Compressor

Asep Handaya Saputra

Dept. Teknik Kimia - FTUI
sasep@che.ui.ac.id

Classification
Positive Displacement: this type of

compressor includes reciprocating rotary screw,

sliding vane. liquid ring and rotary lobe. The
compression principle is volumetric
displacement reducing the gas volume
increase pressure.
Kinetic or Dynamic: this type of compressor
includes centrifugal and axial compressors. The
compression principle is acceleration and
deceleration of the gas - kinetic energy is
converted into pressurize.

 Reciprocating
Integral Frame
Balance Opposed Frame
Turbo Compressor

Axial compressor
Centrifugal Compressor

Rotary Compressor
Screw
Two Lobe
Sliding Vane
Liquid-Piston

Compressor Types

Centrifugal Compressor

Selection Guideline

Selection Guideline - Driver

Low speed can be considered anything less than

about 500-600 rpm

Application Range

COMPRESSOR POWER
REQUIREMENTS
The theoretical amount of energy

needed to compress a given amount of a

gas between specified suction and
discharge conditions is independent of
the compressor unit.
The actual amount of energy used
depends on the efficiency of the
compressor and its driver

Basic Thermodynamic Eqn

The process is reversible S=0

and Adiabatic Process Q=0
E = Overall Efficiency (mechanical eff and
polytrophic Eff.)

Theoretical Power

Line AB is for an isentropic compression. With a reciprocating compressor it will be

one stage; with a centrifugal it can be one stage or that number of stages in series
before gas cooling is required.
Line BC is a gas cooling step. Line CD represents a subsequent stage or stages, if
any

This Figure can be used

to find an approximate
hisen in a manual
calculation for a 0.650.75 relative density
hydrocarbon gas.
This figure also can be
used to estimate the
outlet temperature for a
specified set of
conditions.

General Equation

Overall Efficiency = (Isentropic or Polytrophic Efficiency) (Mechanical Efficiency)

Mechanical Efficiency Bearing, Seal, Gearbox, etc.

Simple Correlation to Estimate Power

Calculation of Power
Adiabatic Compression:
PVk = Constant k = Cp/Cv

Value of k

Power per Stage

For centrifugal Compressors a value of E, 0.65 to 0.80

is suitable
For reciprocating compressors use 0.7 to 0.75 for high
speed units and 0.83 to 0.90 for low speed

Simpler Power Calculation

Efficiency Isentropic vs
Polytropic

Both approaches produce the same basic result. Process engineers tend to favor the
isentropic method while compressor specialists favor polytropic.

Impeller

Casing of Centrifugal
Compressor

Seal

Seal

Two Stages
Reciproc-Compressor

Calculation

Calculation

ROTARY SCREW
COMPRESSORS
Their primary applications are in air

compression, refrigeration service, fuel

gas compression, and low to medium
pressure gas boosting service.
They offer positive displacement
characteristics without the vibration and
unbalanced forces associated with
reciprocating machines.
They are manufactured in two
configurations-dry (or oil-free) screw and
oil flooded screw.