Since the 1960’s turbocharged engines have been moving people on the roads faster and faster. It is the engine that powers F1 cars as well as many of the ones that we see on the road from day-to-day. Turbocharged engines have a list of benefits that attract people to purchase them. Some of these include higher horsepower and lower emissions for those concerned with the environment.
Turbocharged engines are designed in a specific way to give the car an extra boost. Although the design is not perfect, it is based off facts proven in physics that allows the car to create more horsepower meaning more speed.
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How a Turbocharger Works
For those who are unsure of how a turbocharger works, here is a basic overview:
Wasted exhaust gases enter the turbocharger at high pressure through an inlet port. From here, as the air passes through the turbine inside spinning it which also spins the compressor attached. This draws in large quantities of air which are compressed and pass out of the outlet port. The more pressure created means the bigger the boost is.
The Turbo Blanket
Due to generating such a high heat, a turbocharger can cause drastic damage to a car above and below the hood. A solution has been created to not only decrease damage but increase the performance of your car. This is called the Turbo Blanket. Depending on the type purchased, turbo blankets are created from a number of materials such as:
- Heat-resistant fabrics
- Flexible metal
- Volcanic rocks
Turbo Blankets come in different sizes to accommodate the wide variety of dimensions that turbochargers come in. The Turbo Blankets purpose is to keep the heat where it is supposed to be, but how do you know if it works? There have been multiple tests conducted on the efficiency of the product to understand if it is worth buying.
The Effect of a Turbo Blanket
Once you have placed the Turbo Blanket over your turbocharger, several positive effects take place. These were proven through a number of tests and university level research conducted by:
- Steffen Hans Bickle at the University of Texas at Austin
- Graduate Mechanical Engineer and YouTuber “Engineering Explained”
- Sports Car Connoisseur and Youtuber “Rob Dahm”
In all of the experiments, the core purpose of the Turbo Blanket is tested. If it is effective, the heat within the turbocharger should be higher with the Turbo Blanket on. This also means that the area around the turbocharger will be a cooler temperature due to the heat being insulated and not released.
Throughout all three tests, there were dramatic heat differences inside and throughout the car. They tested parts such as the top and side of the turbocharger, the intake air, the exhaust gas, exhaust pipe and more.
The Results
Below are the results of the tests conducted:
- The top of the turbocharger with the Turbo Blanket on was 149ºC hotter.
- The side of the turbocharger with the Turbo Blanket on was 225ºC hotter.
- The exhaust pipe with Turbo Blanket on was 113ºC hotter.
- The exhaust gas post-turbo with Turbo Blanket on was 4.7ºC hotter.
- The hood of the car dropped from 133ºC to 65ºC with the Turbo Blanket on.
- The oil exit with Turbo Blanket on was 0.2ºC cooler.
These results show the considerable difference between using a Turbo Blanket on a Turbocharger and not utilising one. The Blanket ensures the engine is running more efficiently as the temperature and pressure are increased leading to the higher horsepower. It also secures the paint on the hood of your car, as well as its structure.
For many, the question may be how does the Turbo Blanket affect the oil temperature? That question is answered within the research. With only a 0.2ºC difference, the Turbo Blanket does not have much effect on the oil at all. The only recommendation would be to let your car run for a little longer after a drive to let the oil move out.
If you have a Turbocharger, it may be time to consider buying a Turbo Blanket to increase performance and protect your car.