As a long term Government employee, I reviewed procurements of large items from major manufacturers.

 

One of those was called a "Plant air package" Where a big production facility would pipe compressed air to all of a building or buildings from a central location rather than have a number of lessor compressors and driers spread about. These compressors are a series of impellers on a common shaft turning at very high speed, spun up through a gear box by a (for example) 500 HP electric motor.

 

The housings were in upper and lower pieces for maintenance, and provided a manifold from the high pressure outer edge of the first impeller to the center of the next impeller in line and so-on over 5 or 6 impellers.  

 

The output is plumbed through a chiller/drier and out to the users. So if you need 250 PSI air you could have that, or reduced for bench work to 125 PSI for air powered tools. So many operations that used to be done with hydraulics are now done with air motors and air clamping devices. So a leak requires a maintenance mechanic with a roll of Teflon tape instead of a team of moon suited goofballs and a section shut down. 

 

The amount of CFM is nearly unlimited, and these things can hold 250 PSI with a fairly good size leak in the plumbing.  

 

Could a very small version of the Plant air package work as a supercharger?

 

Lynn E. Hanover