Motorized compressor device with air bearing having reduced axial and radial stack-up

Abstract

A turbomachine includes a housing assembly having a first housing member with a shroud surface, a bearing housing, and a second housing member. The turbomachine further includes a bearing that supports rotation of a rotating group within the housing assembly. The first housing member has a first axial surface and the bearing housing has a second axial surface that is substantially flush with the first axial surface. The second housing member has a third axial surface facing in an axial direction opposite that of the first and second axial surfaces. The first housing member has a first radial surface and the bearing housing has a second radial surface. The first housing member and the bearing housing are attached to the second housing member. The first and second axial surfaces abut against the third axial surface, and the first radial surface abutting against the second radial surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A turbomachine comprising:
 a housing assembly that includes a first housing member with a shroud surface, a bearing housing, and a second housing member;   a rotating group with a wheel that opposes the shroud surface to define a fluid gap therebetween;   a bearing that supports rotation of the rotating group within the housing assembly about an axis of rotation, at least part of the bearing being housed by the bearing housing;   the first housing member having a first axial surface and the bearing housing having a second axial surface that is substantially flush with the first axial surface;   the second housing member having a third axial surface facing in an axial direction opposite that of the first and second axial surfaces;   the first housing member having a first radial surface and the bearing housing having a second radial surface, the first and second radial surfaces facing in opposing radial directions relative to the axis of rotation; and   the first housing member and the bearing housing attached to the second housing member with the fluid gap defined between the wheel and the shroud surface, the first and second axial surfaces abutting against the third axial surface, and the first radial surface abutting against the second radial surface.   
     
     
         2 . The turbomachine of  claim 1 , wherein the first radial surface faces inward radially and the second radial surface faces outward radially. 
     
     
         3 . The turbomachine of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing member is a compressor housing with a compressor shroud surface; and
 wherein the wheel is a compressor wheel.   
     
     
         4 . The turbomachine of  claim 1 , wherein the second housing member defines an interior space and an end opening that provides access to the interior space, the axis of rotation extending through the end opening;
 further comprising a motor that is disposed within the interior space, the motor configured to drivingly rotate the rotating group about the axis of rotation; and   wherein the bearing housing at least partly covers over the end opening of the second housing member.   
     
     
         5 . The turbomachine of  claim 4 , wherein the bearing housing includes a diffuser portion that cooperates with the first housing member to define a diffuser area that is disposed in a downstream direction from the wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The turbomachine of  claim 5 , wherein the bearing is an air bearing with a thrust disc and a journal housing;
 wherein the bearing housing includes a recess that receives the thrust disc;   wherein the bearing housing includes a base side projection that supports the journal housing; and   further comprising a thrust cover that is attached to the bearing housing to cover over the thrust disc within the recess.   
     
     
         7 . The turbomachine of  claim 6 , wherein the first housing member defines a volute passage. 
     
     
         8 . The turbomachine of  claim 4 , wherein the bearing is an air bearing with a thrust disc and a journal housing;
 wherein the bearing housing supports the thrust disc and the journal housing.   
     
     
         9 . The turbomachine of  claim 8 , wherein the bearing housing includes an outer radial edge flange that includes the second axial surface and the second radial surface, the outer radial edge flange disposed axially between the first housing member and the second housing member. 
     
     
         10 . The turbomachine of  claim 9 , further comprising a sealing member that seals against the first housing member, the second housing member and the outer radial edge flange of the bearing housing. 
     
     
         11 . The turbomachine of  claim 10 , wherein the first housing member includes a recess that receives the outer radial edge flange. 
     
     
         12 . A motorized compressor device comprising:
 a housing assembly that includes a compressor housing with a shroud surface, a bearing housing, and a motor housing;   a rotating group with a compressor wheel that opposes the shroud surface to define a fluid gap therebetween;   an air bearing that supports rotation of the rotating group within the housing assembly about an axis of rotation, at least part of the air bearing being housed by the bearing housing; and   an electric motor housed within the motor housing, the electric motor configured to drivingly rotate the rotating group within the housing assembly;   the compressor housing having a first axial surface and the bearing housing having a second axial surface that is substantially flush with the first axial surface;   the motor housing having a third axial surface facing in an axial direction opposite that of the first and second axial surfaces;   the compressor housing having a first radial surface and the bearing housing having a second radial surface, the first and second radial surfaces facing in opposing radial directions relative to the axis of rotation; and   the compressor housing and the bearing housing attached to the motor housing with the fluid gap defined between the compressor wheel and the shroud surface, the bearing housing at least partially enclosing the electric motor within the motor housing, the first and second axial surfaces abutting against the third axial surface, and the first radial surface abutting against the second radial surface.   
     
     
         13 . The compressor device of  claim 12 , wherein the motor housing defines an interior space and an end opening that provides access to the interior space, the axis of rotation extending through the end opening;
 wherein the electric motor is disposed within the interior space; and   wherein the bearing housing at least partly covers over the end opening of the motor housing.   
     
     
         14 . The compressor device of  claim 13 , wherein the bearing housing includes a diffuser portion that cooperates with the compressor housing to define a diffuser area that is disposed in a downstream direction from the compressor wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The compressor device of  claim 14 , wherein the compressor housing defines a volute passage. 
     
     
         16 . The compressor device of  claim 15 , wherein the air bearing includes a thrust disc and a journal housing;
 wherein the bearing housing includes a recess that receives the thrust disc;   wherein the bearing housing includes a base side projection that supports the journal housing; and   further comprising a thrust cover that is attached to the bearing housing to cover over the thrust disc within the recess.   
     
     
         17 . The compressor device of  claim 16 , wherein the bearing housing includes an outer radial edge flange that includes the second axial surface and the second radial surface, the outer radial edge flange disposed axially between the compressor housing and the motor housing. 
     
     
         18 . The compressor device of  claim 17 , further comprising a sealing member that seals against the compressor housing, the motor housing and the outer radial edge flange of the bearing housing. 
     
     
         19 . The compressor device of  claim 18 , wherein the first housing member includes a recess that receives the outer radial edge flange. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a turbomachine comprising:
 attaching a first housing member with a shroud surface to a second housing member with a rotating group disposed therein, the rotating group having a wheel that opposes the shroud surface to define a fluid gap therebetween;   attaching a bearing housing to the second housing member, a bearing being at least partly housed by the bearing housing, the bearing supporting rotation of the rotating group about an axis of rotation;   the first housing member having a first axial surface and the bearing housing having a second axial surface that is substantially flush with the first axial surface;   the second housing member having a third axial surface facing in an axial direction opposite that of the first and second axial surfaces;   the first housing member having a first radial surface and the bearing housing having a second radial surface, the first and second radial surfaces facing in opposing radial directions relative to the axis of rotation; and   the first housing member and the bearing housing attached to the second housing member with the fluid gap defined between the wheel and the shroud surface, the first and second axial surfaces abutting against the third axial surface, and the first radial surface abutting against the second radial surface.