Turbocharger with oil-free hydrostatic bearing
A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger being supported by hydrostatic bearings in both a radial and an axial direction by a compressed air supplied from a compressor of the turbocharger and boosted in pressure by a separate boost pump to a high enough pressure to support the rotor of the turbocharger.
1. A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine comprising:
a compressor to compress air for burning in the internal combustion engine;
a turbine to drive the compressor using hot gas exhaust from the internal combustion engine;
a rotor connected between the compressor and the turbine of the turbocharger;
first and second hydrostatic bearings to rotatably support the rotor in a radial direction;
a boost compressor having an inlet connected to an outlet of the compressor and an outlet connected to the first and second hydrostatic bearings to support the rotor; and,
the boost compressor increasing a pressure of the compressed air from the compressor to a higher pressure to support the rotor.
2. The turbocharger of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the rotor includes a hydrostatic axial thrust bearing supplied with compressed air from the boost compressor.
3. The turbocharger of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the boost compressor is driven by a power takeoff from the internal combustion engine.