Here’s all you need to know about the electric turbo

Electric turbines are commonly used in automobile engines. Here is everything you need to know about them.

We often hear about the electric turbo, and it is the product of a continuous development. As technology continues to evolve and improve, the turbocharger also continues to improve. The idea of ​​connecting an electric motor to a turbocharged compressor is not new. A different expert in the field has long envisioned the concept.

Understanding the conventional turbo is crucial to understanding the electric turbo. They are common devices used in all engines . It is known that internal combustion engines produce energy by igniting a mixture of fuel and air. The more fuel and air are burned, the more energy is generated.

A turbocharger is a gas compressor used to compress air in an internal combustion engine to produce higher horsepower due to the size of the engine. The difference between the turbocharger and the supercharger is that the supercharger is usually mechanically rotated by a belt or gear from the crankshaft (crankshaft), while the turbocharger rotates with the exhaust gases coming out of the engine, and in general the engine equipped with a turbocharger is more powerful and more powerful Efficient than natural breathing engines because turbochargers increase the entry of air and fuel into the combustion chamber, and turbochargers are usually more efficient than supercharged engines, but are less responsive than them. Turbochargers are commonly found in engines of trucks, cars, trains and also engines of construction equipment.

There are also twin-turbo engines, meaning an engine with two turbochargers. There are also twincharger engines, which means an engine with a turbocharger and a supercharger.

So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at what an electric turbo is.

electric turbo

The main components of the turbocharger are the turbines, and are placed in the exhaust outlet. The exhaust gas enters through the turbine housing,

It drives the turbine, which determines the engine’s speed and load and how fast the turbine wheels rotate with the engine; At idle, the turbine rotates at a lower speed as more gases pass through the turbo housing, and the turbine has high rotational speeds, with a maximum turbine rotation speed of 250,000 rpm.

The compressor wheel is connected to the turbine by a steel shaft, and the rotating turbine drives it; The air is drawn into the compressor housing by the pressure wheel, and compressed while the blade is rotating at high speed, the shape of the housing quickly transforms the low-pressure air stream into the high-speed low-pressure air stream at the outlet.

It draws air from the atmosphere and compresses it above atmospheric pressure, then feeds the engine . The center housing houses the shaft that connects the compressor and the turbine, and it has a bearing system that suspends the shaft and rotates it at a very high speed with little friction.

Superchargers, which are similar to turbines, are attached directly to the crankshaft. In contrast, the turbine is driven by exhaust gases flowing from the engine through a turbine connected directly to a compressor fan, so, when the exhaust gases spin the turbine, the compressor rotates, drawing in additional air. All turbochargers are used as a way to fill more air into the engine to generate more power. It mainly increases the working efficiency of the car engine.

There are different types of turbines: single turbo, twin turbo, sequential turbo, and electric turbo, and that is our focus here.

Instead of being driven by exhaust gases only or a crankshaft, the electric turbo is powered by an electric motor via the battery. It is a turbocharger that is propelled by both exhaust gas and electric power to spin a turbine and create positive air pressure. The main reason for using an electric turbo is to increase the air flow to the engine. Therefore, the electronic turbo is a necessity. And Audi has released a few cars with electric turbines, and they come with a 48-volt system.

The use of an electric motor in a turbocharger enhances its features and provides instantaneous boost to the engine. Speaking of features, let’s dive in.

Electric Turbo Features

Just like a conventional turbocharger, an electric turbocharger consists of a compressor wheel and an exhaust gas turbine wheel used to increase the inlet air pressure of an internal combustion engine.

An electric turbo can run quickly and provide instant boost, while a conventional turbo must spin out of the exhaust gases, resulting in what is called turbo lag. Turbo deceleration is the delay in responding before the engine responds more aggressively. Thus, the electronic turbo narrows the gap, eliminating turbo idling by spinning the compressor with electric power when needed. This is one of the most important aspects and benefits of the electric turbo technology.

Many remain in constant awe of those who look to nature for their extraordinary reliability. Also, low torque production is basically described as the production of rotational force by an engine at the lower end of its rpm range. It increases the amount of air and fuel that can be burned and increases combustion pressure on each electric stroke, giving a massive increase in torque at low rpm – and the higher the lower torque – the faster the acceleration. Envisioned by Garret and its competitors, the engine can spin at turbo speed and build boost for excellent low-speed torque production and low-speed drivability.

Its ability to take advantage of wasted energy as an electric generator to run motors directly or recharge batteries is why it is more efficient. In this fuel economy, reduction is possible. The electric turbocharger reduces fuel consumption, which in turn reduces carbon dioxide and controls the exhaust temperature. Electric turbines act as a silencer, that is, they produce less noise.

Complexity and Cost: Due to its complexity and expensive materials, the electric turbines in use are likely to be too expensive to be adopted on a large scale.
Weight and size: This is also a big challenge for the E-turbo, especially with the addition of a battery in order to provide enough power for the turbo.
Although this technology is still relatively new and only a handful of manufacturers have tried and installed these systems in their cars, it does provide power that has never been seen before in a turbo. It’s the best of it so far; Despite its challenges in terms of complexity, cost, packaging, and weight, its benefits are hugely effective. Perhaps the next stage of modern turbocharging technology will solve this problem.