Chapter 2: Principles of Power Increase

The purpose of supercharging is to increase the mass of air trapped in the cylinders of the engine,
by increasing the inlet pressure, thus, raising air density. This allows more fuel to be burnt,
increasing the power output of the engine, for a given swept volume of the cylinders. Thus the
power to weight and volume ratios of the engine is increased. Since more fuel is burnt to achieve
the power increase, the efficiency of the engine cycle is unchanged or subjected to a slight
increase. The alternative approach of increasing power output by increasing speed is unattractive,
due to the rapid rise of mechanical and aerodynamic losses, and the corresponding fall in brake
thermal efficiency. Moreover, the increase of the engine speed is limited by mechanical stresses,
inertia forces and engine balance.

The rational of supercharging can be made clearer by investigating the following equation:

 mth v  N V d Q HV  a
Brake Power =
n R  (A / F )

All parameters that influence brake power have a limited range except Vd, N, ρa. Therefore,
power can be increased by increasing these three parameters. The only way to increase the power
for the same engine size and nearly the same speed is by boosting (increasing the inlet pressure
that increases air density and hence air mass flow rate to the engine). The increase of air mass
flow rate allows an increase of the fuel mass flow rate to be burned per cycle and hence an
increase of the output power due to boosting.

A compressor is used to achieve the increase in air density and two methods are used to drive the
compressor. If the compressor is driven from the crankshaft of the engine, the system is called
'mechanically driven supercharging; Fig. 1)' or often just 'supercharging; Fig. 1'. If the
compressor is driven by a turbine, which itself is driven by the exhaust gas from the cylinders,
the system is called 'turbocharging'. The advantage of the turbocharger, over a mechanically
driven supercharger, is that the power required to drive the compressor is extracted from exhaust
gas energy rather than the crankshaft. Thus turbocharging is more efficient than mechanical
supercharging.

Fig. (1a): Supercharger Fig. (1b): Exhaust Gas – Turbocharger

1
Special applications of supercharging:
(I) Air density decreases with the altitude and hence the power output. This negative effect
can be controlled by using supercharged.
(II) Volumetric efficiency can be controlled by supercharging.
(III) Supercharging can be very effectively to improve scavenging efficiency that controls the
performance of two-stroke engines.

Advantages of supercharging:
(I) Increasing specific power which will reduce size, space and weight power ratio.
(II) Improving the brake thermal efficiency and hence reducing specific fuel consumption.
(III) Supercharging achieves flatter characteristic (efficiency and specific fuel consumption)
with changing engine speed.
(IV) In some supercharging design, emissions are reduced.

Disadvantages of supercharging:
(I) Increasing mechanical stresses that require increasing cylinder thickness that lead to
increasing the cost and weight. In the same time, if the thickness does not increase, the
life time of the engine decreases.
(II) Supercharging increases the maximum temperature of the cycle and hence materials that
withstand higher temperatures are needed.
(III) Ability of fast acceleration decreases.
(IV) Supercharging causes non-flatter torque characteristic with changing engine speed.
(V) Matching problem between compressor and turbine.
(VI) Detonation possibility increases when petrol (SIE) supercharged.

Turbocharger and Supercharger:

Turbocharger (Fig. 1b):
The advantage of the turbocharger, over a
mechanically driven supercharger, is that the power
required to drive the compressor is extracted from
exhaust gas energy rather than the crankshaft. Thus
turbocharging is more efficient than mechanical
supercharging. However the turbine imposes a flow
restriction in the exhaust system, and therefore the
exhaust manifold pressure will be greater than
atmospheric pressure. . The gas turbines in small
turbo chargers are normally radial turbines whilst in
a large turbo-chargers they are always single stage
axial turbines. The compressors are always single-
stage centrifugal compressors with radial impellers
and vane less diffusers. Figure 2 Comparison of supercharged and
naturally aspirated air standard dual combustion
combustion cycles having the same compression ratio

The process of compression raises temperature as well as pressure. Since the objective is to
increase inlet air density, charger air coolers (heat exchangers) are often used to cool the air

2
between compressor delivery and the cylinders, so that the pressure increase is achieved with the
maximum rise in density.
Figure 2 shows the ideal dual combustion cycle of a diesel engine in naturally aspirated and
turbocharged form. Since the inlet and exhaust pressures are above ambient, and more fuel is
burnt in the engine, the cylinder pressure throughout the cycle, and particularly during
combustion, is substantially higher for the turbocharged cycle. The compression ratio of the
engine must be reduced to prevent an excessive maximum cylinder pressure being reached. Since
reducing compression ratio lowers cycle efficiency, and may make the engine difficult to start,
there is a limit to how low a compression ratio can be used in practice.

Mechanical Supercharging
Superchargers (Fig. 1): are compressors that are mechanically driven by the engine
crankshaft and thus represents a parasitic loss of having to drive the compressor from the engine
output shaft. This loss can be up to 15% of engine output. The blower runs with a fixed speed
ratio referred to crankshaft. The compressor provides air to the engine cylinder under pressure.
Therefore compressor characteristics must be matched to the engine. Since the power to drive the
compressor must be deducted from the indicated power of the engine, the mechanical efficiency
of the engine decreases. There are six types of compressors that can be used for supercharging:
1) Centrifugal compressors. 2)Axial compressors
3) Rotating vane 4) Screw compressors
5) Root's blower 6) Reciprocating compressor

Positive Displacement Compressors:

Most shaft-driven superchargers are
positive displacement compressors; the
most common is the Roots blower –
pushes air forward without pressurizing it
internally. Pressurization occurs in the
manifold when the air flow rate supplied is
larger than that ingested by the cylinders.
It produces constant flow rate independent
of boost pressure (P2)
Shaft-driven, positive-displacement
superchargers have the advantages of
increasing their delivery in proportion to
engine speed and of responding almost
instantly to speed changes. Their
disadvantage is that the use of shaft power
to drive the compressor results in
decreased overall thermal efficiency. In
the mean time, roots blowers are
unacceptably inefficient at pressure ratios
greater than about two.

3
Dynamic Compressors
Dynamic compressor has a rotating element that adds
tangential velocity to the flow which is converted to
pressure in a diffuser. Most common is the radial or
centrifugal type that produces a constant boost pressure
independent of the mass flow rate. Compressor limits
include surge line, choke line, and maximum blade
speed.

Fig. 4: Dynamic compressor limits: To the left of surge

line the flow is unstable (boundary layer
separation and flow reversal). To the right of 60%
line, the compressor becomes very inefficient: a)
air is heated excessively. b) takes excess power
from the crank shaft.

Turbochargers (Fig. 2): couple a compressor with a turbine driven by the exhaust gas. The
compressor pressure is proportional to the engine speed. Because the volume of exhaust gases
increases with engine load and speed, the turbocharger speed will increase proportionally,
keeping the manifold pressure fairly uniform.
The peak pressure in the exhaust system is only slightly greater than atmospheric – small
pressure drop across turbine. In order to produce enough power to run compressor the turbine
speed must be very fast (100k-200k rev/min) and long term reliability becomes an issue.

Fig. 2:Turbocharger

Waste Gate Valve: A device known as a waste

gate (Fig. 3) is installed on turbocharged engines
to control manifold pressure. It is a valve which,
when open, allows engine exhaust to bypass the
turbocharger turbine, effectively reducing intake
pressure. The waste-gate valve is operated by a
diaphragm that is operated by manifold pressure.
The diaphragm will open the waste-gate valve
whenever manifold pressure reaches
the desired maximum..
Fig. 3: Waste gate valve
4
After-cooler
The pressure rise across the compressor increases
the density, but the temperature rise reduces the
density. The lower the isentropic efficiency of the
compressor, the greater the temperature rise for a
given pressure ratio. So after-coolers are used after
the compressor to drop the temperature and thus
increase the air density.

• Temperatures after the compressor can reach

180 C. Cooling the air can offer a significant
performance increase.
• Simultaneous improvement in output, fuel
economy, and emissions

Turbo lag: Turbochargers inevitably suffer from turbo-lag within the operating range, lag is the
delay between the instant a car's accelerator is depressed and the time the turbocharged
engine develops a large fraction of the power available at that point in the engine's power
curve. Or in a simple way, the turbine-compressor rotor takes a finite time to accelerate
upon an increase in engine output and hence there is a delay in engine response upon
demand for a rapid increase in power. One of the methods to improve transient response
is to reduce turbine and compressor wheel inertia. Another way to eliminate turbo-lag is
to use a supercharger. Obviously the supercharger will lead to worse fuel economy than a
turbocharger, since there is no recovery of the exhaust gas expansion work

Turbo Lag Reduction: Twin Turbo

Two turbochargers:
• Smaller turbo for low rpm low load and a larger one for high load
• Smaller turbo gets up to speed faster so reduction in turbo lag
Supercharger/turbo:
• Supercharger used at low speed to eliminate turbo lag
• At higher rpm turbo charger used exclusively to eliminate parasitic load
2006 Volkswagen Golf GT 1.4 Liter GDI uses “twin turbo”:
0-2400 rpm roots blower
>3500 rpm turbo charger

5
Arrangements of engine, compressor and gas
turbine: There are several possible arrangements of
engine, compressor and gas turbine:

1) Arrangement type C.E. This arrangement has

compressor driven directly by the engine and
there is no gas turbine. It is used in
supercharging two-stroke engine and many
supercharged aircraft and diesel engines.

2) Arrangement C-T, E. Engine with free

exhaust-driven compressor. Engines, so
equipped are called turbo
supercharged. This scheme may be
difficult to be designed to properly
scavenge the 2-stroke engine at all
speeds and loads. In order to overcome
this difficulty, two stage compressor
may be used: the first stage being
turbine driven and the second geared
to the engine. A cooler is used on the
upstream side of compressor or
between compressor stages.

3) Turbo-compound aero plane.

Engine, compressor and turbine are
all geared together.

4) Gas Generator Type. The engine

drives only the compressor. Air from
the compressor flows through the
engine and the exhaust -gases drive a
power turbine. This type of turbo-
charger is used in free-piston units.

6
The energy in the exhaust system
Figure 2.17 shows the energy potentially available in
the exhaust system a naturally aspirated engine , with
an ideal cycle. The work represented by area 5-6-1 is
therefore potentially available to a turbocharger turbine
placed in the exhaust manifold. It is called the 'blow-
down' energy, since it involves the combustion
products being 'blown-down' from cylinder pressure at
point 5 to atmospheric pressure at point 6, when the
exhaust valve opens.

Consider now an ideal turbocharged four-stroke engine,

as shown in Figure 2.18. The 'blow-down' energy is
represented by area 5-8-9. Figure 2.17 Ideal limited pressure cycle-naturally aspirated

The cross-hatched area 13-9-10-11 represents the work done by the piston but could be
recovered by a turbine in the exhaust and it is called the piston pumping component of exhaust
energy

Consider a simpler process that would occur if a larger chamber were fitted between the engine
and turbine inlet in order to damp
down the pulsations in exhaust gas
flow. The turbine acts as a flow
restrictor creating a constant pressure
(P7) in the exhaust manifold chamber.
The available energy at the turbine is
given by area 7-8-10-11. This is the
ideal 'constant pressure
turbocharging system'.

Next consider an alternative system, in

which a turbine wheel is placed
directly downstream of the engine, very Figure 2.18 Ideal turbocharged limited pressure cycle

close to the exhaust valve. The gas would expand directly through the turbine along line 5-6-7-8,
assuming isentropic expansion and no losses in the exhaust port. Thus the piston pumping work
would be zero during the ideal exhaust stroke and area 5-8-9 represents the available energy at
the turbine. This is the ideal 'pulse turbocharging system'.

In practice the systems commonly used and referred to as constant pressure and pulse systems
are based on these principles but are far from ideal.

7
Principles of constant pressure turbocharging

With constant pressure turbocharging, the exhaust ports from all cylinders are connected to a
single exhaust manifold whose volume is sufficiently large to ensure that its pressure is virtually
constant. The unsteady exhaust flow processes at the cylinders are damped into a steady flow at
the turbine.

Only one turbocharger need be used, with a single entry from the exhaust manifold, but
frequently several smaller units are fitted so that a reasonable boost pressure can be obtained in
the event of a turbocharger failure. A major advantage of the constant pressure system is that
turbine inlet conditions are steady and known, hence the turbine can be matched to operate at
optimum efficiency at specified engine conditions.

The main disadvantage is that the available energy entering the turbine is low, since full
advantage has not been taken of the pulse energy. In Figure 2.18 area 7- 8-10-11 denotes energy
available to the turbine, hence the energy represented by area 5-7-13 cannot be used. This energy
is not lost, since energy loss only occurs by heat transfer, but since no work is done during the
pressure reducing process 5-7 it represents a loss of potential turbine work.

From a purely practical point of view, the exhaust manifold is simple to construct although it
may be rather bulky, particularly relative to small engines with few cylinders. However, for large
engines with many cylinders, the convenience of being able to join all cylinders to a common
exhaust manifold with a single turbocharger on top, or at either end is useful. A major
disadvantage of the constant pressure system arises from the use of an exhaust manifold having a
large volume.

When the engine load is suddenly increased or a rapid engine speed increase is required, the
pressure in the large volume is slow to rise. Hence the energy available at the turbine increases
only gradually. Turbocharger, and therefore engine response, will be poor. The poor response of
the constant pressure turbocharging system restricts it from consideration for applications where
frequent load (or speed) changes are required.

The turbocharging system will affect the engine through three parameters only, the boost
pressure and temperature in the inlet manifold and the pressure in the exhaust manifold.

Advantages of constant pressure turbocharging

• High turbine efficiency, due to steady flow
• Good performance at high load
• Simple exhaust manifold

Disadvantages of constant pressure turbocharging:

• Low available energy at turbine
• Poor performance at low speed and load
• Poor turbocharger acceleration

Applications of constant pressure turbocharging:

Large industrial and marine engines operating at steady speed and load, highly rated; two- and
four-stroke.

8
Principles of pulse turbocharging
The majority of turbocharged engines use the pulse, not the constant pressure turbocharging
system. However, the pulse system that has been developed tries to make some use of the
available energy of pure pulse and constant pressure
systems. The objective is to make the maximum use of
the high pressure and temperature which exists in the
cylinder when the exhaust valve opens, even at the
expense of creating highly unsteady flow through the
turbine. In most cases the benefit from increasing the
available energy will more than offset the loss in turbine
efficiency due to unsteady flow.
The key to the pulse system is to try to use the additional
(relative to a constant pressure system) energy
represented by area 5-7-13 in Figure 2.18. This requires
the turbine inlet pressure to suddenly rise to P5 when the
exhaust valve first starts to open, then fall along line 5, 6,
7.

The pulse turbocharging system requires the exhaust Figure 2.37 pipe arrangements with various turbocharging systems
on a nine-cylinder engine
manifold to be as small as reasonably possible in order that the turbine inlet pressure should
rapidly rise to almost equal cylinder pressure when the exhaust valve opens. It is also desirable to
open the exhaust valve rapidly for the same reason. In practice valve train inertia and cam
stresses limit valve acceleration and turbocharger location influences exhaust manifold volume.
The turbocharger must be mounted as close to the cylinders as possible to reduce the length of
the exhaust manifold. Virtually all turbocharged engines are multi-cylinder, hence several
exhaust ports must be connected to the turbocharger turbine. To keep exhaust manifold volume
small, the exhaust ports are connected to the turbine by short, narrow diameter pipes.

Advantages of pulse turbocharging

• High available energy at turbine
• Good performance at low speed and load
• Good turbocharger acceleration

Disadvantages of pulse turbocharging

• Poor turbine efficiency with one or two cylinders per turbine entry
• Poor turbine efficiency at very high ratings
• Complex exhaust manifold with large numbers of cylinders
• Possible pressure wave reflection problems (on some engines)

Applications of pulse turbocharging

Automotive, truck, marine and industrial engines; two-and four stroke;
low and medium rating (e.g. up to 17-18 bar b.m.e.p. on four-stroke engines)

9
Matching Problem:
Reciprocating machinery is well suited for a wide range of mass flow rate, but turbomachines are
not. Therefore, turbomachines are not ideally suited to operate in conjunction with a
reciprocating machine. The overall objective of turbocharger matching is to fit a turbocharger
with the most suitable characteristics to an engine in order to obtain the best overall performance
high efficiency flow condition over the complete working range of engine speed and load. It
follows that it is possible to 'match' the turbocharger correctly only at a particular point in the
operating range of the engine. The main consideration in turbo charging matching are:
• To ensure that the turbocharger is operating in an efficient regime
• To ensure that the compressor is operating away from the surge line
• To ensure a good transient response.

The size of the turbocharger will be determined by the quantity of air required by the engine and
compressor characteristic curves (Figure
2.45). Once the basic frame size and
compressor have been established the turbine
must be matched by altering its nozzle ring, or
volute (if it is a radial flow machine). The
effective turbine area will change, raising or
lowering the energy available at the turbine
and hence adjusting the boost pressure from
the compressor.
If the engine is run at constant speed, but
steadily increasing load, then the mass flow
rate will increase approximately with the
increasing charge density and the slope being
governed by the density ratio as shown in Fig.
2.45. When matching a turbocharger to an
engine with this operational requirement, the
objective will be to choose a compressor such
that the constant engine speed line falls
through the middle of the high efficiency area
of the compressor map.
Figure 2.45 Compressor characteristic, with air
flow requirements of a four-stroke truck engine
superimposed with constant load and speed lines

If the engine runs at constant load but increasing speed, the volumetric flow rate of air will
increase and hence the constant load line of the engine will not lie horizontally on the
compressor characteristic, but will rise with the engine speed (Figure 2.45}, the slope depending
on whether the engine is aftercooled or not. If the engine is required to operate over a range of
speeds and loads (e.g. an automotive unit), then a set of constant speed and constant load lines
may be drawn on the compressor characteristic to represent the operating range (Figure 2.45).

The complete engine characteristic must lie between the compressor's surge line and the limit
imposed by low efficiency or possibly turbocharger over speed at high mass flow rates. The
margin between surge and the nearest point of engine operation must be sufficient to allow for
three factors. Firstly, pulsations in the intake system may well induce surge when the mean flow
lies clear of the nominal surge line. Secondly, if the air filter becomes excessively blocked in
service, the air flow rate through the engine will reduce, but the turbine work will be maintained
by a hotter exhaust as the air-fuel ratio gets richer.
10
Nitrous Oxide Injection versus other methods of power posting:

Conventional tuning:
It means improving the air passage that improves the volumetric efficiency. "Conventional" or
traditional tuning is pretty limited. It usually means bigger inlet and exhaust valves, and ports
being machined to a "better" shape, higher compression ratio, bigger carbs, etc. This normally
means a horrible to drive, short lived motor that drinks fuel! 15 to 80% power improvement.
Typical = 25% Cost = High, Drivability = worse than stock.

Turbocharging : Up to 100/150 % power increase is possible. Typical 35 to 60% on road cars.

Cost = High, Drivability = good but some turbo lag.

Supercharging: Up to 100 / 150% possible. Typical on road cars = 40%. Cost High,
drivability = excellent, no lag. Fuel economy less good due to power sapping supercharger
driven by engine.

Nitrous Oxide Injection - Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a chemical compound used as an

oxidizing agent to increase power output by allowing more fuel to be burned. When you heat
nitrous oxide to about 570 degrees F (~300 C), it splits into oxygen and nitrogen. So the injection
of nitrous oxide into an engine means that more oxygen is available during combustion. Because
you have more oxygen, you can also inject more fuel, allowing the same engine to produce more
power. Nitrous oxide has another effect that improves performance even more. When it
vaporizes, nitrous oxide provides a significant cooling effect on the intake air and hence
improving volumetric efficiency. Typical on road car 50 to 100% increase peak, but much higher
at lower RPMs. Short term use only until bottle runs out... Cost medium. No lag.

11
PERFORMANCE OF TURBO-CHARGING SY3TEM
A simple turbo-charging system and its T-s diagram are shown in figure 7.6.

Air from the atmosphere is compressed in the compressor C from P1,T1 to P2, T2. The air is cooled in
the intercooler I and passes to the engine. Exhaust gases leave the engine cylinder and enter a large
receiver, R at a mean temperature and pressure of T4, P4. It is than expanded in the gas turbine, GT to
peak pressure, P6. At equilibrium, the compressor work,
W C =  mW T

Where  m is the mechanical efficiency of the system. Mechanical losses are mainly bearing losses.
 −1
 
    
  − 1
m Cp T P
WC = 1 a 1 2
c  
 1 
P

 5 Cp g (T4 − T6 )
WT = m
k −1
P  k
T6' = T5  2 
 P1 
T5 − T6
T =
T5 − T6'
 k −1

 

WT = m 5 T Cp g T5 1 −   
P k
 6
  P5  
 
 −1
   k −1

m 1CpaT1  P2  
   P6  k 
  − 1 =T  m m 5 Cp g T5 1 −  
c  P1     P5  
   

12
  −1
 
  
 P2  − 1
 P1  
 m 11   Cpa  T1   
m .T .c . =     
   T   k −1

 5   Cp g
m  5 
1 −  P6  
k

  P5  
 

Overall turbo-charger efficiency TC = m .T .c .

Note: If m  5 , Cpa = Cpg , k = 
1 = m
 −1
 
 
 2  − 1
P 

 P1  
T   
TC =  1 
 T5   k −1


1 −  6  
P  k

  P5  
 
 −1
   −1  
P2   T5    P6   
= 1 + TC   1 −   
P1   T1    P5  
  

Where P2/P1 is called the boost of the system.
For high value of boost:
1. Turbo-charger efficiency, ηTC should be high.
2 Exhaust temperature T5 should be high.
3. Turbine expansion ratio, P5/P6 should be high..

13
NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
Example 1: A diesel engine is fitted with a turbocharger, which comprises a radial compressor
driven by radial exhaust gas turbine. The air is drawn into the compressor at a pressure of 0.95
bar and a temperature of 298 K, and is delivered to the engine at a pressure of 2.0 bar. The
engine is operating at an A/F of 18 and the exhaust gas leaves the engine at 1.8 bar, 600 ºC; the
turbine exhausts at 1.05 bar. The isentropic efficiencies of the compressor and the turbine are
70% and 80%, respectively. Using the values of cp,air = 1.01 kJ/kg K, air= 1.4, cp,ex = 1.15 kJ/kg
K, ex= 1.33.
Calculate:
• The temperature of
the air leaving the
compressor
• The temperature of
the air leaving the
turbine
• The mechanical
power loss in the
turbocharger as
percentage of the
power generated in
the turbine
Solution
• 83 ºC
• 512 ºC
• 7.3 %

Example 2. The average indicated power developed in a C.1. engine is

13 kW/m3 of free air induced per minute. The engine is a three-litre, four-stroke engine running
at 3500 rpm and has a volumetric efficiency of 81%, referred to free air-conditions of 1.013 bar
and I5°C. It is proposed to fit a blower, driven mechanically from the engine. The blower has an
insentropic efficiency of 72 % and works through a pressure ratio of 1.72. Assume that at the end
of induction, the cylinders contain a volume of charge equal to swept volume, at the pressure and
temperature of the delivery from the blower. Calculate the increase in brake power to be
expected form the engine. Take all mechanical efficiencies as 78%.

Solution : Capacity of the engine = 3 litres =0.003 m3

3500
Swept volu me =  0.003 = 5.25 m3 / min
2
Unsupercharged induced volume = 5.25vol
= 5.25 0.81 = 4.25m3 / min
Blower delivery pressure = 1.72  1.013 = 1.74 bar
(1.4 −1)
Temperatur e after isentropic compression = 288 (1.72) 1.4 = 336.3K
 −1
 
 
 2 =  2  
T p 

 T1  p1  
 
 336.3 + 288 
Blower delivery temperature = 288 +   = 355K
 0.72 
14
  T2 − T1 T2 − T1 
  isen = ' or T2' = T1 + 
 T2 − T1 isen 

The blower delivers 5.25 m3/min of air at 1.74 bar and 355 K Equivalent volume at 1.013 bar and 15°C
5.25  1.74  288
= = 7.31m3 / min
1.013 355
 Increase in induced volume = 7.31 – 4.25 = 3.06 m3 / min
 Increase in indicated power from air induced = 13 × 3.06 = 39.78 kw
Increase in indicated power due to increased induction pressure.

=
(1.74 − 1.013)  105  5.25
= 6.36 kW
103  60
Total increase in indicated power = 39.78 + 6.36 = 46.14 kW
Increase in engine shaft power = 46.14m = 46.14 + 0.78 = 35.98 kW
1.74  105  5.25
= = 0.149 kg / s
Blower. Mass of air delivered by blower 60  287  355
Work input to blower = mC p (355 − 288) = 0.149  1.005 67
0.149  1.005 67
 Power required to drive the blower = = 12.86 kW
0.78
Net increase in shaft power = 35.98 − 12.86 = 23.12 kW

Problems
1. How the power output of an engine is affected at high altitude ? Explain the working of
various types of superchargers.
2. What is the effect of supercharging on the following parameters.
a) Power output,
b) Mechanical efficiency,
c) Fuel consumption.
3. What are the objectives of supercharging ?
4. Which engine is more suitable for supercharging S.I. engine or C.I. engine ? Why?
5. Write short note on supercharging in I. C. Engines.
6. In a 4-stroke diesel-engine, a supercharger is installed to increase the engine output. The
stroke volume of engine is 2200 cc and output is 10 kW/m3 of free air admitted per minute.
Engine runs at 3000 rpm with volumetric efficiency of 0.80. The ambient conditions are 1 bar
and 25°C. The supercharger increases the pressure to 1.75 bar with an isentropic efficiency of
0.80. Determine the increase in output of the engine due to supercharging. [ U.ET.U.,
May, 2003]

1. (a) Why is the compression ratio of an SI engine often reduced when the engine is redesigned
to be used with a turbocharger? (b) Is brake power increased or decreased? (c) Is thermal

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 efficiency increased? (d) Why isn't reducing the compression ratio as important when a
turbocharger is added to a CI engine design?

2. Two engine options are to be offered in a new automobile model. Engine A is naturally
aspirated with a compression ratio of 10.5:1 and cylinder inlet conditions of 60°C and 96
kPa. Engine B is supercharged with aftercooling and has cylinder inlet conditions of 80°C
and 130 kPa. To avoid knock problems, it is desirable to have the air-fuel temperature at
the start of combustion in engine B to be the same as in engine A.

Calculate:
(a) Temperature at start of combustion in engine A, using air-standard Otto cycle analysis.
[0C]
(b) Compression ratio of engine B which would give the same temperature at the start of
combustion.
(c) Temperature reduction in the aftercooler of engine B if the compressor has an isentropic
efficiency of 82% and inlet conditions are the same as in engine A. [0C]

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