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The Whipple Twin-Screw Supercharger Design
The Whipple Twin-Screw Supercharger Design
The Whipple supercharger is the unique twin-screw design that delivers the instant boost at low rpm you expect from a positive displacement supercharger (like the roots type) - but because it's a true compressor it also delivers constant reliable boost throughout the powerband, with none of the fall-off at the higher end, or the fierce heat buildup of the roots, and no waiting for redline to get maximum boost either - it's available on demand, for all situations. Here's how it works.
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How it Works: Whipple Twin-Screw Operating Principles
Inlet Phase - The male and female rotor's rotate counter to each other. As the lobes of each rotor travel past each inlet port, air is trapped between consecutive lobes and the cylindrical casing. The air moves axially (forward) throughout the case towards the discharge port.
Compression Phase - Once each trailing lobe seals its cell, the air charge is swept around the casing until the leading lobe uncovers the discharge port. At the same time, the male and female lobes will intermesh in such a way so that the volume formed between them, and the apex where the twin cylindrical walls meet, is progressively reduced in an axial direction from the inlet port end to the opposite discharge port end.
Discharge Phase - Once equalization of pressure between the existing charge in the manifold and the charge being moved into the discharge port occurs, then any further rotation of the rotors displaces the charge positively into the manifold until the volume between the intermeshing rotors and casing walls in the discharge port region are reduced to ambient pressure again.
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The Whipple Twin-Screw Supercharger
• Incredibly high adiabatic and volumetric efficiencies
• Positive displacement design
• Very flat efficiency curve combined with positive displacement design gives the most achievable torque of any method
• Instant boost
• A true compressor
• Direct drive from the crankshaft
• Compact and lightweight design
• Virtually silent operation
• Low temperature increases during operation
• Very little power consumption
• Unique combination of low rpm torque and high rpm horsepower due to the screw compressor design
• Have the ability to run from 1 to 60 lbs. of boost
The twin-screw supercharger was originally invented in the 1930's by Mr. Alf Lysholm who was then Chief Engineer of SRM (Svenska Rotor Maskiner AB). The twin-screw design was developed to fill the tremendous voids the centrifugal, turbo and roots superchargers have. This concept was intended to meet the requirements of a high average efficiency under most varied conditions of pressure and speed, a high maximum efficiency - preferable above 85% - with small bulk, low weight and also suitable for direct drive. This concept lead to the development of the twin-screw supercharger which was compact and light, had a very high efficiency over almost all varied conditions of pressure and speed, and an incredibly high maximum efficiency. This concept became a reality in the late 1930's and early 1940's when the Lysholm twin-screw supercharger was produced. Because of high building cost, the screw compressor did not find its way to OEM use on internal combustion engines, but industrial applications for air compressors, refrigeration and air-conditioning.
With technology ever increasing, the screw-type compressors price to manufacture has come down to a competitive level for the internal combustion engines and is distributed throughout North America by Whipple Industries. Art Whipple of Whipple Industries quickly made use of the major benefits of the screw compressor by placing it on the throttle body injected GM 350ci. The results were outstanding, no more turbo lag, no more hot air, just pure power. Since that time, the Whipple Charger has become a household name throughout the performance community for providing the most technologically advanced supercharger kits on the market.
The Whipple Charger creates boost instantly, which gives any motor an instant boost of power. It doesn't matter whether your towing, cruising, or racing, the Whipple Charger gives you the power when it's needed. Because of the Whipple Chargers instant boost, you'll achieve more power throughout the rpm range than any other supercharging method.
