Venting System For A Bearing Housing Thermal Dam Of A Turbocharger

A turbocharger, comprising:

• a turbine housing;
• a compressor housing including a diffuser;
• a bearing housing disposed between the turbine housing and the compressor housing, the bearing housing including a housing wall and an inner member, the housing wall extending from the inner member at an intersection and terminating at a shoulder rim, the shoulder rim spaced radially outwardly from the inner member and axially offset with respect to the intersection;
• and
• a partition including a face, an annular wall extending axially from the face, and a flange extending radially outwardly from the annular wall and sealed to the shoulder rim, the face including an inner edge disposed therethrough, the inner edge sealed to the inner member, wherein the partition, the housing wall, and the inner member collectively form a thermal dam, and wherein the housing wall includes at least one vent disposed therethrough.

A method for cooling a thermal dam of a bearing housing in a turbocharger, the method comprising:

• providing at least one vent through a housing wall of the bearing housing;
• positioning an actuator through the housing wall of the bearing housing;
• determining whether air should be supplied to the thermal dam;
• and
• selectively actuating the actuator to supply air to the thermal dam.