Turbochargers have changed the way we create engines. Instead of naturally-aspirated engines that create exhaust gas that is just wasted, turbochargers are able to take in exhaust gas and harness power from it, pull in even more air than it would normally get through a standard intake, compress that air, and use the compressed air to create even more power.
History of Turbochargers
Before the 1900s, the only petrol gas and diesel engines were naturally-aspirated engines that created a lot of exhaust. Many different engineers saw the potential to tap into the exhaust from the engines as a source of power. Turbochargers are the result of many different engineers working toward the same goal.
Forced induction, which is the process of taking compressed air to the intake of an internal combustion engine, was first patented by Gottlieb Daimler, a late 19th-century German engineer, in 1885. Twenty years later, Alfred Büchi, a Swiss engineer, received a patent for a compound radial engine with an exhaust-driven axial flow turbine and compressor mounted on a common shaft. Prototypes from this patent were not successful. Another turbocharger patent in 1916 was received by Auguste Rateau for the Renault engines in French fighter planes.
In 1925, Alfred Büchi had the first successful commercial application of a turbocharger. Büchi installed turbochargers on ten-cylinder diesel engines and increased the power output to 1,860 kilowatts (from 1,300 kilowatts). This design for turbochargers was then used in railcars as well as marine, and large stationary applications.
Turbochargers Today
Today, turbochargers for sale are in engines all around us. Turbos can be found in both diesel-powered and petrol-powered cars, as well as trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, and marine-based diesel engines. While turbochargers are common in diesel engines, more and more petrol-powered cars are starting to use turbocharging.
Pros of Turbochargers
There are many reasons turbochargers are a smart choice for engines. Let’s explore some of the pros of turbochargers.
- Economy: Fuel economy is much better in turbocharged engines since the smaller turbocharged ones can produce the same output as bigger, less efficient, naturally-aspirated units that use more fuel and power.
- Emissions: Since turbochargers reuse the exhaust an engine produces, the emissions from the engine are reduced.
- Efficiency: Naturally-aspirated and even supercharged engines lose energy in their exhaust. Alternately, turbochargers use the energy that is in the exhaust, and this recovery of energy improves the efficiency of the engine.
- Torque: Torque is a twisting force produced by an engine. Turbocharged vehicles have more torque than their naturally-aspirated counterparts, which gives them a strong feel around the town and a refined feel at higher speeds.
- Power: This is probably the greatest pro of turbochargers: they can give you much more power from an engine of the same size. This also means you can get a much smaller and turbocharged engine to take the place of large engines that perform less efficiently. For example, a 1L turbocharged engine can provide the same power as a 1.6L naturally-aspirated petrol engine.
Cons of Turbochargers
While turbochargers are helpful to making engines more efficient and powerful, they are not without cons. Here are a few of the downsides of turbochargers.
- Turbo lag: Turbo lag doesn’t need to be a con if you drive carefully and not aggressively, but if the vehicle is driven aggressively, the engine can’t produce enough exhaust gas to spin the turbo’s intake turbine quickly enough. This causes a brief delay after pressing the throttle, referred to as turbo lag.
- Pricey repairs: Problems with the turbocharger can be expensive to fix since they are complicating the engine and adding more potential places in the engine that could malfunction. (Typically, however, turbochargers do not require additional maintenance compared to naturally-aspirated engines.)
- Oil use: Turbochargers often need to tap into the engine’s oil supply for lubrication. The oil also acts as a coolant, as turbochargers can reach very high temperatures. Turbocharged engines will need more frequent oil changes.
Turbochargers are an efficient use of energy that maximize the power of engines. Just as engineers in the 1800s and 1900s all worked toward making the turbocharger better, today engineers are continually working to make the best version of the turbocharger we can.
At Goldfarb and Associates, Inc., we offer the highest quality of new, used, and rebuilt turbochargers. We have a turbocharger and diesel parts for passenger cars to light and heavy-duty trucks, to commercial, industrial, agricultural, and marine diesel engines. Check out our diesel parts online or contact us for all your turbocharger and diesel needs.
