Turbocharger having balance valve, wastegate, and common actuator

Abstract

A turbocharger for a use with a combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger may have a turbine housing with a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes. The turbocharger may further have a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel, a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel, and a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves.

1 . A turbocharger, comprising:
 a turbine housing having a first volute, a second volute, and a common outlet;   a turbine wheel disposed between the common outlet and the first and second volutes;   a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute upstream of the turbine wheel;   a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel;   a common actuator configured to move the first and second valves; and   a first wall fluidly separating the first volute from the second volute, the first wall having a first port, the first valve being configured to selectively block the first port.   
     
     
         2 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second valves are configured to rotate, and the common actuator is configured to move linearly. 
     
     
         3 . The turbocharger of  claim 2 , wherein the common actuator is configured to move in a first direction by a first amount to rotate only the first valve, and the common actuator is configured to move in the first direction by a second amount to rotate both the first valve and the second valve. 
     
     
         4 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , wherein the common actuator is pneumatically operated. 
     
     
         5 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , further including a valve housing connected to the turbine housing to at least partially enclose the first and second valves, the valve housing including the first wall. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , wherein the common actuator is fixedly connected to only the first valve. 
     
     
         8 . The turbocharger of  claim 7 , further including:
 a first pivot member fixedly connecting the common actuator to the first valve;   a second pivot member fixedly connected to only the second valve; and   a link member fixedly connected to the first pivot member and including a channel configured to slidingly receive the second pivot member.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , wherein the common actuator is configured to move to permit the first valve to fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute before the second valve fluidly communicates the second volute with the common outlet. 
     
     
         11 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , wherein the first valve includes a first pivot axis, and the second valve includes a second pivot axis offset from the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The turbocharger of  claim 1 , further including:
 a second wall fluidly separating the second volute from the common outlet, the second wall having a second port,   wherein:
 the second valve is configured to selectively block the second port. 
   
     
     
         15 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method of handling exhaust from an engine having a first plurality of combustion chambers and a second plurality of combustion chambers, the method comprising:
 receiving exhaust from the first plurality of combustion chambers;   receiving exhaust from the second plurality of combustion chambers;   directing exhaust received from the first and second pluralities of combustion chambers through a turbine, the turbine including a housing having a first volute and a second volute;   moving a common actuator in a first direction by a first amount to actuate a first valve of a valve assembly to open a first port, thereby mixing exhaust received from the first plurality of combustion chambers with exhaust received from the second plurality of combustion chambers, the first port being provided in a first wall fluidly separating the first volute from the second volute; and   moving the common actuator in the first direction by a second amount to actuate a second valve of the valve assembly to open a second port, thereby allowing exhaust received from the second plurality of combustion chambers to bypass the turbine, the second port being provided in a second wall fluidly separating the second volute from a common outlet of the turbine.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including converting linear motion from a common actuator to rotation of the valve assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A power system, comprising:
 an engine having a first plurality of combustion chambers and a second plurality of combustion chambers;   a first exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from only the first plurality of combustion chambers;   a second exhaust manifold configured to receive exhaust from only the second plurality of combustion chambers;   a turbocharger having:
 a turbine housing, the turbine housing including a first volute in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, a second volute having a greater flow capacity than the first volute and being in fluid communication with the second exhaust manifold, and a common outlet, and 
 a turbine wheel configured to receive exhaust from the first and second volutes; 
   a valve assembly including:
 a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first volute with the second volute at a location upstream of the turbine wheel, and 
 a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the second volute with the common outlet to bypass the turbine wheel; 
   a single actuator configured to move the valve assembly; and   a valve housing connected to the turbine housing and at least partially enclosing the first and second valves, the valve housing including:
 a first wall member separating a first compartment fluidly communicating with the first volute from a second compartment fluidly communicating with the second volute, and 
 a second wall member separating the second compartment from the common outlet, the first valve being provided in the first compartment between the first and second walls. 
   
     
     
         21 . The power system of  claim 20 , wherein the first valve includes a first pivot axis, and the second valve includes a second pivot axis offset from the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         22 . The power system of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second wall members are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         23 . The power system of  claim 20 , wherein the first valve is disposed between the first and second wall members. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein, prior to moving the common actuator in the first direction, the first valve closes the first port and the second valve closes the second port. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second amount of movement of the common actuator is greater than the first amount of movement of the common actuator. 
     
     
         26 . The turbocharger of  claim 14 , further including a valve housing connected to the turbine housing to at least partially enclose the first and second valves, the valve housing including the first wall and the second wall.