IP Library Granted Patent US 9,995,179
Granted Patent B2
US 9,995,179 · App. 14/573,818 · Granted Jun 12, 2018

Compressor assembly for turbocharger burst containment

Inventors: Gary R. Svihla (Burr Ridge, IL); Raji Rexavier (Plainfield, IL)
Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.
F01D25/24F01D21/045F04D25/024F04D29/102F04D29/284F04D29/444F04D29/624F05D2220/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,995,179
App. No.
14/573,818
Granted
Jun 12, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A compressor assembly is disclosed. The compressor assembly may have a compressor housing and a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing. The compressor impeller may have a hub extending from a hub front end to a hub rear end and an exducer blade disposed on the hub adjacent the hub rear end. The compressor impeller may further include a hub extension extending outward from the hub rear end. The compressor assembly may also have an impeller cap disposed on the hub extension. Further, the compressor assembly may have a windage seal disposed on the impeller cap. The windage seal may be separated from a blade rear surface by an axial gap. In addition, the compressor assembly may have a compressor diffuser disposed within the compressor housing. The compressor diffuser may have a diffuser inner surface separated from an outer rim of the exducer blade by a radial gap.

Claims (77)

1. A compressor assembly, comprising:

a compressor housing;

a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing, the compressor impeller including:

a hub extending from a hub front end to a hub rear end;

an exducer blade disposed on the hub adjacent the hub rear end, the exducer blade having a blade rear surface; and

a hub extension extending outward from the hub rear end;

an impeller cap disposed on the hub extension;

a windage seal including:

a windage seal bore,

an outer surface of the impeller cap being disposed within the windage seal bore,

a seal hub,

a seal web extending generally radially from the seal hub, and

a seal shield extending generally axially towards the blade rear surface from a radially outermost portion of the seal web, the seal shield including a shield front face disposed opposite to and axially spaced apart from the blade rear surface by a first axial distance; and

a compressor diffuser disposed within the compressor housing, the compressor diffuser having a diffuser inner surface separated from an outer rim of the exducer blade by a radial gap, wherein

the exducer blade has a balancing ring projecting outwards from the blade rear surface, the balancing ring having an balancing ring end,

the seal shield has an inner radius larger than a radius of the balancing ring, and

the first axial distance is smaller than a second axial distance between the balancing ring end and the blade rear surface.

2. The compressor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the compressor housing includes:

a compressor outer volute configured to be connected to a bearing housing;

a compressor inner volute; and

an inlet flow guide attached to the compressor inner volute and the compressor outer volute and configured to direct air into the compressor impeller.

3. The compressor assembly of claim 2 , wherein

the compressor outer volute includes an outer volute rear wall,

the compressor inner volute includes an inner volute rear wall, and

the compressor diffuser is disposed between the outer volute rear wall and the inner volute rear wall.

4. The compressor assembly of claim 3 , wherein

the radial gap is a first radial gap,

the compressor outer volute includes an extension having an inner surface, and

the compressor diffuser is separated from the inner surface by a second radial gap.

5. The compressor assembly of claim 3 , wherein the compressor diffuser is centered on the compressor outer volute by a plurality of alignment pins disposed circumferentially relative to a rotational axis of the compressor assembly.

6. The compressor assembly of claim 1 , wherein

the seal web and the seal shield have an outer surface, and

the windage seal includes a groove disposed on the outer surface.

7. The compressor assembly of claim 6 , wherein

the seal web has a web front face and a web rear face opposite to the web front face,

the seal shield extends outwards from the web front face, and

the groove is disposed nearer the web front face as compared to the web rear face.

8. A turbocharger, comprising:

a turbine housing;

a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine housing and configured to be driven by exhaust received from an engine;

a compressor housing;

a compressor impeller disposed within the compressor housing, the compressor impeller including:

a hub extending from a hub front end to a hub rear end;

an exducer blade disposed on the hub adjacent the hub rear end, the exducer blade having a blade rear surface; and

a hub extension extending outward from the hub rear end;

an impeller cap disposed on the hub extension;

a windage seal including:

a windage seal bore,

an outer surface of the impeller cap being disposed within the windage seal bore,

a seal hub,

a seal web extending generally radially from the seal hub, and

a seal shield extending generally axially towards the blade rear surface from a radially outermost portion of the seal web, the seal shield including a shield front face disposed opposite to and axially spaced apart from the blade rear surface by a first axial distance;

a compressor diffuser disposed within the compressor housing, the compressor diffuser having a diffuser inner surface separated from an outer rim of the exducer blade by a radial gap; and

a shaft connecting the impeller cap and the turbine wheel, wherein

the exducer blade has a balancing ring projecting outwards from the blade rear surface, the balancing ring having an balancing ring end,

the seal shield has an inner radius larger than a radius of the balancing ring, and

the first axial distance is smaller than a second axial distance between the balancing ring end and the blade rear surface.

9. The turbocharger of claim 8 , wherein the compressor housing includes:

a compressor outer volute configured to be connected to a bearing housing;

a compressor inner volute; and

an inlet flow guide attached to the compressor inner volute and the compressor outer volute and configured to direct air into the compressor impeller.

10. The turbocharger of claim 9 , wherein

the compressor outer volute includes an outer volute rear wall,

the compressor inner volute includes an inner volute rear wall, and

the compressor diffuser is disposed between the outer volute rear wall and the inner volute rear wall.

11. The turbocharger of claim 10 , wherein

the radial gap is a first radial gap,

the compressor outer volute includes an extension having an inner surface, and

the compressor diffuser is separated from the inner surface by a second radial gap.

12. The turbocharger of claim 10 , wherein the compressor diffuser is centered on the compressor outer volute by a plurality of alignment pins disposed circumferentially relative to a rotational axis of the turbocharger.

13. The turbocharger of claim 8 , wherein

the seal web and the seal shield have an outer surface, and

the windage seal includes a groove disposed on the outer surface.

14. The turbocharger of claim 13 , wherein

the seal web has a web front face and a web rear face opposite to the web front face,

the seal shield extends outwards from the web front face, and

the groove is disposed nearer the web front face as compared to the web rear face.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 23, 2018
From: ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL, INC.
To: PROGRESS RAIL LOCOMOTIVE INC.
Reel/Frame 045430/0426 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 2ND INVENTOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 035549 FRAME: 0424. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 18, 2015
From: SVIHLA, GARY R.; REXAVIER, RAJI
To: ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 035792/0779 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2015
From: SVIHLA, GARY R.; REXAVIER, REX
To: ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL, INC.
Reel/Frame 035549/0424 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160177965A1 · Jun 23, 2016