Cummins Inc.

Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited

Matthew J Purdey

Christopher Parry

George E Sandford

Richard Goodyear

James Alexander Mcewen

Martin Selway

Thomas Roberts

Lee J Curtis

Donald E Willey

Robin Daniels

Henry David Lambton Carr

Yao Lu

Fahim Ismail Patel

Mohammed Hanif Khan

Lisa Jane Hill

Chris Witkowski

Levinia Mathews

Thomas Hulson

Dave Lee

Kevin Franks

Jonathan Wilson

Matthew Whittlesea

Stephen Caddy

Lee Curtis

A two-part wastegate valve member assembly comprises a support member and a valve member. The support member defines an aperture. The valve member comprises a central portion extending through the aperture and two opposed end portions disposed on opposite sides of the aperture. Each of the two end portions has dimensions such that the valve member is held captive by the support member. The central portion and two opposed end portions of the valve member are integrally formed. A method for forming the two-part wastegate valve member assembly comprises casting a single manufacturing intermediate and subsequently processing the manufacturing intermediate so as to form the two-part assembly.

Two-part valvue member assembly

A seal system for a bearing chamber () of a turbomachine includes the baffle element () encircling the axis () of the machine. The baffle element is formed with front surface including both a recess () which defines a circumferentially-extending oil-receiving channel (), and an oil-deflecting surface () on a gutter (). The channel decreases in cross-sectional area close to the oil-deflecting surface, and a circular line which is within the channel distant from the gutter, intersects with the oil-deflection surface. This forces the oil to change direction at the gutter, and urges the oil radially outward. Thus, a high rotational velocity of the body of oil may be maintained, whilst improving the drainage efficiency of the seal system at the gutter.

Compressor seal system

There is provided a seal assembly comprising: a first component and a second component spaced apart from the first component so as to define a passage for the transfer of fluid from an inlet of the seal assembly to an outlet of the seal assembly, wherein the first component comprises a concavity at least partially defining the passage, and wherein no part of the second component extends into the portion of the passage bounded by the concavity.

Seal assembly

A seal system for a bearing chamber of a turbomachine includes a baffle element encircling the axis of the machine. The baffle element is formed with front surface including a plurality of gutter surfaces which are angularly spaced about the rotational axis. The seal system can thus be mounted in any one of a plurality of orientations with respect to the direction of gravity, such that in any of the orientations one of the gutter surfaces is directed downwardly.

Baffle element, diffuser plate, and seal system incorporating a baffle element and a diffuser plate

A seal assembly for use in a turbomachine, the seal assembly comprising an oil seal plate; a rotatable component which defines a central axis and is received in a central aperture of the oil seal plate; and an annular seal which comprises a base and a sealing portion, the base being held by the rotatable component; wherein the sealing portion is configured to form a seal with the oil seal plate when the rotatable component and annular seal are rotating below a predetermined rotational speed; and wherein the sealing portion is configured to move radially outwards with respect to the central axis such that the sealing portion loses contact with the oil seal plate when the rotatable component and annular seal are rotating above the predetermined rotational speed.

A turbine comprises a turbine housing defining a turbine inlet upstream of a turbine wheel and a turbine outlet downstream of the turbine wheel; and a wastegate valve assembly comprising at least one movable valve member mounted on a movable support member within a wastegate chamber which communicates with the turbine inlet upstream of the turbine, and has one or more chamber outlets which communicate with an outlet of the turbine. The valve member is permitted to articulate slightly about the support member, with the amount of articulation in respective directions being limited by collisions between a respective limit point on a limit area on a rear surface of a sealing portion of the valve member and a respective limit point on limit area on a front surface of the support member.

Wastegate for turbine

A turbine comprises a turbine housing defining a turbine inlet upstream of a turbine wheel and a turbine outlet downstream of the turbine wheel; and a wastegate valve assembly comprising at least one movable valve member mounted on a movable support member within a wastegate chamber which communicates with the turbine inlet upstream of the turbine, and has one or more chamber outlets which communicate with an outlet of the turbine. The valve member is permitted to articulate slightly about the support member, with the amount of articulation being limited by collisions between respective limit areas on a rear surface of a sealing portion of the valve member and a front surface of the support member. Each valve member is connected to the support member using a pin portion of the valve member which passes through a washer with a non-circular outer profile, and rotation of the washer is limited by contact surfaces of the support member.

Wastegate assembly or turbine

A rotating machine comprising such as an axial power turbine or a turbocharger has a housing with a bearing cavity and a chamber separated by a first wall. A shaft is rotatable about an axis in the bearing cavity, extends through an opening in the first wall and is mounted for rotation on a bearing assembly provided in the bearing cavity. An oil sealing arrangement including an oil diffuser device is arranged on the shaft for displacing oil away from the shaft as it rotates. This restricts the flow of oil to the opening. The oil diffuser device defines a diffuser passage between the bearing assembly and the first wall, the passage extending outwardly of the axis.

Rotating machine with shaft sealing arrangement

A turbocharger bearing housing defines a bore in which the turbocharger shaft is mounted for rotation in journal bearings. Lubricating oil is delivered to the journal bearings and a residue is retained in reservoirs in which the journal bearings are located. Two fluid retaining members are disposed around the shaft, each forming a wall of the reservoir and being sealed to the bearing housing. The lubricating fluid reservoir is provided between the fluid retaining members to a depth that at least partially immerses the journal bearings even when the oil supply is interrupted. This ensures that there is sufficient oil to lubricate the bearings at engine start-up, thereby reducing the risk of wear.

Turbocharger bearing assembly and lubrication thereof

A hydraulic seal is defined between a rotating member such as a turbocharger shaft and a stationary member such as part of a bearing housing of a turbocharger. The members define a projecting annular disc that is received in an annular channel that is filled with hydraulic sealing fluid such as oil. Rotation of the rotary member applies a centrifugal force to the fluid thereby ensuring that it is retained in the channel between walls thereof and the disc. This annulus of fluid provides a hydraulic seal around the shaft between the bearing housing and the compressor or turbine housing. The oil is delivered into the channel from a supply in the rotary member. One of the walls of the channel serves as a weir whereby when the channel has an excess supply of oil is overflows the wall and passes the drain. The arrangement provides an effective seal against blow-by across the turbine end seal and restricts gas flow from the relatively high pressure regions of the compressor and turbine housings into the relatively low pressure area of the bearing housing. It also ensures that there is a continuous flow of oil across the seal so as to prevent it degrading in the high temperature environment.

Hydraulic seal for a turbocharger

A turbocharger has a sealing arrangement between the turbocharger shaft and the bearing housing adjacent to the turbine and/or the compressor housings to restrict leaking of gas into the bearing housing. At least a pair of spaced sealing rings project from an annular surface of the bearing housing into corresponding annular recesses formed on the shaft. The trailing face of the second ring or the opposite surface of the recess has a plurality of radial grooves that define leak passages that serve to maintain a very small flow of gas from the turbine or compressor housing into the bearing housing. Alternatively there is a slot in the second ring to provide the leak passage. This ensures that there is a minimum gas flow so that a large pressure gradient is not applied across the second seal thereby avoiding wear, overheating and collapse of the ring.

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Huddersfield, United Kingdom

Matthew J Purdey