AIR COMPRESSER

• A machine providing air/gas at high pressure (than

atmospheric pressure ) is called as compressor.

An air compressor sucks air at atmospheric pressure &

temp & by absorbing work from external source, it
delivers air at high pressure & temp by reciprocating
motion of piston or rotary motion of blades.

The compressed air is stored in receiver from where it is

conveyed through a pipe to the actual point of
application.
 Uses of Compressed Air
 To inflate tyre-tubes of automobiles.

 To clean vehicles in service stations.

 To operate air brakes in vehicles.

 To supercharge I.C. Engines.

 For spray painting in paint industry.

 For cleaning purpose in industries.

 In blast furnaces in foundries.

 To operate pneumatic tools in industries.

 To cool large buildings.

 Classification of Air Compressors
 According to working- reciprocating, Rotary.

 According to action- Single acting, Double acting.

 According to Number of stages- Single stage, Multi stage.

 According to capacity- Low, medium, High capacity.

 According to pressure limit- Low, medium, High pressure.

 According to method of drive- Direct, Belt, Chain drive

 Compressor terminology
• Compression ratio-
It is the ratio of the discharge pressure to
inlet pressure.
• Compressor capacity-
It is the volume of air delivered by
compressor in cubic meter per minute or per
3 3
second.(m / min or m / sec)
• Free air delivery or delivered (FAD)-
It is the actual volume of air delivered by
compressor,
at surrounding air pressure & temperature. The
capacity of compressor is generally specified in terms
of
FAD.
• Swept volume or stroke volume-
It is the volume of air swept or displaced by piston of
compressor when it moves in between TDC & BDC.
Swept volume = Area of piston X stroke length
2
= /4 d L
 Reciprocating Compressors
• Single stage
Reciprocating
compressor.
• Two stage
Reciprocating
compressor
P-V Diagram Single Stage Compressor
Work required for different compression
 Performance of Compressor
Volumetric efficiency-
It is ratio of volume of free air delivered per stroke to the swept volume
of piston.
nvol = Volume of F.A.D. per stroke/ Swept volume per stroke.

Mechanical efficiency-
It is the ratio of indicated power to the shaft power (Brake power) of the
motor or engine required to drive compressor.

nmech= Indicated power/ Shaft power or B.P. of motor

Isothermal efficiency or compressor efficiency-

It is the ratio of work or power required to compress air isothermally to
the actual work required to drive a compressor.

ncompressor= Isothermal power/ Indicated or actual power

Two Stage Air Compressor
P-V Diagram Two Stage Air
Compressor
Two Stage Air Compressor with perfect
Intercooling
Two Stage Air Compressor with
imperfect Intercooling
Advantages of multistage compression
• Work done/kg of air reduced. Due to intercooler
isothermal compression is approached.
• Volumetric efficiency increased.
• Leakage loss is reduced due to reduced pressure
difference on both sides of piston.
• More effective lubrication due to lower working
temp.
• Better mechanical balance of unit, more uniform
torque & smaller size of flywheel.
• Intercooling - device used for cooling air
between two stage is called as intercooler
-Perfect intercooling – if intercooler cools
compressed air to suction temp. Of stage 1 Called
as
-Imperfect intercooling - if intercooler cools
compressed air at a temp. Higher than suction
temp. Of stage 1 Called as
• After cooler- cools the discharged air from
compressor.
-To reduce risk of fire
-To reduce compressed air moisture level.
 Rotary compressor
This type of compressor make use of rotary
element to compress air instead of moving
piston.
Type
• Lobe or roots
• Screw
• Vane
Lobe compressor or root blower
It consists of
- Two lobes
- Casing
The lobes may be two or three in numbers. The
lobes may be having epicycloid, hypocycloid or
involute profiles. One lobe is driven by gear &
second lobe is driven by first one.
A very small clearance is maintained between
lobes & air tight casing.
Working- When the lobes rotate ,a low pressure is
formed at the lower portion of the casing as shown
in figure.
Due to this air at atmospheric pressure is sucked
in the casing.
The air is trapped in the pockets formed between
the lobes & casing. The rotary motion of the
lobes delivers the entrapped air into the
receiver. The more & more flow of air in the
receiver increases its pressure.
Finally air at high pressure is supplied from the
receiver .
Screw Compressor
• Screw Compressor consists of
- Air tight casing.
- Two helical grooved rotors.
Two mutually engaged helical grooved rotors are
housed within a casing as shown. Generally , a
male rotor is driver rotor, with four lobes &
female or driven rotor is having six lobes.
Working-When driver rotor turns, air is drawn in
casing & it fills inter lobe space
As rotor rotates further, air moves axially & radially
& gets compressed due to volume reduction in
decreasing inter lobe space.
The compression continues till air reaches discharge
port & high pressure air leaves through it to the
receiver.
Reciprocating Compressor. Rotary Compressor

-Type of operation- - Compression of air due to

reciprocating piston. rotary motion of blades.
- Air delivery is - Air delivery is
intermittent. Continuous.
- Delivery pressure is high. - Delivery pressure is Low.

- Flow rate is low. - Flow rate is High.

- Speed of compressor is - Speed of compressor is
low due to unbalanced High due to balanced
structure. structure.
- Suction, discharge Valves.
- More moving parts, more
wear tear, more lubrication,
more maintenance.
- More vibration hence high
installation cost.
- More starting torque.
- Can not be coupled directly
to prime mover.
- Used when small quantity of
air at high pressure is
required.
- No valves. Suction, discharge
ports.
- Less moving parts, less wear
tear, less lubrication, less
maintenance.
- Less vibration, hence low
installation cost.
- Less starting torque.
- Can be coupled directly
to prime mover.
-Used when large quantity of
air at low pressure is
required.
 Methods of energy saving in air
compressor
1) Spraying cold water into cylinder during
compression.
2) Providing cooling jacket
3) Providing fins
4) Multistaging of compressor
5) By providing minimum pressure drop in air
line
Providing cooling jacket
 Purification of air
• Air enter in compressor is not clean, it contains
various type of solid, liquid & gases
contaminants such as dust, dirt.
• Presence of contaminants may damaging to
finely finished mating surface of pneumatic
system causes wear or corrosion & pressure
line may be chocked.
• Purification of air is process which separating
the oil, dust, dirt & other contaminants from
air.
 Type of air filter
• Dry air filter.
• Oil wetted type air cleaner.
 Application of centrifugal compressor
1. Gas turbine
2. In automotive engine & diesel engine
turbochargers & supercharger.
3. In oil refineries, chemical plant, gas
processing.
4. Air conditioning & HVAC