Turbocharger Turbine Housing Containment Ring Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Turbochargers face challenges in containing turbine wheel failures due to material limitations, wear, and debris, leading to increased weight, volume, and cost, as existing solutions rely on massive housings that are not optimal for containment during failure events.
Innovation Solution
A turbine assembly with a turbine housing that includes an exhaust diffuser, a support member, and a clamp assembly featuring a containment ring and clamp plate, which directs exhaust flow and secures the containment ring between the diffuser and support member using fasteners, creating gaps to manage energy dissipation and containment during failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If massive housings are used to contain turbine wheel failure, then containment reliability is improved, but weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple components: a primary housing, a removable containment ring, and a support member. This segmentation allows the containment function to be isolated in a separate, replaceable component rather than requiring the entire housing to be massive and permanent.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment ring is positioned specifically at the critical location where turbine wheel fragments are most likely to escape. By concentrating the enhanced containment capability only where needed rather than throughout the entire housing, the design achieves reliable containment without unnecessarily increasing overall weight.
2Reliability
If massive housings are used to contain turbine wheel failure, then containment reliability is improved, but volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into a primary housing volume and a separate containment ring volume. The containment ring can be removed and replaced independently, allowing the primary housing to maintain a compact volume while the containment function is provided by the separate ring component.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment ring provides enhanced containment volume only in the specific region where turbine fragments are generated and most likely to escape. This localized approach prevents the entire housing from requiring excessive volume, maintaining compact overall dimensions while providing adequate containment space.
3Reliability
If massive housings are used to contain turbine wheel failure, then containment reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a primary housing and a separate containment ring that can be manufactured independently using different processes and materials optimized for each component's specific function, potentially reducing overall manufacturing cost compared to a monolithic massive housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment ring can be manufactured from specialized high-strength materials only in the specific regions where containment capability is needed, rather than requiring the entire housing to be made from expensive heavy-duty materials, thereby reducing overall material costs.
4Reliability
If clamp assembly with containment ring is used, then containment efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp assembly is segmented into distinct components: clamp plates, fasteners, and the containment ring itself. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and facilitates easier assembly and disassembly compared to a monolithic housing design, potentially offsetting the increased number of parts through improved maintainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp assembly provides a dynamic, adjustable containment solution where the clamp plates can be positioned at different locations and the containment ring can be removed and replaced as needed. This flexibility allows the system to adapt to different turbine wheel sizes and failure modes without requiring a completely different housing design for each application.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine assembly for a turbocharger and method of assembling is disclosed. The turbine assembly may comprise a turbine wheel coupled to a rotatable turbocharger shaft, and a turbine housing that at least partially encloses the turbine wheel. The turbine housing may include an exhaust diffuser configured to direct a flow of exhaust, a support member coupled to the exhaust diffuser by a clamp assembly, the clamp assembly, a diffuser gap and a support gap. The clamp assembly may be disposed on the exhaust diffuser and on the support member. The clamp assembly includes a containment ring and a clamp plate. The containment ring may include a channel. The clamp plate may be disposed in the channel. The diffuser gap may be disposed between the containment ring and the exhaust diffuser. The support gap may be disposed between the containment ring and the support member.