Supercharger vs Turbocharger: Which is Better?

The internal combustion of an engine is dependent on the amount of fuel it is burning and the time taken to convert that heat to force. People often find it difficult to choose which charging system is better, causing a debate on turbocharger vs supercharger. Although their functions are similar, their work process creates a distinction between them.

However, to know the difference between a supercharger and a turbocharger, you need to break down and understand them separately.

In simple terms, a turbocharger is a device positioned in the vehicle’s engine designed to enhance efficiency. This device can generate better performance only when it receives more power.

To understand how this turbocharger works, one must know its anatomy. There are two halves of a turbo with turbines at each end. A shaft then joins these. On one side, when the turbine spins with hot exhaust gasses, the other side sucks the air and compresses it into the engine. This improves the overall performance of a vehicle.

A supercharger is a kind of air compressor that is placed on the engine to force more air into the combustion chamber. Superchargers can either be mechanical or electric. The former is a more common supercharger as it has been in use since the 1800s. On the contrary, these electronic ones are more recent inclusions.

Here are the two types of superchargers.

1. Mechanical Supercharger

The three common mechanical supercharger types are Roots, Lysholm twin-screw, and Centrifugal.

• Roots

In this style, the supercharger utilises 2 lobes interlocks while the air is compressed in pockets of the lobes. Sometimes, even three lobes can be used to compress air.

• Lysholm Twin-Screw

This is a positive displacement supercharger, which uses two close-tolerance screws in order to compress air.

• Centrifugal

As the name suggests, the purpose of this kind of supercharger is to ensure the centrifugal force is used to compress air to the engine.

2. Electric Supercharger

Contrary to mechanical superchargers, the electric ones are more recent developments. Interestingly, this kind of charging system works with a turbocharger in certain applications.

Nevertheless, the major purpose of these technologies is to pressurise the air to make it denser so that it matches the fuel. This results in producing increased horsepower.

If compared with the mechanical ones, these do not require a physical link to the engine’s crankshaft for its operation.

Since you now have read through the major differences of turbocharger and supercharger, you have gathered some information about these systems. It is time to align your requirements with these charging methods and decide which one to choose.

If your requirement is solely focused on the efficiency of the charging method, then you must go for turbochargers. On the other hand, if you are looking for a cost-effective, reliable method, a supercharger is better.

However, as per the recent developments, electric turbos will become a more popular choice in the upcoming days.

As you have read till here, you are now aware of why the debate on turbocharger vs supercharger is important for engineers. To sum it up, turbochargers and superchargers are good means of obtaining more power for the engine, but there are certain pros and cons. Turbochargers draw more power from the car’s exhaust stream but only make noticeable changes when at a higher speed. On the other hand, superchargers provide a raw power advantage and are easier to install but expensive.