What does a supercharger do?
To elaborate on Jervinator’s answer: There are 3 types of superchargers. All of which run off an extra belt mounted to the end of the crankshaft. The first, the centrifugal is correctly explained in his answer. Twin screw supercharger (Ford GT, Mercedes-McLaren SLR, Mini Cooper S): A unit that mounts on the top of the engine (assuming it is a “V”), and inside are 2 “screws” side-by-side that compress air by running it through the screws and into the engine. A popular car that sports a twin screw supercharger is the Ford GT. It is better suited for cars with fuel injection. Blower: Looks similar to the twin screw supercharger. It mounts on top of the engine (assuming it is a “V”). Inside the blower are 2 long fans with 3 blades. The blades suck air in from the top, and blow it through the bottom into the engine. Generally, this is used for older cars, you have probably all seen a blower on a funny car, there is an intake, and below the intake are the carbs, and then the blower.
