Quote:
Originally Posted by SlipBall
They are the same, the difference being the power source  |
In basic terms, yes.
For a supercharger to work you have to use some of the energy produced on the crankshaft, while turbo uses energy off the exhaust gases which is "free".
The downside is that turbo works best on higher RPM ("turbo lag"), while superchargers can follow and adjust to engine RPM much more rapidly.
IIRC the development of turbochargers and the reason why they are so available todays happened after WW2. =>
See post 141.
EDIT: As a result, the latest developments led to a process called 'downsizing' where in todays engines you now have a supercharger for low RPM which disengages (usually via magnetic clutch) around 2500 RPM and then turbo takes over.