Compressor wheel

Abstract

Compressor wheel (16) and techniques for manufacturing such a wheel are provided. The wheel may include a hub (21) with a counterbore (36) internally treated to impart residual compressive stresses, for enhanced endurance to stress-induced fatigue. The surface treatment allows extending the counterbore relatively closer to a plane (30) of typical maximum stress of the wheel. This design flexibility advantageously allows avoiding or reducing overhang of the compressor wheel, thereby improving rotor dynamics and reducing the axial length of the hub, and the overall foot print of the compressor wheel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates generally to compressor wheels or impellers as may be used in a turbocharger, supercharger, and the like. [0002] Locomotives equipped with internal combustion engines, e.g., diesel engines, designed to meet stringent emissions regulations may require relatively high air flow rates and high manifold pressures, as may be provided by a turbocharger, to meet air quality targets while maximizing fuel economy and reliability. The high boost ratios, typically 3.8 or higher, may require high tip speeds on a turbocharger compressor wheel, which may lead to high levels of tensile stress in a bore area and shortened wheel life due to low cycle fatigue. It is known that compressor wheels have used a through bore that extends through the center of the wheel along a rotation axis, and where the wheel may be securely mounted onto a shaft with a locking nut. [0003] It is further known that so called boreless compressor wheels are able to rot...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] Aspects of the present invention propose to improve compressor life by using a hub with a counterbore including a base surface treated to impart residual compressive stresses for enhanced endurance to stress-induced fatigue. The surface treatment allows extending the counterbore relatively closer to a plane indicative of typical maximum stress. This design flexibility advantageously allows avoiding or reducing overhang of the compressor wheel, thereby improving rotor dynamics and reducing the axial length of the hub, and the overall foot print of the compressor wheel and turbocharger.

[0006] Generally, the present invention fulfills the foregoing needs by providing in one aspect thereof, a method of manufacturing a compressor wheel. The method allows providing a hub extension of the compressor wheel that defines a counterbore. The method further allows imparting residual compressive stresses to a base surface of the counterbore.

Problems solved by technology

The high boost ratios, typically 3.8 or higher, may require high tip speeds on a turbocharger compressor wheel, which may lead to high levels of tensile stress in a bore area and shortened wheel life due to low cycle fatigue.

Since the length of the shaft / threaded interface is generally constant for any given application, the foregoing arrangement (that causes the designer to position such an interface away from the high stress plane) may result in excessive overhang of the compressor wheel.

This detrimentally affects rotor dynamics and increases the axial length of the hub extension, thus increasing the overall footprint of the compressor wheel and turbocharger.

Images