According to most, the turbocharger is credited to a Swiss engineer named Alfred J. Büchi.
A Brief History of turbocharger and its Rise to Popularity According to most, the turbocharger is credited to a Swiss engineer named Alfred Büchi. It was Büchi’s application for patent in 1905 that started development of the turbocharger. In 1917 Sanford A. Moss from General Electric carried out research on turbocharger in Colorado, approximately 4250 meters above sea level. Tests proved that sea level power could successfully be attained at altitude with a turbo, making turbocharging a solution for military aircraft achieve higher speed and altitude. The end of World War I slowed turbo development, but it provided time to consider design and testing issues. General Electric continued its research. During the World War II, Moss’s turbochargers were used extensively in aircraft and bombers like the well-known B-17 Flying Fortress. The postwar era gave rise to great economical development and automotive industry faces new challenges which make turbocharger become a sought after component. Commercial manufacturers employing diesel engines realized that there was a constant increasing need for more power from their machinery. Without turbochargers, achieving power objectives would drive up engine size and cost. The 1950s and ’60s saw a significant growth in turbo use. The primary growth took place in commercial diesel engines. This brings to rapid growth of companies that would specialize in the development of turbocharging technology worldwide.