Toyota is working on a forced induction system that has an electric supercharger
05-04-17, 11:55 AM
#1
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Toyota is working on a forced induction system that has an electric supercharger
Toyota is working on a forced induction system that has an electric supercharger and a turbocharger.
We know Toyota has been developing electric superchargers from a previous patent application for a special bearing design, but AutoGuide.com has discovered a patent detailing a supercharging system that is applied to an internal combustion engine. The system includes a turbocharger powered by the engine’s exhaust gasses while the supercharger is powered by electricity. The goal would be a two-stage system where the electric supercharger would provide performance while the turbo spools up, helping eliminate what is called “turbo lag.”
What makes the patent particularly interesting is that Toyota details a supercharging control device “that changes over the supercharging mode between: a single-stage supercharging mode in which the internal combustion engine is only supercharged by the turbocharger, due to electrical driving of the electric supercharger being stopped with the bypass valve in the open position; and a two-stage supercharging mode in which the internal combustion engine is supercharged by both the turbocharger and the electric supercharger, due to electrical driving of the electric supercharger being performed with the bypass valve in the closed position.”
Basically, the system would have threshold values it uses to switch the bypass valve between open and closed so that the vehicle could dynamically use either both the electric supercharger and turbocharger or just the turbocharger to boost engine performance. Unfortunately, the patent doesn’t go into details about which engine the system would be used on, but if we had to guess, this could preview what the Toyota Supra’s successor will have, or it might be used in the high-performance Lexus LC F to make it more of a supercar competitor.
We know Toyota has been developing electric superchargers from a previous patent application for a special bearing design, but AutoGuide.com has discovered a patent detailing a supercharging system that is applied to an internal combustion engine. The system includes a turbocharger powered by the engine’s exhaust gasses while the supercharger is powered by electricity. The goal would be a two-stage system where the electric supercharger would provide performance while the turbo spools up, helping eliminate what is called “turbo lag.”
What makes the patent particularly interesting is that Toyota details a supercharging control device “that changes over the supercharging mode between: a single-stage supercharging mode in which the internal combustion engine is only supercharged by the turbocharger, due to electrical driving of the electric supercharger being stopped with the bypass valve in the open position; and a two-stage supercharging mode in which the internal combustion engine is supercharged by both the turbocharger and the electric supercharger, due to electrical driving of the electric supercharger being performed with the bypass valve in the closed position.”
Basically, the system would have threshold values it uses to switch the bypass valve between open and closed so that the vehicle could dynamically use either both the electric supercharger and turbocharger or just the turbocharger to boost engine performance. Unfortunately, the patent doesn’t go into details about which engine the system would be used on, but if we had to guess, this could preview what the Toyota Supra’s successor will have, or it might be used in the high-performance Lexus LC F to make it more of a supercar competitor.
Last edited by Sulu; 05-04-17 at 11:59 AM.
05-05-17, 10:24 AM
#5
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
By strict definition, any apparatus for forced induction by compression of the intake air is known as a supercharger. It is only in common use that the externally-driven compressor (usually driven by a belt running off the crankshaft) has become known as the supercharger and the turbine-driven (by exhaust gas) turbo-supercharger become known as a turbocharger. An electrically-driven compressor would be an electric supercharger. By strict definition, there can be no such thing as an electric turbocharger.
A supercharger driven by the engine gives immediate boost without lag but it produces a drag on the engine, so while it provides extra power, the engine has to work harder to do so. A exhaust gas-driven turbine-powered turbocharger uses otherwise wasted exhaust to drive the compressor so does not produce drag on the engine but there is a lag because it takes time to spin the turbine fast enough (especially at low engine RPM) to provide good boost. This e-supercharger-turbocharger combination could provide boost a low RPM without producing a drag on the engine and without lag, and then transition over to exhaust gas-driven turbocharging when there is enough waste energy to drive the turbine.
05-05-17, 12:58 PM
#6
Lexus Champion
There is at least some lag with an electric boost system, although much less than a turbo. Phantom Supercharger in Calgary has sold quite a few kits mostly to BRZ owners. I've driven one in a V6 Camry it works extremely well and is a very simple install compared to a belt driven supercharger or turbo kit.
05-05-17, 04:18 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
In this case, there is no difference.
By strict definition, any apparatus for forced induction by compression of the intake air is known as a supercharger. It is only in common use that the externally-driven compressor (usually driven by a belt running off the crankshaft) has become known as the supercharger and the turbine-driven (by exhaust gas) turbo-supercharger become known as a turbocharger. An electrically-driven compressor would be an electric supercharger. By strict definition, there can be no such thing as an electric turbocharger.
A supercharger driven by the engine gives immediate boost without lag but it produces a drag on the engine, so while it provides extra power, the engine has to work harder to do so. A exhaust gas-driven turbine-powered turbocharger uses otherwise wasted exhaust to drive the compressor so does not produce drag on the engine but there is a lag because it takes time to spin the turbine fast enough (especially at low engine RPM) to provide good boost. This e-supercharger-turbocharger combination could provide boost a low RPM without producing a drag on the engine and without lag, and then transition over to exhaust gas-driven turbocharging when there is enough waste energy to drive the turbine.
By strict definition, any apparatus for forced induction by compression of the intake air is known as a supercharger. It is only in common use that the externally-driven compressor (usually driven by a belt running off the crankshaft) has become known as the supercharger and the turbine-driven (by exhaust gas) turbo-supercharger become known as a turbocharger. An electrically-driven compressor would be an electric supercharger. By strict definition, there can be no such thing as an electric turbocharger.
A supercharger driven by the engine gives immediate boost without lag but it produces a drag on the engine, so while it provides extra power, the engine has to work harder to do so. A exhaust gas-driven turbine-powered turbocharger uses otherwise wasted exhaust to drive the compressor so does not produce drag on the engine but there is a lag because it takes time to spin the turbine fast enough (especially at low engine RPM) to provide good boost. This e-supercharger-turbocharger combination could provide boost a low RPM without producing a drag on the engine and without lag, and then transition over to exhaust gas-driven turbocharging when there is enough waste energy to drive the turbine.
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05-05-17, 07:20 PM
#8
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
While it's true that an electric motor for the supercharger would probably be more efficient than a traditional belt-driven one, that doesn't necessarily mean that the electric system is a free lunch. It will take a fair amount of electric power for the motor to spin the compressor blades fast enough (and hard enough) to properly compress the air/fuel mixture for the required boost. That means that the car's alternator will either have to be larger or work harder to compensate...either way, making the gas engine work a little harder to drive the alternator. It won't be much of a drain on the engine (minor at best)...but it still isn't a completely free lunch.
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