每副Engine 都有佢嘅power rating, 亦係engine 嘅極限~
Piston Engine induction(引擎入氣) 分3 種。 大部分general aviation (尤其是training aircraft) 都係用 Natural aspiration NA 自然吸氣;而NA都有分用 carburetor氣化器 同 fuel injection. 用唔同方法將燃油同相應比例嘅空氣帶入engine燃燒,俾power~~
通常high performance engine會用fuel injection. 而細power 會用carburetor. Carburetor 用venturi effect將燃油氣化,fuel/air mixture 再經intake manifold到cylinder.
Fuel injection 只係將適量嘅燃油直接於intake valve 前氣化;所以相對比較有效地維持最佳fuel/air mixture比例。
空氣同燃油係有合適比例。太多唔得;太小又唔得!best performance 大概 15份空氣:1份燃油 (depends on engine design).
但係當高度上升,氣壓同空氣密度降低。Engine performance就會下降!
所以NA engine最好performance就係喺Sea Level.
為左好d performance, 有d aircraft會用 Engine Augmentation.
Engine Augmentation大致有兩種。
Supercharger同turbo charger都係用inpeller(增壓器) 將空氣加壓,從而增大/回復engine performance.

當飛機上升,空氣稀薄,impeller可以將稀薄空氣加壓,維持engine Rated Power直至Critical Altitude. Critical altitude係 impeller到左極限;高空 空氣太稀薄;impeller 未能將更多空氣加壓維持到rated power.
Supercharger同Turbocharger有咩唔同?
最大分別係 Supercharger個impeller 嘅energy 係由engine 經 gear supply; 換言之, supercharger會增加engine output亦同時係engine嘅負擔。
而turbocharger用exhaust gas推動turbine; turbine推動intake impeller增壓。所以turbocharger可以consider free energy.