COMPRESSOR
A machine used to increase the pressure of a
Gas by decreasing its volume. Compressors are
Similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on
A fluid and both can transport the fluid through
A pipe. As gases are compressible, the
Compressor also reduces the volume of a gas.
Liquids are relatively incompressible; while
Some can be compressed, the main action of a
Pump is to pressurize and transport liquids.
TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
• Reciprocating Compressors – are compressors
Built in sizes as large as 5000 to 10000 cu. Ft./
Min. piston displacement with pressure range up
To 1000 atm and vacuum down to 0.50 in. Hg
Reciprocating compressors use pistons driven by a
Crankshaft. They can be either stationary or
Portable, can be single or multi-staged, and can be
Driven by electric motors or internal combustion
Engines. Small reciprocating compressors from 5
To 30 horsepower (hp) are commonly seen in
Automotive applications and are typically for
Intermittent duty. Larger reciprocating compressors
Well over 1,000 hp (750 kW) are commonly found in
Large industrial and petroleum applications.
Discharge pressures can range from low pressure
To very high pressure (>18000 psi or 180 MPa).
These are commonly used in vulcanizing shops and
Ice plants
Rotary vane compressors – consist of a rotor with
A number of blades inserted in radial slots in the
Rotor. The rotor is mounted offset in a larger
Housing which can be circular or a more complex
Shape. As the rotor turns, blades slide in and out
Of the slots keeping contact with the outer wall of
The housing.Thus, a series of decreasing volumes
Is created by the rotating blades. Rotary Vane
Compressors are, with piston compressors one of
The oldest of compressor technologies. These are
Commonly used in automobile and air-conditioning system.
Rotary screw compressors – use two meshed
Rotating positive-displacement helical screws to
Force the gas into a smaller space. These are
Usually used for continuous operation in
Commercial and industrial applications and may
Be either stationary or portable. These are also
Used in jet planes. Their application can be from 3
Horsepower (2.2 kW) to over 1,200 horsepower
(890 kW) and from low pressure to moderately
High pressure (>1,200 psi or 8.3 MPa).Rotary
Screw compressors are commercially produced in
Oil Flooded, Water Flooded and Dry type.
Centrifugal compressors – are compressors
Built in capacities of 500 to 100000 cu. Ft/min.
And deliver pressures as high as 150 psi where
10 to 15 stages would be required.
Centrifugal compressors use a rotating disk or impeller in a
Shaped housing to force the gas to the rim of the impeller,
Increasing the velocity of the gas. A diffuser (divergent duct)
Section converts the velocity energy to pressure energy.
They are primarily used for continuous, stationary service in
Industries such as oil refineries,
Chemical and petrochemical plants and natural gas
Processingplants..Their application can be from 100
Horsepower (75 kW) to thousands of horsepower. With
Multiple staging, they can achieve extremely high output
Pressures greater than 10,000 psi (69 MPa).
Many large snowmaking operations (like ski resorts) use this
Type of compressor. They are also used in internal
Combustion engines assuperchargers and turbochargers.
Centrifugal compressors are used in small gas
Turbine engines or as the final compression stage of medium
Sized gas turbines. (low pressure, high capacity)
Axial flow compressors – are compressors
which extended the field of the axial flow fans by
the use of multistaging so that pressures of 75
psi can be developed with a 20 or 25 stage unit.
Capacities range from 2000 to 100000 cu. ft/
Min
Axial-flow compressors are dynamic rotating compressors that use arrays
of fan-like airfoils to progressively compress the working fluid. They are
used where there is a requirement for a high flow rate or a compact design.
The arrays of airfoils are set in rows, usually as pairs: one rotating and one
stationary. The rotating airfoils, also known as blades or rotors, accelerate
the fluid. The stationary airfoils, also known as stators or vanes,
decelerate and redirect the flow direction of the fluid, preparing it for the
rotor blades of the next stage. Axial compressors are almost always multistaged, with the cross-sectional area of the gas passage diminishing
along
the compressor to maintain an optimum axial Mach number. Beyond
about 5 stages or a 4:1 design pressure ratio, variable geometry is
normally used to improve operation.
Axial compressors can have high efficiencies; around 90% polytropic at
their design conditions. However, they are relatively expensive, requiring a
large number of components, tight tolerances and high quality materials.
Axial-flow compressors can be found in medium to large gas
turbine engines, in natural gas pumping stations, and within certain
chemical plants.
Hydraulic jet compressors – are primarily
employed for vacuum pump service requiring 1
to in. Hg abs. pressure and capacities of 1000
cu. ft. at suction conditions
Vapor jet compressors – are used for both
exhauster and blower service with steam as the
usual actuating fluid.
AIR COMPRESSORS
• Industrial plants with its various processes
requires gases at pressures above or below
atmospheric. The most widely used of these
gases is the compressed air in operating air
engines, drive pneumatic tools such as
pneumatic hammers and drills, cleaning by air
blast in operating air hoists, spraying paints,
pumping water by air-lift, manufacture of
plastics and other industrial products and host of
other jobs.
An air compressor is a device that converts
power (usually from an electric motor, a diesel
engine or a gasoline engine) into kinetic energy by
compressing and pressurizing air, which, on
command, can be released in quick bursts. There
are numerous methods of air compression,
divided into either positive-displacement or
negative-displacement types.
Positive-displacement air compressors work by forcing
air into a chamber whose volume is reduced to effect
the compression. Piston-type air compressors use this
principle by pumping air into an air chamber through
the use of the constant motion of pistons. They use
unidirectional valves to guide air into a chamber, where
the air is compressed. Rotary screw compressors also
use positive-displacement compression by matching
two helical screws that, when turned, guide air into a
chamber, the volume of which is reduced as the screws
turn. Vane compressors use a slotted rotor with varied
blade placement to guide air into a chamber and
compress the volume.
Negative-displacement air compressors include
centrifugal compressors. These devices use centrifugal
force generated by a spinning impeller to accelerate
and then decelerate captured air, which pressurizes it.
Conventional air compressors are used in
several different applications:
- To supply high-pressure clean air to fill gas cylinders
- To supply moderate-pressure clean air to a
submerged surface supplied diver
- To suppy moderate-pressure clean air for driving some
office and school building pneumatic HVAC control
system valves
- To supply a large amount of moderate-pressure air to
power pneumatic tools
- For filling tires
- To produce large volumes of moderate-pressure air for
- macroscopic industrial processes (such as oxidation
for petroleum coking or cement plant bag house purge
systems).
1. Pressure, Volume and Temperature Relations
on the
Processes Involved
where:
n is a polytrophic exponent
k = 1.4, if isentropic compression
n = 1, if isothermal compression
2. Piston Displacement
It is the volume displaced by the piston as it moves
From top dead center to bottom dead center
3. Volumetric Efficiency
The ratio of the actual gas drawn-in at intake
condition to the displacement volume (piston
displacement).
4. Compressor Capacity
The actual volume of gas delivered as measured
at intake pressure and temperature.
5. Actual Volumetric Efficiency
It is usually less than the clearance volumetric
efficiency because of the number of factors
such as
pressure drop at the valves, heat transfer
7. Compressor Efficiency
It is the ratio of the compressor power to the
brake power.
ec = Compressor power/Brake power
8.Piston Speed
It is the total distance a piston travels in a given
Time. It is dependent on the length of stroke and
The Angular speed.
9. Ideal Indicated Power (Pi)
It is the product of the mean effective pressure
and displacement volume.
10. Adiabatic Compressor Efficiency
It is the ratio of the isentropic work to the actual
fluid work
ec(adiabatic) = Isentropic work/Actual fluid work
B. TWO STAGE COMPRESSOR
The performance of two stage compressor
involves the computations of compressor work,
intercooler pressure, heat rejected in intercooler,
and
heat absorbed by cooling water
1. Compressor Work
2. Intercooler pressure
3. Heat rejected in intercooler
Q = mCp (Tx– T1) , Cp = 1.0 KJ/kg-K
where:
4. Heat absorbed by cooling water
Q = mwCpwΔTw
