GB2177161A

GB2177161A - Turbocharger housing

Info

Publication number: GB2177161A
Application number: GB08613169A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jr Joe Albert Mceachern; James William Brogdon; Michael Edward Ryan
Original assignee: Teledyne Industries Inc
Current assignee: TDY Industries LLC
Priority date: 1985-05-30
Filing date: 1986-05-30
Publication date: 1987-01-14
Also published as: GB8613169D0; IT8667439A0; SE8602164D0; NZ216320A; BR8602585A; IT1190577B; JPS6223532A; SE8602164L; DE3617401A1; GB2177161B; FR2582775A1; AU5786286A

Abstract

A turbocharger housing comprises a central housing portion 14 having means 20 for rotatably supporting the turbocharger shaft 22 and a pair of end housing portions 16, 18 adapted to be bolted to the central housing portion 14 at mating annular surfaces of each housing portion. In one advantageous form of the present invention, the end housing portions each include a recessed wall 38, 48 for defining a flow passageway 36, 46 adjacent a radially expanded wall portion of the central housing 14, and a plurality of vanes 42, 52 are integrally formed on each end housing portion to extend outwardly from the recessed wall toward a mating annular surface on the central housing portion. One or more sets of radially spaced mating annular surfaces provides a secure engagement between the end housing portions 16, 18 and the central housing portion 14. Moreover, the housing portions 16, 18 are removably secured to the central housing portion 14 so that the turbocharger mechanism can be removed as a unit with the central housing portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Turbocharger housing The present invention relates generally to a housing for enclosing the compressor and turbine rotors of the turbocharger.

A turbocharger is a well known device for increasing the pressure with which the air is introduced into an engine. Typically, the turbocharger includes a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing. One end of the shaft includes a turbine rotor while the opposite end of the shaft includes a compressor rotor. As exhaust gases from the engine are discharged against the turbine rotor, the shaft rotates and in turn rotates the compressor rotor to generate highly pressurized air which can be introduced to a carburettor, intake manifold or the cylinders of the engine. Unfortunately, inspection, repair and replacement of the components of the turbocharger housing can often be difficult and time consuming to accomplish.

Since the turbine section and the compressor section of a turbocharger are in fluid communication with the exhaust system and intake system respectively of the engine, it is important that the housing portions form enclosed fluid passageways for completing the exhaust and intake circuits. Moreover, since the need for access to the assembly of the components within the housing requires that the housing be made in two or more parts, the parts must be sealed against each other to avoid leakage from the flow passageways. As a result, it has been known to use special connectors which tightly seal the housing parts to each other. However, such connectors must be specially fabricated and installed and thus tend to increase the cost of the turbocharger construction.

Moreover if the turbocharger housing is made only in two pieces for example a housing having a single open end which is enclosed by an end housing portion, the turbine rotors and shaft must be completely removed for inspection of each of the components. Furthermore, although it has been known to provide an end housing portion on each end of a central housing portion which carries the turbine shaft, the previously known end housings are not well adapted for controlling the flow of gas passing therethrough. In particular, while such end housings have been designed for enclosing the corresponding rotor in a predetermined directional orientation with the flow passageways, such end plates have not been designed to introduce additional swirl components or other flow controls for optimum flow characteristics through the turbine housing.

According to one aspect of the invention a housing for a turbocharger having a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor secured to a rotatable shaft comprises a central housing portion having means for rotatably supporting said shaft, each axial end of said central housing. having at least one annular end surface; two end housing portions, each end portion defining a first substantially annular cavity, a second axial cavity, and an interconnecting passageway extending between said first cavity and said second cavity, and each end housing portion further comprising a peripheral housing portion adapted to sealingly engage said central housing portion to enclose said first and second cavities therebetween; and means for removably mounting each said end portion on said central housing portion.

Conveniently said interconnecting passageway is formed intermediate a recessed wall on said end portion and said annular end surface of said central housing portion.

Preferably the housing comprises a plurality of vanes circumferentially spaced throughout said interconnecting passageway. Said vanes may be integrally formed on said recessed surface, and abuttingly engage said annular end surface of said central housing portion.

Each said end portion and said central housing portion may include at least one annular mating surface and each said mounting means comprises bolt means for tightly engaging said end portion against said central portion through said mating surface portions.

Said mounting means may comprise bolt means for tightly engaging a said end portion against said central housing portion, each bolt means comprising a plurality of bolts threadably engaged in a corresponding number of vanes each said end portion and said central housing portion may include an annular mating surface spaced radially apart from said vanes and bolt means for tightly engaging said end portion against said central portion through said mating surface portions.

According to a further aspect of the invention a housing for a turbocharger having a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor secured to a rotatable shaft comprises a central housing portion having means for rotatably supporting said shaft, each axial end of said central housing portion including at least one annular surface portion; two end housing portions, each end housing portion having a substantially annular surface positioned to register with one of said at least one annular surface portion of said central housing, and including a plurality of vanes integrally formed with said end housing extending axially toward said one annular surface portion of said central housing portion for mating engagement therewith; and means for removably securing each said end portion to said central housing portion.Moreover the end housing portions can be particu larly configured to define flow controlling passageways which include means for impart ing particular flow characteristics to the flow of gases passing through the turbocharger.

Preferably, the vanes on an end housing portion are formed to extend in an interconnecting passageway defined by a recessed wall in the end housing portion and an annular surface at the axial end of the central housing portion. The passageway formed thereby interconnects an annular cavity formed in the end housing portion spaced radially away from the axis of the housing and an axial cavity formed in the end housing portion adapted to receive a rotor. Thus, optimal flow characteristics can be imparted to the gases flowing through the turbine section or compressor section of the turbocharger. Moreover, the flow pattern can easily be changed by removing the end housing portion and remachining the vanes protruding axially outward from the end housing portion.Moreover, the central housing portion can be removed in its entirety for inspection and repair of the rotors, the shaft, or the bearing means supporting the shaft in the housing.

Thus, a turbocharger housing is provided which is substantially simple to construct and assemble. Moreover, the housing provides control over the flow characteristics of gases flowing through the turbine or compressor portions of the turbocharger. In addition, a tight sealing engagement between separable portions of the housing is provided to avoid the need for complex sealing or connecting structures.

The present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views, and in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a turbocharger housing in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a completed elevational view taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 with parts removed for the sake of clarity; and Fig. 3 is a completed sectional elevation taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a turbocharger 10 according to the present invention is thereshown enclosed by a housing 12 comprising a central housing portion 14 and end housing portions 16 and 18. The central housing portion 14 includes bearing means generally designated at 20 adapted to rotatably support a turbine shaft about centreline 22 within the housing 12.

A turbine rotor 24 is secured to one end of the shaft 22 and extends outwardly from the central housing portion 14 into an axial cavity 26 in the end housing portion 18 forming an exhaust gas outlet for the turbocharger 10.

Similarly, a compressor rotor 28 is secured to the other end of the shaft 22 and extends outwardly from the central housing portion 14 into an axial cavity 30 of the end housing portion 16 forming an air inlet for aspiration of the engine. In addition, each end housing portion 16 and 18 includes a substantially annular cavity 34 and 32, respectively, preferably in the form of a tapering toroid for controlling the air flow generated by the rotor 28 and discharged toward the rotor 24, respectively.

The annular cavity 32 is interconnected to the axial cavity 26 by a passageway 36 formed between a recessed wall surface 38 in the end housing portion 18 and an annular wall surface 40 on the central housing portion 14. Preferably, a plurality of flow directing vanes 42 are formed integrally with the end housing portion 18 so as ao extend axially from the recessed wall 38 toward the annular wall surface 40 of the central housing portion 14. In a similar manner, the end housing portion 16 includes vanes 52 integrally formed with the housing portion 16 to extend from a recessed wall 48 toward the annular wall surface 50 of the central housing portion 14, and thereby forms a vaned passageway 46 intermediate the annular cavity 34 and axial cavity 30.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the cavity 34 directs the flow of pressurised air generated by the rotor 12 to the air intake passages 35 of the engine 11 through an appropriate connecting passageway. Moreover, the exhaust passages 33 of the engine 11 are connected in fluid communication with the annular cavity 32 by an appropriate connecting passageway. As a result, the exhaust gases discharged against the turbine rotor 24 cause rotation of the shaft, whereby compressor rotor 28 generates high pressure air delivered to the air intake system of the engine 11 in a well known manner.

The end housing portions 16 and 18 are removably secured to the central housing portion 14, preferably by bolts 44 positioned through mating annular surface portions of the housing portions. As a result, as shown in Fig. 1, it is especially advantageous to position bolts 44 through the radially extending end portions 15 and 1 7 of the housing 14 in registration with the vane bodies formed on the end portions 16 and 18. In the preferred embodiment, the bolts 44 extend through a bore in the central housing portion 14 and are threadably engaged in locking bores in the end housing portions 16 and 18.

Moreover, in this preferred embodiment the end portions 16 and 18 and the central housing portion 14 include additional annular mating surfaces. In particular, it can be seen that the peripheral edge portions 56 and 54, respectively, overlap peripheral portions of the central housing portion 14, and include a surface which matingly engage an annular surface 60 and 58, respectively. On the radially expanded walls 15 and 17 of the central housing portion 14, bolts 44 are threadably engaged in the peripheral edge portions 56 and 54 to tightly secure the end portions 16, 18 to the central housing portion.

Having thus described the important structural features of the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that when maintenance or repair upon the turbocharger is necessary, the end housing portions 16 and 18 can be readily removed from the central housing portion 14 by removal of the bolts 44 and without disassembly of the means for rotatably mounting the shaft in the central housing portion.

Moreover, it will be understood that removal of the end housing portions 16 and 18 also permits the vaned passageways 36 and 46 to be modified as the vanes 42 and 52 are readily accessible for machining.

Furthermore removal of the end portions 16 and 18 provides free access to the entire turbocharger mechanism without complicated disassembly of numerous housing parts as with some previously known turbocharger units. In addition, the positioning of the mounting bolts through housing portions having mating surfaces provides tight and secure engagement between the housing portions and thereby enclosing flow passageways formed by the cavities in the end portions. Nevertheless, the end portions are easily removed for modification or repair of the turbocharger components.

Claims

1. A housing for a turbocharger having a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor secured to a rotatable shaft, which comprises: a central housing portion having means for rotatably supporting said shaft, each axial end of said central housing having at least one annular end surface; two end housing portions, each end portion defining a first substantially annular cavity, a second axial cavity, and an interconnecting passageway extending between said first cavity and said second cavity, and each end housing portion further comprising a peripheral housing portion adapted to sealingly engage said central housing portion to enclose said first and second cavities therebetween; and means for removably mounting each said end portion on said central housing portion.

2. A housing according to claim 1 wherein said interconnecting passageway is formed intermediate a recessed wall on said end portion and said annular end surface of said central housing portion.

3. A housing according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a plurality of vanes circumferentially spaced throughout said interconnecting passageway.

4. A housing according to claim 3, wherein said vanes are integrally formed on said recessed surface, and abuttingly engage said annular end surface of said central housing portion.

5. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each said end portion and said central housing portion include at least one annular mating surface and wherein each said mounting means comprises bolt means for tightly engaging said end portion against said central portion through said mating surface portions.

6. A housing according to claim 5, wherein said mounting means comprises bolt means for tightly engaging a said end portion against said central housing portion, each bolt means comprising a plurality of bolts threadably engaged in a corresponding number of vanes.

7. A housing according to claim 6, wherein each said end portion and said central housing portion include an annular mating surface spaced radially apart from said vanes and bolt means for tightly engaging said end portion against said central portion through said mating surface portions.

8. A housing for a turbocharger having a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor secured to a rotatable shaft which comprises: a central housing portion having means for rotatably supporting said shaft, each axial end of said central housing portion including at least one annular surface portion; two end housing portions, each end housing portion having a substantially annular surface positioned to register with one of said at least one annular surface portion of said central housing, and including a plurality of vanes integrally formed with said end housing extending axially toward said one annular surface portion of said central housing portion for mating engagement therewith; and means for removably securing each said end portion to said central housing portion.

9. A housing according to claim 1, wherein each of said end housing portions has a substantially annular surface positioned to register with an associated one of said at least one annular surface portion of said ends of said central housing.

9. A housing according to claim 8, wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of bolts threadably engaged in a corresponding number of vanes.

10. A housing according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each said end portion and said central portion include an annular mating surface radially spaced apart from said vanes and bolt means for tightly engaging said end portion to said central portion through said mating surfaces.

11. A housing for a turbocharger substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 above have been deleted or textually amended.

New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows: Claims 2, 4-7, 6 and 7 above have been renumbered as 3, 5-8 and their appendancies corrected.

1. A housing for a turbocharger having a turbine rotor and a compressor rotor secured to a rotatable shaft, comprising: a central housing portion having means for rotatably supporting said shaft, and having a pair of axial ends each having at least one annular end surface portion associated therewith; two end housing portions, each of said end housing portions having a peripheral housing portion adapted to sealingly engage said central housing portion so as to enclose an associated one of said turbine and compressor rotors therebetween; each of said end housing portions including a plurality of vanes integrally formed with said end housing portions extending axially towards said associated annular end surface portiong of said central housing portion for mating engagement therewith; and means for detachably securing each of said end housing portions to said central housing portion.

2. A housing according to claim 1, wherein each of said end housing portions defines an associated first substantially annular cavity, an associated second substantially annular cavity, and an associated interconnecting passageway extending between said first and second cavities, such that said peripheral housing portion is adapted to sealingly engage said central housing portion and enclose said first and second cavities therebetween.

4. A housing according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said vanes are circumferentially spaced throughout said interconnecting passgeway.