TUBOCHARGER

INTRODUCTON

When people talk about race cars or high-performance sports cars, the topic of
turbochargers usually comes up. Turbochargers also appear on large diesel engines. A turbo
can significantly boost an engine's horsepower without significantly increasing its weight,
which is the huge benefit that makes turbos so popular!

Turbocharger increases the power output of an engine while surviving extreme operating
conditions. Wastegates, ceramic turbine blades and ball bearings help turbochargers do their
job even better. Turbochargers are a type of forced induction system. They compress the air
flowing into the engine .The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets the engine
squeeze more air into a cylinder, and more air means that more fuel can be added. Therefore,
you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. A turbocharged engine produces
more power overall than the same engine without the charging. This can significantly
improve the power-to-weight ratio for the engine.

In order to achieve this boost, the turbocharger uses the exhaust flow from the engine to spin
a turbine, which in turn spins an air pump. The turbine in the turbocharger spins at speeds of
up to 150,000 rotations per minute (rpm) -- that's about 30 times faster than most car engines
can go. And since it is hooked up to the exhaust, the temperatures in the turbine are also very
high.

The turbocharger system of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 1 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

CHAPTER – II

2.HISTORY

The turbocharger was invented by Swiss engineer Alfred Büchi. His patent for a
turbocharger was applied for use in 1905. Diesel ships and locomotives with turbochargers
began appearing in the 1920s.

2.1 NOMENCLATURE
Early manufacturers of turbochargers referred to them as "turbosuperchargers". A
supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an engine. Logically then,
adding a turbine to turn the supercharger would yield a "turbosupercharger". However, the
term was soon shortened to "turbocharger". This is now a source of confusion, as the term
"turbosupercharged" is sometimes used to refer to an engine that uses both a crankshaft-
driven supercharger and an exhaust-driven turbocharger.

Some companies such as Teledyne Continental Motors still use the term turbosupercharger in
its original sense.

2.2AVIATION
During the First World War French engineer Auguste Rateau fitted turbo chargers to Renault
engines powering various French fighters with some success.

In 1918, General Electric engineer Sanford Moss attached a turbo to a V12 Liberty aircraft
engine. The engine was tested at Pikes Peak in Colorado at 14,000 feet (4,300 m) to
demonstrate that it could eliminate the power losses usually experienced in internal
combustion engines as a result of reduced air pressure and density at high altitude.[4]

Turbochargers were first used in production aircraft engines in the 1930s before World War
II. The primary purpose behind most aircraft-based applications was to increase the altitude
at which the airplane could fly, by compensating for the lower atmospheric pressure present
at high altitude. Aircraft such as the P-38 Lightning, B-17 Flying Fortress, and P-47
Thunderbolt all used turbochargers to increase high altitude engine power.

2.3 PRODUCTION AUTOMOBILES

The first Turbocharged diesel truck was produced by the "Schweizer Maschinenfabrik
Saurer" (Swiss Machine Works Saurer) in 1938.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 2 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

The Chevrolet Corvair's turbocharged engine. The turbo, located at top right, feeds
pressurized air into the engine through the chrome T-pipe spanning the engine.The first
production turbocharged automobile engines came from General Motors in 1962. The A-
body Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder were both fitted with
turbochargers.

The world's first production turbo diesel automobiles were the Mercedes 300SD and the
Peugeot 604, both introduced in 1978. Today, most automotive diesels are turbocharged.

2.4 COMPETION CARS

The turbocharger first hit the automotive racing world in 1952 when Fred Agabashian in the
diesel-powered Cummins Special qualified for pole position at the Indianapolis 500 and led
for 175 miles (282 km) before ingested tire shards disabled the compressor section of the
Elliott turbocharger. Offenhauser's turbocharged engines returned to Indianapolis in 1966,
with victories coming in 1968. The Offenhauser turbo peaked at over 1,000 hp (750 kW) in
1973, while Porsche dominated the Can-Am series with a 1,100 hp (820 kW) 917/30.
Turbocharged cars dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1976 and 1988, and then
from 2000-2007.

Ferrari Turbo F1 car

1984 Ferrari 126C4/M2 at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009. 1.5 litre turbocharged V6,
850bhp
In Formula One, in the so called "Turbo Era" of 1977 until 1989, engines with a capacity of
1500 cc could achieve anywhere from 1000 to 1500 hp (746 to 1119 kW) (Renault, Honda,
BMW, Ferrari). Renault was the first manufacturer to apply turbo technology in the F1 field,
in 1977. The project's high cost was compensated for by its performance, and led to other
engine manufacturers following suit. The turbocharged engines took over the F1 field and
ended the Ford Cosworth DFV era in the mid 1980s. However, the FIA decided that
turbochargers were making the sport too dangerous and expensive. In 1987 F1 decided to
limit the maximum boost pressure before the technology was banned completely for 1989.

In Drag Racing, a 1,800-hp, twin-turbocharged Pontiac GTA developed by Gale Banks of

Southern California, set a land speed record for the "World's Fastest Passenger Car" of 277-
mph. This event was chronicled at the time in a 1987 cover story published by Autoweek
magazine. Gale banks engineering also built and raced several diesel-powered drag racing
machines, including the "World's Fastest Diesel Truck," a street-legal 735-hp Dodge Dakota
pick-up that towed its own trailer to the Bonneville Salt Flats and then set an official F.I.A.
two-way speed record of 217-mph with a one-way top speed of 222-mph. This latter vehicle
also showed the fuel economy of a turbocharged diesel engine by averaging 21.2-mpg on the
Hot Rod Power Tour.

In Rallying, turbocharged engines of up to 2000 cc have long been the preferred motive
power for the Group A/NWorld Rally Car (top level) competitors, due to the exceptional
power-to-weight ratios attainable. This combines with the use of vehicles with relatively

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 3 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

small bodyshells for maneuverability and handling. As turbo outputs rose to similar levels as
the F1 category the FIA, rather than banning the technology, enforced a restricted turbo inlet
diameter (currently 34 mm).
CHAPTER –III
TURBOCHARGERS AND ENGINES
One of the surest ways to get more power out of an engine is to increase the amount of air
and fuel that it can burn. One way to do this is to add cylinders or make the current
cylinders bigger. Sometimes these changes may not be feasible -- a turbo can be a simpler,
more compact way to add power, especially for an aftermarket accessory.

TURBOCHARGERS AND ENGINES

Turbochargers allow an engine to burn more fuel and air by packing more into the existing
cylinders. The typical boost provided by a turbocharger is 6 to 8 pounds per square inch
(psi). Since normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level, you can see that you are
getting about 50 percent more air into the engine. Therefore, you would expect to get 50
percent more power. It's not perfectly efficient, so you might get a 30- to 40-percent
improvement instead.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 4 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

One cause of the inefficiency comes from the fact that the power to spin the turbine is not
free. Having a turbine in the exhaust flow increases the restriction in the exhaust. This
means that on the exhaust stroke, the engine has to push against a higher back-pressure.
This subtracts a little bit of power from the cylinders that are firing at the same time.

CHAPTER –IV
TURBOCHARGER COMPONENTS

The turbocharger has four main components. The turbine (almost always a radial
turbine) and impeller/compressor wheels are each contained within their own folded conical
housing on opposite sides of the third component, the center housing/hub rotating assembly
(CHRA).

The housings fitted around the compressor impeller and turbine collect and direct the gas
flow through the wheels as they spin. The size and shape can dictate some performance
characteristics of the overall turbocharger. Often the same basic turbocharger assembly will
be available from the manufacturer with multiple housing choices for the turbine and
sometimes the compressor cover as well. This allows the designer of the engine system to
tailor the compromises between performance, response, and efficiency to application or
preference. Twin-scroll designs have two valve-operated exhaust gas inlets, a smaller sharper
angled one for quick response and a larger less angled one for peak performance.

The turbine and impeller wheel sizes also dictate the amount of air or exhaust that can be
flowed through the system, and the relative efficiency at which they operate. Generally, the
larger the turbine wheel and compressor wheel, the larger the flow capacity. Measurements
and shapes can vary, as well as curvature and number of blades on the wheels. Variable
geometry turbochargers are further developments of these ideas.

The center hub rotating assembly (CHRA) houses the shaft which connects the compressor
impeller and turbine. It also must contain a bearing system to suspend the shaft, allowing it to
rotate at very high speed with minimal friction. For instance, in automotive applications the
CHRA typically uses a thrust bearing or ball bearing lubricated by a constant supply of
pressurized engine oil. The CHRA may also be considered "water cooled" by having an entry
and exit point for engine coolant to be cycled. Water cooled models allow engine coolant to

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 5 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

be used to keep the lubricating oil cooler, avoiding possible oil coking from the extreme heat
found in the turbine. The development of air-foil bearings has removed this risk.

4.1 WASTEGATE
By spinning at a relatively high speed, the compressor turbine draws in a large volume of air
and forces it into the engine. As the turbocharger's output flow volume exceeds the engine's
volumetric flow, air pressure in the intake system begins to build. The speed at which the
assembly spins is proportional to the pressure of the compressed air and total mass of air flow
being moved. Since a turbo can spin to RPMs far beyond what is needed, or of what it is
safely capable of, the speed must be controlled. A wastegate is the most common mechanical
speed control system, and is often further augmented by an electronic or manual boost
controller. The main function of a wastegate is to allow some of the exhaust to bypass the
turbine when the set intake pressure is achieved. Passenger cars have wastegates that are
integral to the turbocharger.

4.2Anti-Surge/Dump/Blow Off Valves

Turbocharged engines operating at wide open throttle and high rpm require a large volume of
air to flow between the turbo and the inlet of the engine. When the throttle is closed
compressed air will flow to the throttle valve without an exit (i.e. the air has nowhere to go).

This causes a surge which can raise the pressure of the air to a level which can damage the
turbo. If the pressure rises high enough, a compressor stall will occur, where the stored
pressurized air decompresses backwards across the impeller and out the inlet. The reverse
flow back across the turbocharger causes the turbine shaft to reduce in speed quicker than it
would naturally, possibly damaging the turbocharger. In order to prevent this from
happening, a valve is fitted between the turbo and inlet which vents off the excess air
pressure. These are known as an anti-surge, diverter, bypass, blow-off valve(BOV) or dump
valve. It is basically a pressure relief valve, and is normally operated by the excess pressure
in the intake manifold.

The primary use of this valve is to maintain the turbo spinning at a high speed. The air is
usually recycled back into the turbo inlet but can also be vented to the atmosphere. Recycling
back into the turbocharger inlet is required on an engine that uses a mass-airflow fuel
injection system, because dumping the excessive air overboard downstream of the mass
airflow sensor will cause an excessively rich fuel mixture. A dump valve will also shorten the
time needed to re-spool the turbo after sudden engine deceleration.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 6 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

4.3 Charge cooling

Compressing air in the turbocharger increases its temperature, which can cause a number of
problems. Excessive charge air temperature can lead to detonation, which is extremely
destructive to engines. When a turbocharger is installed on an engine, it is common practice
to fit the engine with an intercooler, a type of heat exchanger which gives up heat energy in
the charge to the ambient air. In cases where an intercooler is not a desirable solution, it is
common practice to introduce extra fuel into the charge for the sole purpose of cooling. The
extra fuel is not burned. Instead, it absorbs and carries away heat when it changes phase from
liquid to vapor. The evaporated fuel holds this heat until it is released in the exhaust stream.
This thermodynamic property allows manufacturers to achieve good power output by using
extra fuel at the expense of economy and emissions.

CHAPTER –V

Turbocharger Design

The turbocharger is bolted to the exhaust manifold of the engine. The exhaust from the
cylinders spins the turbine, which works like a gas turbine engine. The turbine is connected
by a shaft to the compressor, which is located between the air filter and the intake manifold.
The compressor pressurizes the air going into the pistons.

How a turbocharger is plumbed in a car

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 7 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

The exhaust from the cylinders passes through the turbine blades, causing the turbine to spin.
The more exhaust that goes through the blades, the faster they spin.

CHAPTER –VI

Working Principle

Inside a turbocharger

On the other end of the shaft that the turbine is attached to, the compressor pumps air into the
cylinders. The compressor is a type of centrifugal pump -- it draws air in at the center of its
blades and flings it outward as it spins.

In order to handle speeds of up to 150,000 rpm, the turbine shaft has to be supported very
carefully. Most bearings would explode at speeds like this, so most turbochargers use a fluid
bearing. This type of bearing supports the shaft on a thin layer of oil that is constantly
pumped around the shaft. This serves two purposes: It cools the shaft and some of the other
turbocharger parts, and it allows the shaft to spin without much friction.

There are many tradeoffs involved in designing a turbocharger for an engine. In the next
section, we'll look at some of these compromises and see how they affect performance.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 8 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

As turbocharger is a small radial fan pump driven by the energy of the exhaust gases of
an engine. A turbocharger consists of a turbine and a compressor on a shared shaft. The
turbine converts exhaust to rotational force, which is in turn used to drive the compressor.
The compressor draws in ambient air and pumps it in to the intake manifold at increased
pressure, resulting in a greater mass of air entering the cylinders on each intake stroke.

The objective of a turbocharger is the same as a supercharger; to improve the engine's

volumetric efficiency by solving one of its cardinal limitations. A naturally aspirated
automobile engine uses only the downward stroke of a piston to create an area of low
pressure in order to draw air into the cylinder through the intake valves. Because the pressure
in the atmosphere is no more than 1 atm (approximately 14.7 psi), there ultimately will be a
limit to the pressure difference across the intake valves and thus the amount of airflow
entering the combustion chamber. Because the turbocharger increases the pressure at the
point where air is entering the cylinder, a greater mass of air (oxygen) will be forced in as the
inlet manifold pressure increases. The additional oxygen makes it possible to add more fuel,
increasing the power and torque output of the engine.

Because the pressure in the cylinder must not go too high to avoid detonation and physical
damage, the intake pressure must be controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the
turbocharger. The control function is performed by a wastegate, which routes some of the
exhaust flow away from the exhaust turbine. This controls shaft speed and regulates air
pressure in the intake manifold.
CHAPTER –VII

Pressure Increase
In the automotive world, boost refers to the increase in pressure that is generated by the
turbocharger in the intake manifold that exceeds normal atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric
pressure is approximately 14.5 psi or 1.0 bar, and anything above this level is considered to
be boost. The level of boost may be shown on a pressure gauge, usually in bar, psi or
possibly kPa. This is representative of the extra air pressure that is achieved over what would
be achieved without the forced induction. Manifold pressure should not be confused with the
volume of air that a turbo can flow.

In contrast, the instruments on aircraft engines measure absolute pressure in inches of

mercury. Absolute pressure is the amount of pressure above a total vacuum. The ICAO
standard atmospheric pressure is 29.92 inches (760 mm) of mercury at sea level. Most
modern aviation turbochargers are not designed to increase manifold pressures above this
level, as aircraft engines are commonly air-cooled and excessive pressures increase the risk
of overheating, pre-ignition, and detonation. Instead, the turbo is only designed to hold a
pressure in the intake manifold equal to sea-level pressure as the altitude increases and air
pressure drops. This is called turbo-normalizing.

Boost pressure is limited to keep the entire engine system, including the turbo, inside its
thermal and mechanical design operating range. The speed and thus the output pressure of

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 9 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

the turbo is controlled by the wastegate, a bypass which shunts the gases from the cylinders
around the turbine directly to the exhaust pipe.

The maximum possible boost depends on the fuel's octane rating and the inherent tendency
of any particular engine towards detonation. Premium gasoline or racing gasoline can be used
to prevent detonation within reasonable limits. Ethanol, methanol, liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) and diesel fuels allow higher boost than gasoline, because of these fuels' combustion
characteristics.

To obtain more power from higher boost levels and maintain reliability, many engine
components have to be replaced or upgraded such as the fuel pump, fuel injectors, pistons,
valves, head-gasket, and head bolts.

Too Much Boost?

With air being pumped into the cylinders under pressure by the turbocharger, and then being
further compressed by the piston, there is more danger of knock. Knocking happens because
as you compress air, the temperature of the air increases. The temperature may increase
enough to ignite the fuel before the spark plug fires. Cars with turbochargers often need to
run on higher octane fuel to avoid knock. If the boost pressure is really high, the compression
ratio of the engine may have to be reduced to avoid knocking.

© Photographer: Max Dimyadi | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Turbochargers provide boost to engines at high speeds.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 10 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

A large turbocharger can provide lots of boost at high engine speeds, but may have bad turbo
lag because of how long it takes to accelerate its heavier turbine and compressor. Luckily,
there are some tricks used to overcome these challenges.

Most automotive turbochargers have a wastegate, which allows the use of a smaller
turbocharger to reduce lag while preventing it from spinning too quickly at high engine
speeds. The wastegate is a valve that allows the exhaust to bypass the turbine blades. The
wastegate senses the boost pressure. If the pressure gets too high, it could be an indicator that
the turbine is spinning too quickly, so the wastegate bypasses some of the exhaust around the
turbine blades, allowing the blades to slow down.

Some turbochargers use ball bearings instead of fluid bearings to support the turbine shaft.
But these are not your regular ball bearings -- they are super-precise bearings made of
advanced materials to handle the speeds and temperatures of the turbocharger. They allow
the turbine shaft to spin with less friction than the fluid bearings used in most turbochargers.
They also allow a slightly smaller, lighter shaft to be used. This helps the turbocharger
accelerate more quickly, further reducing turbo lag.

Ceramic turbine blades are lighter than the steel blades used in most turbochargers. Again,
this allows the turbine to spin up to speed faster, which reduces turbo lag.

CHAPTER-VIII

Multiple Turbochargers
Twin-turbo

8.1 Parallel
Some engines, such as V-type engines, utilize two identically-sized but smaller turbos, each
fed by a separate set of exhaust streams from the engine. The two smaller turbos produce the
same (or more) aggregate amount of boost as a larger single turbo, but since they are smaller
they reach their optimal RPM, and thus optimal boost delivery, faster. Such an arrangement
of turbos is typically referred to as a parallel twin-turbo system. The first production
automobile with parallel twin turbochargers was the Maserati Biturbo of the early 1980s.
Later such installations include the Dodge Stealth R/T Twin Turbo, the Audi S4/RS4 2000-
2002 biturbo, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4, the Nissan 300ZX, and the BMW twin-turbo 3.0
liter I6 cars (E90, E81, E60).

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 11 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

8.2 Sequential
Some car makers combat lag by using two small turbos. A typical arrangement for this is to
have one turbo active across the entire rev range of the engine and one coming on-line at
higher RPM. Early designs would have one turbocharger active up to a certain RPM, after
which both turbochargers are active. Below this RPM, both exhaust and air inlet of the
secondary turbo are closed. Being individually smaller they do not suffer from excessive lag
and having the second turbo operating at a higher RPM range allows it to get to full
rotational speed before it is required. Such combinations are referred to as a sequential twin-
turbo. Porsche 959 first used this technology back in 1985. Sequential twin-turbos are usually
much more complicated than a single or parallel twin-turbo systems because they require
what amounts to three sets of pipes-intake and wastegate pipes for the two turbochargers as
well as valves to control the direction of the exhaust gases. Many new diesel engines use this
technology to not only eliminate lag but also to reduce fuel consumption and reduce
emissions.

8.3 Remote installations

Turbochargers are sometimes mounted well away from the engine, in the tailpipe of the
exhaust system. Such remote turbochargers require a smaller aspect ratio due to the slower,
lower-volume, denser exhaust gas passing through them. For low-boost applications, an
intercooler is not required; often the air charge will cool to near-ambient temperature en route
to the engine. A remote turbo can run 300 to 600 degrees cooler than a close-coupled
turbocharger, so oil coking in the bearings is of much less concern. Remote turbo systems
can incorporate multiple turbochargers in series or parallel.

Some engines use two turbochargers of different sizes. The

smaller one spins up to speed very quickly, reducing lag, while the bigger one takes over at
higher engine speeds to provide more boost.

When air is compressed, it heats up; and when air heats up, it expands. So some of the
pressure increase from a turbocharger is the result of heating the air before it goes into the
engine. In order to increase the power of the engine, the goal is to get more air molecules into
the cylinder, not necessarily more air pressure.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 12 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images

A Mazda RX-8 rotary coupe fitted with an aftermarket turbocharger system.

An intercooler or charge air cooler is an additional component that looks something

like a radiator, except air passes through the inside as well as the outside of the intercooler.
The intake air passes through sealed passageways inside the cooler, while cooler air from
outside is blown across fins by the engine cooling fan.

The intercooler further increases the power of the engine by cooling the pressurized
air coming out of the compressor before it goes into the engine. This means that if the
turbocharger is operating at a boost of 7 psi, the intercooled system will put in 7 psi of cooler
air, which is denser and contains more air molecules than warmer air.

CHAPTER-IX

9. Mercedes-Benz E 400 CDI: smooth diesel power from eight cylinders

• The most powerful V8 passenger car diesel engine

• 191 kW/260 hp output and 560 Newtonmetres of torque
• Common rail technology, bi-turbo system and water intercooling

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 13 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

Stuttgart, Feb. 13, 2003 -- From the spring of 2003, the

Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be available in a version
with the world’s most powerful V8 passenger car diesel
engine. The bi-turbo unit with common rail direct
injection, together with other high-tech innovations, is
capable of developing 191 kW/260 hp from a
displacement of 3996 cubic centimetres. Through
specific detailed improvements to the engine, the
charge-air cooling and the exhaust system, the Mercedes engineers have managed to achieve
an increase in power output of 7 kW/10 hp over the V8 diesel engines in the S, M and G-
Class.

The maximum torque of 560 Newtonmetres, available between 1700 and 2600 rpm, is also
among the best for a diesel-powered passenger car. As a result, the car is capable of swift
acceleration and powerful intermediate bursts of speed: the E 400 CDI reaches 100 km/h
from a standing start in just 6.9 seconds, while the figure of 6.7 seconds for its acceleration
from 60 to 120 km/h truly demonstrates its remarkable tractive power.

Engine technology: a unique combination of diesel innovations

The excellent performance achieved with the eight-cylinder engine is the consequence of all
the latest diesel innovations for the Mercedes-Benz brand, combined here by the
development team in Stuttgart with a range of new developments. For instance:

• Four-valve technology
• Common rail system with pilot injection
• Throttled-intake high-pressure pump
• Bi-turbo charging with variable turbine geometry (VNT technology)
• Water-cooled intercooler
• Exhaust gas recirculation
• Electrically operated air intake throttle
• Lightweight construction with aluminium cylinder heads and crankcase

CHAPTER – X

10. electric controls for spontaneous thrust

Principally responsible for the impressive torque and performance development are the two
exhaust gas turbochargers to the left and right of the cylinder banks. The bi-turbo system’s
electronic controls, with dual air mass sensor, enable it to work in a synchronised fashion and

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 14 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

to adjust the supply of combustion air precisely to the required performance. This is made
possible above all by the variable turbine geometry on the basis of VNT (Variable Nozzle
Turbine) with electric and thus spontaneously adjustable guide vanes controlled by mapped
performance data.

The cooling of the intake air compressed by the turbochargers is undertaken by a water-
cooled intercooler attached to a special low-temperature water cooler that is kept supplied
with coolant by a separate electric circulation pump. This lowers the air temperature by up to
100 degrees Celsius, ensuring that the engine uses more air and can thus develop more
power.

CHAPTER – XI

11.1Disadvantage

One of the main problems with turbochargers is that they do not provide an immediate power
boost when you step on the gas. It takes a second for the turbine to get up to speed before
boost is produced. This results in a feeling of lag when you step on the gas, and then the car
lunges ahead when the turbo gets moving.

One way to decrease turbo lag is to reduce the inertia of the rotating parts, mainly by
reducing their weight. This allows the turbine and compressor to accelerate quickly, and start
providing boost earlier. One sure way to reduce the inertia of the turbine and compressor is to
make the turbocharger smaller. A small turbocharger will provide boost more quickly and at
lower engine speeds, but may not be able to provide much boost at higher engine speeds
when a really large volume of air is going into the engine. It is also in danger of spinning too
quickly at higher engine speeds, when lots of exhaust is passing through the turbine

11.2.Advantage of Turbocharging compare to Supercharging

Turbochargers and superchargers are fans that force compressed air into an engine’s
cylinders. A turbocharger fan is powered by exhaust from the engine, while a supercharger
fan is powered by the engine itself.

Both technologies allow more compressed air and fuel to be injected into the cylinders,
generating extra power from each explosion. A turbocharged or supercharged engine
produces more power than the same engine without the charging, allowing manufacturers to
user smaller engines without sacrificing performance.

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 15 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

Superchargers pressurize air intake to above atmospheric pressure.

Both turbochargers and superchargers are called forced induction systems. They
compress the air flowing into the engine. The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets
the engine stuff more air into a cylinder. More air means that more fuel can be stuffed in, too,
so you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. A turbo/supercharged engine
produces more power overall than the same engine without the charging.

The typical boost provided by either a turbocharger or a supercharger is 6 to 8 pounds

per square inch (psi). Since normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level, you can see
that you are getting about 50-percent more air into the engine. Therefore, you would expect
to get 50-percent more power. It's not perfectly efficient, though, so you might get a 30-
percent to 40-percent improvement instead.

The key difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger is its power supply.
Something has to supply the power to run the air compressor. In a supercharger, there is a
belt that connects directly to the engine. It gets its power the same way that the water pump

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 16 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

or alternator does. A turbocharger, on the other hand, gets its power from the exhaust stream.
The exhaust runs through a turbine, which in turn spins the compressor.

There are tradeoffs in both systems. In theory, a turbocharger is more efficient

because it is using the "wasted" energy in the exhaust stream for its power source. On the
other hand, a turbocharger causes some amount of back pressure in the exhaust system and
tends to provide less boost until the engine is running at higher RPMs. Superchargers are
easier to install but tend to be more expensive.

CONCLUSION

A turbocharger also helps at high altitudes, where the air is less dense. Normal engines will
experience reduced power at high altitudes because for each stroke of the piston, the engine
will get a smaller mass of air. A turbocharged engine may also have reduced power, but the
reduction will be less dramatic because the thinner air is easier for the turbocharger to pump.

Older cars with carburetors automatically increase the fuel rate to match the increased
airflow going into the cylinders. Modern cars with fuel injection will also do this to a point.
The fuel-injection system relies on oxygen sensors in the exhaust to determine if the air-to-
fuel ratio is correct, so these systems will automatically increase the fuel flow if a turbo is
added.

If a turbocharger with too much boost is added to a fuel-injected car, the system may not
provide enough fuel -- either the software programmed into the controller will not allow it, or
the pump and injectors are not capable of supplying it. In this case, other modifications will
have to be made to get the maximum benefit from the turbocharger.

REFERENCES

• http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 17 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu

 TUBOCHARGER

• http://www.globeturbocharger.com/

• http://www.autospies.com/news/Mercedes-Benz-E400-Diesel-353/

• http://www.supercarnews.net/2005-mercedes-benz-slk-320-cdi

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp-EVOPBhIo

• http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/t/u/turbocharger/source.html

Dept. Of Mechanical Engg. 18 SNGCE, Kadayiruppu