (engine not running), the exhaust system heat recovery device automatically stops working, without affecting the normal operation of the vehicle in pure electric mode.

[0173] All components of the exhaust system heat recovery device should meet the service life requirements of the entire vehicle, and should generally be able to withstand a service life of not less than 15 years or 200,000 kilometers. The welded connection between the exhaust cooling water jacket 42 and the exhaust pipe body 41 should be able to withstand long-term high temperature, high pressure and vibration environments, ensuring that the sealing and strength of the welded joints do not deteriorate due to long-term use.

[0174] The clamps at all pipe connections should be inspected and tightened regularly to prevent them from loosening due to long-term vibration. The switching control program for the three-way valve 6 in the vehicle controller should undergo thorough software testing and vehicle verification to ensure that the switching control logic can be executed correctly under various extreme operating conditions, avoiding abnormal coolant circulation due to control errors.

[0175] This embodiment provides a detailed description of the adaptability of the exhaust system heat recovery device to different engine displacement models and vehicle platforms, further expanding the scope of application of the invention. This makes the invention applicable to various PHEV / REEV hybrid models, enhancing its versatility and engineering practicality. Through reasonable adaptation design, the exhaust system heat recovery device can achieve optimal exhaust waste heat recovery and utilization on different vehicle platforms, effectively reducing vehicle energy consumption, improving vehicle range, and enhancing battery low-temperature performance. This provides a new solution and implementation path for the development of thermal management technology for hybrid vehicles.

[0176] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A heat recovery device for an exhaust system, characterized in that, include: The exhaust pipe is located on the side of the battery pack. The exhaust pipe is surrounded by an exhaust cooling water jacket, forming a heat exchange structure in which coolant flows through the outside of the exhaust pipe and exhaust gas is discharged from the inside. A radiator, used in conjunction with a cooling fan, is designed to dissipate heat from the coolant. A water pump, connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket and the radiator, drives the coolant to circulate. The three-way valve is connected to the outlet side of the water pump and has a first passage and a second passage. The first passage connects to the radiator to form a conventional cooling circulation loop, and the second passage connects to the water circuit base plate of the battery pack to form a battery heating circulation loop. The flow channel inside the water circuit base plate is connected to the second passage of the three-way valve and the water inlet of the radiator.

2. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe includes an exhaust pipe body, and an exhaust cooling water jacket is wrapped around the periphery of the exhaust pipe body and welded to the outer wall of the exhaust pipe body. A channel for coolant flow is formed between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body to reduce the high-temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe.

3. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water pump is connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the exhaust pipe outlet pipe, and the radiator outlet side is connected to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the radiator outlet pipe; the radiator inlet side is connected to the three-way valve through the radiator inlet pipe.

4. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outlet side of the water pump is connected to a three-way valve through the water pump outlet pipe; the water pump is connected to the radiator through the three-way valve and the radiator inlet pipe.

5. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe outlet and the radiator outlet are respectively connected to the two ends of the exhaust cooling water jacket.

6. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The passage between the water pump, the first passage of the three-way valve, the radiator inlet pipe, the radiator, the radiator outlet pipe, the exhaust cooling water jacket, and the exhaust pipe outlet pipe forms a conventional cooling circulation loop.

7. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water channel base plate is fixedly installed on the lower end face of the battery pack.

8. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The flow channel inside the waterway bottom plate is a continuous U-shaped flow channel.

9. A heat recovery device for an exhaust system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The second passage of the three-way valve is connected to the water inlet of the water circuit base plate through the water inlet pipe.

10. A heat recovery device for an exhaust system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The water outlet of the water circuit base plate is connected to the radiator inlet pipe through the water outlet pipe.

11. A heat recovery device for an exhaust system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The passage between the water pump, the second passage of the three-way valve, the water circuit base plate, the radiator inlet pipe, the radiator, the radiator outlet pipe, the exhaust cooling water jacket, and the exhaust pipe outlet pipe forms a battery heating circulation loop.

12. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The three-way valve switches between the first and second channels according to the battery pack temperature, thereby enabling the switching between the conventional cooling cycle and the battery heating cycle.

13. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe is arranged longitudinally along the chassis of the vehicle on the side of the battery pack.

14. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel between the inner side of the exhaust cooling water jacket and the periphery of the exhaust pipe body has a spiral structure.

15. The exhaust system heat recovery device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radiator is the original cooling device of the vehicle.

16. A heat recovery system for an exhaust system, characterized in that, The device includes the recycling apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-15, and also includes a vehicle controller, which acquires battery temperature signals and switches the first and second channels of the three-way valve according to the battery pack temperature.

17. A method for heat recovery from an exhaust system, characterized in that, The exhaust system heat recovery system according to claim 16 includes the following steps: The vehicle controller switches between the first and second channels of the three-way valve according to the battery pack temperature. When the first channel is open, it is in the normal cooling cycle mode. The normal cooling cycle loop is put into operation. The coolant enters the exhaust cooling water jacket to exchange heat with the exhaust pipe body, reducing the high temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe. Then the coolant returns to the water pump, enters the radiator through the first channel of the three-way valve to cool down, and continues to return to the exhaust cooling water jacket. When the second passage is opened, it is in battery heating cycle mode. The battery heating cycle loop is put into operation. After the coolant reduces the high temperature radiation from the exhaust pipe, it returns to the water pump and enters the water circuit bottom plate through the second passage of the three-way valve to heat the battery pack. Then it returns to the exhaust cooling water jacket through the radiator.

18. A car, characterized in that, The automobile includes an exhaust system heat recovery device as described in any one of claims 1-15, and the automobile is equipped with an engine and a battery pack.

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