LL

111IJ

I h11 dliI
A. INTAKE

B. COMPRESSION

C. POWER

D. EXHAUST

Figure 1-1Simple four-stroke engine

For these reasons, a normal automobile engine flows only about 80% of the calculated amount of charge. This amount is called 80% volumetric efficiency or 80%. It is possible to tune an engine to get higher volumetric efficiency by using the correct length intake and exhaust pipes for a given engine speed. This, coupled with oversized valves and ports and carefully designed intake and exhaust passages, make it possible to have an engine with a volumetric efficiency exceeding l00% at a certain speed. This is frequently done with racing engines but it is not practical for street use where a broad speed range is required. SUPERCHARGiNG Figure 1-2 shows a compressor added to the basic engine. This may be done either before or after the carburetor. In either case, if compressor capacity is greater than that of the engine, it will force more air into the engine than it would consume naturally aspirated. The amount of additional air will be a function of the intakemanifold-charge density compared to the density of the surrounding atmosphere. Density as used in this book is the weight of air per unit of volume. It is usually expressed as a percent or ratio. There are two basic types of

COMPRESSOR

Figure 1-2Engine with supercharger

compressors: and dynamic.

positive-displacement

POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT COMPRESSORS Positive-displacement compressors, Figure 1-3, include reciprocating, lobe and vane compressors. There are also lesserknown types. Positive-displacement compressors are usually driven from the engine crankshaft through belts, gears or chains. The compressor pumps essentially

the same amount of charge for each revolution of the engine regardless of speed. And, because it is a positivedisplacement device, all of this charge must pass through the engine. Assuming the compressor displacement is twice that of a normally aspirated engine, the intake-manifold pressure must rise to enable the engine to flow the same weight of charge delivered by the compressor. The manifold pressure will not be twice atmospheric. This type of supercharger has the advantage of delivering approximately

RECIPROCATING
Figure 1-3Positive-displacement compressors

LOBE

VANE

the same manifold pressure at all engine speeds. The disadvantage is that crankshaft power is used to drive The Roots-type lobe compressor also has the disadvantage of inherently low efficiencybelow 50%. Low efficiency causes excessive charge heating and therefore higher thermal stress on the engine. The Lyshoim-type lobe compressor, Figure 1-4, has much higher efficiencyup to 90%but is extremely expensive and not practical for automotive use. The reciprocating type has been used for many years on large stationary engines. Because it usually is attached directly to the crankshaft, it runs at crankshaft speed. It is rather large and cumbersome for use in an automobile engine. The sliding-vane type is sealed internally by the vanes rubbing against the outer housing. Because of this, lubricating oil is usually mixed with the charge to prevent excessive wear on the sliding vanes. This lubricating oil lowers the fuels octane rating. An eccentric-vane type such as the smog pump used on many passengercar engines does not require vane lubrication. Like the Lysholm type, this is very expensive in sizes large enough to supercharge most car engines. Bendix Corporation made a version of the eccentric-vane compressor large enough for use on a passenger car. Bendix chose a design without built-in compression, Figure 1-6. This

VALVE SEAL

VANE

OUTLET

ECCENTRIC

DRIVING RING Figure 1-5 Eccentric-vane compressor

uses less power when not in operation. A cross section of this type compressor is shown in Figure 1-5 and a schematic of the system is in Figure 1-6. DYNAMIC COMPRESSORS All dynamic compressors are inherently high-speed devices. They obtain compression by accelerating the gas to a high velocity and then slowing it down by diffusion. Diffusion converts velocity energy into pressure energy by slowing down the gas without turbulence. Dynamic compressors also come in several types. An axial compressor, Figure 1-7, is basically a fan or propeller. With this type compressor it is difficult to 7