Mercedes kompressor how does it work

A supercharger should not be confused with a turbocharger however, as a turbocharger uses the engine's exhaust gasses instead of the external air supply. Turbochargers are also affected by what is commonly known as 'turbo lag', meaning that the power boost is not immediate. This is not an issue faced by superchargers, thanks to the supercharger's ability to work at a much lower RPM. This compressor increases the pressure or density of the air that is being fed into the engine, and with more oxygen the engine can burn more fuel, creating a significant increase in power that can be used immediately.

The supercharger's power is most often provided mechanically thanks to a shaft, belt, gear or chain that is hooked up to the engine. This, as well as the immediate power boost, is what differentiates it from a turbocharger. The Kompressor name's roots lie with the first supercharged engine, which was created by Dugald Clerk for a two-stroke engine all the way back in Seven years later, Gottlieb Daimler, one of the later founders of Mercedes-Benz, patented a supercharged combustion engine.

Since then, Mercedes-Benz became the first manufacturer to install superchargers on production cars, and the Kompressor badge has been a common sight on roads around the world ever since. The Kompressor is usually listed as an option available with a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, often as part of a specific engine selection. Currently, you can buy several different Mercedes-Benz vehicles that use the Kompressor supercharger system.

These include:. For more information about the Kompressor, or any of the cars that are fitted with the system, please visit your nearest Mercedes-Benz Retail Group dealership and speak to a member of the team. That's been the ethos since our foundation at the turn of the century.

A decade on, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group consists of 14 retail sites, 4 used car sites and 9 smart centres across the North and South of London, continuing to deliver the highest levels of customer service possible.

Unlike a turbocharger, which is powered by the pressured exhaust leaving the engine, a supercharger is an actively powered mechanical system. The supercharger system is often affixed directly to the engine's crankshaft, whether by a belt or gear.

In the case of the Mercedes iteration, the Kompressor, the supercharger is powered by a belt drive. Differentiating itself from a turbocharger, the Kompressor uses a belt attached directly to the car's crankshaft. This crankshaft is designed to convert the linear motion of the pistons into a rotational energy that is further converted to whatever mechanical or electrical needs the car requires.

The number of pistons, or cylinders, a crankshaft has partially determines a car's power, such as the increased power found in V8 eight-cylinder engines over V6 six-cylinder engines. Thus the supercharger is powered by a belt attached directly to the crankshaft, converting rotational energy into the energy needed to control forced induction. A piston works by providing a confined ignition chamber for a controlled explosion.

A spark plug ignites the gas allowed entry into the chamber by the fuel injector, forcing the piston out of the chamber on the explosive wave.

Since , the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had also been building aircraft engines. In they began to install Roots-type blowers — originally patented in the USA in to generate wind for blast furnaces — to compress the thin air at altitude and produce a combustible mixture for the engines.

In , Paul Daimler, in his role as a technical director at the company, began to test whether air compressors could also be used to increase the power output and elasticity of motor vehicle engines. Daimler showcased production-ready models at the Berlin motor show in September Mercedes cars with supercharging compressors were already being put to the test in motor racing before the new models went into series production.

In April , Mercedes entered two models equipped with the new technology at Targa Florio, the challenging endurance race in Sicily. Also on the starting grid were two completely new four-cylinder racing cars with 1. The photo shows one of the four-cylinder models, with drivers Paul Scheef and Jakob Krauss. Series production of the first Mercedes models in which a supercharger forced compressed charge air into the carburettor began in Two models with four-cylinder engines were available: a 1.

When this photo was taken in he was 23 years old and recording his first victories with the supercharged car. Two-and-a-half years after the supercharged cars first went into production, Mercedes revamped its model range: production of the four-cylinder mid-range models was stopped and almost at the same time two newly developed six-cylinder cars were introduced into the higher and luxury segments. As the inflation of had seriously weakened the economy, these new model types were the only ones Mercedes would have on offer until the merger with Benz two years later.

A sporty variant of the larger model was developed with a shorter wheelbase in It was also used in motor racing both by private and works drivers and was soon causing quite a stir. The legendary supercharged sports cars of the Mercedes-Benz S series caused a real stir from The S for Sport says it all. With their 6. Only the limited-edition hp SSKL of was used exclusively for racing and not made available for general sale. To many observers, the K launched in , and later superseded by the more powerful K in , is one of the most sublime models of the period — particularly the roadster variant.

In there was a dividing of the ways between racing cars and customer vehicles. Customers in search of a high-performance vehicle could buy an eight-cylinder supercharged K with a 5-litre engine capable of generating up to hp.

Adding the letter K to the name made the distinction clear and its use became official with the launch of the successor model, the K 5. Where state vehicles are concerned it's unusual to talk about performance. The carriage of choice for heads of government and captains of industry is one of the supercharged models that have made a lasting contribution to the reputation of the Mercedes-Benz brand.