Patent ID: 7246490

Claim:
An internal combustion engine ( 1 ), comprising a turbocharger ( 2 ) including a turbine ( 3 ) disposed in an exhaust duct ( 4 ) of the engine ( 1 ) to be driven by the engine exhaust gases and a main compressor ( 5 ) disposed in an intake duct ( 6 ) of the engine ( 1 ) and driven by the turbine ( 3 ) for supplying compressed combustion air to the engine ( 1 ) via the intake duct ( 6 ), the intake duct ( 6 ) including an actuator valve ( 11 ) for directing the combustion air to the engine ( 1 ) selectively via an auxiliary compressor ( 10 ) or a bypass line ( 14 ) bypassing the auxiliary compressor ( 10 ), said auxiliary compressor ( 10 ) having an impeller ( 15 ) mounted rotatably in a compressor housing ( 25 ) including an inlet duct ( 12 ), with an additional inlet line ( 13 ) which opens into the compressor inlet duct ( 12 ) in the area of the compressor impeller ( 15 ), said actuator valve ( 11 ) also controlling the gas supply to the compressor inlet duct ( 12 ) and to the additional inlet line ( 13 ), and an electric motor ( 16 ) connected to the compressor impeller ( 15 ) for rotation therewith, said auxiliary compressor ( 10 ) being operable by the electric motor ( 16 ) and also by a pressure drop in the air intake line ( 6 ) of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ), the compressor impeller ( 15 ) being also coupled to a flywheel ( 18 ) for driving the flywheel ( 18 ) together with the auxiliary compressor impeller ( 15 ) during low power engine operation while throttling the combustion air supplied to the engine ( 1 ) via the auxiliary compressor ( 10 ).