Learning Objectives

Uses of compressed air

Installation requirements
Air compression theory
Multistage compression
Volumetric efficiency
Constructional details
Operation and Maintenance
Compressor lubrication
Explosion hazard
Air receivers
Uses of compressed air
25 – 30 bar
 Starting of main & auxiliary engines
 Boiler soot blowing

4 – 7 bar
 Service air
 Whistle air
 Pneumatic tools
 Life boat, pilot ladder

1.5 – 2 bar
 Instrumentation & control

Compressors
Minimum 2 or more compressors
Sufficient capacity to charge air receivers within 1 hour from atm. to max.
pressure to provide
 6 starts for non reversible engine
 12 starts for reversible engine
1 emergency air compressor & receiver for dead ship condition

Air Receivers
At least 2 air receivers with sufficient capacity without replenishment and
able to provide
 6 starts for non reversible engine
 12 starts for reversible engine
Pressure Relief devices
Relief v/v to be fitted after each stage of compression
Relief v/v to be fitted on the air receiver
Relief v/v or bursting disc to be fitted on inter & after coolers

Air Temperature
 Limited to 93OC to prevent explosion
Fusible plug or high temp cut out provided as safety measure

Pressure Test
Cylinders, cylinder covers, inter & after coolers are tested by hydraulic pressure to
twice their working pressure.
Casing of intercooler and after cooler is hydraulically tested to 1.5 times the cooling
water pressure

Air compression Theory

Nearly perfect gas, as air is composed of mainly 23% oxygen and

75.5% nitrogen & rest other gases by mass

Mixture of gases behave as near as perfect gases

Follows perfect gas laws – Boyle’s and Charles’ laws

During compression
 Volume reduces
 Pressure & temperature increases
 Mass remains constant

Air follows the combination of gas laws:

PV = mRT; PV / T = mR = Constant

TYPES OF COMPRESSION
Isothermal compression (PV = C)
 no rise in temp during compression
 heat is removed during compression
 least power input & most efficient
 difficult to achieve in practice

Adiabatic/Isentropic compr. (PV1.4 = C)

 no heat removed & temp. rises progressively during compression
 power input is max. & efficiency is low

Polytropic compression (PV1.3 = C)

 actual compression process in practice
 heat is extracted during compression
 lies between isothermal and isentropic compression
 work done to compress air is reduced
Ideal P-V Diagram

4-1 Air induction

1-2 Air compression
2-3 Air delivery
3-4 Expansion of
remaining air
Vc Clearance vol.
Vs Swept vol (V1 – Vc)
VI Induced vol (V1 – V4)
Vol eff. = Induced vol/Swept vol
Compr. ratio = V1/ V2 = P2 / P1
Actual P-V Diagram

Similar to ideal except induction & del. process

Which are modified by v/v action
Waviness of the lines 4-1 and 2-3 is due to
v/v bounce
v/v inertia
spring action
variation in back pressure
As the pressure increases, more stages are required with intercooling due to
following disadvantages of single stage compression:

Low volumetric efficiency

 As pressure ratio P2 / P1 is increased, vol efficiency drops

High air delivery temperature

Increase in pressure ratio results in higher delivery temp. causing
 excess coke deposits
 thermal stress
 Lubrication problem
 Explosion hazard
Increased power input
 Inter-stage cooling lowers the work done in compressing air

Number of stages is governed by the required final pressure of the

compressed air.
 Applied when delivery press. is high
Compression is carried out in stages
Ensures equal rise in temp in each stages to prevent v/vs & springs damage
Requires minimum work; shaded area indicates the wok saved
If stage pressures are P1, P2 & P3, P4
P2 = Ö P1 . P3 & P3 = Ö P2 . P4

Advantages:
Compression work is reduced
Vol efficiency and hence compressor capacity is increased
It approximates isothermal compression
Vol of air delivered is reduced; as a result reduced size of cylinder, piston and
delivery pipes is required
Reduced air delivery temp gives less thermal &mechanical loading and
better lubrication of piston & cylinder
Due to less temp, suc & del valves remain clean
Facilitates moisture separation
Use of intercooler allows smaller receiver