Functionally asymmetric two-sided turbocharger wheel and diffuser
View Patent ↗A two-sided turbocharger compressor wheel and a housing forming a diffuser for the compressor. A first side and a second side of the compressor wheel are characterized by different values of a trim and of an annulus area. A first side of the diffuser surrounds the first side of the compressor wheel, and a second side of the diffuser surrounds the second side of the compressor wheel. The first and second sides of the diffuser are characterized by different annulus area ratios. The blades of the first and second sides of the compressor wheel are angularly offset from one another. The compressor wheel is configured for greater flow through the side of the compressor wheel that faces away from a related turbine wheel.
1. A turbocharger, comprising:
turbocharger housing; and
a rotor being mounted for axial rotation within the turbocharger housing, the rotor including a shaft extending axially between a turbine wheel and a two-sided compressor wheel, the two-sided compressor wheel having a plurality of blades including a first set of compressor blades surrounding a first hub portion at a first axial location, and a second set of compressor blades surrounding a second hub portion at a second axial location;
wherein the housing defines a diffuser for the compressor wheel, the diffuser including a first portion surrounding the first set of compressor blades, and the diffuser including a second portion surrounding the second set of compressor blades; and
wherein the combination of the-first set of compressor blades and the diffuser first portion are functionally asymmetric with respect to the combination of the second set of compressor blades and the diffuser second portion.
2. The turbocharger of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser first portion is functionally asymmetric with respect to the diffuser second portion.
3. The turbocharger of claim 1 , wherein the first set of compressor blades are functionally asymmetric with respect to the second set of compressor blades.
4. The turbocharger of claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of compressor blades are characterized by a first set of blade parameters consisting of a first wheel trim and a first annulus area;
the second set of compressor blades are characterized by a second set of blade parameters consisting of a second wheel trim and a second annulus area; and
the values of the first set of blade parameters are not all identical to the values of the second set of blade parameters.
5. The turbocharger of claim 4 , wherein the second trim is different than the first trim.
6. The turbocharger of claim 4 , wherein the second annulus area is different than the first annulus area.
7. The turbocharger of claim 4 , wherein the first trim is the structural trim of the first set of blades, and wherein the second trim is the structural trim of the second set of blades.
8. The turbocharger of claim 1 , wherein:
the diffuser is characterized by a first annulus area ratio for the portion of the diffuser surrounding the first set of compressor blades, and by a second annulus area ratio for the portion of the diffuser surrounding the second set of compressor blades; and
the first annulus area ratio is not identical to the second annulus area ratio.
9. The turbocharger of claim 1 , wherein the combination of the plurality of blades and the diffuser are adapted to provide greater airflow through the first set of compressor blades than through the second set of compressor blades when provided with a given air pressure at inducers of the respective sets of compressor blades.
10. The turbocharger of claim 9 , wherein the value of the first trim is greater than the value of the second trim.
11. A two-sided turbocharger wheel, comprising:
a hub defining an axial direction of wheel rotation; and a plurality of blades including a first set of blades on a first axial side of the hub and a second set of blades on a second axial side of the hub, the second axial side of the hub being an opposite axial side from the first axial side of the hub;
wherein the first set of compressor blades is functionally asymmetric with respect to the second set of compressor blades.
12. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of blades is characterized by a first trim, the second plurality of blades is characterized by a second trim, and the first trim is different than the second trim.
13. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 12 , wherein the first trim is the structural trim of the first plurality of blades, and wherein the second trim is the structural trim of the second plurality of blades.
14. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of blades is characterized by a first annulus area, the second plurality of blades is characterized by a second annulus area, and the first annulus area is different than the second annulus area.
15. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of blades is characterized by a first profile, the second plurality of blades is characterized by a second profile, and the first profile is different than the second profile.
16. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of blades is characterized by a first number of blades, the second plurality of blades is characterized by a second number of blades, and the first number of blades is different than the second number of blades.
17. A turbocharger rotor, comprising:
the two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 11 ; a second turbocharger wheel; and
a shaft extending between the two-sided turbocharger wheel and the second turbocharger wheel;
wherein the first plurality of blades is farther from the second turbocharger wheel; and
wherein the first plurality of blades is configured for greater airflow than the second plurality of blades when provided with a given air pressure at inducers of the respective sets of compressor blades.
18. The turbocharger rotor of claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of blades is characterized by a first trim, the second plurality of blades is characterized by a second trim, and the first trim is greater than the second trim.
19. The two-sided turbocharger wheel of claim 18 , wherein the first trim is the structural trim of the first plurality of blades, and wherein the second trim is the structural trim of the second plurality of blades.
20. A turbocharger, comprising:
a turbocharger housing; the turbocharger rotor of claim 17 ; and
a plurality of bearings rotatably mounting the turbocharger rotor within the turbocharger housing.
21. The turbocharger of claim 20 , wherein:
the first plurality of blades is farther from the second turbocharger wheel; and
the first plurality of blades is configured for greater airflow than the second plurality of blades when provided with a given air pressure at inducers of the respective sets of compressor blades.