How a Turbo Charger works

[brunetmj]

If you are new to the concept of turbo charging as I was this web site offers a rather nice explanation.


http://asia.vtec.net/beystock/turbo/

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[ba_feitl]

Read every word .. bookmarked and noted

Very good explaination ... maybe I'll run to home depot tonight and jimmy one of them up .......

Brad

[ba_feitl]

Now what about how a supercharger works ???

Inquiring minds want to know ..

Brad

[LDragon]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/

go there and read till your eyeballs fall out, it's one amazing site

[ba_feitl]

So ... would it then be fair to say that

if you have low end torque already then you would probably use a turbocharger whereas if you were lacking in low end torque you would probably use a supercharger ??

This confuses me because most people here seem to have a turbo (logical) but on Mustang and Camaro types with a lot of low end torque it seems more common to employ a supercharger which doesn't follow the rational. And a reverse situation on Honda ... I though most people were using a turbo which would only add to the problem of a one sided powerband.

I do understand that in a racing situation the only concern would be high rpm boost anyway but in practical terms wouldn't the above statement regarding choice make sense. Assuming $$$ was not an issue in this ..

Brad

[gavin]

A supercharger is a mechanical drag on the engine, but is much simpler, and more reliable. Since, however, it has a belt driven impeller, it works better on larger engines, with more torque. Turbo's work better on smaller engines because is uses the exhaust flow to spin the impeller, which is less of a drain on the engine.

[HiBoost]

A turbo will add hp and torque thruout the powerband depending upon the impeller size as well as the exhaust side, wastegate, downpipe etc. More easily explained: If you have a big turbo on a little motor you will have more lag down low 'til the turbine gets spinning up enough to build boost. Conversely, a little turbo on a large cube motor will spool up faster but not have as much of a top end charge. Trick is to match the turbo size to the amount of hp and exhaust you already have as well as what kind of power you are looking to have.

A supercharger does about the same thing as a turbo, as far as jamming air into the combustion chambers, thus raising the compression ratio and building more hp. A supercharger is less efficient because it causes a parasitic drag on the engine having to spin it via a belt and pulley system.

[adeck]

Superchagers are more traditional for muscle cars. I am not sure but I belive this is so because turbo's were/are illegeal for hotrod drag racing. I read an article that said if a typical 350 could put out the displacement as a new import motor turbochaged, the 350 would put out around 2000HP.

[HiBoost]

adeck:

Turbos are only illegal in the NHRA Pro Stock category. The Pro Mod class has a coupla guys running turbos and twin turbo set ups. The NMCRA also has turbo cars...even though the NOS and blower boys bitch alot about them.

[brainrally]

Disclaimer: I'm still learning.

Something else to bear in mind is RPM's. The smaller engines typically rev higher than V8's. A turbo's effect comes on later than a supercharger's. It seems to me that the higher revving engines will be able to get more advantage from the turbo. The supercharger is useful up to a limit RPM wise, then it would get too hot if it continued giving boost beyond a certain RPM. Similar to using a small turbo that spools up quickly.

For all out boost, it would seem that a combo of supercharger and turbocharger gives the best result. I guess that's similar to the reason for using a twin-turbo setup. A small turbo to spool up quickly, then the bigger turbo to continue boost at the high end.

brian

Of course, I'm thinking Roots type blower. The centrifugal type supercharger is a little different, having an effective range higher in the RPMs if I understand correctly. And recently I learned of another type of supercharger, a helical screw type.

[ba_feitl]

Since, however, it has a belt driven impeller, it works better on larger engines, with more torque. Turbo's work better on smaller engines because is uses the exhaust flow to spin the impeller, which is less of a drain on the engine.

So kind of it takes power to make power and since the larger has the power it can easily overcome the parasitic drag and produce the power throughout the band with a SC, and then since the smaller engines aren't as able to over come the drag they use the wasted energy of exhaust flow to power the induction system but only see the benefits at a higher rpm..

Brad