Turbomachine

• US 8,747,057 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Limited (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cummins Limited (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Holroyd, Robert L., Roberts, Tom J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hargitt, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US12/899,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20110103938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 415/148, 415/151, 415/157, 415/158, 415/159, 415/165, 415/166
• US Class Current: 415/157
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/143 the shiftable member being a wall, or part thereof of a radial diffuser
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/24 by using pumps or turbines with adjustable guide vanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49243 Centrifugal type

Abstract

A variable geometry turbine comprising: a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls; a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet; the annular inlet divided into axially adjacent annular portions by at least one annular baffle which is axially spaced from the first and second inlet sidewalls; inlet formations extending axially across at least two of said annular portions defined by the or each baffle so as to divide said annular inlet into at least two axially offset inlet passages; the baffle(s) and inlet formations forming part of a nozzle assembly located within said annular inlet; wherein first and second components of the nozzle assembly define complementary features which co-operate to connect together said first and second components.

Claims

1. A variable geometry turbine comprising:

a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls;

a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet;

the annular inlet divided into axially adjacent annular portions by at least one annular baffle which is axially spaced from the first and second inlet sidewalls;

inlet formations extending axially across at least two of said annular portions defined by the or each baffle so as to divide said annular inlet into at least two axially offset inlet passages;

the baffle(s) and inlet formations forming part of a nozzle assembly located within said annular inlet;

wherein first and second components of the nozzle assembly define complementary features which co-operate to enable said first and second components to be non-releasably secured together.

2. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein said inlet formations are vanes provided in annular arrays within each annular portion.

3. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein said first and second components are baffles, sections of the same baffle, or sections of axially adjacent baffles.

4. A turbine according to claim 3, wherein the first and second components are parts of the same baffle which, when assembled, are disposed axially adjacent to one another, or circumferentially adjacent to one another.

5. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein said first and second components are inlet formations or a subsection of inlet formations.

6. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein said first component is a baffle or part of a baffle and the second component is an inlet formation or a subsection of an inlet formation.

7. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein one of the complementary features is a depression or recess and the other of the complementary features is a projection.

8. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a plurality of pairs of said first and second components.

9. A turbine according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a plurality of pairs of complementary features.

10. A turbine according to claim 9, wherein said pairs of complementary features are provided in one or more annular arrays.

11. A turbine according to claim 10, wherein the pairs of complementary features provided in said annular array, or provided in at least one of said annular arrays, are equi-angularly spaced.

12. A nozzle for location within an annular inlet of a variable geometry turbine, the nozzle comprising at least one baffle and inlet formations;

first and second components of the nozzle defining complementary features;

wherein said first and second components define complementary features which co-operate to enable said first and second components to be non-releasably secured together.

13. A method for assembling a nozzle for location within an annular inlet of a variable geometry turbine, the nozzle comprising at least one baffle and inlet formations;

first and second components of the nozzle defining complementary features;

wherein the method comprises assembling said first and second components such that said complementary features co-operate to non-releasably secure said first and second components together.

14. A method for assembling a variable geometry turbine, the turbine comprising:

a turbine wheel mounted for rotation about a turbine axis within a housing, the housing defining an annular inlet surrounding the turbine wheel and defined between first and second inlet sidewalls;

a cylindrical sleeve axially movable across the annular inlet to vary the size of a gas flow path through the inlet;

the annular inlet divided into axially adjacent annular portions by at least one annular baffle which is axially spaced from the first and second inlet sidewalls;

inlet formations extending axially across at least two of said annular portions defined by the or each baffle so as to divide said annular inlet into at least two axially offset inlet passages;

the baffle(s) and inlet formations forming part of a nozzle assembly located within said annular inlet;

first and second components of the nozzle assembly defining complementary features;

wherein the method comprises assembling said first and second components such that said complementary features co-operate to non-releasably secure said first and second components together.