turbochargers are heat scavengers…they are not pinwheels blowing in air flow as many people think
they run off the very high heat differential between the hot and cold side of the turbine, this differential powers the turbine
if they were just a “pinwheel” you would not be able to extract any extra energy from the system…they are positive feedback devices
P * V = N * R * T (boyles law baby!)
Yeah the heat gives the air particles energy and the pressure pushes on the the turbine going from a high pressure side, manifold, to the low pressure side, downpipe. Its air pressure so the air is the physical being spinning the turbo. Sure Temperature and Pressure are directly proportional, but i think saying its a pressure differential sounds better thats what manifold wrap is for! keep those exhaust temps up!
Word, thats pressure! The pressure is much higher on the one side of the turbo with respect to the other, and pressure is directly proportional to heat, hence what adam and the other guy was saying.
a turbo is connected by its turbine and compressor by a solid common shaft… so IF it was just air flow that was powering it… the net effect of air passing over the compressor and turbine would be the same…
HOWEVER it is not…once the fuel is burnt the wasted energy (heat) allows the turbine shaft to be powered OVER AND ABOVE the airflow passing over the compressor side of the turbo…
thats what manifold wrap is for! keep those exhaust temps up!