slowing down the gas without turbulence so velocity energy is converted into pre

ssure energy.A centrifugal type is shown in fig 5.This differs from the axialflo
w in that the direction of the gas is changed approximately 90 degree and becaus
e the air is in contact with the blades of the compressor impeller for a long pe
riod of time per stage than in an axial flow compressor.It is possible to achiev
e considerably higher pressure ratio in a single stage of a centrifugal flow com
pressor.A 4:1 pressure ratio is not uncommon.
Although there are other types of dynamic compressors such as mixed flow and d
rag type,they are not ordinarily used for supercharging engines.
Because the centrifugal compressor must be driven at very high speed , it is
difficult to drive from he crankshaft.As can be seen from the compressor map in
fig 6 a compressor capable of supplying a pressure ratio of 3:1 with a low capa
city large enough for a 350 CID engine ,must run at around 115000 RPM it would r
equire a step up gear of higher than 20:1 on an enhine running at 5000 RPM.This
is imprractical , not only because of the cost of the transmission,but also beca
use sudden changes in engine speed occuring during shifting would wipe out the s
upercharger gears unless a slip clutch were included in the system.
During the 1920s gear driven centrifugal superchargers were used with success
on race cars turning out as high as 300 hp from 90 CID engines.That was 3.33Hp p
er cubic inch displacement. Because the gear driven supercharger probablu used a
bove 60HP from the crank shaft,the same engine equiped with turbocharger would h
ave produced about 360 HP-4HP per cubic inch. The top race cars engines today ar
e producing about 900HP from 160CID- about5.6 HP per cubic inch or a 40% improve
ment in 45days. Engine builders back in those days lacked the high strength mate
rial we have today,so they cooled the charge between the compressor and the engi
ne,reducing both the thermal and mechanical load while increasing the output.
The biggest disadvantage of the centrifugal compressor when used as a super-