Exhaust muffler and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of mufflers, in particular to an exhaust muffler and a vehicle. The exhaust muffler is used for absorbing and eliminating exhaust noise by setting an inner shell to form a muffling cavity. The outer shell is sleeved on the outer periphery of the inner shell, and a first inlet and a first outlet are formed on the outer shell to form a cooling liquid flow channel, so that active and efficient liquid cooling heat dissipation of the muffler is realized, the surface temperature of the outer shell is reduced, and the heat damage of the engine compartment is relieved. The second inlet and the second outlet of the exhaust gas are formed on the side walls of the inner shell and the outer shell, so that the exhaust gas flow can normally enter and flow through the muffling cavity and be discharged after completing noise reduction. The active cooling solves the heat dissipation problem, and the system cooling also brings additional acoustic benefits of sound energy reduction, so that the muffler can be compactly arranged in the engine compartment, thereby leaving space for the arrangement of key components of the chassis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of muffler technology, and more particularly to an exhaust muffler and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of the automotive exhaust system, the exhaust muffler functions by attenuating the noise generated by the exhaust airflow and reducing exhaust back pressure through structural design, thereby ensuring that the overall vehicle's NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance meets standards and that the engine's exhaust efficiency remains stable. In conventional automotive layouts, exhaust mufflers are mostly located under the middle or rear floor. This area has relatively open space, and the natural airflow generated during vehicle movement can directly act on the muffler surface, effectively dissipating heat from the exhaust system. This is the mainstream layout and heat dissipation solution in the industry.

[0003] As automotive technology develops towards higher integration and greater space utilization, in order to optimize the overall chassis space allocation and improve the layout flexibility of key chassis components such as power batteries, large-capacity fuel tanks, and air suspensions, a design trend of integrating exhaust mufflers at the front has gradually emerged in the industry. This involves moving the muffler from the traditional middle and rear floor area to the engine compartment, thereby reducing the overall space occupied by the exhaust system through system integration design and freeing up more space for chassis components.

[0004] However, the existing technical solution of integrating the exhaust muffler into the front of the engine compartment has significant drawbacks: the components in the engine compartment are arranged compactly, and the front of the muffler is blocked by large high-temperature components such as the engine and transmission. During vehicle movement, natural airflow cannot penetrate the gaps between components and act on the surface of the muffler. As a result, a large amount of heat generated by the exhaust system cannot be effectively dissipated by traditional natural air cooling. Heat accumulates in the muffler and surrounding areas, causing continuous high-intensity heat radiation to the electrical components, wiring harnesses, pipes and other surrounding components in the engine compartment. This can easily lead to component performance degradation, accelerated aging, and even the safety hazard of thermal runaway. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application addresses, to at least some extent, one of the technical problems in the related art.

[0006] Therefore, this application aims to provide an exhaust muffler and a vehicle.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides an exhaust muffler, comprising: The outer casing has a first inlet and a first outlet. The inner shell is fitted inside the outer shell, and the interior of the inner shell is a sound-absorbing cavity; The coolant enters between the inner shell and the outer shell through the first inlet and flows out through the first outlet; A second inlet and a second outlet are provided through the side wall of the inner shell and the outer shell, for exhaust gas to enter the silencing cavity from the second inlet and be discharged from the second outlet.

[0008] In this technical solution, an active water-cooling mechanism is introduced into the muffler by setting a coolant flow channel between the outer and inner shells. This structure utilizes the flowing coolant to continuously remove the heat from the exhaust gas transferred through the inner shell, thereby solving the problem of heat dissipation damaging surrounding components, reducing the surface temperature of the muffler shell, and mitigating heat radiation to electrical components, wiring harnesses, and other surrounding parts in the engine compartment. This avoids component performance degradation, accelerated aging, and potential safety risks caused by heat accumulation. Cooling the muffler with coolant simultaneously lowers the overall temperature of the exhaust system, and this temperature reduction helps reduce the sound energy of exhaust sound waves, thus providing favorable conditions for improving the muffler's noise reduction effect. Reliable heat dissipation capabilities make it possible to integrate the exhaust muffler at the front of the engine compartment, freeing up valuable space in the chassis area for flexible placement of key components such as the power battery and large-capacity fuel tank, improving the compactness and space utilization of the overall vehicle design.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, a guide rod is further included, which is disposed between the inner shell and the outer shell to guide the flow of coolant.

[0010] In this technical solution, by installing guide rods in the coolant flow channel between the inner and outer shells, the flow path of the coolant can be actively guided and regulated, achieving uniform heat dissipation and preventing localized overheating. The guide rods allow the coolant to flow through the entire interlayer space, effectively eliminating flow dead zones that might occur without them, ensuring the uniformity of surface temperature between the outer and inner shells of the muffler, thereby improving overall heat dissipation efficiency and reliability. By rationally designing the shape and layout of the guide rods, the turbulence of the coolant within the flow channel can be increased, and its heat exchange path can be extended, thus enhancing convective heat transfer between the coolant and the high-temperature inner shell wall, allowing more heat to be removed per unit time. Uniform cooling avoids the risk of material degradation, deformation, or cracking that may occur in localized areas of the muffler due to prolonged overheating. It also helps prevent the coolant from generating bubbles or boiling at localized high temperatures, ensuring the long-term stability of the water-cooling system and the service life of the muffler.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, at least one guide rod is provided on one side of the inner shell; the length direction of at least one guide rod is arranged along the diagonal of one side of the inner shell.

[0012] In this technical solution, the diagonal is the longest distance along the inner shell's sidewall. The guide rods are arranged along this direction to maximize the path of the coolant flowing through the inner shell's sidewall, extending the heat exchange time and allowing the coolant to fully absorb the heat from the exhaust gas transferred by the inner shell, thus improving heat exchange efficiency per unit time. The guide rods also prevent uneven thermal stress caused by localized overheating of the inner shell, reducing the risk of material deformation and cracking. Simultaneously, they prevent the coolant from generating bubbles or boiling in localized high-temperature areas, ensuring the long-term stability of the water-cooling system and extending the service life of the muffler and surrounding components.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, a partition is further included, wherein the partition has a plurality of first through holes; The partition is disposed in the silencing cavity, dividing the silencing cavity into multiple sub-cavities; The second inlet and the second outlet are respectively located on the outer peripheral walls of different sub-cavities.

[0014] In this technical solution, a baffle with several first through holes is installed within the silencing cavity, dividing the cavity into multiple independent chambers. The exhaust gas inlet and outlet are located in different chambers, improving silencing performance and achieving broadband noise reduction. When exhaust gas sound waves propagate through the first through holes in the baffle between different chambers, they undergo repeated abrupt changes in cross-section. The principle of expansion silencing is used to reflect and dissipate low-frequency sound energy. The exhaust gas is forced to pass through the through holes in the baffle and flow in a meandering manner within multiple chambers, lengthening its path and reducing its velocity. This facilitates the full dissipation of sound wave energy, making the airflow more stable. It also helps to ensure excellent silencing performance while rationally controlling exhaust back pressure, avoiding excessive negative impacts on engine performance caused by the silencing structure.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, sound-absorbing cotton is also included, which is disposed in at least one of the sub-cavities within the sound-absorbing cavity.

[0016] In the technical solution, sound-absorbing cotton is placed in at least one sub-cavity. Through the friction and adhesion of the internal pores of the material, the mid-to-high frequency sound energy is converted into heat energy for dissipation, solving the problem of insufficient attenuation of mid-to-high frequency noise by the sound-absorbing cavity. After the sound-absorbing cotton is placed in the sub-cavity, the exhaust gas sound waves need to pass through the sound-absorbing cotton area multiple times when propagating between the sub-cavities. During the process, the exhaust gas comes into contact with the sound-absorbing cotton, which prolongs the sound energy dissipation path, improves the noise absorption efficiency, avoids the direct discharge of noise that has not been sufficiently attenuated, and enhances the overall sound absorption effect.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, two partitions are provided, the sub-cavity between the two partitions is the first cavity, and the sub-cavities on both sides of the first cavity are the second cavity and the third cavity, respectively; The sound-absorbing cotton is disposed in the first cavity, and the second inlet and the second outlet are respectively opened on the outer peripheral walls of the second cavity and the third cavity.

[0018] In this technical solution, the anechoic chamber is clearly divided into a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber by setting two partitions. The sound-absorbing cotton is concentrated in the central first chamber, while the exhaust gas inlet and outlet are located in the second and third chambers at the ends, respectively. This structure clearly divides the anechoic process into three stages. The second and third chambers at both ends act as expansion chambers or resonant chambers, utilizing their geometric space and the through-holes in the partitions to dissipate low- and mid-frequency noise. The first chamber acts as a sound-absorbing chamber, where the internal sound-absorbing cotton, through the friction and viscosity of the porous material, converts the penetrating mid- and high-frequency sound energy into heat energy, achieving efficient absorption. The exhaust gas sound waves travel from the second chamber through the partition, into the first chamber, and then through the partition again into the third chamber. This circuitous and functionally alternating path increases the number of sound wave reflections, the propagation distance, and the opportunities for contact with the sound-absorbing material, allowing sound energy to be dissipated through multiple mechanisms.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, a first air guide tube is further included, and a plurality of second through holes are provided on the side wall of the middle section of the first air guide tube. The two ends of the first air guide tube are disposed on the two partitions for connecting the second cavity and the third cavity; the middle section of the first air guide tube is located in the first cavity.

[0020] In this technical solution, a first air duct is installed, penetrating the first cavity and connecting the second and third cavities at both ends. Several second through-holes are formed on the middle section of the first cavity's side wall. This first air duct creates an airflow channel, providing a direct passage for exhaust gas and sound waves through the first cavity. This allows some airflow and sound waves to bypass the through-holes in the side partitions and directly enter the first cavity, which is filled with sound-absorbing cotton, through the second through-holes in the duct. This facilitates the targeted absorption and attenuation of specific mid-to-high frequency noises.

[0021] When sound waves propagate along the first air duct, mid-to-high frequency sound waves can be efficiently radiated through the second through-hole in its sidewall and immediately absorbed by the tightly wrapped sound-absorbing cotton. This structure increases the contact area and interaction opportunities between sound waves and sound-absorbing materials, especially for mid-to-high frequency noise propagating axially within the duct, where its sound absorption efficiency is higher than that of traditional solutions that rely solely on cavity reflection.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, a second air guide tube is further included, which is bent into shape and includes: The first segment, one end of which is located within the third cavity; The second segment, one end of which extends from the third cavity to and connects to the second outlet; A bent tube, wherein the bent tube is located in the second cavity, and the first section and the second section are connected through the bent tube; The partial sidewalls of the first and second segments are located within the first cavity, and several third through holes are provided on the partial sidewalls.

[0023] In this technical solution, a second air guide pipe with a specific bend shape is used. One end of the first section is located in the third cavity, and the second section connects to the second outlet. The first and second sections are connected by a bend pipe located within the second cavity, and a third through-hole is formed on the local sidewall of the first and second sections within the first cavity. This second air guide pipe forces the exhaust gas and its sound waves to travel from the third cavity to the bend pipe, then back to the second section within the third cavity, before finally being discharged, creating a circuitous path. This prolongs the propagation path and residence time of the sound waves inside the silencer, creating conditions for the sound waves to undergo repeated reflection, expansion, interference, and absorption in multiple chambers, thus achieving deep noise elimination.

[0024] Both the first and second sections of the second air duct penetrate the first cavity filled with sound-absorbing cotton and pass through the third through-hole, making both sections resonant sound-absorbing units. Before the same airflow is discharged, its sound waves have two opportunities to be absorbed by the sound-absorbing cotton in the first cavity through the through-hole, thus improving the sound absorption efficiency for mid-to-high frequency noise.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, a heat insulation cover is also included, which is fitted onto the outer peripheral wall of the housing to block heat transfer from the muffler housing to the external environment and surrounding components.

[0026] In this technical solution, by additionally installing a heat shield on the outer perimeter of the casing, even though the internal coolant system efficiently removes most of the heat, the surface temperature of the muffler casing may still exceed the safety threshold of surrounding components. The addition of the heat shield can directly and effectively block the heat radiation from the casing to the external environment and surrounding components, preventing heat loss and solving the problem of engine compartment heat damage caused by front-mounted muffler integration.

[0027] By reducing the surface temperature of the muffler to the outside, this structure provides protection for temperature-sensitive electrical equipment, rubber hoses, and plastic connectors in the engine compartment, preventing material aging, performance degradation, or functional failure caused by long-term heat radiation, and improving the system safety and long-term durability of the vehicle under high-temperature conditions.

[0028] In some embodiments of this application, heat insulation cotton is also included, which is disposed between the heat insulation cover and the outer shell to fill the gap between the heat insulation cover and the outer shell and improve the heat insulation performance.

[0029] In the technical solution, by filling the gap between the heat insulation cover and the outer shell with heat insulation cotton, convective heat dissipation is eliminated. If there is an air gap between the heat insulation cover and the outer shell, the space for air convection is eliminated, and the heat transfer path is blocked. This makes the heat insulation effect no longer dependent on the static thermal conductivity of the air layer, but dominated by the heat insulation cotton with better performance, thereby improving the overall heat insulation performance.

[0030] The tightly packed insulation cotton also provides internal support and cushioning for the heat shield, reducing abnormal noises caused by vibration during vehicle operation and enhancing the rigidity of the entire heat shield structure, making it more durable and reliable.

[0031] Secondly, this application provides a vehicle, including: Body; An engine assembly, which is mounted on the vehicle body; Catalyst, which is connected to the engine assembly; And an exhaust muffler as described in the first aspect, the exhaust muffler being connected to the catalytic converter.

[0032] In this technical solution, the use of this muffler allows the vehicle to flexibly arrange the exhaust system within the engine compartment, thereby freeing up chassis space. This makes it possible to accommodate larger power batteries, fuel tanks, or air suspension systems, improving the overall space utilization of the vehicle. It also solves the problems of heat damage and high noise in the engine compartment caused by the front-engine layout, improving the overall NVH performance and reliability of the vehicle.

[0033] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the exhaust muffler according to this application; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust muffler according to this application; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the exhaust muffler according to this application from another angle; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle; Figure 5 The diagram shows the structure of the guide rod for the exhaust muffler according to this application.

[0035] In the above figures: 1. Inner shell; 11. Silencing cavity; 111. First cavity; 112. Second cavity; 113. Third cavity; 2. Sound-absorbing cotton; 3. Outer shell; 31. First inlet; 32. First outlet; 33. Second inlet; 34. Second outlet; 4. Guide rod; 5. Partition plate; 51. First through hole; 6. First air guide tube; 61. Second through hole; 7. Second air guide tube; 71. First section; 72. Second section; 73. Bent tube; 74. Third through hole; 8. Heat shield; 9. Insulation cotton; 10. Muffler bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature. In this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0037] The present application will now be described in detail through exemplary embodiments. However, it should be understood that, without further description, elements, structures, and features in one embodiment may be advantageously incorporated into other embodiments. It should be noted that the exhaust muffler, as a core component of the automotive exhaust system, functions by attenuating the noise generated by the exhaust airflow and reducing exhaust back pressure through structural design, thereby ensuring that the overall vehicle's NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance meets standards and that the engine's exhaust efficiency remains stable. In conventional automotive layouts, exhaust mufflers are mostly located under the middle or rear floor. This area has relatively open space, and the natural airflow generated during vehicle movement can directly act on the muffler surface, effectively dissipating heat from the exhaust system. This is the mainstream layout and heat dissipation solution in the industry.

[0038] As automotive technology develops towards higher integration and greater space utilization, in order to optimize the overall chassis space allocation and improve the layout flexibility of key chassis components such as power batteries, large-capacity fuel tanks, and air suspensions, a design trend of integrating exhaust mufflers at the front has gradually emerged in the industry. This involves moving the muffler from the traditional middle and rear floor area to the engine compartment, thereby reducing the overall space occupied by the exhaust system through system integration design and freeing up more space for chassis components.

[0039] However, the existing technical solution of integrating the exhaust muffler into the front of the engine compartment has significant drawbacks: the components in the engine compartment are arranged compactly, and the front of the muffler is blocked by large high-temperature components such as the engine and transmission. During vehicle movement, natural airflow cannot penetrate the gaps between components and act on the surface of the muffler. As a result, a large amount of heat generated by the exhaust system cannot be effectively dissipated by traditional natural air cooling. Heat accumulates in the muffler and surrounding areas, causing continuous high-intensity heat radiation to the electrical components, wiring harnesses, pipes and other surrounding components in the engine compartment. This can easily lead to component performance degradation, accelerated aging, and even the safety hazard of thermal runaway.

[0040] Based on this, this application proposes an exhaust muffler and vehicle with a water-cooled structure. By setting a coolant flow channel between the inner shell and the outer shell of the muffler and constructing a multi-stage sound-absorbing structure that combines an expansion cavity and sound-absorbing cotton, the dual effects of efficient heat dissipation and wide-band noise reduction are achieved, solving the serious heat damage and noise control problems faced by the exhaust system after it is integrated into the front of the engine compartment.

[0041] In the following, embodiments of this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] As attached Figures 1 to 5 As shown, in a first aspect, this application provides an exhaust muffler. By setting an inner shell 1 to form a muffler cavity 11 and placing sound-absorbing cotton 2 inside the cavity, effective absorption and elimination of exhaust noise, especially mid-to-high frequency noise, is achieved. By fitting an outer shell 3 around the outer periphery of the inner shell 1 and opening a first inlet 31 and a first outlet 32 ​​on the outer shell 3 to form a coolant flow channel, active and efficient liquid cooling heat dissipation of the muffler is achieved, fundamentally reducing the surface temperature of the outer shell 3 and alleviating heat damage in the engine compartment. By opening a second inlet 33 and a second outlet 34 for exhaust gas through the side walls of the inner shell 1 and the outer shell 3, it is ensured that the exhaust gas flow can normally enter and flow through the muffler cavity 11 and be discharged after noise reduction. The active cooling solves the heat dissipation problem and also brings the additional acoustic benefit of reduced sound energy due to system cooling, ultimately making it possible to compactly arrange the muffler in the engine compartment, thereby freeing up valuable space for the arrangement of key chassis components.

[0043] In some embodiments, by providing a guide rod 4 in the coolant flow channel between the inner shell 1 and the outer shell 3, the guide rod 4 actively guides and regulates the flow path of the coolant, ensuring that it flows through the entire interlayer space, effectively eliminating flow dead zones, thereby ensuring the uniformity of surface temperature between the outer shell 3 and the inner shell 1 of the muffler, and avoiding the generation of local overheating points. By rationally designing the shape and layout of the guide rod 4, the turbulence of the coolant can be increased and its heat exchange path can be extended, thereby significantly enhancing the convective heat transfer between the coolant and the high-temperature wall surface, maximizing heat dissipation efficiency. The uniform cooling effect avoids the risk of material property degradation, deformation, or cracking that may occur in the muffler due to localized overheating over a long period of time. It also helps to prevent the coolant from generating bubbles or boiling at localized high temperatures, ensuring the long-term stability of the water cooling system and the service life of the muffler.

[0044] like Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, at least one guide rod 4 is provided on one side of the inner shell 1; the length direction of at least one guide rod 4 is arranged along the diagonal of one side of the inner shell 1. Specifically, on one side of the inner shell 1, one guide rod 4 is arranged on the diagonal of the side, and the other two guide rods 4 are parallel to the upper and lower edges of the side. The diagonal is the longest distance on the side of the inner shell 1. Arranging the guide rods 4 along this direction maximizes the path of the coolant flowing through the side wall of the inner shell 1, prolongs the heat exchange time, and allows the coolant to fully absorb the heat of the exhaust gas transferred by the inner shell 1, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency per unit time. The guide rods 4 can prevent uneven thermal stress caused by local overheating of the inner shell 1, reducing the risk of material deformation and cracking; at the same time, they can prevent the coolant from generating bubbles or boiling in local high-temperature areas, ensuring the long-term stability of the water cooling system and extending the service life of the muffler and surrounding components.

[0045] In some embodiments, the noise reduction performance is improved by using a partition 5 with a specific structure. By opening a plurality of first through holes 51 on the partition 5 and placing it within the noise reduction cavity 11 to divide it into multiple sub-cavities, segmented processing of exhaust sound waves is achieved. When sound waves pass through the through holes, low-frequency noise is effectively attenuated.

[0046] In some embodiments, the silencer further includes sound-absorbing cotton 2, which is disposed in at least one of the sub-cavities within the silencer 11. The sound-absorbing cotton 2, disposed in at least one sub-cavity, can convert mid-to-high frequency sound energy into heat energy dissipation through the friction and adhesion of the material's internal pores, addressing the problem of insufficient attenuation of mid-to-high frequency noise by the silencer 11. With the sound-absorbing cotton 2 disposed in the sub-cavities, the exhaust gas sound waves must pass through the area of ​​the sound-absorbing cotton 2 multiple times as they propagate between the sub-cavities. During this process, the exhaust gas comes into contact with the sound-absorbing cotton 2, extending the sound energy dissipation path, improving noise absorption efficiency, preventing insufficiently attenuated noise from being directly discharged, and enhancing the overall noise reduction effect.

[0047] In some embodiments, by opening the second inlet 33 and the second outlet 34 of the exhaust gas on the outer peripheral walls of different sub-cavities, the exhaust gas and sound waves are forced to meander through multiple sub-cavities. This extends the energy dissipation path, achieves wideband noise reduction, and also helps to stabilize the airflow, thereby controlling the exhaust back pressure within a reasonable range while achieving a noise reduction effect, thus ensuring the engine's operating efficiency.

[0048] In some embodiments, a three-cavity structure is formed by two partitions 5. The second inlet 33 and the second outlet 34 of the exhaust gas are respectively located in the second cavity 112 and the third cavity 113, and the cavity space and the through holes of the partitions 5 are used to attenuate mid-to-low frequency noise. By filling the first cavity 111 between the two partitions 5 with sound-absorbing cotton 2, a resistive noise reduction zone is constructed. Utilizing the sound energy dissipation characteristics of porous materials, the remaining mid-to-high frequency noise after the exhaust gas is treated in the first cavity 111 and the second cavity 112 is specifically absorbed. By forcing the sound waves to pass through these three sub-cavities sequentially, a meandering noise reduction path is formed. This extends the sound wave propagation distance and achieves broadband noise reduction.

[0049] In some embodiments, the exhaust muffler further includes a first air guide pipe 6. By setting both ends of the first air guide pipe 6 on two partitions 5 respectively, it becomes a structural channel directly connecting the second cavity 112 and the third cavity 113, providing a path for exhaust gas and sound waves to pass through the first cavity 111. This diverts the main airflow and avoids the potential flow resistance caused by all airflow having to repeatedly pass through the holes in the partitions 5, which helps to optimize the control of exhaust back pressure.

[0050] In some embodiments, by opening a plurality of second through holes 61 on the middle section sidewall of the first air guide tube 6 located within the first cavity 111, the sound waves propagating inside the tube, especially mid-to-high frequency sound waves, are radially radiated into the surrounding sound-absorbing cotton 2. This transforms the first air guide tube 6 from a single flow channel into a sound wave radiating structure.

[0051] In some embodiments, by immersing the middle section of the conduit with the through hole into the first cavity 111 filled with sound-absorbing cotton 2, sound waves can overflow from the through hole and be instantly captured and absorbed by the surrounding sound-absorbing cotton 2. This increases the effective contact area and the opportunity for mid-to-high frequency noise propagating along the axial direction of the conduit to interact with the sound-absorbing material.

[0052] In some embodiments, the exhaust muffler further includes a second air guide pipe 7, which is bent into shape. The exhaust muffler includes a first section 71, a second section 72, and a bent pipe 73. One end of the first section 71 is located inside the third cavity 113; one end of the second section 72 extends from the third cavity 113 to and connects to the second outlet 34; the bent pipe 73 is located inside the second cavity 112, and the first section 71 and the second section 72 are connected through the bent pipe 73; wherein, a portion of the sidewalls of the first section 71 and the second section 72 are located inside the first cavity 111, and a plurality of third through holes 74 are provided on the portion of the sidewalls.

[0053] Through the above scheme, by setting a second air guide pipe 7 with a specific bend shape, one end of the first section 71 is located in the third cavity 113, and the second section 72 is connected to the second outlet 34. The first section 71 and the second section 72 are connected by a bend pipe 73 located in the second cavity 112, and a third through hole 74 is opened on the local side wall of the first section 71 and the second section 72 located in the first cavity 111. This second air guide pipe 7 forces the exhaust gas and its sound waves to travel from the third cavity 113 to the bend pipe 73, and then back to the second section 72 in the third cavity 113 before finally being discharged, with a circuitous path. This prolongs the propagation path and residence time of the sound waves inside the silencer, creating conditions for the sound waves to undergo repeated reflection, expansion, interference, and absorption in multiple chambers, thus achieving deep noise elimination.

[0054] Furthermore, the first section 71 and the second section 72 of the second air duct 7 both penetrate the first cavity 111 filled with sound-absorbing cotton 2 and pass through the third through hole 74, making both sections resonant sound-absorbing units. Before the same airflow is discharged, its sound waves have two opportunities to be absorbed by the sound-absorbing cotton 2 in the first cavity 111 through the through hole, thus improving the sound absorption efficiency for mid-to-high frequency noise.

[0055] In some embodiments, the exhaust muffler further includes a heat shield 8, which is fitted onto the outer peripheral wall of the housing 3 to block heat transfer from the muffler housing 3 to the external environment and surrounding components. By additionally fitting the heat shield 8 onto the outer peripheral wall of the housing 3, even if the internal coolant system efficiently removes most of the heat, the surface temperature of the muffler housing 3 may still exceed the safety threshold of surrounding components. The addition of the heat shield 8 can directly and effectively block heat radiation from the housing 3 to the external environment and surrounding components, preventing heat leakage and solving the engine compartment heat problem caused by front-mounted muffler integration.

[0056] In addition, by reducing the surface temperature of the muffler to the outside, this structure provides protection for temperature-sensitive electrical equipment, rubber hoses and plastic connectors in the engine compartment, avoiding material aging, performance degradation or functional failure caused by long-term heat radiation, and improving the system safety and long-term durability of the vehicle under high-temperature conditions.

[0057] In some embodiments, the exhaust muffler further includes thermal insulation cotton 9, which is disposed between the thermal insulation cover 8 and the outer shell 3 to fill the gap between the thermal insulation cover 8 and the outer shell 3, thereby improving thermal insulation performance. By filling the gap between the thermal insulation cover 8 and the outer shell 3 with thermal insulation cotton 9, convective heat dissipation is eliminated. If there is an air gap between the thermal insulation cover 8 and the outer shell 3, the space for air convection is eliminated, blocking the heat transfer path. This makes the thermal insulation effect no longer dependent on the static thermal conductivity of the air layer, but rather dominated by the superior performance of the thermal insulation cotton 9, thereby improving the overall thermal insulation performance.

[0058] Through the above solution, the tightly filled heat insulation cotton 9 also provides internal support and cushioning for the heat insulation cover 8, which can reduce abnormal noise caused by vibration during vehicle operation and enhance the rigidity of the entire heat insulation cover 8 structure, making it more durable and reliable.

[0059] In some embodiments, the exhaust muffler further includes a muffler bracket 10, which is disposed on the outer peripheral wall of the housing 3 for fixing the exhaust muffler to the vehicle body. The muffler bracket 10 provides a stable mechanical connection point, ensuring that the entire muffler, which may be heavier with a water-cooled structure, can be firmly mounted on the vehicle body, resisting vibrations and impacts during vehicle operation, and ensuring the long-term reliability of the exhaust system and cooling pipe connections.

[0060] Secondly, this application provides a vehicle including a body, an engine assembly, a catalytic converter, and an exhaust muffler as described in the first aspect. The engine assembly is mounted on the vehicle body; the catalytic converter is connected to the engine assembly; and the exhaust muffler is in communication with the catalytic converter.

[0061] By adopting this muffler, the vehicle can flexibly arrange the exhaust system within the engine compartment, freeing up chassis space. This allows for the installation of larger power batteries, fuel tanks, or air suspension systems, improving the overall space utilization of the vehicle. It also solves the problems of heat damage and high noise in the engine compartment caused by the front-engine layout, improving the overall NVH performance and reliability of the vehicle.

[0062] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An exhaust muffler, characterized in that, include: The outer shell (3) has a first inlet (31) and a first outlet (32) on it; Inner shell (1), the inner shell is fitted inside the outer shell, and the interior of the inner shell (1) is a sound-absorbing cavity (11); The coolant enters between the inner shell (1) and the outer shell (3) through the first inlet (31) and flows out through the first outlet (32); A second inlet (33) and a second outlet (34) are provided in the side wall penetrating the inner shell (1) and the outer shell (3), so that the exhaust gas enters the silencing cavity (11) from the second inlet (33) and is discharged from the second outlet (34).

2. The exhaust muffler according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a guide rod (4), which is disposed between the inner shell (1) and the outer shell (3) to guide the flow of coolant.

3. The exhaust muffler according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least one guide rod (4) is provided on one side of the inner shell (1); the length direction of at least one guide rod (4) is arranged along the diagonal of one side of the inner shell (1).

4. The exhaust muffler according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a partition (5), which has a plurality of first through holes (51); The partition (5) is disposed inside the silencing cavity (11) and divides the silencing cavity (11) into multiple sub-cavities; The second inlet (33) and the second outlet (34) are respectively opened on the outer peripheral wall of the different sub-cavities.

5. The exhaust muffler according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes sound-absorbing cotton (2), which is disposed in at least one of the sub-cavities within the sound-absorbing cavity (11).

6. The exhaust muffler according to claim 5, characterized in that, The partition (5) is provided in two parts. The sub-cavity between the two partitions (5) is the first cavity (111). The sub-cavities on both sides of the first cavity (111) are the second cavity (112) and the third cavity (113), respectively. The sound-absorbing cotton (2) is disposed in the first cavity (111), and the second inlet (33) and the second outlet (34) are respectively opened on the outer peripheral walls of the second cavity (112) and the third cavity (113).

7. The exhaust muffler according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a first air guide tube (6), and a number of second through holes (61) are provided on the side wall of the middle section of the first air guide tube (6); The two ends of the first air guide tube (6) are disposed on the two partitions (5) for connecting the second cavity (112) and the third cavity (113); the middle section of the first air guide tube (6) is located in the first cavity (111).

8. The exhaust muffler according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a second air guide tube (7), which is bent into shape and includes: The first segment (71) has one end located inside the third cavity (113); The second segment (72) has one end extending from the third cavity (113) to and connecting to the second outlet (34); A bent tube (73) is located inside the second cavity (112), and the first section (71) and the second section (72) are connected through the bent tube (73); The partial sidewalls of the first segment (71) and the second segment (72) are located inside the first cavity (111), and a plurality of third through holes (74) are provided on the partial sidewalls.

9. The exhaust muffler according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Heat shield (8), which is fitted on the outer peripheral wall of the outer shell (3) to block the heat transferred from the muffler shell (3) to the external environment and surrounding components; Heat insulation cotton (9) is disposed between the heat insulation cover (8) and the outer shell (3) to fill the gap between the heat insulation cover (8) and the outer shell (3) and improve the heat insulation performance.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Body; An engine assembly, which is mounted on the vehicle body; Catalyst, which is connected to the engine assembly; And the exhaust muffler as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the exhaust muffler is in communication with the catalytic converter.

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