Function of Turbocharger and Intercooler in Internal Combustion Power unit Performance

Turbocharger

Turbocharger is a name given to the device which is similar in working and components to the air compressor and it is being used in internal combustion power units to increase the efficiency of the internal combustion power unit. Turbocharger consists of a compressor housing which hold the compressor wheel inside it, turbine housing which hold turbine wheel inside it and one shaft which have both compressor wheel and turbine wheel mounted on it.

Working of turbocharger starts from the rotation of turbine which takes power form the hot gasses flowing out of the engine. Turbine uses this power to rotate the compressor wheel of the turbocharger because both of the wheels are mounted in the same wheel. Compressor compresses the outside air and forces it into the intake of the compressor. This increase in the inflow of air into the engine combustion chamber will increase the efficiency of the engine because the air fuel mixture will have more oxygen in it than the normal operation. Extra oxygen means effective combustion of fuel and this means more power with the same amount of the fuel used.

Intercooler

Explanation of the turbocharger has been explained in the above section and its main function is to provide the engine with the some air at high pressure. According to the principles of the thermodynamics at constant volume if pressure of the air is increase then its temperature will also increase. This increase in temperature of the air will result in decrease of engine efficiency so the air must be cooled before it enters the engine. For this purpose intercooler is used which is just a simple heat exchanger whose main function is to decrease the temperature of the air passing through its tubes. For cooling purpose fluid main be present in the pipes of the intercooler or low temperature air may flow over the fins of the heat exchanger, it’s all depends on the types of the heat exchanger used for this work.