Fluid drive mechanism for turbocharger

Abstract

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine includes a shaft, a first turbine wheel, a compressor wheel, and a second turbine wheel. The shaft includes a first end and a second end and is supported for rotation about an axis. The first turbine wheel is mounted on the shaft proximate to the first end and configured to be rotated about the axis by post-combustion gasses emitted by the engine. The compressor wheel is mounted on the shaft between the first and second ends and configured to pressurize an airflow being received from the ambient for delivery to the engine. The second turbine wheel is mounted on the shaft proximate to the second end and configured to be rotated about the axis by a pressurized fluid. An internal combustion engine employing such a turbocharger is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.