BANGALORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Technical Seminar on
“Superchargers”
NAME:SUHAS R GOWDA
USN:1BI19ME140
SEMESTER:VIII
Under Guidance of
Mr. V.C.Ravi
Assistant Professor
Contents
Supercharger, the engine booster.
Why Supercharger?
How it works?
Working diagram of supercharger.
Classification of Supercharger.
Roots Supercharger.
Centrifugal Supercharger.
Drives used in Supercharger.
Supercharger, an edge over turbocharger.
Nothing is perfect.
Conclusion.
Supercharger
The Engine Booster
A supercharger is an equipment
that compresses the air being
delivered to an engine, allowing
the combustion chamber to be
overfilled without enlarging the
space.
The higher concentration of
oxygen provided by a
supercharger is matched with a
larger amount of fuel from the
fuel injectors thus boosting the
power of the engine.
Why Supercharger?
Increases the power of an engine.
A supercharger spinning at 50,000 RPM translates to a
boost of about six to nine pounds per square inch(psi).
Increases the torque produced.
An efficiently working supercharger can achieve the
same in one third time.
Necessary in aero-planes as they have less oxygen at
high altitudes.
Ensures complete combustion of the fuel.
Reduces pollution to some extent.
Principle of Working
“More fuel + More air = Bigger explosion = Greater
horsepower”.
NOTE:
But we cannot simply pump more fuel into the engine.
The chemically correct mixture – (14:1 :: air : fuel) – is
essential for an engine to operate perfectly.
Thus superchargers provide more air by compressing air
above atmospheric pressure, hence providing more fuel
into the charge & would make for a more powerful
explosion.
Thus: Increased power, Torque and Speed is achieved.
A standard engine with the addition of a supercharger
Classification of Superchargers
• Based on method of compression, superchargers can be
classified as:-
1. Positive-displacement type, which delivers a nearly-fixed
volume of air per revolution at all speeds and a fairly
constant level of boost regardless of engine speed.
2. Dynamic compressors rely on accelerating the air to high
speed and then exchanging that velocity for pressure by
diffusing or slowing it down & deliver increasing boost
with increasing engine speed.
Commonly used Superchargers
Supercharger
Roots Centrifugal
Supercharger Supercharger
Twin-screw
Supercharger
History
The Roots Supercharger is the oldest design of supercharger.
Philander and Francis Roots patented the design in 1860 as a
machine that would help ventilate mine shafts.
In 1900, Gottleib Daimler for the first time included a Roots
supercharger in a car engine.
The Roots Supercharger
Working:-
• As the meshing lobes spin, air trapped in the
pockets between the lobes is carried between
the fill side and the discharge side & large
quantities of air move into the intake manifold
and “stack up” to create positive pressure.
• Roots superchargers are usually large and sit
on top of the engine.
• Roots superchargers are the least efficient for
two reasons:-
1) They add more weight to the vehicle.
2) They provide air in discrete bursts instead of
providing in a smooth and continuous manner.
Centrifugal Supercharger
A centrifugal supercharger works by
powering an impeller (a device similar
to a rotor) at very high speeds to
quickly draw air into a small
compressor housing.
Impeller speeds can reach ‘50,000 to
60,000 RPM’.
Centrifugal superchargers are the most
efficient and the most common
induction systems.
They are small, lightweight and
attachable to the front of the Engine.
Working
As the air is drawn in the hub of the impeller, centrifugal
force causes it to radiate outward.
The air leaves the impeller at high speed, but low pressure.
A diffuser converts the high-speed, low-pressure air to low-
speed, high-pressure air.
Thus pressurized air is achieved.
Drives used in Supercharger
Mechanical:-
Belt (V belt, Toothed belt & Flat belt).
Gear drive.
Chain drive.
Exhaust gas turbines:-
Axial turbine.
Radial turbine.
Other:-
Electric motor.
Supercharger, An Edge over
Turbocharger
Superchargers do not suffer lag:- Superchargers have no lag time
because they are driven directly by the crankshaft, whereas
Turbochargers suffer from lag because it takes a few moments
before the exhaust gases reach a velocity that is sufficient to drive
the impeller/turbine.
Modification of the exhaust system:- Installing a turbocharger
requires extensive modification of the exhaust system, but
superchargers can be bolted to the top or side of the engine, that
makes the cheaper to install and easier to service and maintain.
Shutdown procedure:- No special shutdown procedure is required
with superchargers as they are not lubricated by engine oil. They
can be shutdown normally. Turbochargers must be idle for about
30 seconds or so prior to shutdown so the oil cools down.
Nothing is Perfect
It derives power from the engine itself:- Crankshaft drives
superchargers so they steal some of the engine’s horsepower.
A supercharger can consume as much as 20% of an engine’s
total power output.
An added strain on the engine:- Supercharging puts an
added strain on the engine, which needs to be strong to
handle the extra boost and bigger explosions.
An extra expense:- Heavy-duty components, design
complexity & maintenance add an extra burden on the
expenses.
Conclusion
Despite their disadvantages, superchargers are still the most
cost-effective way to increase horsepower.
Superchargers can result in power increase of 50 to 100
percent, making them great for racing, towing heavy loads or
just adding excitement to the typical driving experience.
It is a must use component in airplanes.
THANK YOU !
