5/19/2017 AircompressorWikipedia

Aircompressor
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Anaircompressorisadevicethatconvertspower(usinganelectricmotor,
dieselorgasolineengine,etc.)intopotentialenergystoredinpressurizedair
(i.e.,compressedair).Byoneofseveralmethods,anaircompressorforces
moreandmoreairintoastoragetank,increasingthepressure.Whentank
pressurereachesitsupperlimittheaircompressorshutsoff.Thecompressed
air,then,isheldinthetankuntilcalledintouse.[1]Theenergycontainedinthe
compressedaircanbeusedforavarietyofapplications,utilizingthekinetic
energyoftheairasitisreleasedandthetankdepressurizes.Whentank
pressurereachesitslowerlimit,theaircompressorturnsonagainandre
pressurizesthetank.

Contents
1 Classification Aircompressorsuppliesairintoa
2 Displacementtype nailgun
2.1 Positivedisplacement
2.2 DynamicDisplacement
3 Cooling
4 Applications
5 Maintenance
6 Seealso
7 References

Classification
Compressorscanbeclassifiedaccordingtothepressuredelivered:

1.Lowpressureaircompressors(LPACs),whichhaveadischargepressureof150psiorless
2.Mediumpressurecompressorswhichhaveadischargepressureof151psito1,000psi
3.Highpressureaircompressors(HPACs),whichhaveadischargepressureabove1,000psi[2]

Theycanalsobeclassifiedaccordingtothedesignandprincipleofoperation:

1.Rotaryscrewcompressor
2.Turbocompressor

Displacementtype
Therearenumerousmethodsofaircompression,dividedintoeitherpositivedisplacementorrotodynamic
types.[3]

Positivedisplacement

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Positivedisplacementcompressorsworkbyforcingairintoachamberwhosevolumeisdecreasedtocompressthe
air.Oncethemaximumpressureisreached,aportorvalveopensandairisdischargedintotheoutletsystemfrom
thecompressionchamber.[4]Commontypesofpositivedisplacementcompressorsare:

Pistontype:aircompressorsusethisprinciplebypumpingairintoanairchamberthroughtheuseofthe
constantmotionofpistons.Theyuseonewayvalvestoguideairintoacylinderchamber,wheretheairis
compressed.
Rotaryscrewcompressors:usepositivedisplacementcompressionbymatchingtwohelicalscrewsthat,
whenturned,guideairintoachamber,whosevolumeisdecreasedasthescrewsturn.
Vanecompressors:useaslottedrotorwithvariedbladeplacementtoguideairintoachamberandcompress
thevolume.Atypeofcompressorthatdeliversafixedvolumeofairathighpressures.

DynamicDisplacement

Dynamicdisplacementaircompressorsincludecentrifugalcompressorsandaxialcompressors.Inthesetypes,a
rotatingcomponentimpartsitskineticenergytotheairwhichiseventuallyconvertedintopressureenergy.These
usecentrifugalforcegeneratedbyaspinningimpellertoaccelerateandthendeceleratecapturedair,which
pressurizesit.

Cooling
Duetoadiabaticheating,aircompressorsrequiresomemethodofdisposingofwasteheat.Generallythisissome
formofairorwatercooling,althoughsome(particularlyrotarytype)compressorsmaybecooledbyoil(thatis
theninturnairorwatercooled)[5]andtheatmosphericchangesalsoconsideredduringcoolingofcompressors.

Applications
Aircompressorshavemanyuses,including:supplyinghighpressureclean
airtofillgascylinders,supplyingmoderatepressurecleanairtoa
submergedsurfacesupplieddiver,supplyingmoderatepressurecleanair
fordrivingsomeofficeandschoolbuildingpneumaticHVACcontrol
systemvalves,supplyingalargeamountofmoderatepressureairtopower
pneumatictools,suchasjackhammers,fillinghighpressureairtanks
(HPA),forfillingtires,andtoproducelargevolumesofmoderatepressure
airforlargescaleindustrialprocesses(suchasoxidationforpetroleum
cokingorcementplantbaghousepurgesystems).[6]
Portableaircompressorforpowering
Mostaircompressorseitherarereciprocatingpistontype,rotaryvaneor tools,suchasjackhammers
rotaryscrew.Centrifugalcompressorsarecommoninverylarge
applications.Therearetwomaintypesofaircompressor'spumps:oillubedandoilless.Theoillesssystemhas
moretechnicaldevelopment,butismoreexpensive,louderandlastsforlesstimethanoillubedpumps.Theoil
lesssystemalsodeliversairofbetterquality.

Themostcommontypesofaircompressorsare:electricorgas/dieselpoweredcompressors.Thepowerofa
compressorismeasuredinHP(horsepower)andCFM(cubicfeetperminuteofintakeair).[7]Thegallonsizeof
thetankspecifiesthevolumeofcompressedair(inreserve)available.Gas/dieselpoweredcompressorsarewidely
usedinremoteareaswithproblematicaccesstoelectricity.Theyarenoisyandrequireventilationforexhaust
gases.Electricpoweredcompressorsarewidelyusedinproduction,workshopsandgarageswithpermanentaccess

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toelectricity.Commonworkshop/garagecompressorsare110120Voltor230240Volt.Compressortankshapes
are:"pancake","twintank","horizontal",and"vertical".Dependingonasizeandpurposecompressorscanbe
stationaryorportable.

Maintenance
Toensureallcompressortypesrunefficientlywithnoleaks,itisimperativetoperformroutinemaintenance,such
asmonitoringandreplacingaircompressorfittings.[8]Itissuggestedthataircompressorownersperformdaily
inspectionsoftheirequipment,suchas:

Checkingforoilandairleaks
Checkingthedifferentialpressureinthecompressedairfilter
Determiningwhetherornottheoilinthecompressorshouldbechanged
Verifysafeoperatingtemperaturetoavoidoverheatingtheunit

Seealso
Freepistonengine
Gascompressor
Pneumatics
Gascylinder

References
1."HowDoAirCompressorsWork?"(http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/howto/a151/howaircompressorswork/).
PopularMechanics.20150318.Retrieved20170112.
2."CLASSIFICATIONOFAIRCOMPRESSORS"(http://www.tpub.com/fireman/102.htm).www.tpub.com.Retrieved
20170112.
3."AirCompressorTypesandControls"(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/products/reference/14970).NaturalResources
Canada.
4."CompressorSelectionBasics:PositiveDisplacementversusDynamicCompression"(http://www.thecompressedairblog.
com/compressorselectionbasicspositivedisplacementversusdynamiccompression/).Retrieved20170112viaThe
5thUtility.
5."TypesofAirCompressors"(http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/aircompressortypesd_441.html).TheEngineering
ToolBox.
6."ApplicationsforCompressors"(http://www.industry.siemens.com/topics/global/en/pumpsfanscompressors/compressor
drives/applicationsforcompressors/pages/default.aspx).www.industry.siemens.com.Retrieved20170112.
7."EvaluatingTrueHorsepowerandCFMRatingsofAirCompressors"(http://www.truetex.com/aircompressors.htm).
8."AirCompressorFittings"(http://www.compressedairsystems.com/aircompressorfittings.html).CompressedAir
Systems.Retrieved20170112.

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Categories: Gascompressors Gases Divingsupportequipment Underwaterwork Gastechnologies

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