Superchargers vs Turbochargers in Cars - Which is Better?

An internal combustion engine works on the principle of air and fuel mixture combustion through a small spark or ignition. With this ignition, the fuel is burnt in a compressed environment, which causes the pistons to move up and down to rotate the crankshaft and finally transfer the energy through the car suspension system to the wheels. The combustion is measured in terms of cc (Cubic Centimeters). It represents how much combustible area the car has to produce more energy to rev.

In the pursuit of more power and higher engine revs, let’s explore superchargers and turbochargers, how they work, and each's strengths and limitations with one goal: making a car vroom.

What is a Turbocharger?

A Turbocharger is a device that uses the engine exhaust air to channel it back into the engine in a more compressed form to create more combustion and torque. It has a more complex system compared to superchargers.

(Turbofact: The first production car with a Turbocharger was a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder.)

How Does a Turbocharger Work?

The working principle of a turbocharger can be understood as the process ahead: The exhaust air ⇒ The hot turbines/ cold turbine⇒ Compressor wheel⇒ Intercooler ⇒ Cold air is dense and better for combustion, where ⇒ = flow.

Below is a step-by-step guide on the same:

• Exhaust gases power the turbo- Instead of letting the exhaust gases waste, they are directed to a dual-sided turbine.
• Turbine side ( Exhaust side) - The exhaust air makes the turbine move.
• Compressor side. (Air Intake side)- The movement of turbine blades enables the intake of fresh air.
• Compressed air passes through the Intercooler- The fresh air is then compressed, which makes it heated, so the Intercooler is used to cool the air and then pass it to the engine.
• The engine has more. The cold air is then passed to the engine for more combustion.

Benefits of a Turbocharger

Turbocharging is an efficient process which uses exhaust gas to power the engine back through the turbine and compressed air. This does not add load to the existing engine output, rather, it increases the horsepower. Turbocharging is preferred over a supercharger because of its cost-effectiveness and independent engine support.

Below are a few of the benefits of Turbocharging:

• More power.
• Engine-Downsizing
• Better fuel consumption
• Reuse of Exhaust Energy
• Torque at low RPMs

Drawbacks of Turbocharger

While turbochargers are more relevant in India, due to their manufacturing benefits related to engine size and overall performance, there are a few limitations that turbochargers have. They are in terms of system design, maintenance and a few other factors:

The following are a few of the limitations of turbocharging:

• Turbo lag- There is a slight delay in power delivery, due to the system design. It means that the turbo effect, i.e. increased acceleration, will take place after a few seconds after pressing the accelerator pedal.

• Higher Maintenance needs- Turbochargers have a more intricate system compared to superchargers, and they put more pressure on the engine oil and cooling system.

• High repair cost- If the turbo engine fails, they have high repair costs, since they are closely related to the engine.

• Cold weather challenges- Turbochargers depend heavily on oil flow, and in cold weather sudden charge of the turbo system without proper warm-up can damage turbochargers.

What is a Supercharger?

A supercharger is a mechanical device which is connected to the engine crankshaft and uses the existing engine power to force more air into the engine to increase engine power in return.

It uses the engine power in the form of a belt, gear or chain, which is used to intake more air and compress it to be delivered into the engine. The first use of a supercharger in a production car dates back to 1921, with the Mercedes 6/25/40 hp.

How Does a Supercharger Work?

Superchargers work on the principle of using existing engine energy to convert into more compressed air and increase engine combustion. It is working on taking less power from the engine and giving more combustion in return. The working flow of the supercharger is as ahead: Gear driven by the crankshaft ⇒ Forcing the air in, where ⇒ = flow. More combustion, where we let us understand the process in more detail as below :

• Connected to Crankshaft: The supercharger uses the energy from the crankshaft to run the gears, belt or chains.

• Supercharger spins in more air- With the help of gears, belts or chains, the superchargers intake more air and compress it.

• Compressed air generates more energy- The compressed air through the compression system generates more energy for the engine.

Generally, the power tradeoff in superchargers is such that it takes 15-20% of the engine energy and returns 30-40% of energy/increased torque.

Benefits of Supercharger

Superchargers are known for their quick power output and sudden feeling of torque. It is like your own fancy boost button, where you press the accelerator pedal and you can feel the engine rev to your command.

Below are the benefits of the Supercharger:

• On-the-spot power.
• Simple design and tuning
• Compatible with big displacement engines
• Better low-end torque.

Drawbacks of the Supercharger

Superchargers are quick and responsive, while the source of energy of the supercharger is the engine itself. This makes it effective for short-term acceleration, but over a high-speed chase, turbochargers are better and more efficient.

Below are the Drawbacks of Supercharger:

• Lower fuel efficiency- They use the crankshaft’s power to compress more air, thus they use more fuel.

• No free boost- Compared to turbochargers, here the engine is providing energy to itself, thus there is no free boost here, and it is an enhanced boost.

• Added mechanical stress- With superchargers, there are gears, belts or chains which add more to mechanical wear and tear with the existing system.

• Bulky design- The bulky design of the superchargers with additional gears or a chain setup around the engine makes it space-consuming.

Turbocharger vs Supercharger: Key Differences

Superchargers are ready to go boosts while turbochargers are built- up boost, to know them more let us understand the basic differences between them:

How do Turbochargers and Superchargers Affect Car Insurance?

If the turbochargers and superchargers are factory-fitted, they might affect car insurance since the cars are pushed into a high-performance category. This readjusts the insurance declared value, and the premium is adjusted accordingly.

However, if you plan to install superchargers and turbochargers after-market, it may significantly increase your insurance premiums -provided you notify your insurer before installing these modifications, along with proper approval from the RTOs and other authorities.

Summary

Superchargers and Turbochargers both come with their benefits and limitations. However, they exist with only one purpose: to enhance our ride with controlled and responsive boosts. Indeed, speed is thrilling, but it is necessary to use these features in a safe environment.

To those minds who got this idea, ‘Why not combine and use a supercharger and turbocharger in a single car?’. Yes, such cars do exist, and they are called twin-charged engines. As the name suggests, they are powered by both a supercharger for low-end torque and a turbocharger for high-end torque at the same time. Superchargers and Turbochargers are some of the impressive components of automotive science, which we can see in today’s world. It is advisable to have appropriate car insurance for vehicles equipped with superchargers or turbochargers, as they fall under high-performance categories and may attract slightly higher premiums.

Frequently Asked Questions