Turbocharger with thermo-decoupled wheel contour inlet for water-cooled compressor housing
A compressor section includes a compressor wheel and a compressor housing that surrounds the compressor wheel. The compressor housing includes a flow passage with an upstream area. The compressor section also includes a cooling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing. The cooling pocket is configured to receive a coolant for cooling the compressor housing. Furthermore, the compressor section includes a thermo-decoupling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing. The thermo-decoupling pocket is disposed between the cooling pocket and the upstream area of the flow passage. The thermo-decoupling pocket is fluidly connected to an exterior area outside the compressor housing.
1. A compressor section of a turbocharger comprising:
a compressor wheel;
a compressor housing that surrounds the compressor wheel, the compressor housing including a flow passage with an upstream area, the upstream area including a compressor contour that is contoured according to the compressor wheel;
a cooling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing, the cooling pocket configured to receive a coolant for cooling the compressor housing; and
a thermo-decoupling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing, the thermo-decoupling pocket being disposed between the cooling pocket and the compressor contour of the upstream area, the thermo-decoupling pocket being fluidly connected to an exterior area outside the compressor housing.
2. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the cooling pocket, the thermo-decoupling pocket, and the compressor contour intersect an imaginary plane;
wherein the imaginary plane extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the upstream area of the flow passage.
3. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the upstream area includes an inducer diameter surface that extends along a longitudinal axis;
wherein the inducer diameter surface has a substantially constant diameter; and
wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket is disposed between the cooling pocket and the inducer diameter surface.
4. The compressor section of claim 3 , wherein the cooling pocket, the thermo-decoupling pocket, and the inducer diameter surface intersect an imaginary plane;
wherein the imaginary plane extends normal to the longitudinal axis.
5. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket is fluidly disconnected from the flow passage.
6. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket includes a first portion and a second portion;
wherein the first portion is disposed between the cooling pocket and the upstream area of the flow passage; and
wherein the second portion extends radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the flow passage to fluidly connect the first portion to the exterior area outside the compressor housing.
7. The compressor section of claim 6 , wherein the first portion has an elongate cross section and wherein the first portion extends annularly about the longitudinal axis.
8. The compressor section of claim 6 , wherein the second portion tapers outward toward the exterior area outside the compressor housing.
9. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket separates an inlet area wall of the compressor housing from an internal wall of the compressor housing;
wherein the inlet area wall defines the upstream area of the flow passage and the thermo-decoupling pocket; and
wherein the internal wall defines the thermo-decoupling pocket and the cooling pocket.
10. The compressor section of claim 1 , wherein the flow passage includes an inducer diameter surface, the compressor contour, a diffuser area, and a volute member arranged sequentially in a downstream direction of the flow passage;
wherein the cooling pocket is arranged proximate the diffuser area;
wherein an outer wall of the compressor housing separates the cooling pocket from a volute chamber in the volute member; and
wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket is disposed between the cooling pocket and both the inducer diameter surface and the compressor contour.
11. The compressor section of claim 10 , wherein the compressor housing includes a diffuser wall that separates the cooling pocket from the diffuser area; and
further comprising a projection that projects inward from the diffuser wall into the cooling pocket and away from the diffuser area.
12. A compressor section of a turbocharger comprising:
a compressor wheel;
a compressor housing that surrounds the compressor wheel, the compressor housing including a flow passage with an upstream area, the upstream area including a compressor contour that is contoured according to the compressor wheel;
a cooling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing, the cooling pocket configured to receive a coolant for cooling the compressor housing; and
a thermo-decoupling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing, the thermo-decoupling pocket being disposed between the cooling pocket and the compressor contour of the upstream area, the thermo-decoupling pocket being fluidly disconnected from the flow passage.
13. The compressor section of claim 12 , wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket includes a first portion and a second portion;
wherein the first portion is disposed between the cooling pocket and the upstream area of the flow passage; and
wherein the second portion fluidly connects the first portion to an exterior area outside the compressor housing.
14. The compressor section of claim 12 , wherein the cooling pocket, the thermo-decoupling pocket, and the compressor contour intersect an imaginary plane;
wherein the imaginary plane extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the upstream area of the flow passage.
15. The compressor section of claim 12 , wherein the upstream area includes an inducer diameter surface that extends along a longitudinal axis;
wherein the inducer diameter surface has a substantially constant diameter; and
wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket is disposed between the cooling pocket and the inducer diameter surface.
16. The compressor section of claim 15 , wherein the cooling pocket, the thermo-decoupling pocket, and the inducer diameter surface intersect an imaginary plane;
wherein the imaginary plane extends normal to the longitudinal axis.
17. The compressor section of claim 12 , wherein the thermo-decoupling pocket includes a first portion and a second portion;
wherein the first portion is disposed between the cooling pocket and the upstream area of the flow passage; and
wherein the second portion extends radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the flow passage to fluidly connect the first portion to an exterior area outside the compressor housing.
18. The compressor section of claim 17 , wherein the first portion has an elongate cross section and wherein the first portion extends annularly about the longitudinal axis.
19. The compressor section of claim 17 , wherein the second portion tapers outward toward the exterior area outside the compressor housing.
20. A turbocharger with a compressor section comprising:
a compressor wheel;
a compressor housing that surrounds the compressor wheel, the compressor housing including a flow passage, the flow passage including an inducer diameter surface, a compressor contour that is contoured according to the compressor wheel, a diffuser area, and a volute member that are arranged in sequence in a downstream direction of the flow passage;
a cooling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing proximate at least one of the diffuser area and the volute member, the cooling pocket configured to receive a coolant for cooling the compressor housing; and
a thermo-decoupling pocket that is defined within the compressor housing, the thermo-decoupling pocket being disposed between the cooling pocket and both the inducer diameter surface and the compressor contour, the thermo-decoupling pocket being fluidly connected to an exterior area outside the compressor housing, the thermo-decoupling pocket being fluidly disconnected from the flow passage.