Hydraulic system with modular inserts

Abstract

A hydraulic turbocharger having replaceable, insertable components, including volute inserts, vaned diffuser inserts, nozzle inserts, diffuser inserts, nozzle liners and diffuser liners, that define the internal passageways of a hydraulic turbocharger. By making various components of the turbocharger removably insertable and replaceable, turbochargers can be manufactured in a cost-effective way to maximize efficiency, obtain improved performance and make it easier to operate these types of devices over a wide range of operating conditions. Moreover, the devices can be readily modified while in the field when operating conditions change.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a modular hydraulic turbocharger, comprising:
 a housing with a pump inlet, a pump outlet, a turbine inlet, and a turbine outlet; 
 a first cavity within the housing, wherein the first cavity is in fluid communication with the pump inlet and the pump outlet; 
 a second cavity within the housing, wherein the second cavity is in fluid communication with the turbine inlet and the turbine outlet; 
 a pump impeller coupled to a shaft, wherein the pump impeller is disposed within the first cavity of the housing; 
 a turbine impeller coupled to the shaft, wherein the turbine impeller is disposed within the second cavity of the housing, and wherein the turbine impeller is responsive to a motive fluid to drive the pump impeller to pump a fluid through the modular hydraulic turbocharger; and 
 a first modular insert within the housing, wherein the first modular insert is interchangeable with a first plurality of modular inserts, and each of the first plurality of modular inserts has a different effect on a fluid flow through the hydraulic turbocharger. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of modular inserts comprises one or more pump volute inserts, one or more turbine volute inserts, one or more vane diffuser inserts, one or more diffuser inserts, or one or more nozzle inserts. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a second modular insert interchangeable with a second plurality of modular inserts each having a different effect on the fluid flow through the hydraulic turbocharger, wherein the first modular insert is a pump volute insert and the second modular insert is a turbine volute insert. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine outlet is integral with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first modular insert comprises a single-piece volute insert. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first modular insert comprises a multi-piece volute insert. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the multi-piece volute insert comprises axially split sections that form a passage configured to receive the shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the multi-piece volute insert comprises a first volute end cap and a second volute end cap. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein a first diameter of the first volute end cap is greater than a second diameter of the second volute end cap. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the multi-piece volute insert comprises radially split sections that are different from one another. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first modular insert is a first diffuser insert disposed within the pump outlet, or a first nozzle insert disposed within the turbine inlet, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , comprising a first diffuser liner nested within the first diffuser insert, or a first nozzle liner nested within the first nozzle insert, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first modular insert is a vane diffuser insert disposed within the first cavity. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a modular pump, comprising:
 a housing with a pump inlet and a pump outlet; 
 a first cavity within the housing, wherein the first cavity is in fluid communication with the pump inlet and the pump outlet; and 
 a pump impeller, wherein the pump impeller is disposed within the first cavity of the housing to pump fluid through the modular pump; 
 a first modular insert within the housing, wherein the first modular insert is interchangeable with a plurality of modular inserts, and each of the plurality of modular inserts has a different effect on a fluid flow through the modular pump. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first modular insert comprises a vane diffuser insert or a volute insert disposed within the first cavity. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first modular insert is a one-piece structure. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first modular insert comprises the vane diffuser insert having multiple radial components that selectively couple together. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the multiple radial components of the vane diffuser insert are the same as one another. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the multiple radial components of the vane diffuser insert are different from one another. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 selectively supporting a modular insert of a plurality of modular inserts in a housing of a hydraulic turbocharger, wherein each modular insert of the plurality of modular inserts has a different effect on a fluid flow through the hydraulic turbocharger.