Reduced noise compressor recirculation
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorMark Burgess
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An air flow-enhancing insert (30) is configured to be inserted into the air inlet (16) of a compressor (3). The insert includes a hollow, cylindrical inner member (32) and lugs (44) protruding outward from an outer surface (36) of the inner member, each lug having an elongated cross sectional shape and including a leading edge (46), a trailing edge (48), and a long axis (50) that extends between the leading edge and trailing edge, the long axis defining a helix about the outer surface. When the insert (30) is disposed in the compressor air inlet, an air recirculation path (20) is defined between the inner member outer surface, an inner surface (17) of the air inlet, and the lugs. The air recirculation path improves air flow in the compressor, whereby compressor efficiency is improved and noise is reduced.
Claims16
An exhaust gas turbocharger comprising:
- a turbine section including a turbine wheel;
- a compressor section including a compressor housing defining an air inlet;
- a compressor wheel disposed within the compressor housing adjacent to the air inlet, the compressor wheel connected to the turbine wheel via a shaft;
- an air flow-enhancing insert disposed in the air inlet, the insert comprising
- a hollow, cylindrical inner member including a longitudinal axis and an outer surface;
- and
- a plurality of lugs protruding outward from the outer surface of the inner member, each lug having an elongated cross sectional shape and including a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a long axis that extends between the leading edge and trailing edge, the long axis defining a helix about the outer surface, wherein the plurality of lugs are arranged so that the leading edge of one lug overlaps the trailing edge of an adjacent lug as seen when viewed along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein an air recirculation channel is defined between the inner member outer surface, an inner surface of the air inlet, and the plurality of lugs.
An exhaust gas turbocharger comprising:
- a turbine section including a turbine wheel;
- a compressor section including a compressor housing defining an air inlet;
- a compressor wheel disposed within the compressor housing adjacent to the air inlet, the compressor wheel connected to the turbine wheel via a shaft;
- an air flow-enhancing insert disposed in the air inlet, the insert comprising
- a hollow, cylindrical member including a longitudinal axis and an outer surface shaped and dimensioned to be fitted inside the compressor air inlet;
- and
- a groove formed in the outer surface that extends along a helical path, wherein the groove comprises groove pairs disposed on diametrically opposed sides of the member, each groove pair comprising a first helical groove arranged at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and a second helical groove arranged at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, where the second angle is the negative of the first angle;
- and
- wherein when the air flow-enhancing insert is disposed in the air inlet, the groove defines an air recirculation channel between the outer surface of the cylindrical member and an inner surface of the compressor air inlet.
An exhaust gas turbocharger comprising:
- a turbine section including a turbine wheel;
- a compressor section including a compressor housing defining an air inlet;
- a compressor wheel disposed within the compressor housing adjacent to the air inlet, the compressor wheel connected to the turbine wheel via a shaft;
- an air flow-enhancing insert disposed in the air inlet, the insert comprising
- a hollow, cylindrical member including a longitudinal axis and an outer surface shaped and dimensioned to be fitted inside the compressor air inlet;
- and
- a groove formed in the outer surface that extends along a helical path,
- wherein when the air flow-enhancing insert is disposed in the air inlet, the groove defines an air recirculation channel between the outer surface of the cylindrical member and an inner surface of the compressor air inlet, and wherein the groove comprises a first helical groove arranged at a first angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and a second helical groove arranged at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis, where the second angle is different from the first angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.