Pressure balanced turbocharger rotating seal
AssigneeAlliedSignal Inc.
InventorGeorge A. Adeff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pressure balanced turbocharger rotating seal is provided by two piston rings mounted on the shaft of the turbocharger, one of the rings engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the center housing and the second ring engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the turbine wheel shroud, with a passage for introducing pressurizing gas intermediate the two rings, the passage including a circumferential channel in the inner face of the turbine wheel shroud, and a compression seal engaged between the center housing and turbine wheel shroud outboard of the channel.
Claims14
A seal for a turbine wheel shaft employed in a turbocharger comprising:
- a shaft supporting a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel, said shaft rotatably retained within a shaft bore extending through a center housing and a turbine wheel shroud;
- first and second seal rings mounted on the shaft proximate the turbine wheel, the first ring sealingly engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the center housing and the second ring sealingly engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the turbine wheel shroud;
- a passage for introducing a pressurizing gas, the passage communicating with the shaft bore intermediate the first and second piston rings;
- means for supplying pressurizing gas to the passage;
- and
- a compression seal engaged between the center housing and turbine wheel shroud outboard of the passage.
A seal system for a turbine wheel and compressor wheel shaft employed in a turbocharger comprising:
- a shaft supporting a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel, said shaft rotatably retained within a shaft bore extending through a center housing and a turbine wheel shroud;
- first and second seal rings mounted on the shaft proximate the turbine wheel, the first ring sealingly engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the center housing and the second ring sealingly engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the turbine wheel shroud;
- a passage for introducing a pressurizing gas, the passage communicating with the shaft bore intermediate the first and second piston rings;
- means for supplying pressurizing as to the passage;
- a compression seal engaged between the center housing and turbine wheel shroud outboard of the passage;
- and
- a positive face seal operatively engaging the shaft proximate the compressor wheel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.