A turbocharger, or turbo (colloquialism), from the Latin “turbō, turbin-” (“a spinning thing”) is a forced induction device used to allow more power to be produced by an engine of a given size. A turbocharged engine can be more powerful and efficient than a naturally aspirated engine because the turbine forces more air, and proportionately more fuel, into the combustion chamber than atmospheric pressure alone.
Turbos are commonly used on truck, car, train, and construction equipment engines. Turbos are popularly used with Otto cycle and Diesel cycle internal combustion engines. They have also been found useful in automotive fuel cells.
