8/31/2015

AircompressorWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Aircompressor
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Anaircompressorisadevicethatconvertspower(usingan
electricmotor,dieselorgasolineengine,etc.)intopotentialenergy
storedinpressurizedair(i.e.,compressedair).Byoneofseveral
methods,anaircompressorforcesmoreandmoreairintoastorage
tank,increasingthepressure.Whentankpressurereachesitsupper
limittheaircompressorshutsoff.Thecompressedair,then,isheld
inthetankuntilcalledintouse.Theenergycontainedinthe
compressedaircanbeusedforavarietyofapplications,utilizing
thekineticenergyoftheairasitisreleasedandthetank
depressurizes.Whentankpressurereachesitslowerlimit,theair
compressorturnsonagainandrepressurizesthetank.
Therearenumerousmethodsofaircompression,dividedintoeither
positivedisplacementornegativedisplacementtypes.[1][2]

Contents

Aircompressorsuppliesairintoa
nailgun

1Accordingtothepressuredelivered
2Accordingtothedesignandprincipleofoperation
2.1Positivedisplacement
2.2Negativedisplacement
3Cooling
4Applications
5Seealso
6References

Accordingtothepressuredelivered
1. Lowpressureaircompressors(LPACs),whichhaveadischargepressureof150psiorless
2. Mediumpressurecompressors,whichhaveadischargepressureof151psito1,000psi
3. Highpressureaircompressors(HPACs),whichhaveadischargepressureabove1,000psi

Accordingtothedesignandprincipleofoperation
1. Rotaryscrewcompressor
2. Turbocompressor

Positivedisplacement
Positivedisplacementcompressorsworkbyforcingairintoachamberwhosevolumeisdecreasedto
compresstheair.Commontypesofpositivedisplacementcompressorsare:
Pistontypeaircompressorsusethisprinciplebypumpingairintoanairchamberthroughtheuse
oftheconstantmotionofpistons.Theyuseonewayvalvestoguideairintoacylinderchamber,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_compressor

1/3

8/31/2015

AircompressorWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

wheretheairiscompressed.[1]
Rotaryscrewcompressorsusepositivedisplacementcompressionbymatchingtwohelical
screwsthat,whenturned,guideairintoachamber,whosevolumeisdecreasedasthescrewsturn.
Vanecompressorsuseaslottedrotorwithvariedbladeplacementtoguideairintoachamberand
compressthevolume.Atypeofcompressorthatdeliversafixedvolumeofairathighpressures..

Negativedisplacement
Negativedisplacementaircompressorsincludecentrifugalcompressors.Theseusecentrifugalforce
generatedbyaspinningimpellertoaccelerateandthendeceleratecapturedair,whichpressurizesit.[1]

Cooling
Duetoadiabaticheating,aircompressorsrequiresomemethodofdisposingofwasteheat.Generally
thisissomeformofairorwatercooling,althoughsome(particularlyrotarytype)compressorsmaybe
cooledbyoil(thatistheninturnairorwatercooled)[3]andtheatmosphericchangesalsoconsidered
duringcoolingofcompressors.

Applications
Tosupplyhighpressurecleanairtofillgascylinders
Tosupplymoderatepressurecleanairtoasubmerged
surfacesupplieddiver
Tosupplymoderatepressurecleanairfordrivingsome
officeandschoolbuildingpneumaticHVACcontrol
systemvalves
Tosupplyalargeamountofmoderatepressureairto
powerpneumatictools,suchasjackhammers
Forfillingtires
Toproducelargevolumesofmoderatepressureairfor
largescaleindustrialprocesses(suchasoxidationfor
petroleumcokingorcementplantbaghousepurge
systems).

Portableaircompressorforpowering
tools,suchasjackhammers

Mostaircompressorseitherarereciprocatingpistontype,rotaryvaneorrotaryscrew.Centrifugal
compressorsarecommoninverylargeapplications.Therearetwomaintypesofaircompressor's
pumps:oillubedandoilless.Theoillesssystemhasmoretechnicaldevelopment,butismore
expensive,louderandlastsforlesstimethanoillubedpumps.Theoillesssystemalsodeliversairof
betterquality.
Themostcommontypesofaircompressorsare:electricorgas/dieselpoweredcompressors.Thepower
ofacompressorismeasuredinHP(Horsepower)andCFM(cubicfeetofairperminute).Thegallon
sizeofthetanktellsyouhowmuchcompressedair"inreserve"isavailable.Gas/dieselpowered
compressorsarewidelyusedinremoteareaswithproblematicaccesstoelectricity.Theyarenoisyand
requireventilationforexhaustgases.Electricpoweredcompressorsarewidelyusedinproduction,
workshopsandgarageswithpermanentaccesstoelectricity.Commonworkshop/garagecompressorsare
110120Voltor230240Volt.Compressortankshapesare:"pancake","twintank","horizontal",and
"vertical".Dependingonasizeandpurposecompressorscanbestationaryorportable.

Seealso
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_compressor

2/3

8/31/2015

AircompressorWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Compressedair
Freepistonengine
Gascompressor
Pneumatics

References
1. Klenck,Thomas."HowitWorks:AirCompressor"
(http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/energyefficient/1275131).PopularMechanics.
Retrieved30July2010.
2. Compressortypes:rotaryscrew,reciprocating,andvanecompressors
(http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/industrial/equipment/compressedairref/page05.cfm?attr=24)
3. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/aircompressortypesd_441.html

Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Air_compressor&oldid=676058305"
Categories: Compressors Gases Divingsupportequipment Underwaterwork Gastechnologies
Industrialgases
Thispagewaslastmodifiedon14August2015,at11:47.
TextisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionShareAlikeLicenseadditionalterms
mayapply.Byusingthissite,youagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.Wikipediaisa
registeredtrademarkoftheWikimediaFoundation,Inc.,anonprofitorganization.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_compressor

3/3