Bladeless turbocharger

• US 6,368,078 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John F. Palumbo
• Original Assignee: John F. Palumbo
• Inventors: Palumbo, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Thai Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/723,022
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 417/407, 417/183, 417/159, 415/90, 415/202, 415/205, 415/206, 415/212.1, 416/223.R
• US Class Current: 417/407
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 1/36 using fluid friction
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/161 Shear force pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/04 the pump being fluid-driven pumps driven by exhaust gases F02B37/00, F02B39/00; turbochargers F02C6/12
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/40 in turbochargers

Abstract

A bladeless turbocharger is disclosed for use with an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a drive shaft engaged with a bearing assembly that has a turbine driven by the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine at one end and a blower driven by the turbine at the other. The turbine and blower have flat disks spaced at a critical distance apart with open circular centers that have spokes mounting them to the drive shaft. The critical distance between the turbine disks promotes the boundary layer drag effect of the exhaust gas against the turbine disks. The blower transfers rotational energy to air entering the critical distance between the blower disks by boundary layer drag effect of the air against the blower disks only. The energy transfer increases the mass per unit volume of the air that exits the blower through a blower outlet.

Claims

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine and a bladeless turbocharger, the combination comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a bladeless turbocharger in communication with the internal combustion

engine, the bladeless turbocharger comprising;

a bearing assembly;

a drive shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the drive shaft passing through and rotationally engaged with the bearing assembly;

a bladeless turbine, the bladeless turbine comprising;

a turbine volute;

an inner turbine wall adjacent the turbine volute;

an outer turbine wall adjacent the turbine volute and opposite the inner turbine wall;

a plurality of parallel flat turbine disks contained in the turbine volute spaced at a critical distance of from about 0.006″

to about 0.012″

apart having open circular centers with a plurality of spoke like projections fixedly mounting the turbine disk centers to the first end portion of the drive shaft, the critical distance permitting only boundary layer drag effect activity of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine within the critical distance;

at least one turbine inlet within the wall of the turbine volute in tangential relation to the periphery of the turbine disks capable of allowing the exhaust gas to enter the turbine tangentially to the periphery of the turbine disks, the exhaust gas pushed through the turbine inlet by the exhaust stroke of the internal combustion engine into the critical distances between the turbine disks rotating the turbine disks and the drive shaft by energy transferred from the exhaust gas through boundary layer drag effect of the exhaust gas against the turbine disks;

a turbine outlet within the outer turbine wall axially adjacent the open circular centers of the turbine disks capable of allowing the exhaust gas to exit the bladeless turbine through the open circular center of the turbine disks;

a bladeless blower driven by the drive shaft, the blower comprising;

a blower volute;

an inner blower wall adjacent the blower volute;

an outer blower wall adjacent the blower volute and opposite the inner blower wall;

a plurality of parallel flat blower disks contained in the blower volute spaced at the critical distance apart having open circular centers with a plurality of spoke like projections fixedly mounting the blower disk centers to the second end portion of the rotating drive shaft, the critical distance permitting only boundary layer drag effect activity of air within the critical distance;

a blower inlet within the outer blower wall axially adjacent the open circular centers of the blower disks, the blower inlet capable of allowing the air to enter the blower through the open circular centers of the blower disks into the critical distances between the blower disks, the air being drawn in through the blower inlet due to the pressure difference created by the blower disks rotating within the blower volute whereby the rotational energy of the blower disks is transferred to the air by boundary layer drag effect activity of the air against the rotating blower disks thereby increasing the mass per unit volume of air; and

a blower outlet configured within the wall of the blower volute determined by the Fibonacci formula and in tangential relation to the periphery of the blower disks, the blower outlet capable of allowing the air of increased mass per unit volume to exit the bladeless blower tangentially to the periphery of the blower disks into a engine intake of the internal combustion engine.

2. The combination of claim 1 further comprising:

a first labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the turbine disks and the inner turbine wall;

a second labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the turbine disks and the outer turbine wall, the first and second labyrinth seals preventing the exhaust gas from exiting the turbine through the turbine outlet before transferring energy to the turbine disks.

3. The combination of claim 2 further comprising:

a third labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the blower disks and the inner blower wall;

a fourth labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the blower disks and the outer blower wall, the third and fourth labyrinth seals preventing the air from exiting the blower through the blower outlet before the mass per unit volume of the air in increased.

4. The combination of claim 3 further comprising at least one variable nozzle contained in the turbine inlet, the variable nozzle being capable of varying the cross sectional area of the turbine inlet so that the velocity of the exhaust gas entering the turbine may be increased or decreased.

5. The combination of claim 4 further comprising at least one variable nozzle contained in the blower inlet, the variable nozzle being capable of varying the cross sectional area of the blower inlet so that the velocity of the air entering the blower may be increased or decreased.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein:

the bladeless turbine has two turbine inlets;

the turbine disks have three spoke like projections fixedly mounting the turbine disk centers to the first end portion of the drive shaft;

the turbine disks and the drive shaft are made of stainless steel.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein:

the blower disks have three spoke like projections fixedly mounting the blower disk centers to the second end portion of the drive shaft;

the blower disks are made of aluminum.

8. A turbocharger for use with an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger comprising:

a bearing assembly;

a drive shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the drive shaft passing through and rotationally engaged with the bearing assembly;

a turbine fixed to the first end portion of the drive shaft, the turbine driving the drive shaft;

a bladeless blower driven by the turbine, the blower comprising;

a blower volute;

an inner blower wall adjacent the blower volute;

an outer blower wall adjacent the blower volute and opposite the inner blower wall;

a plurality of parallel flat blower disks contained in the blower volute spaced at a critical distance apart having open circular centers with a plurality of spoke like projections fixedly mounting the blower disk centers to the second end portion of the rotating drive shaft, the critical distance permitting only boundary layer drag effect activity of air within the critical distance;

a blower inlet within the outer blower wall axially adjacent the open circular centers of the blower disks, the blower inlet capable of allowing the air to enter the blower through the open circular centers of the blower disks into the critical distances between the blower disks, the air being drawn in through the blower inlet due to the pressure difference created by the blower disks rotating within the blower volute whereby the rotational energy of the blower disks is transferred to the air by boundary layer drag effect activity of the air against the rotating blower disks increasing the mass per unit volume of air; and

a blower outlet configured within the wall of the blower volute determined by the Fibonacci formula and in tangential relation to the periphery of the blower disks, the blower outlet capable of allowing the air of increased mass per unit volume to exit the bladeless blower tangentially to the periphery of the blower disks into a engine intake of the internal combustion engine.

9. The turbocharger of claim 8 further comprising:

a first labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the blower disks and the inner blower wall;

a second labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the blower disks and the outer blower wall, the first and second labyrinth seals preventing the air from exiting the blower through the blower outlet before the mass per unit volume of the air in increased.

10. The turbocharger of claim 9 further comprising at least one variable nozzle contained in the blower inlet, the variable nozzle being capable of varying the cross sectional area of the blower inlet so that the volume of the air entering the blower may be increased or decreased.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein:

the blower disks have three spoke like projections fixedly mounting the blower disk centers to the second end portion of the drive shaft;

the blower disks are made of aluminum.

12. A turbocharger for use with an internal combustion engine, the turbocharger comprising:

a bearing assembly;

a drive shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, the drive shaft passing through and rotationally engaged with the bearing assembly;

a bladeless turbine, the bladeless turbine comprising;

a turbine volute;

an inner turbine wall adjacent the turbine volute;

an outer turbine wall adjacent the turbine volute and opposite the inner turbine wall;

a plurality of parallel flat turbine disks contained in the turbine volute spaced at a critical distance of from about 0.006″

to about 0.012″

apart having open circular centers with a plurality of spoke like projections fixedly mounting the turbine disk centers to the first end portion of the drive shaft, the critical distance permitting only boundary layer drag effect activity of a fluid within the critical distance;

at least one turbine inlet within the wall of the turbine volute in tangential relation to the periphery of the turbine disks capable of allowing exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to enter the turbine tangentially to the periphery of the turbine disks, the exhaust gas pushed through the turbine inlet by the exhaust stroke of the internal combustion engine into the critical distances between the turbine disks rotating the turbine disks and the drive shaft by energy transferred from the exhaust gas through boundary layer drag effect of the exhaust gas against the turbine disks;

a turbine outlet within the outer turbine wall axially adjacent the open circular centers of the turbine disks capable of allowing the exhaust gas to exit the bladeless turbine through the open circular center of the turbine disks; and

a blower driven by the bladeless turbine fixed to the second end portion of the drive shaft, the blower increasing the mass per unit volume of air delivered to an internal combustion engine.

13. The turbocharger of claim 12 further comprising:

a first labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the turbine disks and the inner turbine wall;

a second labyrinth seal of concentric interrelated ridges between the turbine disks and the outer turbine wall, the first and second labyrinth seals preventing the exhaust gas from exiting the turbine through the turbine outlet before transferring energy to the turbine disks.

14. The turbocharger of claim 13 further comprising at least one variable nozzle contained in the turbine inlet, the variable nozzle being capable of varying the cross sectional area of the turbine inlet so that the velocity of the exhaust gas entering the turbine may be increased or decreased.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein:

the bladeless turbine has two turbine inlets;

the turbine disks have three spoke like projections fixedly mounting the turbine disk centers to the first end portion of the drive shaft;

the turbine disks and the drive shaft are made of stainless steel.