# US 9,004,856 B2 · Inlet connecting piece for an axial-flow compressor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,004,856 B2 - Document ID: US9004856B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/866,077 - Filed: 2008-11-03 - Published: 2010-12-30 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-13 - Assignees: MAN Diesel & Turbo SE - Applicants: Christoph Lange; Henning Ressing; Fikri Aynacioglu; Dirk Anding; Karl-Heinz Dreyer - Inventors: Christoph Lange; Henning Ressing; Fikri Aynacioglu; Dirk Anding; Karl-Heinz Dreyer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9004856B2 ## CPC - F04D 29/059: Roller bearings - F01D 9/065: {Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26)} - F01D 25/162: {Bearing supports} - F04D 19/02: Multi-stage pumps - F04D 29/063: specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps - F04D 29/522: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D 29/644: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D 29/668: {damping or preventing mechanical vibrations} - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) ## Abstract An inlet connection piece for an axial compressor, particularly for a turbocompressor, includes an inlet housing (1) in which is arranged a bearing housing (2) with a bearing (3), particularly a radial and/or axial bearing, for a rotor. The bearing housing (2) is connected to the inlet housing (1) by an inlet strut (4) which is connected to the inlet housing in a front cross section. The center of the bearing (3) is arranged axially in the flow direction of a fluid to be compressed behind the area center of the front cross section by at least 0.1-times, particularly at least 0.15-times, particularly at least 0.2-times, particularly at least 0.25-times, the chord length of the front cross section. In addition or alternatively, a fluid passage (5, 6) is formed in the inlet strut (4), and at least portions of this fluid passage (5, 6) form an acute angle with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inlet connection piece for an axial compressor comprising: an inlet housing (1); a bearing housing (2) disposed in said inlet housing (1), both said bearing housing and said inlet housing defining a main fluid passage for a main fluid flow to be compressed in a fluid flow direction; an axial hydrodynamic bearing (3) for a rotor of the axial compressor, said bearing disposed in said bearing housing in a flow direction of the fluid to be compressed, said bearing having a center (3a) and being the first bearing in said fluid flow direction; at least one inlet strut (4) formed as a single body, non-rotatably connected to said inlet housing (1) in a front cross-section having a center and a chord length; said inlet strut directly connecting said bearing housing (2) to said inlet housing (1) in the main fluid passage; and wherein (a) said center (3a) of said bearing (3) in the flow direction is arranged axially within said cord length of said inlet strut and behind said center of said front cross-section by one of at least 0.1-times, at least 0.15-times, at least 0.2-times or at least 0.25-times said chord length of said front section of said inlet strut; and (b) said at least one inlet strut (4) comprising at least one fluid passage (5, 6) defined in and extending through said single body inlet strut, at least a portion of said fluid passage forming an acute angle with a normal plane relative to a longitudinal axis of said inlet connection piece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said bearing housing (2) is connected to said inlet housing (1) by a plurality of inlet struts (4). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said bearing housing (2) is connected to said inlet housing (1) by three or more evenly or unevenly distributed inlet struts. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of fluid passages (5.1, 5.2, 5.3; 6.1, 6.2) in said at least one inlet strut (4). ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The inlet connection piece according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of fluid passages (6.1, 6.2) is formed in a first inlet strut (4) and a different quantity of fluid passages (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) is formed in a second inlet strut (4). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid passage (5) extends substantially in a straight line so that said fluid passage forms the same acute angle with a normal plane relative to a longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The inlet connection piece according to claim 6, wherein the angle formed by said fluid passage (5) extending substantially in a straight line with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece is in the range of 10° to 40°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one fluid passage (6) has a bent shape so that at least a portion (8) of said fluid passage forms an acute angle with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of said inlet connection piece. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The inlet connection piece according to claim 8, wherein said angle formed by said portion (8) of said fluid passage (6) with a bent shape with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece is in the range of 60° to 80°. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, additionally comprising a common portion (8) communicating with the interior of the bearing housing (2), and wherein at least two fluid passages (6.1, 6.2) open into said common portion (8). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, additionally comprising a fluid passage formed for one of supplying and removing lubricant to or from said bearing (3). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said fluid passage (5, 6) opens into said bearing housing (2) in said bearing (3). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said at least one inlet strut has an area center and a radial axis and wherein at least portions of said radial axis through said area centers of said at least one inlet strut form an acute angle with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece. ### Claim 14 (depends on 6) The inlet connection piece according to claim 6, wherein said angle formed by said fluid passage (5) extending substantially in a straight line with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece is in the range of 20° to 30°. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The inlet connection piece according to claim 8, wherein said angle formed by said portion (8) of said fluid passage (6) with a bent shape with a normal plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece is in the range of 65° to 75°. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The inlet connection piece according to claim 1, wherein said fluid passage (5, 6) opens into said bearing housing (2) in the vicinity of said bearing (3). ### Claim 17 An axial compressor comprising an inlet connection piece comprising: an inlet housing (1); a bearing housing (2) disposed in said inlet housing (1), both said bearing housing and said inlet housing defining a main fluid passage for a main fluid flow to be compressed in a fluid flow direction; an axial bearing (3) for a rotor of the axial compressor, said bearing disposed in said bearing housing in a flow direction of the fluid to be compressed, said bearing having a center (3a) and being the first bearing in said fluid flow direction; at least one inlet strut (4) formed as a single body, non-rotatably connected to said inlet housing (1) in a front cross-section having a center and a chord length; said inlet strut directly connecting said bearing housing (2) to said inlet housing (1) in the main fluid passage; and wherein (a) said center (3a) of said bearing (3) in the flow direction is arranged axially within said cord length of said inlet strut and behind said center of said front cross-section by one of at least 0.1-times, at least 0.15-times, at least 0.2-times and at least 0.25-times said chord length of said front section of said inlet strut; and (b) said at least one inlet strut (4) comprising within said at least one fluid passage (5, 6) defined in and extending through said single body inlet strut, at least a portion of said fluid passage forming an acute angle with a normal plane relative to a longitudinal axis of the inlet connection piece.