Exhaust heat utilisation device

An exhaust gas heat utilisation device for a combustion engine of a vehicle, comprising:

• an exhaust heat utilisation circuit, in which a working medium circulates,
• an expansion machine arranged in the exhaust heat utilisation circuit downstream of the evaporator for expanding the working medium,
• a condenser arranged in the exhaust heat utilisation circuit downstream of the expansion machine for condensing the working medium,
• a pump arranged in the exhaust heat utilisation circuit downstream of the condenser for driving the working medium in the exhaust heat utilisation circuit, and
• a heat storage unit,
• wherein the heat storage unit is incorporated in the exhaust heat utilisation circuit and is supplied thermal energy by the working medium, and also supplies thermal energy to the exhaust gas via the working medium;
• an evaporator housing containing a heat transfer block having an evaporator section and a heat storage section, the heat storage section having a heat storage structure;
• wherein the evaporator housing is configured to receive a flow of exhaust gas from the combustion engine, and further configured to receive a flow of the working medium;
• wherein, in the evaporator section, the exhaust gas is coupled to the working medium in a heat-transferring manner, and in the heat storage section, the exhaust gas and the working medium are coupled in a heat-transferring manner to a heat storage material of the heat storage structure;
• an evaporator bypass disposed within the evaporator housing, the evaporator bypass configured to direct the flow of exhaust gas such that it bypasses the evaporator section;
• and
• wherein the heat storage structure is positioned downstream of the evaporator section such that the exhaust gas flows through the evaporator section before flowing through the heat storage unit.