Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Mark D Moeckel

Frank G Gerke

John Ray Gladden

James John Callas

Richard A Cemenska

John R Barrett

Delbert L Kramer

Philip H Schneider

Donald J Waldman

Beth A Hinchee

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine, is provided with a turbine including a rotatable turbine shaft, a turbine wheel carried by the turbine shaft, and a drive gear carried by the turbine shaft. A first compressor includes a rotatable first compressor shaft, a first compressor wheel carried by the first compressor shaft, and a first driven gear carried by the first compressor shaft. The first driven gear is operatively engaged with and driven by the drive gear. The turbocharger has a compact arrangement, and allows for optimization of compressor wheel operating speeds, including in a turbocharger having multiple compression stages.

Separate shaft turbocharger

A variable geometry nozzle suitable for a radial turbine in a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine. The turbine inlet, turbine outlet or both include a vane assembly having a housing and an adjustable cartridge movable in the housing. Each cartridge has vanes having a plurality of vane sections. Each vane section provides a vane geometry different than the vane geometries of the other vane sections.

Variable geometry nozzle for radial turbines

An electrical preheater for a turbine inlet of a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine. An electric motor/generator is drivingly coupled to the turbocharger, and electrically connected to a storage device. The electrical preheater is powered by the storage device to heat a stream of exhaust gases entering the turbocharger turbine from the engine exhaust manifold. The preheater provides an additional control of the turbocharger performance.

Turbocharger electric preheater for exhaust gases with integrated generator and storage device

An integrated cooling system for a turbocharger, suitable for an internal combustion engine. A cooling air shroud surrounds a portion of an interstage duct in a two-stage turbocharger, and may also surround a part of the outlet from the turbocharger. A fan on a turbocharger shaft is driven by the turbocharger turbine to draw air into the cooling air shroud, and pass the cooling air in heat exchange relationship with compressed air flowing through the turbocharger. The fan may also be used to precompress air compressed in the turbocharger.

Integrated turbocharger fan intercooler with partial isothermal compression

A turbocharger for an internal combustion engine is provided with a compressor having an inlet receiving combustion gas and an outlet; and a turbine drivingly coupled to the compressor. The turbine has a shaft and a turbine wheel disposed on the shaft. The turbine wheel has a plurality of turbine blades and an edge defining a plurality of scallops. Scallop fillers are disposed between the turbine blades. Advantages of a scalloped turbine wheel, resulting from reductions in mass, are achieved without reductions in efficiency normally experienced with scalloped turbine wheels.

Turbocharger including a disk to reduce scalloping inefficiencies

An integrated cooling system for a turbocharger, suitable for an internal combustion engine. A cooling air shroud includes a cooling air inlet and a cooling air outlet. A flow inducer is associated with the cooling air outlet to draw air into the cooling air shroud, and pass the cooling air in heat exchange relationship with compressed air flowing through the turbocharger.

Integrated turbocharger ejector intercooler with partial isothermal compression

An apparatus and method are provided for cleaning exhaust particulate from a contaminated vehicle exhaust gas filter. Regeneration gases, oxygen content, and input heat are controlled in order to efficiently control the heat of regeneration.

Apparatus and method for removing particulate from an exhaust gas filter

Heat recovery systems are useful, for example, in vehicles that generate large amounts of heat energy during operation. The heat energy is used to drive a dual pressure turbine for producing useful work. In order to fully utilize the great majority of the heat energy produced, the engine exhaust is used to convert a fluid to a gas and superheat the gas to a preselected temperature at a preselected pressure. A first stage of the dual pressure turbine receives the superheated gas and directs the gas at a supersonic velocity against the blades of the rotor. The gas exiting the first stage and the superheated gas at a lower preselected temperature is controllably and substantially separately directed to a second stage at substantially the same velocity. This heat recovery system fully utilizes the heat energy generated by the engine and substantially eliminates the sooting and the formation of oxides within the exhaust system. The dual pressure turbine effectively utilizes the superheated gases to produce useful work at a high system efficiency.

Heat recovery system including a dual pressure turbine

Heat recovery systems are useful, for example, in vehicles that generate large amounts of heat energy during operation. The heat energy is used to drive a turbine that produces useful work. In order to fully utilize the great majority of the heat energy produced, the engine exhaust is used to convert a fluid to a gas and superheat the gas to a preselected temperature at a preselected pressure. If the fluid entering the heat exchanger in the exhaust system is to cool, soot collects on the heat exchanger thus greatly reducing system efficiency. Also various oxides precipitate out of the exhaust and chemical attack the elements in the exhaust system. The present heat recovery system utilizes the heat energy from the oil cooling system to preheat all of the fluid before it reaches the exhaust system. Furthermore, the heat energy from the jacket water of the engine is used to convert a portion of the preheated fluid to a gas. The system converts the remaining portion of fluid to a gas and superheats the gas to a higher preselected temperature. A first stage of a dual pressure turbine receives the superheated gas and directs the gas at a supersonic velocity against the blades of the rotor. The gas exiting the first stage and the superheated gas at a lower preselected temperature is controllably and substantially separately directed to a second stage at substantially the same velocity.

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Mark D Moeckel