Turbocharger Turbine Nozzle Width for Whirl-Aware Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for designing turbine housings for turbochargers do not effectively optimize turbine stage efficiency, which is dependent on the width of the turbine nozzle and the whirl angle induced by the volutes, leading to suboptimal performance across varying operating conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine the width of the turbine nozzle based on a newly defined effective nozzle area, which considers the relationship between turbine stage efficiency, the geometric area of the nozzle, and the whirl angle, optimizing the performance by adjusting the nozzle width to achieve a target effective nozzle area ratio with the wheel throat area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the turbine nozzle width is increased to improve turbine stage efficiency, then the effective nozzle area increases and efficiency improves, but the whirl angle induced by the volutes changes which may negatively impact performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a new design parameter 'effective nozzle area' that combines nozzle width and whirl angle into a single optimized parameter. By defining effective nozzle area as the product of nozzle width and cosine of whirl angle, the invention transforms two interdependent parameters into one unified parameter that can be directly optimized for turbine stage efficiency across varying operating conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine comprises a turbine wheel for rotation within a turbine housing, the turbine housing including at least one volute arranged to deliver a fluid to the turbine wheel via the turbine nozzle. A method for determining a width of a turbine nozzle for the turbine, comprises selecting from a relationship between a turbine stage efficiency and an effective nozzle area, at least one target effective nozzle area. As used here, the effective nozzle area is dependent on both the width of the turbine nozzle and a whirl angle induced by the at least one volute. The method further comprises determining, in dependence on the whirl angle, the width of the turbine nozzle as a width that will achieve the at least one target effective nozzle area.