Turbine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015016963-A1
Application number	US-201414327659-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	Jan 15, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbine comprises a turbine housing defining a turbine inlet upstream of a turbine wheel and a turbine outlet downstream of the turbine wheel; a wastegate passage connecting the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet; and a wastegate valve comprising a movable valve member. The wastegate valve has an open state and a closed state. The valve member is mounted to an actuation member passing through an actuator conduit of the turbine housing, and movable so as to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states. The turbine further comprises a sealing arrangement configured to provide a seal arranged to substantially prevent gas from passing from the turbine outlet into the actuator conduit. The sealing arrangement is configured such that when the valve member is urged into the closed state by the actuator member the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement is increased.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbine comprising:
a turbine housing defining a turbine inlet upstream of a turbine wheel and a turbine outlet downstream of the turbine wheel; a wastegate passage connecting the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet; a wastegate valve comprising a movable valve member; the wastegate valve having an open state in which gas may pass between the turbine inlet and turbine outlet via the wastegate passage and a closed state in which the valve member substantially prevents gas from passing between the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet via the wastegate passage; and wherein the valve member is coupled to an actuation member, the actuation member passing through an actuator conduit of the turbine housing, and being movable so as to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states; the turbine further comprising a sealing arrangement having a seal arranged to substantially prevent gas from passing from the turbine outlet into the actuator conduit; wherein the sealing arrangement is configured such that when the valve member of the wastegate valve is urged into the closed state by the actuator member sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement is increased.

2 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the wastegate valve further comprises a valve seat, the valve member contacting the valve seat when the wastegate valve is in the closed state; wherein the actuation member has a longitudinal axis; and wherein the valve seat is angled relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured such that when the actuation member urges the valve member of the wastegate valve into the closed state, the valve seat imparts a force on the valve member which urges the valve member in a first substantially axial direction, and wherein the sealing arrangement is configured such that the urging of the valve member in the first substantially axial direction increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

3 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a surface configured such that, in use, when the wastegate valve is in said open state, gas which passes through the wastegate passage is incident on said surface of the valve member, and wherein the sealing arrangement and valve member are configured such that gas incident on said surface applies a force to the valve member which increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

4 . The turbine according to claim 3 , wherein the actuation member has a longitudinal axis and wherein a normal to said surface is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuation member; and the valve member further being configured such that, in use, when the wastegate valve is in said open state, gas which passes through the wastegate passage is incident on said surface of the valve member, the gas incident on said surface applying a force to the valve member which urges the valve member in a first substantially axial direction which increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

5 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the actuation member rotates in order to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states.

6 . The turbine according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator rotates about its longitudinal axis in order to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states.

7 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the valve member is mounted to the actuation member such that the valve member is located on a first side of the actuator conduit, and a portion of the actuation member is mechanically linked to one of an actuator and a linkage linked to an actuator, wherein the portion of the actuation member is located on a second side of the actuator conduit.

8 . The turbine according to claim 4 , wherein the sealing arrangement is configured such that the urging of the actuation member in the first substantially axial direction compresses the seal.

9 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is disposed upon the actuation member.

10 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is sandwiched between the valve member and the turbine housing.

11 . The turbine according to claim 1 , wherein the turbine further comprises a bush, the bush being received by the actuator conduit and the actuation member passing through the bush, and wherein the seal is sandwiched between the valve member and the bush.

12 . A turbocharger, comprising:
a turbine having a housing defining a turbine inlet upstream of a turbine wheel and a turbine outlet downstream of the turbine wheel; a wastegate passage connecting the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet; a wastegate valve comprising a movable valve member; the wastegate valve having an open state in which gas may pass between the turbine inlet and turbine outlet via the wastegate passage and a closed state in which the valve member substantially prevents gas from passing between the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet via the wastegate passage; an actuation member coupled to the valve member and passing through an actuator conduit of the turbine housing, and being movable so as to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states; and a sealing arrangement having a seal arranged to substantially prevent gas from passing from the turbine outlet into the actuator conduit; wherein the sealing arrangement is configured such that when the valve member of the wastegate valve is urged into the closed state by the actuator member sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement is increased.

13 . The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the wastegate valve further comprises a valve seat, the valve member contacting the valve seat when the wastegate valve is in the closed state; wherein the actuation member has a longitudinal axis; and
wherein the valve seat is angled relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured such that when the actuation member urges the valve member of the wastegate valve into the closed state, the valve seat imparts a force on the valve member which urges the valve member in a first substantially axial direction, and wherein the sealing arrangement is configured such that the urging of the valve member in the first substantially axial direction increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

14 . The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the valve member comprises a surface oriented such that, when the wastegate valve is in said open state, gas which passes through the wastegate passage is incident on said surface of the valve member, and wherein the sealing arrangement and valve member are configured such that gas incident on said surface applies a force to the valve member which increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

15 . The turbocharger according to claim 14 , wherein the actuation member has a longitudinal axis and wherein a normal to said surface is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the actuation member; and the valve member further being configured such that, in use, when the wastegate valve is in said open state, gas which passes through the wastegate passage is incident on said surface of the valve member, the gas incident on said surface applying a force to the valve member which urges the valve member in a first substantially axial direction which increases the sealing effectiveness of the sealing arrangement.

16 . The turbocharger according to claim 12 , wherein the actuation member rotates in order to move the wastegate valve between the open and closed states.

Assignees

• Cummins Ltd

Inventors

• Mcewen James Alexander

Classifications

• F02B37/183

  Arrangements of bypass valves or actuators therefor · CPC title

• F02B37/186 Primary

  Arrangements of actuators or linkage for bypass valves · CPC title

• F01D17/105

  by passing part of the fluid · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title