Turbocharger having cooling arrangement for compressor and method thereof

• US 10,036,305 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Yang, Nan, Griffith, Robert C., Kim, Arnold M.
• Primary Examiner(s): AMICK, JACOB M
• Application Number:
  US15/278,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20180087448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0406 Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0481 Intake air cooling by means others than heat exchangers, e.g. by rotating drum regenerators, cooling by expansion or by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 33/40 of non-positive-displacement type
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/00 Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0215 Mixtures of gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Biogas; Mine gas; Landfill gas
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0248 Injectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A method of cooling a compressor, providing compressed working fluid, in a natural gas based combustion engine is provided. The method includes diverting at least a portion of natural gas from a fuel tank of the combustion engine. The method further includes routing the portion of natural gas towards the compressor. The method also includes providing one or more nozzles disposed at one or more strategic locations of the compressor. The method further includes injecting the portion of natural gas, via the one or more nozzles, inside the compressor. The method also includes allowing the portion of natural gas to diffuse with the compressed working fluid inside the compressor in an endothermic expansion process, to convectively cool the compressor.

Claims

1. A method of cooling a compressor, providing compressed working fluid, in a natural gas based combustion engine, the method comprising:

diverting at least a portion of natural gas from a fuel tank of the combustion engine;

routing the portion of natural gas towards the compressor;

providing one or more nozzles disposed at one or more strategic locations of the compressor;

injecting the portion of natural gas, via the one or more nozzles, inside the compressor; and

allowing the portion of natural gas to diffuse with the compressed working fluid inside the compressor in an endothermic expansion process, to convectively cool the compressor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategic location for injecting the portion of natural gas, is one or more of a back-plate, an exducer section and proximal to an inlet, of the compressor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategic location for injecting the portion of natural gas is a back-plate of the compressor, in a direction of flow of working fluid inside the compressor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategic location for injecting the portion of natural gas is an exducer section of the compressor, in a direction of flow of working fluid inside the compressor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the strategic location for injecting the portion of natural gas is proximal to an inlet of the compressor, in a direction of flow of working fluid into the compressor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more nozzles comprises arranging the nozzles around a compressor wheel of the compressor, in a ring shaped manner.

7. A turbocharger for a natural gas based combustion engine, the turbocharger comprising:

a turbine;

a compressor associated with the turbine and configured to provide a compressed working fluid to the combustion engine, wherein the compressor comprises a compressor housing having an inlet and radially surrounding a compressor wheel, and a back-plate connected to the compressor housing and enclosing the compressor wheel within an interior space of the compressor housing;

a fluid conduit connecting the compressor to a fuel tank of the combustion engine and configured to supply at least a portion of natural gas from the fuel tank to the compressor; and

one or more nozzles operatively coupled with the compressor and located at the back-plate of the compressor, at least one of the one or more nozzles configured to inject the portion of natural gas inside the compressor.

8. The turbocharger of claim 7, wherein the compressor housing defines an exducer section proximal to where the compressed working fluid exits from the compressor wheel, and wherein the portion of natural gas is injected in the interior space of the compressor housing.

9. The turbocharger of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more nozzles are located at the exducer section of the compressor.

10. The turbocharger of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more nozzles are located proximal to the inlet of the compressor housing.

11. The turbocharger of claim 8, wherein the nozzles are arranged around the compressor wheel in a ring shaped manner.

12. A method of assembling a turbocharger for a natural gas based combustion engine, the method comprising:

providing a center housing;

installing a compressor onto the center housing;

providing a fluid conduit to connect the compressor to a fuel tank of the combustion engine, the fluid conduit configured to supply at least a portion of natural gas from the fuel tank to the compressor;

installing one or more nozzles at one or more strategic locations of the compressor, the one or more nozzles configured to inject the portion of natural gas inside the compressor;

providing a compressor housing to radially surround a compressor wheel of the compressor, the compressor housing having an inlet and defining an exducer section proximal to where working fluid exits from the compressor wheel inside thereof; and

connecting a back-plate to the compressor housing to enclose the compressor wheel within an interior space of the compressor housing, wherein at least one of the one or more nozzles are installed at the back-plate to the compressor.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising, installing at least one of the one or more nozzles at the exducer section of the compressor.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising, installing at least one of the one or more nozzles proximal to the inlet of the compressor housing.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising, arranging the nozzles around the compressor wheel in a ring shaped manner.