IP Library Granted Patent US 7,921,646
Granted Patent B2
US 7,921,646 · App. 11/961,316 · Granted Apr 12, 2011

Fluidic valve water drain

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,921,646
App. No.
11/961,316
Granted
Apr 12, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A turbocharger is disclosed that includes a compressor, a turbine connected to the compressor by a mechanical shaft, and a fluidic drain valve in flow communication with an air bleed port of the compressor and an exhaust plenum to drain water accumulated inside the turbocharger such that water accumulated in the exhaust plenum is drained during shutdown when no air from the bleed port flows through the fluidic drain valve.

Claims (37)

1. A turbocharger, comprising:

a compressor having an air bleed port;

a turbine connected to the compressor by a mechanical shaft; the turbine being disposed inside an exhaust plenum of the turbocharger; and

a fluidic drain valve in flow communication with the air bleed port of the compressor and the exhaust plenum to drain water accumulated therein, wherein the fluidic drain valve is configured to passively drain the water accumulated in the exhaust plenum when no air from the bleed port flows through the fluidic drain valve.

2. The turbocharger according to claim 1 , the fluidic drain valve further comprising:

a first hollow body having a first end portion in flow communication with the exhaust plenum;

a second hollow body disposed inside of the first hollow body so as to form a flow passage there between, the second hollow body having a first end portion protruding from a second end portion of the first hollow body, the first end portion of the second hollow body being in flow communication with the air bleed port of the compressor; and

a drain in flow communication with the first hollow body, wherein the fluidic drain valve is configured to passively drain the water from the exhaust plenum through the flow passage into the drain when no air from the bleed port flows through the second hollow body and, the fluidic valve is configured to seal a flow of exhaust gases from the exhaust plenum into the drain when air from the bleed port flows through the second hollow body.

3. The turbocharger according to claim 2 , wherein a cross sectional area of the first end portion of the first hollow body is smaller than a cross sectional area of the remaining portion of the first hollow body.

4. The turbocharger according to claim 2 , wherein a cross sectional area of the first hollow body is substantially constant.

5. The turbocharger according to 2 , wherein the fluidic valve is an integral part of the turbocharger.

6. The turbocharger according to claim 2 , wherein the fluidic valve is separate from the turbocharger.

7. The turbocharger according to claim 6 , wherein the turbocharger is a turbocharger retrofitted with the fluidic valve.

8. The turbocharger according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a screen disposed over an outlet of a drain of the fluidic drain valve, the screen being configured to prevent foreign object aspiration into the exhaust plenum when air from the air bleed port flows through the fluidic drain valve.

9. The turbocharger according to claim 2 , wherein the second hollow body is offset upward from a centerline of the first hollow body so as to increase a flow area to drain the water.

10. The turbocharger according to claim 2 , wherein a tip of a second end portion of the second hollow body is centered over a vertically extending axial axis of the drain.

11. A locomotive comprising the turbocharger according to claim 1 .

12. A turbocharger, comprising:

a compressor having an air bleed port;

a turbine connected to the compressor by a mechanical shaft, the turbine being disposed inside an exhaust plenum of the turbocharger; and

a fluidic drain valve, comprising,

a first body including a bore forming a flow passage, the first body having a first end portion in flow communication with the exhaust plenum,

a second body including a bore forming a flow passage, the second body being disposed inside of the first hollow body in a second end portion thereof so as to form a flow passage there between, the second body having a first end portion protruding from a second end portion of the first body, the first end portion of the second body being in flow communication with the air bleed port of the compressor, and

a drain in flow communication with the second portion of the first body, wherein the fluidic drain valve is configured to passively drain water from the exhaust plenum through the flow passage between the first and second bodies into the drain when no air from the bleed port flows through the second body and, the fluidic valve is configured to passively seal a flow of exhaust gases from the exhaust plenum into the drain when air from the bleed port flows through the second hollow body.

13. The turbocharger according to 12 , wherein the fluidic valve is an integral part of the turbocharger.

14. The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the fluidic valve is separate from the turbocharger.

15. The turbocharger according to claim 14 , wherein the turbocharger is a turbocharger retrofitted with the fluidic valve.

16. The turbocharger according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a screen disposed over an outlet of the drain of the fluidic drain valve, the screen being configured to prevent foreign object aspiration into the exhaust plenum when air from the air bleed port flows through the fluidic drain valve.

17. The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the second body is offset upward from a centerline of the first body so as to increase a flow area to drain the water.

18. The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein a tip of a second end portion of the second body is centered over a vertically extending axial axis of the drain.

19. The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the first body includes a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion of a second diameter, the first diameter being smaller than the second diameter or the first body includes a substantially constant cross sectional area.

20. A turbocharger, comprising:

a compressor having an air bleed port;

a turbine connected to the compressor by a mechanical shaft; the turbine being disposed inside an exhaust plenum of the turbocharger; and

means for passively removing water accumulated in the exhaust plenum when the turbocharger is not in operation.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2018
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
Reel/Frame 047736/0140 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2008
From: SWENSON, KENDALL ROGER; FURMAN, ANOTHONY HOLMES; GALIE, PETER; JOHNSON, LUKAS
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 020377/0944 →