Turbocharger Variable-Nozzle Assembly With Vane Sealing Arrangement

• US 20130084161A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc. (Garrett Motion, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Groves, Chris, Toussaint, Lionel, Davies, Peter, Barthelet, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,985,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/110
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/001 for sealing space between stator blade and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/003 by packing rings; Mechanical seals
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/165 for radial flow, i.e. the vanes turning around axes which are essentially parallel to the rotor centre line F01D17/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/12 Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure

Abstract

A variable-nozzle turbocharger includes a turbine housing and a center housing, and a generally annular nozzle ring and an array of vanes rotatably mounted to the nozzle ring such that the vanes can be pivoted about their axes for regulating exhaust gas flow to the turbine wheel. The vanes extend between the nozzle ring and an opposite wall formed by an insert in the turbine housing. A vane sealing member is supported on the insert, and has a portion disposed between distal ends of the vanes and the insert. This portion of the vane sealing member is configured to be contacted by the distal ends of the vanes when the vanes are in the closed position, while a clearance exists between the portion of the vane sealing member and the distal ends of the vanes when the vanes are in the open position.

Claims

1. A turbocharger having a variable-nozzle assembly, comprising:

a compressor housing and a compressor wheel mounted in the compressor housing and connected to a rotatable shaft, and a turbine housing and a turbine wheel mounted in the turbine housing and connected to the rotatable shaft, the turbine housing defining a chamber surrounding the turbine wheel for receiving exhaust gas from an engine and for supplying the exhaust gas through a nozzle leading from the chamber generally radially inwardly to the turbine wheel, the turbine housing further defining an axial bore;

an insert formed separately from the turbine housing, the insert having a tubular portion received into the axial bore of the turbine housing and an annular nozzle portion joined to one end of the tubular portion and extending radially outward therefrom;

a nozzle ring having opposite first and second faces, the nozzle being defined between the second face and the nozzle portion of the insert, the nozzle ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart bearing apertures each extending axially from the first face to the second face;

a plurality of vanes disposed in the nozzle and each having a proximal end and a distal end, axles being joined to the proximal ends and being received into the bearing apertures of the nozzle ring and being rotatable in the bearing apertures, the distal ends of the vanes being proximate the nozzle portion of the insert, the vanes being rotatable between a closed position and an open position; and

a generally annular vane sealing member formed separately from the insert and supported on the nozzle portion of the insert, the vane sealing member having a portion that is disposed between the distal ends of the vanes and the nozzle portion of the insert;

wherein said portion of the vane sealing member is configured to contact leading and trailing edge portions of the distal ends of the vanes and to exert an axial load on the vanes tending to urge the vanes toward the nozzle ring when the vanes are in the closed position, while a clearance exists between said portion of the vane sealing member and said leading and trailing edge portions of the distal ends of the vanes when the vanes are in the open position.

2. The turbocharger of claim 1, wherein the nozzle ring and the nozzle portion of the insert are connected to each other by a plurality of spacers, and the vane sealing member includes apertures through which the spacers pass.

3. The turbocharger of claim 1, wherein the vane sealing member includes a flange that extends generally axially from a radially outer edge of the vane sealing member, the flange engaging a radially outer surface of the nozzle portion of the insert.

4. The turbocharger of claim 3, wherein the nozzle ring and the nozzle portion of the insert are connected to each other by a plurality of spacers, and the vane sealing member includes apertures through which the spacers pass.

5. The turbocharger of claim 1, wherein the vane sealing member includes a lip that extends generally axially from a radially inner edge of the vane sealing member, and the insert includes a groove in which the lip is engaged so as to locate the vane sealing member with respect to the insert.

6. The turbocharger of claim 1, wherein the vane sealing member comprises a compliant thin sheet metal part.

7. A variable-nozzle assembly for a turbocharger, the turbocharger including a turbine housing that defines a chamber and a nozzle leading from the chamber radially inwardly into an axial bore in the turbine housing, the variable-nozzle assembly comprising:

an insert having a tubular portion adapted to be received into the axial bore of the turbine housing and an annular nozzle portion joined to one end of the tubular portion and extending radially outward therefrom;

a nozzle ring having opposite first and second faces, a nozzle passage being defined between the second face and the nozzle portion of the insert, the nozzle ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart bearing apertures each extending axially from the first face to the second face;

a plurality of vanes disposed in the nozzle passage and each having a proximal end and a distal end, axles being joined to the proximal ends and being received into the bearing apertures of the nozzle ring and being rotatable in the bearing apertures, the distal ends of the vanes being proximate the nozzle portion of the insert, the vanes being rotatable between a closed position and an open position; and

a generally annular vane sealing member formed separately from the insert and supported on the nozzle portion of the insert, the vane sealing member having a portion that is disposed between the distal ends of the vanes and the nozzle portion of the insert;

wherein said portion of the vane sealing member is configured to be contacted by the distal ends of the vanes when the vanes are in the closed position, while a clearance exists between said portion of the vane sealing member and the distal ends of the vanes when the vanes are in the open position.

8. The variable-nozzle assembly of claim 7, wherein the nozzle ring and the nozzle portion of the insert are connected to each other by a plurality of spacers, and the vane sealing member includes apertures through which the spacers pass.

9. The variable-nozzle assembly of claim 7, wherein the vane sealing member includes a flange that extends generally axially from a radially outer edge of the vane sealing member, the flange engaging a radially outer surface of the nozzle portion of the insert.