Blowers & Superchargers with on/off switch

[knightjp]

When you watch the Mad max movie and the movie, My Science project, you see them using a switch to put the blowers on. Are there such blowers and superchargers or is that just for show...

[MagicRat]

This question pops - up regularly around here..... and it's almost always generated when someone sees this aged movie.

No, such a switch does not exist in the real world. It was included in the movie plot to make it seem more dramatic.

Real superchargers must spin all the time. If the rotors do not spin, they will effectively block all incoming air due to their design.

Some unscrupulous vendors sell and "electric supercharger" out there on the net that which you can switch on and off, but these are just a gimmick. They do very little because they can blow air, but cannot actually compress it - a requirement for a supercharger to give you a power-boost.

[knightjp]

It is a cool idea though... Surprised no one thought about doing it. It would have advantages...

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by knightjp

It is a cool idea though... Surprised no one thought about doing it. It would have advantages...

Toyota did think of it.

The MK1 MR2 and the Toyota MarK II from the same error both used a super charger with an electro-magnetic clutch on the drive pulley.

It was disengaged to low speed and the engine ran naturally aspirated.

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Toyota did think of it.

The MK1 MR2 and the Toyota MarK II from the same error both used a super charger with an electro-magnetic clutch on the drive pulley.

It was disengaged to low speed and the engine ran naturally aspirated.

Well I would like something like an exact switch.. It should be easy to make. Essentially if I recall, the supercharger is a turbine that suck in air, compresses it and feeds it into the engine and runs on a belt attached. So the faster the engine is pushed, the faster the turbine turns...
All we need to do is get a turbine to run electrically. As far as I can think, if there was a way to develop the same turbine technology used in the Chryler Turbine of the 60s (just the air flow part) then we've got a good system.
The air will be sucked in sent through the compressor sent through the heat exchanger and then into the engine. Sound more complicated but it would mean that the air going into the engine would hotter and produce a faster burn.
Its just a rough idea.

[Moppie]

Except:

Converting rotational energy into electrical energy and back into rotational energy is not very efficient.
Using the rotational energy directly (through a belt and pully) is exponentially more efficient.

However, at low RPM the S/C is often using more energy than is creating through boost pressure, hence why Toyota put an electro magnetic clutch on the pulley.

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Except:

Converting rotational energy into electrical energy and back into rotational energy is not very efficient.
Using the rotational energy directly (through a belt and pully) is exponentially more efficient.

However, at low RPM the S/C is often using more energy than is creating through boost pressure, hence why Toyota put an electro magnetic clutch on the pulley.

Sounds like Toyota had a winner of a system on their hands. I would like to see a video on how it works. I wonder if they're still using it...
Maybe it can be modified to use a switch..

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by knightjp

Sounds like Toyota had a winner of a system on their hands. I would like to see a video on how it works. I wonder if they're still using it...
Maybe it can be modified to use a switch..

It was only used for one generation of the MR2 and a single model of the Mark II, although it worked well, the system was a little complex, and variable valve systems and turbo charging ended up being cheaper and able to deliver as much, or more power.


It operated off a throttle position switch, so people did replace it with a manually activated one.

The super charger units were also easy to transplant into other cars, the clutch pulley could be replaced by a simple pully giving them constant drive.

I know a guy who had one on an early 90s Civic.

[knightjp]

Originally Posted by Moppie

It was only used for one generation of the MR2 and a single model of the Mark II, although it worked well, the system was a little complex, and variable valve systems and turbo charging ended up being cheaper and able to deliver as much, or more power.
It operated off a throttle position switch, so people did replace it with a manually activated one.
The super charger units were also easy to transplant into other cars, the clutch pulley could be replaced by a simple pully giving them constant drive.
I know a guy who had one on an early 90s Civic.

I wonder if wiki would have any info on the model number of the superchargers, etc...Or maybe the super charger can be anyone... its the electro-magnetic clutch that's the important part...

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by knightjp

I wonder if wiki would have any info on the model number of the superchargers, etc...Or maybe the super charger can be anyone... its the electro-magnetic clutch that's the important part...

Theres not much on wiki, but the MR2 forums here have some info.


I can't remember the S/C model, but it was fitted to the 4A-GZE engine.
The Engine and S/C combination was used into the 90s in the Trueno.

They used a little roots type blower, a very compact unit, but it only made 8-10lbs of boost.
Anything more than 12 would cause the Teflon coating on the blower vanes to melt and come apart.

They made between 145 and a 170hp depending on production year.
Anything more required replacing the blower with a turbo as it simply couldn't pump any more air to produce more hp.

[knightjp]

Has anyone heard about the electric superchargers?? http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/04..._supercharger/

[knightjp]

Came across these pics... Thought it might shed some light on the subject...

[CaligulaGenkins]

I have been thinking about this concept quite frequently and come to a solution (may be impractical, but this whole concept is an impractical concept).

1st problem Belt - Change the belt system to a drive system with a clutch, hook this up to an electric servo and wire it into your car, simple.

2nd problem Air going through supercharger while 'switched off' - Instead of bolting carburetor/carburetors on the top of the supercharger hook them up to a two way split system and have butterfly valves control the flow of the air either into the supercharger or a pipe that goes behind the supercharger and into a specialised intake manifold.

Solved.