Extended wheel tip and back-disk cavity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560176-B1
Application number	US-202519034779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2025
Priority date	Jan 23, 2025
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A compressor having a housing along with a wheel including a hub and a plurality of impellers defining flow channels is disclosed. The hub forms a flow surface that defines a concave surface-curve from an inducer end to an inflection point, and a convex surface from the inflection point to an exducer end of the flow surface. The hub forms a back-disk surface including a circumferential edge-channel inset from and surrounding a central portion. The housing includes a conical inner-diffuser wall surrounding a circular inset wall. The central portion of the back-disk surface is received by the conical inner-diffuser wall, while the exducer end of the flow surface extends radially outward to be axially over an inner portion of the inner-diffuser wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A compressor wheel configured to compress a fluid, the compressor wheel comprising:
a hub defining an axis-of-rotation, the hub forming a flow surface extending from an inducer end to an exducer end of the flow surface, the flow surface facing in a first axial direction, and the hub forming a back-disk surface facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, wherein the flow surface, taken meridionally, defines a surface-curve from the inducer end to the exducer end of the flow surface; a plurality of impellers extending from the flow surface; and wherein the surface-curve establishes a concave curvature from the inducer end to an identifiable inflection point; and wherein the surface-curve smoothly transitions to and establishes a non-concave curvature from the inflection point to the exducer end; wherein the back-disk surface includes a central portion concentric with the axis-of-rotation, and wherein the back-disk surface includes a circumferential edge-channel insert from, and concentrically surrounding, the central portion.

2 . The compressor wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the surface-curve establishes a smooth transition from the concave curvature to the non-concave curvature at the inflection point.

3 . The compressor wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the surface-curve establishes a convex curvature from the inflection point to the exducer end.

4 . The compressor wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the hub forms a radially pointed tip at the exducer end.

5 . The compressor wheel according to claim 1 , wherein:
the back-disk surface includes a central portion concentric with the axis-of-rotation; and the back-disk surface includes a circumferential edge-channel inset from, and concentrically surrounding, the central portion.

6 . The compressor wheel according to claim 5 , wherein the edge-channel has a conical bottom that connects to the exducer end of the flow surface.

7 . The compressor wheel according to claim 6 , wherein the edge-channel has a side wall smoothly transitioning the conical bottom to an outer edge of the central portion.

8 . The compressor wheel according to claim 6 , wherein the hub forms a radially pointed tip at the exducer end.

9 . The compressor wheel according to claim 6 , wherein the hub forms an outer cylindrical surface at the exducer end.

10 . A compressor, comprising:
a hub defining an axis-of-rotation, the hub forming a flow surface extending from an inducer end to an exducer end of the flow surface, the flow surface facing in a first axial direction, and the hub forming a back-disk surface facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, wherein the flow surface, taken meridionally, defines a surface-curve from the inducer end to the exducer end of the flow surface; a plurality of impellers extending from the flow surface; a housing configured to mount the compressor wheel for rotation within the housing and around the axis-of-rotation; and wherein the surface-curve establishes a concave curvature from the inducer end to an identifiable inflection point; and wherein the surface-curve smoothly transitions to and establishes a non-concave curvature from the inflection point to the exducer end; wherein the back-disk surface includes a central portion concentric with the axis-of-rotation; and wherein the back-disk surface includes a circumferential edge-channel inset from, and concentrically surrounding, the central portion.

11 . The compressor according to claim 10 , wherein:
the housing forms a compressor wall normal to the axis-of-rotation; the compressor wall forms a circular inset wall concentrically surrounding the axis-of-rotation, and an inner-diffuser wall concentrically surrounding the circular inset wall; the circular inset wall is sized to receive the central-portion with a clearance gap therebetween; the inner-diffuser wall extends radially outward from the circular inset wall; and the exducer end of the flow surface extends radially outward to be axially over an inner portion of the inner-diffuser wall.

12 . The compressor according to claim 11 , wherein:
the inner-diffuser wall forms a conical inset concentric with the axis-of-rotation and surrounding the circular inset wall, and the inner-diffuser is characterized by an inner-diffuser-wall conical angle; the edge-channel has a conical bottom that connects to the exducer end of the flow surface, and the edge-channel is characterized by an edge-channel conical angle; and the inner-diffuser-wall conical angle matches the edge-channel conical angle and is conformingly spaced apart.

13 . The compressor according to claim 12 , wherein:
the inner-diffuser wall forms a conical inset concentric with the axis-of-rotation and surrounding the circular inset wall, and that is characterized by an inner-diffuser-wall conical angle; the edge-channel has a conical bottom that connects to the exducer end of the flow surface, and that is characterized by an edge-channel conical angle; and the inner-diffuser-wall conical angle matches the edge-channel conical angle and is conformingly spaced apart.

14 . The compressor according to claim 13 , wherein the hub forms a radially pointed tip at the exducer end.

15 . The compressor according to claim 14 , wherein:
the compressor wall forms an outer-diffuser wall concentrically surrounding the inner-diffuser wall; the inner-diffuser wall forms a conical inset concentric with the axis-of-rotation and surrounding the circular inset wall, the inner-diffuser wall connecting the circular inset wall to the outer-diffuser wall; and the outer-diffuser wall axially aligns with the inflection point of the flow surface.

16 . A turbocharger, comprising:
a hub defining an axis-of-rotation, the hub forming a flow surface extending from an inducer end to an exducer end of the flow surface, the flow surface facing in a first axial direction, and the hub forming a back-disk surface facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, wherein the flow surface, taken meridionally, defines a surface-curve from the inducer end to the exducer end of the flow surface; a plurality of impellers extending from the flow surface; a housing configured to mount a compressor wheel for rotation within the housing and around the axis-of-rotation; a turbine connected to drive the compressor wheel in rotation; and wherein the surface-curve establishes a concave curvature from the inducer end to an identifiable inflection point; wherein the surface-curve smoothly to and establishes a non-concave curvature from the inflection point to the exducer end; wherein the back-disk surface includes a central portion concentric with the axis-of-rotation; and wherein the back-disk surface includes a circumferential edge-channel inset from, and concentrically surrounding, the central portion.

17 . The turbocharger according to claim 16 , wherein:
the compressor wheel is configured to compress a fluid the compressor wheel comprises a hub defining an axis-of-rotation, the hub forming a flow surface extending from an inducer end to an exducer end of the flow surface, the flow surface facing in a first axial direction, and the hub forming a back-disk surface facing in a second axial direction opposite the first axial direction, wherein the flow surface, taken meridionally, defines a surface-curve from the inducer end to the exducer end of the flow surface; and a plurality of impellers extending from the flow surface; and th

Assignees

• Garrett Transportation I Inc

Inventors

• Yin Junfei
• Zhang Daniel

Classifications

• F04D17/10

  for compressing or evacuating · CPC title

• F04D29/30

  Vanes · CPC title

• F04D29/2266

  for sealing or thrust balance (F04D29/04 and F04D29/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02B37/00

  Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust · CPC title

• F05D2220/20

  within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes · CPC title