ROTARY COMPRESSORS

Rotary compressors are those compressors in which rotating action is used for compression of fluid.
Rotary air compressors have capability of running at high speeds up to 40,000 rpm and can be directly
coupled to any prime mover such as electric motor, turbine etc. due to compact design, no balancing
problem and less no. of sliding parts. Comparative study of rotary compressor with reciprocating
compressor shows that rotary compressors can be used for delivering large quantity of air but the
maximum pressure at delivery is less compared to reciprocating compressors. Generally, rotary
compressors can yield delivery pressure up to 10 bar and free air delivery of 3000 m3/min. Rotary
compressors are less bulky, and offer uniform discharge compared to reciprocating compressor even
in the absence of big size receiver. Lubrication requirement and wear and tear is less due to rotary
motion of parts in rotary compressors compared to reciprocating compressors.

Rotary compressors may work on the principle of positive displacement and dynamic action both.
Rotary compressors having positive displacement may be of following types:

(i) Roots blower

(ii) Vane type compressor

Rotary compressors employing dynamic action may be of centrifugal type or axial type
dependingupon the direction of flow. These centrifugal type or axial compressors may also be
termed as nonpositive displacement type steady flow compressors.

(i) Roots blower: Roots blower is a positive displacement type rotary compressor. It has two
rotors having two or three lobes having epicycloid and hypocycloid or involute profiles such
that they remain in proper contact. Figure 1 a shows two lobe rotors in a roots blower. To
prevent wear and tear two rotors have clearance in between. Out of two rotors one is driven
by prime mover while other one is driven by first rotor. When two rotors rotate then their
typical geometry divides the region inside casing into two regions i.e. high pressure region
and low pressure region. Although there occurs slight leakage across the mating parts which
can only be minimised not eliminated completely.

Figure 1 b shows the general arrangement in roots blower. It has inlet at section 11 and exit
at 22. Air at atmospheric pressure enters the casing and is trapped between rotor A and the
casing.When the rotor rotate then air trapped in volume space V is displaced towards high
pressure region due to rotation of rotor. Exit end is connected to receiver in which air is
gradually transferred and the pressure inside receiver increases due to cumulative effect of air
being transferred from atmospheric pressure region to receiver region. In one revolution this
positive displacement of air trapped between rotor and casing from inlet end to receiver end
shall occur four times in case of two lobe rotor as shown. While in case of three lobes rotor
this transfer shall occur six times. Every time when V volume of air is displaced without
being compressed to the receiver side high pressure region, then the high pressure air rushes
back from receiver and mixes irreversibly with this air until the pressure gets equalized. Thus,
gradually air pressure builds up and say this pressure becomes p2. For inlet air pressure being
p1, the work done per cycle,

Figure 1 Roots Blower

(ii) Vane type compressor: Schematic of vane type compressor is shown in Fig. 2. It has
cylindrical casing having an eccentrically mounted rotor inside it. The rotor has number of
slots in it with rectangular vanes of spring loaded type mounted in slots. These vanes are
generally non metallic and made of fibre or carbon composites or any other wear resistant
material. These vanes remain in continuous contact with casing such that leakage across the
vane-casing interface is minimum or absent. It has one end as inlet end and other as the
delivery end connected to receiver. Upon rotation the eccentric rotor has the vanes having
differential projection out of rotor depending upon their position. Air is trapped between each
set of two consecutive blades in front of inlet passage and is positively displaced to the
delivery end after compressing the volume V1 initially to V2, V3 and V4. When compressed
volume comes in front of delivery passage and further rotation results in the situation when
partly compressed air is forced to enter the receiver as their is no other way out. This
cumulative transfer of partly compressed air in receiver causes irreversible compression
resulting in gradual pressure rise. The p-V representation shown in Fig. 2 (b) indicates that the
total pressure rise is due to the combined effect of reversible pressure rise inside casing and
irreversible pressure rise inside receiver. Generally, the contribution of reversible pressure
rise and irreversible pressure rise is in proportion of 50 : 50.

Figure 2 Vane Compressor

Vane compressors are available for capacity up to 150 m3/min and pressure ratios up to 8 and
efficiency up to 75%. For higher pressure ratios the efficiency of vane compressors is more
than that of roots blower but the vane compressors have maximum speed up to 2500 rpm as
compared to 7500 rpm in case of roots blower. Vane compressors have large power
requirement as compared to roots blower due to large number of vanes on rotor. However,
with small number of vanes the power required by vaned compressor may be comparable to
roots blower. Vane compressors require large maintenance due to wear of vanes and other
moving parts. Work required per revolution for vane compressor with n number of vanes
shall be partly in reversible and partly in irreversible process.
 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS

Centrifugal compressor is a radial flow machine compressing the fluid due to the dynamic
action of impeller. Centrifugal compressors have impeller mounted on driving shaft, diffuser
and volute casing as shown in Fig. 3. Centrifugal compressors have air inlet at the centre of
impeller. The portion of impeller in front of inlet passage is called impeller eye. Impeller is a
type of disc having radial blades mounted upon it. Compressor casing has a diffuser ring
surrounding impeller and the air enters the impeller eye and leaves from impeller tip to enter
diffuser ring. Volute casing surrounds the diffuser ring.

Figure 3 Centrifugal Compressor

Volute casing has cross section area increasing gradually up to the exit of compressor. These
impellers of centrifugal compressors may also be of double sided type such that air can enter
from two sides (both) of impeller. Thus double sided impeller shall have double impeller eye
compared to single impeller eye as shown in Fig. 4.
 Figure 4 Impellers
Air enters the impeller eye axially and flows radially outwards after having entered
compressor. Radial flow of air inside compressor is due to impeller (blades) rotating about its
axis. These impeller blades impart momentum to the air entering, thereby rising its pressure
and temperature. Subsequently the high pressure fluid leaving impeller enters the diffuser
ring where the velocity of air is lowered with further increase in pressure of air. Thus in
diffuser ring the kinetic energy of air is transformed into pressure head. High pressure air
leaving diffuser is carried by volute casing to the exit of compressor. Due to increased cross
section area of volute casing some velocity is further reduced causing rise in its pressure,
although this is very small. Total pressure rise in compressor may be due to impeller action
and diffuser action both. Generally, about half of total pressure rise is available in impeller
and remaining half in diffuser. Pressure and velocity variation in centrifugal compressor is
shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5 Pressure and Velocity Variation in Centrifugal Compressor

Centrifugal compressors are used in aircrafts, blowers, superchargers, etc. where large
quantity of air is to be supplied at smaller pressure ratios. Generally, pressure ratio up to 4 is
achieved in single stage centrifugal compressors while in multistage compressors the pressure
ratio up to 12 can be achieved. These compressors run at speed of 20,00030,000 rpm.

AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSORS

Axial flow compressors have the fixed blades and moving blades mounted along the axis of
compressor. Air enters axially and leaves axially. It has primarily two components i.e. rotor
and casing. The rotor has blades mounted on it constituting moving blade ring. Blades are
also mounted on the inner side of casing thereby constituting stages as fixed blade ring
followed by moving blade ring followed by fixed blade ring, moving blade ring and so on.
Due to the reduction in volume the volume space for compressed air may be gradually
reduced. Gradual reduction in volume can be done by flaring the rotor while keeping stator
diameter uniform or by flaring the stator while keeping rotor diameter constant as shown in
fig. 6. The pressure of fluid entering the axial flow compressor increases upon passing
through the fixed and moving blades. This flow of fluid over moving blades is accompanied
by enthalpy rise while the fixed blades merely deflect the fluid so as to facilitate smooth entry
into moving blades. Absolute velocity of air increases along axis of rotor due to work input
from the prime mover. Relative velocity of air decreases during its flow through rotor. Blades
have aerofoil section so as to have minimum losses due to turbulence, boundary layer
formation and separation, eddy formation etc.