How does a turbocharger work?

Summary

A turbocharged engine enhances power output by compressing air with a compressor driven by exhaust gas energy. The compressor's impeller forces more oxygen into the engine, increasing combustion efficiency. The system includes a turbine that uses exhaust gas to spin the compressor wheel. An intercooler cools the compressed air to improve efficiency. Despite higher costs, turbocharging offers significant power gains and is now used in both high and low-power engines for better performance and environmental benefits.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Air can enter the engine naturally or be forced by a compressor for more oxygen and power.
• 🛠️ A turbocharger uses an impeller to compress air and increase engine power.
• 🔄 The compressor is driven by either a belt connected to the engine or by exhaust gas energy.
• 🚀 Turbocharging utilizes residual energy from exhaust gases to drive the turbine, which in turn drives the compressor.
• 🔥 The exhaust gases heat the turbine and compressor, which can reduce efficiency if not managed.
• 💨 An intercooler is used to cool the compressed air to improve efficiency.
• 💧 There are two types of intercoolers: air-to-air and air-to-water.
• 💰 The cost of manufacturing and operating a turbocharger can be high due to increased backpressure.
• 🏎️ Turbocharging is most effective in high-power engines but is also used in low-power engines for cost and environmental benefits.
• ♻️ Recent trends show turbocharging being used in low-power engines to make them more budget-friendly and eco-friendly.

Q & A

How does a turbocharged car engine increase its power output?

A turbocharged car engine increases its power output by forcing more oxygen into the engine through a compressor, which allows for a more efficient fuel-air mixture and thus more power production.

What is the role of the impeller in a turbocharger?

The impeller, or compressor wheel, in a turbocharger forces air to move by rotating and pushing air particles to the perimeter of the impeller, which then enter the volute and are compressed before flowing into the engine.

How is the compressor in a turbocharger driven?

The compressor in a turbocharger is driven by either a belt drive connected to the engine shaft or by a turbine that utilizes residual energy from the exhaust gas flow.

What is the function of a turbine in a turbocharged engine?

The turbine in a turbocharged engine uses the energy from the exhaust gas flow to rotate, which in turn drives the compressor to force air into the engine, creating a turbocharging system.

How does the exhaust gas flow contribute to the operation of a turbocharger?

The exhaust gas flow contributes to the operation of a turbocharger by spinning the turbine wheel, which is connected to the compressor wheel on the same shaft, thus forcing more air into the engine.

What is the purpose of an intercooler in a turbocharged system?

An intercooler is used to cool the compressed air coming out of the compressor to increase its density and efficiency before it enters the engine, as compressed air tends to heat up and expand, reducing its effectiveness.

What are the two types of intercoolers mentioned in the script?

The two types of intercoolers mentioned are air-to-air and air-to-water intercoolers, which serve as heat exchangers to cool the compressed air.

Why is the air exiting the compressor's outlet typically heated?

The air exiting the compressor's outlet is typically heated because the compression process increases the air's temperature, which can reduce its density and efficiency if not cooled.

What is the impact of using a turbocharger on the exhaust line?

Using a turbocharger increases backpressure in the exhaust line due to the turbine, which can affect the engine's exhaust flow and efficiency.

How does turbocharging affect the cost and performance of an engine?

While the manufacture and operation of a turbocharger can be costly, the additional power it provides can significantly outweigh the costs, making it beneficial for high-power engines and increasingly for low-power engines aiming to be budget and environmentally friendly.

Why is turbocharging becoming popular even in low-power engines?

Turbocharging is becoming popular in low-power engines because it can make them more budget-friendly and environmentally friendly by providing additional power without significantly increasing fuel consumption.

Outlines

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🚗 How Turbocharged Engines Work

A turbocharged engine operates by compressing air to increase oxygen levels for more power. It uses a compressor with an impeller that forces air into the engine. The compressor is driven either by a belt connected to the engine shaft or by a turbine powered by exhaust gases. The turbine's rotation is caused by the flow of exhaust gases, which in turn drives the compressor. The engine's operation involves a cycle where fuel and air mix, ignite, expand, and push the piston down, which then drives the crankshaft. Exhaust gases exit the cylinder and spin the turbine wheel, which is connected to the compressor wheel on the same shaft, thus compressing more air into the cylinders. The compressed air heats up and needs to be cooled by an intercooler before entering the engine to improve efficiency. Despite the higher costs and backpressure, turbocharging provides significant power benefits and is now used in both high and low-power engines for performance and environmental benefits.

Keywords

💡turbocharged car engine

A turbocharged car engine is a type of internal combustion engine that uses a turbocharger to increase its efficiency and power output. The turbocharger forces more air into the engine, allowing for more oxygen to be available for combustion, which in turn increases the engine's power. This concept is central to the video's theme, explaining how turbocharging enhances engine performance.

💡compressor

A compressor is a device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume. In the context of a turbocharged engine, the compressor is part of the turbocharger and is responsible for forcing more air into the engine. The script mentions an impeller, which is the compressor wheel, that forces air to move and compresses it before it enters the engine.

💡impeller

An impeller is a rotating component in a fluid system, such as a pump or compressor, which uses the centrifugal force to move the fluid. In the script, the impeller is part of the compressor and is described as forcing air to move and compress it, which is essential for the turbocharging process.

💡turbocharging

Turbocharging is a method of increasing the efficiency and performance of an engine by using a turbine driven by the engine's exhaust gases to drive a compressor that forces more air into the engine. The script explains that this process allows the engine to produce more power by utilizing residual energy from the exhaust gas flow.

💡turbine

A turbine is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. In a turbocharged engine, the turbine is driven by the exhaust gases, which causes it to rotate and, in turn, drive the compressor. The script describes how the turbine wheel's rotation is connected to the compressor wheel, creating a turbocharging system.

💡exhaust gases

Exhaust gases are the byproducts of the combustion process in an engine, which are expelled through the exhaust system. The script explains that these gases are used to drive the turbine in a turbocharged engine, which then drives the compressor, illustrating the recycling of energy within the system.

💡crankshaft

The crankshaft is a part of the engine that converts the linear motion of the pistons into rotational motion, which is used to power the vehicle and drive the accessories. The script mentions the crankshaft in the context of the piston moving downward, which rotates the crankshaft, demonstrating its role in the engine's operation.

💡compression ratio

The compression ratio is the ratio of the volume of the combustion chamber from the largest capacity to the smallest capacity. The script refers to the preset compression ratio being reached before the fuel-air mixture ignites, which is a critical step in the engine's operation.

💡intercooler

An intercooler is a device used to cool the air that has been compressed by the turbocharger. The script explains that the intercooler is necessary because compressing air heats it up, and cooling it increases its density, allowing more air (and thus more oxygen) into the engine for better combustion.

💡backpressure

Backpressure is the resistance to the flow of exhaust gases in the exhaust system. The script mentions that using a turbine increases backpressure in the exhaust line, which can be a downside of turbocharging. However, it also notes that the benefits of increased power often outweigh this cost.

💡environmentally friendly

Being environmentally friendly refers to practices or technologies that have minimal negative impact on the environment. The script suggests that turbocharging can make low-power engines more budget and environmentally friendly, implying that it can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

Highlights

A turbocharged car engine works by increasing the amount of oxygen in the engine for more power.

A compressor with an impeller is used to force air into the engine.

The compressor's impeller is driven by the engine's rotation.

Turbocharging utilizes residual energy from exhaust gas flow.

A turbine is necessary to harness the energy from exhaust gases.

The turbine wheel's rotation is driven by the movement of exhaust gas particles.

The turbine and compressor wheels are connected on the same shaft.

The rotation of the turbine wheel drives the compressor wheel, forcing air into the engine.

The process of air compression also heats the air, reducing efficiency.

An intercooler is used to cool the compressed air to improve efficiency.

There are two types of intercoolers: air-to-air and air-to-water.

The manufacture and operation of a turbocharger can be costly.

Turbocharging increases backpressure in the exhaust line.

The benefits of additional power from a turbocharger can outweigh the costs.

Turbocharging is most effective in high-power engines.

Turbocharging is also used in low-power engines for budget and environmental friendliness.

Transcripts

How does a turbocharged car engine work?

Air can either enter the engine under the influence of atmospheric pressure at the moment

when the piston moves and increases the volume of the chamber, or be supplied with the help

of a special compressor.

In the second scenario, there will be more oxygen in the engine, and therefore it will

be able to produce more power.

An impeller (compressor wheel) is installed in the compressor.

When rotating, the blades of the impeller force air to move.

Air particles are pushed to the perimeter of the impeller and enter the volute, from

where the compressed air flows out of the air outlet of the compressor, and then moves

on into the engine.

In order for the compressor to force air into the engine, the shaft on which the impeller

is mounted needs to be rotated.

There are various ways this can be organized: The first way is for a pulley to be installed

on the engine shaft so that a belt drive can transfer the rotation to another pulley mounted

on the compressor shaft.

The second way is called turbocharging.

It is based on the utilization of residual energy from the exhaust gas flow.

For this energy to be used, a turbine is necessary.

Inside a turbine the opposite happens: the moving gas causes the wheel to rotate.

The turbine wheel can be installed in such a way in the exhaust system of the engine

that the moving particles of gas will act upon the blades of the wheel.

As a result of this action, the wheel will rotate.

Then, if the turbine wheel is connected to the compressor, this creates a turbocharging

system.

In this case, the compressor wheel will be made to rotate by the turbine.

So how does an entire turbocharged engine work?

First, the cylinder is filled with a mixture of fuel and air.

When the preset compression ratio is reached, the mixture ignites, expands, and causes the

piston to move downward, rotating the crankshaft.

The exhaust gases are then forced out of the cylinder by the piston and move towards the

turbine.

The particles of gas act upon the blades of the turbine wheel, causing it to rotate.

The turbine and compressor wheels are mounted on one shaft.

When the turbine wheel rotates, the compressor wheel also rotates, forcing air into the engine’s

cylinders.

The exhaust gases have a very high temperature.

They heat up the turbine, and from it the heat is transferred to the compressor.

In addition, as air is compressed, it also heats up.

When heated, air expands.

Thus, what happens is that the compressor compresses the air, but at the same time inevitably

heats it, and so the air expands once again.

This process is inefficient.

For this reason, the air exiting from the compressor’s outlet needs to be cooled.

An intercooler is used for this purpose.

An intercooler is a heat exchanger.

There are two types of intercoolers: air-to-air and air-to-water.

The manufacture and operation of a turbocharger is costly.

When a turbine is used, the backpressure in the exhaust line increases.

But the benefits of the additional power from using a turbocharger can be much more significant

than the associated costs.

Turbocharging is most effective in high-power engines, but recently it has also been used

in low-power engines to make them budget and environmentally friendly.