What is the different between Turbocharger and Supercharger

There is quite a bit of terminology when it comes to automobile parts, and a person can get very easily confused. Some of the things that are bantered about may sound very appealing, but may not be what a car buyer wants in his or her vehicle. Understanding differences between various components helps to make a better decision. Superchargers and turbochargers are mentioned almost in the same breath by many people in the auto industry. There is definitely a difference between the two of them.

Let’s start at the beginning; both turbocharging and supercharging are force induction systems – that is they force the air into the engine at a much higher pressure than the naturally aspirated systems.

Forcing more air into the combustion chamber allows the engine to burn more fuel during its power stroke and consequently produce more energy. Both superchargers and turbochargers therefore have the same goal – producing more power, the difference lies in how they go about it.

Differences
The biggest and the most obvious difference between the two systems is where they derive their power from. Superchargers are powered by the engine’s crankshaft while turbochargers get their power from the engine’s exhaust gases.

Because turbochargers are using exhaust gases expelled by the engine they do not need to use any of the engine’s existing power to operate. This is in a stark contrast to superchargers that use a portion of the engine’s power output to perform their duties.

In deciding on which is better will depend on the vehicle itself. The reason why turbochargers are used most commonly in Europe is because the engines are small and four cylinders are standard. Superchargers can deliver their boost at lower RPMs then a turbocharger, whereas the turbocharger works best at high engine speeds.Turbochargers are quieter and superchargers are more reliable. Superchargers are easier to maintain than the complex turbocharger.

The arguments can go on back and forth. It would be great if a supercharger was in the car so that the boost could occur at low RPMs, while a turbocharger would put considerable power at a higher rotation. Volkswagen has attempted that with a twin charger engine. Besides being very expensive, the twin charger engine also only operates with premium gasoline. Determining which is better comes down to the make of the car itself. Incidentally, both are just about the same in price so money is not an issue. A regular car would do better with a supercharger. These are easier to install and tune-ups are not as difficult. The Turbo charger has its real niche in more specialized markets. It is considered more efficient overall than a supercharger. The consumer is left with deciding personally the type of car to own at from that point installing the correct forced induction system to add more power to the drive.