5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials

Marine Engineering Study Materials Search

www.marineengineeringonline.com

Home MEOExam Safety General Motor Downloads Checklists Naval Electrical ContactUs

Category Archives: Compressors

Compressors Working and Characteristics Categories

April30,20144:00am | LeaveaComment | Frozee Categories

Compressors(2)

Compressorsareusedtoincreasethepressureofagas.Likepumps,compressorscanbeclassified Get Free Study Materials

aseitherkineticmachines,whichincludescentrifugalandaxialcompressors,orpositive
displacementmachines,whichincludereciprocatingandrotarycompressors.Thecompressing Email*
mediumorgasdependsontheapplication,suchas,ifairisuseditistermedasanaircompressor.
Similarlyifrefrigerantisused,itisknownasarefrigerantcompressor.Thetypeofcompressor,its
dischargepressureanddischargerateisdictatedbyitsuse.

Subscribe

***If you Like it, Share it

AirCompressors

Types of compressors Follow Us

Herewediscussabouttwotypesofcompressorsthatarecommonlyusedintheindustry.
Jab Froze
Reciprocating Compressor
Follow

Inareciprocatingcompressor,gasiscompressedbymechanicalvariationofthevolumeofspace
insidethecylinder,byreciprocatingmotionofthepiston. MarineEngine
Foracycleofoperation,therearetwostrokessuchas, LikePage 3.4Klikes
1.)Suctionstroke,and
2.)Compressionstroke
Asthepistonmovesdown,airissuckedfromatmospheretothecylinderthroughsuctionvalve(a
nonreturnvalve).Aspistonmovesup,airiscompressedandattheendofcompressionstroke,airis Recent Posts
deliveredthroughdeliveryvalve(whichisalsoanonreturnvalve).Topmostportionthepistoncan
travelinsidethecylinderisiscalledTopDeadCenter(TDC),andbottommostportionthepistoncan LifeBoatReleaseGearMechanismon
reachinsidethecylinderiscalledasBottomDeadCenter(BDC). Ships

LambdaControllerandJetAssist
SystemonShips

PneumaticControlSystemsonShips

TroubleshootingAlarmMonitoringand
ControlSystemonships

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 1/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials
FuelInjectionArrangementonLarge
TwoStrokeEngines

InvestigationonTopEndBearing
FailureforMainEngineonShips

Tags

RECIPROCATINGAIRCOMPRESSOR
aircompressorsairconditioning
boilerboilerblowdownboilerscargocargo
Screw Compressor pumpscentrifugalpumpschemicaltankers
circulationsystemcoolingwatersystemcross
Screwcompressors(alsocalledashelicallobecompressors)arepositivedisplacementmachinesin headbearingoilsystemcylinderlubeoil
whichgasisbeingcompressedisforcedthroughthecasingbytwoscrews.Unlikethereciprocating
systemdieselenginesexplosimeter
compressorswhicharealsopositivedisplacementmachines,screwcompressorsdoesnottypically
firedetectorsfirefightingfiretriangle
requireinternalsuctionordischargevalves.Inadditiontheflowfromscrewcompressorisgenerally
freshwatergeneratorfreshwater
moreuniformandhasfewerpulsationsthantheflowfromareciprocatingcompressor.
generatoronshipsheatexchangers

indicatordiagramsinertgassystem
Atwinscrewcompressorconsistoftwomeshinghelicalrotorsmountedoncounterrotatingparallel
inventionofdieselenginelubeoilsystem
shaftsthatareenclosedwithincloseclearancecasing.Onescrewiscalleddrivingscrewwhichis
magneticparticletestingmainbearingoil
coupledwithadrive,sayanelectricmotor,whiletheotherscrewiscalledasthedrivenscrew,since
itisdrivenbythedrivingscrew.Gearsusedfordrivingthescrewsarecalledtiminggears,sincethey marine
systemmainengine

areproperlytimedtomaintainthecloseclearancebetweenthescrews. engineeringmarine
engineering
studymaterials
marinemainswitchboardmeoclass

examquestionspantingpid
controllerpositivedisplacementpumps
poundingproportionalcontrolpumps
reliefvalvesafetiesinmainswitchboard

sewagetreatmentplantsmokedetectors
stpsystemsofmainenginetypesofchemical
tankers
SCREWSOFATWINSCREW
COMPRESSOR

Forscrewcompressorsoilisinjectedintothescrewswhileoperation.Therearemainly3functions
fortheoil,theyare,

1)Sealingofthescrewstopreventleakageofthegas

2)Lubricationoftheparts,especiallythescrews,and

3)Coolingofthegascompressed,whichresultsinincreasedefficiencyofthesystem

Materials used for construction

Reciprocating Compressor

CrankcaseandbodyCastIron
CrankshaftSpheroidalgraphitecastironorstainlesssteel
ConnectingrodForgedSteel
PistonAluminiumAlloyorCast/DuctileIron
PistonRingsCastIron

Screw Compressor

CasingCastorDuctileIron
ScrewSteelorStainlessSteelorNickelAlloy

Where they are used?

Reciprocating Compressor

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 2/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials
Reciprocatingcompressorsarecharacterizedwithhigherpressuresandreducedmassflowrate.
Theyaremainlyusedinhighpressureapplicationssinceitcandeliverairatabout3040bar.
1)Fordieselenginestarting,whereelectricmotorstartingbecomescostlyandimpractical.
2)Refrigerationcompressorsarenormallyreciprocatingtype(SingleStage)withadischarge
pressurearound10bar.
3)Airconditioningsystemsalsousesreciprocatingcompressors(Nowadaystrendischangedto
screwcompressors).

Screw Compressors

Screwtypecompressorsprovideairatincreasedmassflowratebutwithreduceddischargepressure
around8bar.Henceapplicationsarealsoinlowpressuresystems,suchas,
1)Serviceaircompressorsusedinindustry(Forcleaningair,etc.)
2)Airconditioningsystemsnowadaysemployscrewcompressors.(whichhavelowpower
consumptionandincreasedmassflowrateasadvantages)
3)Forlowpressureairrequiredforrunningpneumatictools,pneumatichydraulicequipment,etc.

Cycle of operation

Consideronecycleofoperationinareciprocatingcompressor.

ONECOMPLETECYCLEOFOPERATION

Theprocessthatoccursinacycle12341areexplainedbelow

Theprocessthatoccursinacycle12341areexplainedbelow

(3)(4)AspistontravelsfromBDCtoTDCairtrappedinsidethecylinderiscompressed.
(4)(1)AspistonapproachesTDCdischargevalveopensandcompressedairisdelivered.
(1)(2)Undeliveredairtrappedintheclearancespaceisexpandedaspistonmovesdown.
(2)(3)Whentrappedairintheclearancespaceisexpandedtoatmosphericpressure,
furtherdownwardmovementofthepistoncreatesavacuuminsidethecylinderandthereby
atmosphericairentersthroughsuctionvalve.

Againcyclerepeats.
Infig.VaindicatesthevolumecorrespondingtoactualstrokeofthepistonfromTDCtoBDC(also
calledstrokevolume).SimilarlyVeindicatesthevolumecorrespondingtotheeffectivestrokeof
piston,whenatmosphericairentersthecylinder.
Theratioofeffectivestrokevolumetothesweptvolumeisknownasthevolumetricefficiencyofthe
compressor,

Voleff= [ ( Ve/ Va) * 100 ] %

Then why clearance space?

Itwasalreadyseenfromtheaboveequationthatvolumetricefficiencyis100%when

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 3/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials
Effectivestroke=Actualstroke
Inotherwords,noclearancevolumeexists.Thisispracticallyimpossible,becausesomeclearance
spaceisrequiredotherwisepistonhitsonthecylinderheadasittravels.Alsoexpansionofpiston
occursasittravelsandverylittleclearancemaycausethesameproblem.Alsoincreasedclearance
spacereducescompressorefficiencyandincreaseitsrunninghours.Soclearancevolumemustbe
keptaroundareasonablevalueasinstructedbythemanufacturer.

How to measure clearance volume

TheclearancebetweenpistonandcylinderheadwhilepistonatTDCiscalledbumpingclearance.
Thiscanbemeasuredindifferentways.Onecommonmethodis,removethevalvesfromthetopof
thepiston.Putaleadballofsufficientdiameterintothecylinder.Slowlyturntheflywheelone
revolutionbyhand.Takeouttheleadpieceandmeasureitsthickness,whichgivesthebumping
clearance.

Why cooling is required?

Reciprocatingcompressorsaregenerallycooledwithairorwater.Thecylindersinaircooled
compressorsoftenincludelargeexternalfinsthatincreasethesurfaceareaavailableforheat
transfer.
Inwatercooledcompressors,freshwateriscirculatedthroughjacketsthatarebuiltintothewallsof
thecylindersandcylinderheads.
Thecompressioncycleisillustratedgraphicallydownbelow.

SingleStageCompression

Abovecyclecompressesgasfromatmosphericpressureto8barinasinglestage.Thearea
enclosedbythepoints12341representstheworkofcompressioninasinglestagecompressor.Also
seethecycleorPressureVolumediagram(PV)belowwhichcompressesgasfromatmospheric
pressureto8barintwostages.

Twostagecompressionisshownbelow.

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 4/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials

TwoStageCompression

Herefirststagecompressesgasfromatmosphericpressureto3barandthengasiscooled
isobarically(atconstantpressure,referdiagramabove).Nowgasisagaincompressedto8bar.Now
wecanseethattheworkofcompressioncorrespondingtotheshadedareainthediagramissaved
byincorporatinganintercoolingbetweentwostages.Hencewhencomparingwithasinglestage
compressorworkcanbereducedbyintercoolinginamultistagecompressor.

Workcanbereducedfurtherbyincreasingnumberofstagesandintercooling,butasthenumberof
stagesincreasesdesignbecomescomplex,constructionalcostincreases,maintenancecostalso
increase,whichmaynullifytheeffectofworksavedduringoperation.Thisisthelimitingfactorfor
morenumberofstages.

Referfigurebelow.

Theindicatorcard(PVdiagram)aboveshows3types(orprocesses)ofcompressionpossible.

Isothermal Compression

Duringtheprocessofcompression,whateverheatproducedistakenawaybyacoolingmedium.In
otherwords,itisthecompression,keepingtemperatureofthegasconstant.Foraprocesstobe
isothermal,theprocessmustbeveryslow,whichisimpractical.Fromtheindicatorcard,itisclear
that,workofcompressionisminimuminisothermalcompression.

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 5/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials
Also,

Adiabatic Compression

Whateverheatproducedduringcompressioniskeptinsidethegasonly,orheattransferiszeroinan
adiabaticcompression.Foraperfectadiabaticprocess,processmustbeveryfast.Allthe
thermodynamicprocessresemblesadiabaticprocess.Itcanbeseenfromtheindicatorcardthat,
workofcompressionismaximuminadiabaticcompression.

Also,

Specificheatisdefinedastheheatenergyrequiredtoraisethetemperatureofunitmassof
substancebyunitdegree.

Polytropic Compression

Polytropiccompressionisneitherisothermalnoradiabatic.Itcomesinbetween.

Also,

Workofcompressioncanbeminimizedbyisothermalcompression.Butcompressionispracticallya
fastprocess.Soitbetterresemblesanadiabaticprocess.Jacketcoolingofcompressormakesthe
compressionpolytropic.

Nowtheonlywaytomakethecompressionmoreisothermalis,bydividingtheprocesstoanumber
ofstages.Betweeneverystageintercoolingofgasisdone.Hencetheworkcanbesaved
substantially.

Referthediagramsbelow.

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 6/7
5/12/2016 CompressorsArchivesPage2of2MarineEngineeringStudyMaterials

Postedin:Compressors | Tagged:aircompressors,compressorcharacteristics,compressorworking,compressors

Previous 1 2

Copyright2014MarineEngineeringOnline ThemebyWPJournalsWordPress

http://marineengineeringonline.com/category/generalengineeringknowledge/compressorsgeneralengineeringknowledge/page/2/ 7/7