Cooling Of Rotor And Stator Components Of A Turbocharger Using Additively Manufactured Component-Internal Cooling Passages

Abstract

A turbocharger includes a turbine and a compressor, each of which includes a rotor and a stator. At least one of the respective rotors and/or stators includes at least one interior flow passage at least partly or completely surrounded by a wall that provides cooling. The respective rotor and/or stator having the at least one flow passage is at least partly produced by additive manufacturing.

Claims

1. A turbocharger (1), comprising a turbine (2) and a compressor (3), each of the turbine (2) and the compressor (3) comprising a rotor (21, 31) and a stator (22, 32), wherein at least one of the respective rotors (21,31) and/or stators (22/32) comprises at least one interior flow passage (4), the at least one interior flow passage being at least partly or completely surrounded by a wall (14) that provides cooling, and wherein the respective rotor (21, 31) and/or stator (22, 32) comprising the at least one flow passage (4) is at least partly produced by additive manufacturing.

2. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flow passage (4) and/or the wall (14) surrounding the respective flow passage (4) is produced entirely by additive manufacturing.

3. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the respective flow passage (4) follows a course comprising a multiplicity of flow-directional changes.

4. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the respective flow passage (4) follows a course near the wall at least in certain sections in the wall (14) at least partly or completely surrounding the flow passage (4) within the respective rotor (21, 31) and/or stator (22, 32).

5. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotor (21) of the turbine (2) comprises a turbine hub (5) and at least one turbine blade (6), wherein the flow passage (4) runs within the turbine hub (5) at least axially and within the turbine blade (6).

6. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the rotor (31) of the compressor (3) comprises a compressor wheel (7) and at least one compressor blade (8), wherein the flow passage (4) runs within the compressor wheel (7) and the at least one compressor blade (8).

7. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the turbocharger (1) comprises a housing (9), wherein the flow passage (4) runs within the housing (9) and the housing (9) is produced at least partly or completely by additive manufacturing.

8. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flow passage (4) comprises an inlet (10), which forms an opening (11) configured to receive a cooling fluid into the flow passage (4), and an outlet (12), which forms an opening (13) configured to let the cooling fluid out of the flow passage (4).

9. The turbocharger (1) according to claim 8, wherein the inlet (10) and the outlet (12) comprise a multiplicity of openings (11, 13) into the flow passage (4), which are arranged spaced apart from one another.

10. A method for producing a turbocharger (1) according to claim 1, wherein the respective rotor (21, 31) or stator (22, 32) comprising the interior flow passage (4) for forming the corresponding flow passage (4) is produced by additive manufacture by a 3D printing method.

11. The method for producing a turbocharger (1) according to claim 10, further comprising a housing (9), wherein the housing (9) is produced by additive manufacture by 3D printing.

12. The method for producing a turbocharger (1) according to claim 11, wherein the respective flow passage (4) of the rotor (21, 31), of the stator (22, 32) or of the housing (9) is formed by a multiplicity of flow passage sections with different flow direction dependent on the required cooling capacity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the drawings:

[0018] Other advantageous further developments of the invention are shown in more detail by way of the figures together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a turbocharger;

[0020] FIG. 1B is a sectional view of a rotor with additively cooling air conduction into the turbine;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a rotor with additively manufactured cooling air conduction into the compressor;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stator of an axial turbine with additively manufactured cooling air conduction; and

[0023] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a turbocharger housing with additively manufactured cooling air conduction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a turbocharger 1 having a turbine 2 and a compressor 3.

[0025] FIG. 1B is a sectional view of a rotor 21 of a turbine 2 with an additively manufactured flow passage 4 into the turbine 2 is shown. Here, the interior flow passage 4 is completely surrounded by a wall 14. Both the flow passage 4 and also the wall 14 are completely produced by additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the rotor 21 of the turbine 2 comprises a turbine hub 5 and a multiplicity of turbine blades 6.

[0026] The flow passage 4 shown in FIG. 1B follows a complex course comprising multiple flow directional changes. In the region of the turbine hub 5, this flow passage 4 forms an inlet 10 with a corresponding opening 11 for receiving a cooling fluid into the flow passage 4. From this opening 11, the flow passage 4 initially runs radially in the direction of a center axis of the rotor 21 and subsequently follows an arc-shaped course so that a wall 14 bounding the flow passage 4 is arranged in the region of the center axis. From this arc-shaped section, the flow passage 4 runs further within the turbine hub 5 substantially parallel to the center axis in the axial direction of the rotor 21. This section adjoins a section following an S-shaped course of the flow passage 4, which runs within the turbine blades 6, until the flow passage 4 at an edge of a turbine blade 6 comprises an outlet 12, which in turn forms an opening 13 for letting the cooling fluid out of the flow passage 4. Moreover, the flow passage 4 follows a course near a wall in certain sections on a wall 14 completely surrounding the flow passage 4 within the turbine blades 6.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a rotor 31 with additively manufactured cooling air conduction within a compressor 3, which comprises a compressor wheel 7 and multiple compressor blades 8. Here, the flow passage 4 runs within the compressor wheel 7 and at least one compressor blade 8. Emanating from an inlet 10 in the region of the compressor hub, which forms an opening 11 for receiving a cooling fluid into the flow passage 4, the flow passage 4 follows a complex course describing multiple flow-directional changes. In FIG. 2, the course of the flow passage 4 initially corresponds approximately to the geometry of the compressor blade surface, since the flow passage 4 follows a course near the wall within a wall 14 completely surrounding the flow passage 4. This section is followed by a part of the flow passage 4 which runs axially and parallel to the center axis of the rotor 31 and back to the compressor hub and subsequently describes an arc and runs to radially outside towards an outlet 12 with an opening 13 for letting the cooling fluid out of the flow passage 4.

[0028] In FIG. 3, a perspective view of a stator 32 of an axial turbine with additively manufactured cooling air conduction is shown. In an edge region of the turbine blade 6, the flow passage 4 comprises an inlet 10 on which a multiplicity of openings 11 into the flow passage 4, spaced apart from one another, for receiving a cooling fluid is arranged. Following the respective opening 11, the flow passage 4 runs in a complex manner with multiple flow-directional changes and in certain sections near the wall in a wall 14 completely surrounding the flow passage 4 within the stator 32. The flow passage 4 terminates at an outlet 12 which in turn comprises a multiplicity of openings 13 spaced apart from one another for letting the cooling fluid out of the flow passage 4.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a turbocharger having a housing 9, which comprises an additively produced cooling air conduction. Furthermore, the turbocharger comprises a compressor wheel 7 and multiple compressor blades 8. A flow passage 4 runs within the housing 9.

[0030] In its embodiment, the invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiments stated above. On the contrary, a number of versions is conceivable which make use of the shown solution even with embodiments of a fundamentally different type.

[0031] Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.