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How do turbochargers increase the power and efficiency of diesel engines?

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diesel engine and precombustion chamber — diesel engine Diesel engine equipped with a precombustion chamber.

A turbocharger increases the power and efficiency of a diesel engine by acting as a centrifugal blower that raises the pressure of the air entering the engine's intake manifold.1

By increasing the intake manifold pressure, the turbocharger forces a greater mass of air into the cylinders during each intake stroke. Because diesel engines operate by injecting fuel into compressed, hot air, this additional air allows the engine to burn more fuel per cycle, which directly increases the engine's power output.12

Furthermore, diesel engines are frequently paired with an aftercooler alongside the turbocharger. This combination enhances overall performance and efficiency by cooling the compressed air before it enters the combustion chamber, which increases the air's density and further optimizes the combustion process.2