Supercharged internal combustion engine subjected to strong load fluctuations and method for its operation

In a supercharged internal combustion engine (1) subjected to strong load fluctuations a device (12) is provided for introducing water into the exhaust manifold (5) in the direction of flow upstream of the turbine (3) of an exhaust turbocharger (2). The said device has means (16, 17, 18), controllable as a function of the load, by which the water, which can be drawn from a water circuit, for example the cooling-water circuit for an intercooler connected into the charge air line, can be injected for a limited time into the exhaust manifold (5) during an acceleration phase of the internal combustion engine in order to improve its acceleration behaviour. As a result of this water which can be injected into the exhaust manifold (5) during an acceleration phase, the exhaust gas pressure and hence also the energy supply to the turbine (3) of the exhaust turbocharger (2) increases so that as a direct consequence of this the air supply to the internal combustion engine (1) also increases relatively rapidly, thereby substantially improving its acceleration behaviour by simple means.