Electric Supercharger?! (adaptable for fuel economy?)

[ecomodded]

With my car when driving at a steady speed the turbo puts out a steady 2-3 lbs of boost, a electric leaf blower could provide 2-3 lbs with out to much draw.
I bet they have some cheap battery powered leaf blowers, that may suffice, i would test the output in lbs before i went to far with the idea.
It should be possible to measure a leaf blowers force, in lbs.

Realistically 10 lbs of boost or more should be the goal.
Although 5 lbs would be helpful, but barely.

[gone-ot]

...reminds me of the childrens' Three Little Piggies line "...and he huffed and puffed and blew..." the air down the carburetor!

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

... a electric leaf blower could provide 2-3 lbs with out to much draw.

How much volume? Versus what the engine needs?

I think I'm with Old Mechanic on this. The idea could be useful to help downsize an engine, and you would only need to power the compressor at need. Don't know if this application of the idea could really work or not, though.

There's been one somewhat-popular "electric supercharger" a few years ago that was total bunk. Testing showed about what you would think: A little more torque off-idle, and then flow got choked at higher loads and RPMs.

-soD

[ecomodded]

For fun i looked at some leaf blowers.
Most battery powered blowers were only 60-90 cfm
most electrics around 150cfm
Gas blowers can go as high as 600cfm

1 tiny turbo like the ones put on the tdi's run at 15 lbs boost under load.
I suggest a used Turbo and a rebuild kit for it for anyone considering the electric supercharger.

[baldlobo]

while i like the idea of electric forced induction. about the only one i like is the e-ram; most of you will call it a bilge pump fan.

e-Racing :: OFFICIAL SITE :: The e-RAM Electric Supercharger from e-Racing Motorsports

i don't think so; if it's designed and built properly multiple sets of an axial compressor will produce a pressure increase of 1.4:1 at max per set of rotor and stator.

each set would weight way less than any other form of forced induction, and could be spun up with a 12volt hobby r/c motor; making it light weight and capable of producing some boost.

i think that thing that thomas knight made is a retarded design, and weights more than twice(not including the batteries needed to run the thing) what that m62(or is it an m90) would weight otherwise. along with less boost than it should be capable of producing.

if it was me, i still like mad max's supercharged car; electro magnetic clutch just like your average automotive a/c unit(mercedes and acouple of other manufactures have used them in the past).

oh and for squirrel cage fans, not fast enough; and aren't a centrifugal compressor. about as much as a ducted fan is not an axial compressor.

[gone-ot]

+1 on the use of A/C "electro-mechanical" clutch for ON/OFF control!

[Daox]

Electric superchargers are a horrible idea, especially if you're thinking about efficiency. Lets quickly review what you're thinking about doing. You're using electricity generated from the gas engine through the alternator to now put more air and fuel into the engine. Count up the conversion losses! If you're going to use electricity for anything, it should be for direct propulsion, not shoving air into an engine.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by Daox

Electric superchargers are a horrible idea, especially if you're thinking about efficiency. Lets quickly review what you're thinking about doing. You're using electricity generated from the gas engine through the alternator to now put more air and fuel into the engine. Count up the conversion losses! If you're going to use electricity for anything, it should be for direct propulsion, not shoving air into an engine.

...agree, 100%:

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...it's all about simple mathematics:

90% = 90% (one conversion)

81% = 90% of 90% (two conversions)

73% = 90% of 90% of 90% (three conversions)

66% = 90% of 90% of 90% of 90% (four conversion)

...the fewer times you convert energy, the "...more of it (energy) you have...", or stated conversely the "...less you've lost."

[Cobb]

Id considered something like this for my Insight. Any psi will make a seat of the pants feel increase. Hopefully the few psi that could be generated would not require preminum fuel either. Since I have a plug in kit, I could easily power it with that and use a switch under the gas peter for WOT operation only.

I had a supercharged tacoma with the trd supercharger. It can be driven when the super charges is not belted. Either way I got the same mpg. I got 18 mpg regardless of how I drove and 16 when towing a car. THis was basic driving, not FASing or anything beyond sidewall psi on the tires, sticking to roads with 45 mph and running 33 inch off road tires.

The other option is a chemical intercooler. I saw one on the power block a few weeks ago. I believe it was like 300 bucks, it could use windshield washer fluid and a qt of fluid would last for a few miles at a good spray pattern for some monster v8 engine.

[t vago]

Originally Posted by baldlobo

while i like the idea of electric forced induction. about the only one i like is the e-ram; most of you will call it a bilge pump fan.

e-Racing :: OFFICIAL SITE :: The e-RAM Electric Supercharger from e-Racing Motorsports

The trouble with this super-spiffy eRam Electric Supercharger is... it doesn't work.

Dynamometer Runs conducted on 07 February 2004 - Base vs. Electric Supercharger Comparison