Turbocharger Compressor Housing Remanufacturing via Asymmetrical Inlet Collar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for remanufacturing turbocharger compressor housings with symmetrical post configurations are costly and inefficient, as they require replacing the entire housing with a new one having an asymmetrical post configuration to improve performance and reduce resonance-induced stress and noise, due to the lack of viable methods for maintaining strict positional and dimensional tolerances.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the removal of symmetrical posts from the compressor housing, followed by the insertion of a cylindrical liner and a new inlet collar with radially extending posts arranged in a non-symmetrical configuration, allowing for the reconfiguration of the compressor housing without scrapping the old unit, thereby maintaining the necessary tolerances and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire compressor housing is replaced with a new unit having an asymmetrical post configuration, then performance is improved and resonance-induced stress and noise are reduced, but manufacturing cost increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet collar is separated from the compressor housing as an independent removable component, allowing it to be detached and replaced without replacing the entire housing. This segmentation enables selective replacement of only the post configuration portion, improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining performance benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing inlet collar with symmetrical posts is removed and discarded, while the main compressor housing is retained and reused. A new inlet collar with asymmetrical posts is manufactured and installed, recovering the value of the housing while updating the performance-critical inlet collar component.
2Reliability
If the entire compressor housing is replaced with a new unit having an asymmetrical post configuration, then performance is improved and resonance-induced stress and noise are reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the inlet collar from the housing, only the smaller inlet collar needs to be manufactured with the new asymmetrical post configuration, rather than manufacturing an entire new housing. This reduces material costs, machining costs, and inventory requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The expensive housing structure is recovered and reused, while only the relatively inexpensive inlet collar is replaced. This dramatically reduces manufacturing cost compared to replacing the entire housing assembly.
3Manufacturing precision
If machining operations are performed on the compressor housing to form inlet features, then proper positional and dimensional tolerances are achieved, but the process is time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet collar is pre-manufactured with all required inlet features, positional relationships, and tolerances before assembly to the housing. This preliminary manufacturing of the collar as a separate precision component eliminates the need for complex post-assembly machining operations on the housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet collar acts as an intermediary component that provides the precision inlet features, isolating the housing from direct precision machining requirements. The collar serves as a mediator between the housing and the inlet requirements, concentrating all precision work in one removable component.
4Ease of manufacture
If symmetrical posts are used in the inlet collar configuration, then manufacturing is simpler, but resonance effects and noise are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet collar posts are configured in an asymmetrical arrangement rather than a symmetrical one. This asymmetry disrupts the resonance patterns and standing waves that occur with symmetrical configurations, eliminating the harmful vibration and noise effects while the collar itself remains a simple manufactured component.
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor housing defines an inlet bore having a first inlet collar disposed therein. The inlet collar is connected to the housing with a first plurality of radially extending posts. The first plurality of posts is removed to detach the inlet collar from the housing, and the inlet collar is removed from the housing. The same or another inlet collar is concentrically located within a liner. The liner can be located at a radial distance around at least a portion of the inlet collar. The inlet collar is connected to the liner by radially inserting a second plurality of posts through the liner and into the inlet collar. An assembly of the liner containing the inlet collar is inserted into the inlet bore of the housing such that the inlet collar forms the inducer bore of the compressor housing.