ALTHOUGH turbocharging of low-speed diesel engines has been used world-wide for a long time, it is only during recent years that it has been applied to high-speed diesels. This is the result of considerable engineering efforts from both the turbocharger and the diesel side that were put into the turbocharger, which appears to be a so utterly simple device. This paper describes some of these engineering efforts.
The basic design characteristics are developed with the point of view in mind that the turbocharger has become much more than just an additional accessory. It is a vital component of the basic engine itself, contributing actively to the advancement of this prime mover. The basic design characteristics center heavily around aerodynamical and thermodynamical performance criteria which are so important in any advanced high-speed turbomachine.
In discussing the turbocharger, being a combination of two turbomachines which handle large volume flows of air and gas, emphasis is necessarily put on the compressor and turbine, whereas other components such as bearings and seals are only touched upon briefly.*