What is this Electric supercharger business?

[humvee]

Is this another "Throttle body spacer" type scam?

Universal "Turbo fan" sits between the air filter and TB, and uses electric power to push 5 bars of air into your engine. Looks very shady, I almost dismissed the thought until I read Audi started using a similar set up.

What do ya'll think?

 

[woodwardsh3]

SNAKE OIL Thats my 2 cents

 

[humvee]

SNAKE OIL Thats my 2 cents

I'm more interested in this application:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a8965/why-electric-superchargers-make-sense-now/

This is obviously a ploy:
http://www.superchargertuning.com/Hummer/H3/

 

[CaseyS]

There are snake oil applications and there are true electric driven forced induction applications like

http://www.rotrex.com/Home

There are not too many engines that will stand up to 5bar of pressure. 1 bar will require reduced static compression pistons and an ecu capable of supporting forced induction and proper tuning to match. 2 bar(g) will almost require some sort of high octane fuel to prevent detonation.

You can't just pump a bunch of air into it and magically get power gains. Now a diesel on the other hand......

Edit : rotrex is engine driven, not electric, I was thinking of something else. In any case some turbo compressors can pull 20 or 30 kW of power on boost. It takes way more power than you would think. I have heard in passing of ones that combine the alternator and compressor in one unit to both motor and generate power. I think F1 is using some of this technology.

 

[humvee]

Thanks for the info...
Dying for some hp since removing the header & exhaust


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[rsc]

One HP equals about 745.7 Watts. To figure power requirements- "it works out to about (0.004 hp/cfm*psi boost)/compressor efficiency, so...41.2 hp for 700 cfm at 14.7 psi and 100% efficiency. That's about 58.8 hp (for 700 cfm) for a compressor that is about 70% efficient."
That's like 43+k Watts and over 3,600 Amps at 12 Volts. Not gonna happen on a car's electrical system. That's why Audi went with super-capacitors to help run there e-supercharger. Even a modest 5 hp would be a big deal for an e-supercharger.

Reference https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/supercharger-power-requirement.395212/

 

[Ryan212]

If you want to run an electric supercharger, here is the size motor you need to run it

Certainly not something that is realistic. This is a Vortron industrial blower (Part of Air Power Group, the same people who make Vortech superchargers)

 

[Ghostbuster]

$1000...
Only if I knew how to install it. Can you imagine a twin turbo alpha mall crawler:giggle:

 

[06 H3]

thats a DIY twin turbo kit huh?

 

[06 H3]

the problem with a twin turbo on an alpha is space. The only header I know of that will fit is the one designed for it. custom making a turbo manifold on the driver side seems damn near impossible.

the pass side its do able. a dual turbo seems doable on an alpha if its remote mounted.

 

[4speedfunk]

Why not stuff a bigger LS (434cid) in it? Double the power...same physical size....no goofy ductwork or plumbing.

 

[Ryan212]

That would be my choice if i owned an alpha. I have a ls3 6.2 liter short block in the garage that would be a direct swap.

 

[humvee]

Why not stuff a bigger LS (434cid) in it? .

Agree..

Chris's swap got me convinced that a V8 is the way to go. But it costs triple here to do this. Pacing myself and weighing my options.


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[06 H3]

Lol I'm not doing anything else to mine. A v8 and 5.13s with 37s will pull to 90 faster then a truck my size should...I'm just saying for arguments sake. I saw a picture of the twin turbo and was saying when u swap in a v8 you realize how tight that driver side gets so it would have to be on the pass side or remote mounted. For me I'm more then happy with the stock 5.3 and once I tune it I'm sure it will get even better but after that I'm done. I need to get my official 0-60 but a stock h3 alpha 0-60 is 8.8 seconds and I am near that. I think I was 9 when I calculated it and thats with a winch, a heavier bumper skids galore a solid axle 37s a roof rack. The 5.3 kicks ass. Best of all if I ever blow one up I can direct swap them with just about any 5.3. Jamie and I had this discussion but he said mostly any 5.3 can be done. Little things like a/c compressor brackets may be different but these motors are all over the place. The 5.3/4l60e combo may be the most common American setup around. Every Tahoe suburban Yukon Yukon xl silverados some envoys and trailblazers these things are everywhere the only ****ty part is you don't get the gas mileage Casey gets with his 4bt

 

[rsc]

If you're not hung up on the "green" thing, you might look at weed eater superchargers...
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/hrdp-1105-leaf-blower-supercharger/

 

[SedonaBound]

So do the Audi electric turbos run only on regenerated power like the electric motor in a hybrid? Is this a way to recoup the energy from regen without a big heavy electric drive motor?

 

[rsc]

Audi uses a separate 48v electric system with lithium ion batteries powered by regenerative braking at the wheels.

 

[humvee]

Jamie and I had this discussion but he said mostly any 5.3 can be done. Little things like a/c compressor brackets may be different but these motors are all over the place.

Thanks Chris, with a swap, the downtime is my major concern, parts take time to ship here. A trial and error build like this can park my Hummer for up to 6 months if I'm not careful.
I really want a 5.3 on 4.56 gearing.

Should I wait until someone does a 2009 i5 > 5.3 swap?
Or you think it would be straight forward?