In this blog we will be talking about the differences between Centrifugal superchargers like ProCharger and twin-screw supercharger like Whipple. Which supercharger is best for your driving application. What you can gain from each supercharger.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets start off with the basics of each.
What is a Centrifugal Supercharger?
A centrifugal supercharger (not a turbo) is a belt driven supercharger, driven off the crankshaft that was mostly found in older muscle cars in the early days when the positive displacement supercharger weren't around. A centrifugal supercharger uses RPM to create boost, the higher rpm you go, the more boost and power you will receive. A centrifugal supercharger is mounted away from the engine due to it's design and impeller volute. There are many manufactures of centrifugal superchargers offering many different head unit sizes for different power levels, from 700hp all the way to 3000hp in race applications.
What Is A Positive Displacement Supercharger?
A positive displacement supercharger (TVS, Twin Screw, supercharger) rests on top of the engine between both of the cylinder heads, replacing the intake manifold and forcing air straight into each cylinder. A positive displacement supercharger is also belt driven, similar to the Pro Charger. However, instead of running off of RPM to gain boost, the Whipple supercharger has all the boost down low giving you the instant torque that sets you back in your seat instantly.
Boost Curves.
Boost curves are very different on these two superchargers. The centrifugal supercharger (BLUE) works by using a centrifugal impeller to compress the air. At lower RPM, the impeller spins more slowly and thus produces less boost. As the engine RPM increases, the impeller spins faster, and the centrifugal force generated by the impeller results in a greater increase in boost. Positive displacement superchargers (LIGHT BLUE) excel at providing strong low-end torque and instant power delivery due to their constant air displacement with each rotation. However, they tend to become less efficient at higher RPMs, which limits their effectiveness in terms of peak boost at top-end engine speeds.
