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US 6,220,234 B1Granted
Coated compressor diffuser
AssigneeCummins Engine Company, Inc.
InventorsGlenn L. Baker, Paul D. Free
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coating for a portion of the flowpath of a diffuser of a centrifugal compressor. The coating covers a portion of the diffuser against which flows high velocity air from the compressor blades. The coating is a smooth, tenacious, heat-resistant powder paint that reduces the aerodynamic drag of the diffuser walls on the high velocity air thus increasing the efficiency of the compressor.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- an internal combustion engine accepting compressed intake air and producing exhaust gas;
- a turbocharger including a turbine and a centrifugal compressor with blades, said turbine being powered by the exhaust gas, said turbine powering said centrifugal compressor, said centrifugal compressor providing compressed intake air to said engine, said turbocharger including a wall defining a flowpath for slowing the air exiting from said blades of said centrifugal compressor, said wall having an as-cast surface from being sand cast;
- and
- a coating of heat resistant powder paint on a portion of said wall, said coating providing a smooth surface to reduce the aerodynamic drag of the air flowing over said wall.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a centrifugal compressor for compressing gas;
- a cast diffuser defining an internal flowpath receiving compressed gas from said centrifugal compressor, said cast diffuser having a substantially as-cast internal surface along a portion of the flowpath;
- and
- a coating of heat-resistant paint in said cast diffuser along the portion of the internal flowpath.
1 more element
A method for improving the efficiency of a centrifugal compressor, including:
- providing a centrifugal compressor for compressing gas and a cast diffuser with a flowpath for the compressed gas, the diffuser having an as-cast surface along a portion of the flowpath;
- coating a portion of the flowpath with a heat-resistant powder paint and reducing the surface roughness of the portion of the flowpath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.