A supercharger compresses air to increase the amount of oxygen available for combustion, resulting in more power. There are two types: positive displacement and dynamic. Superchargers can be powered by exhaust gases or mechanically driven by the engine. They are superior to turbochargers in some ways, but require engine modifications and can affect warranties. There are three types commonly used in automobiles: root, twin screw, and centrifugal.
A supercharger is any piece of equipment that compresses the air delivered to an engine, allowing the combustion chamber to be overfilled without increasing headroom. The higher concentration of oxygen provided by this equipment corresponds to a higher amount of fuel from the fuel injectors. By this definition, a turbocharger is actually in the family of superchargers, although it is often thought of as an entirely different type of device.
A supercharger comes in two different variations: positive displacement and dynamic. A positive displacement supercharger pushes air into the engine at a constant speed, while a dynamic one uses speed to manipulate the pressure in the air. In either case, the oxygen is compressed as it is delivered to the engine, allowing more power to be drawn from each explosion in the combustion chambers. In contrast, cars that do not have this device take in air using its natural flow, monitoring and regulating the amount through sensors and valves; These cars are called naturally aspirated.
These devices are also classified according to how they work. Some superchargers, known as turbochargers, use exhaust gases to power the compressor. The exhaust gases are converted into energy in a device called a turbine. Others are mechanically driven by the engine, usually via a belt drive, but also sometimes via a chain or gear. This type is what’s commonly called a supercharger, or a “fan,” even though all systems that compress the air going into an engine are technically superchargers, regardless of how they’re powered.
A mechanically powered supercharger has some of the same drawbacks as a turbocharger, such as reduced engine life, especially if installed incorrectly. Due to the extreme increase in horsepower, supercharged engines require a lower compression ratio to prevent engine damage. For this reason, a supercharger should not be installed in a normally aspirated car without first making the necessary changes to the engine. Also, when installing the device, the car owner should thoroughly investigate the effects the tampering will have on the transmission warranty, if the car is still under warranty.
However, a mechanically powered supercharger is superior to a turbocharger in several ways. Firstly, because the power is derived directly from the engine itself, there is no delay before the device begins to compress the intake air. A turbocharger, on the other hand, must wait for exhaust gases to build up before there is enough to power the compressor. Additionally, a mechanically-fed supercharger suffers less from the heat-related problems of a turbocharger, allowing it to run more efficiently. It can even increase a car’s fuel consumption when used in a small car with a small engine.
Three types are commonly used in automobiles. The root type and twin screw type are both positive displacement superchargers, and the centrifugal type is dynamic.
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