Positive displacement[edit]

A positive displacement compressor is the system which compresses the air by the displacement
of a mechanical linkage reducing the volume (since the reduction in volume due to a piston in
thermodynamics is considered as positive displacement of the piston). [vague]
Reciprocating compressors[edit]
Main article: Reciprocating compressor

A motor-driven six-cylinder reciprocating compressor that can operate with two, four or six cylinders.

Reciprocating compressors use pistons driven by a crankshaft. They can be either stationary
or portable, can be single or multi-staged, and can be driven by electric motors or internal
combustion engines.[1][2][3] Small reciprocating compressors from 5 to 30 horsepower (hp) are
commonly seen in automotive applications and are typically for intermittent duty. Larger
reciprocating compressors well over 1,000 hp (750 kW) are commonly found in large industrial
and petroleum applications. Discharge pressures can range from low pressure to very high
pressure (>18000 psi or 180 MPa). In certain applications, such as air compression, multi-stage
double-acting compressors are said to be the most efficient compressors available, and are
typically larger, and more costly than comparable rotary units. [4] Another type of reciprocating
compressor, usually employed in automotive cabin air conditioningsystems,[citation needed] is the swash
plate or wobble plate compressor, which uses pistons moved by a swash plate mounted on a
shaft (see axial piston pump).
Household, home workshop, and smaller job site compressors are typically reciprocating
compressors 1½ hp or less with an attached receiver tank.
A linear compressor is a reciprocating compressor with the piston being the rotor of a linear
motor.
Ionic liquid piston compressor[edit]
Main article: Ionic liquid piston compressor
An ionic liquid piston compressor, ionic compressor or ionic liquid piston pump is a hydrogen
compressor based on an ionic liquid piston instead of a metal piston as in a piston-
metal diaphragm compressor.[5]
Rotary screw compressors[edit]

Diagram of a rotary screw compressor

Main article: Rotary screw compressor

Rotary screw compressors use two meshed rotating positive-displacement helical screws to
force the gas into a smaller space.[1][6][7]These are usually used for continuous operation in
commercial and industrial applications and may be either stationary or portable. Their application
can be from 3 horsepower (2.2 kW) to over 1,200 horsepower (890 kW) and from low pressure to
moderately high pressure (>1,200 psi or 8.3 MPa).
The classifications of rotary screw compressors vary based on stages, cooling methods, and
drive types among others.[8] Rotary screw compressors are commercially produced in Oil Flooded,
Water Flooded and Dry type. The efficiency of rotary compressors depends on the air drier, [clarification
needed]
and the selection of air drier is always 1.5 times volumetric delivery of the compressor. [9]
Designs with a single screw [10] or three screws [11] instead of two exist.
Rotary vane compressors[edit]

Eccentric rotary-vane pump

See also: Rotary vane pump

Rotary vane compressors consist of a rotor with a number of blades inserted in radial slots in
the rotor. The rotor is mounted offset in a larger housing that is either circular or a more complex
shape. As the rotor turns, blades slide in and out of the slots keeping contact with the outer wall of
the housing.[1] Thus, a series of increasing and decreasing volumes is created by the rotating
blades. Rotary Vane compressors are, with piston compressors one of the oldest of compressor
technologies.
With suitable port connections, the devices may be either a compressor or a vacuum pump. They
can be either stationary or portable, can be single or multi-staged, and can be driven by electric
motors or internal combustion engines. Dry vane machines are used at relatively low pressures
(e.g., 2 bar or 200 kPa or 29 psi) for bulk material movement while oil-injected machines have the
necessary volumetric efficiency to achieve pressures up to about 13 bar (1,300 kPa; 190 psi) in a
single stage. A rotary vane compressor is well suited to electric motor drive and is significantly
quieter in operation than the equivalent piston compressor.
Rotary vane compressors can have mechanical efficiencies of about 90%. [12]
Rolling piston[edit]
Rolling piston compressor

The Rolling piston in a rolling piston style compressor plays the part of a partition between the
vane and the rotor.[13]Rolling piston forces gas against a stationary vane.
2 of these compressors can be mounted on the same shaft to increase capacity and reduce
vibration and noise. A design without a spring is known as a swing compressor.
In refrigeration and air conditioning, this type of compressor is also known as a rotary
compressor, with rotary screw compressors being also known simply as screw compressors.
Scroll compressors[edit]

Mechanism of a scroll pump

Main article: Scroll compressor

A scroll compressor, also known as scroll pump and scroll vacuum pump, uses two
interleaved spiral-like vanes to pump or compress fluids such as liquids and gases. The vane
geometry may be involute, archimedean spiral, or hybrid curves.[14][15][16] They operate more
smoothly, quietly, and reliably than other types of compressors in the lower volume range.
Often, one of the scrolls is fixed, while the other orbits eccentrically without rotating, thereby
trapping and pumping or compressing pockets of fluid between the scrolls.
Due to minimum clearance volume between the fixed scroll and the orbiting scroll, these
compressors have a very high volumetric efficiency.
These compressors are extensively used in air conditioning and refrigeration because they are
lighter, smaller and have fewer moving parts than reciprocating compressors and they are also
more reliable. They are more expensive though, so peltier coolers or rotary and reciprocating
compressors may be used in applications where cost is the most important or one of the most
important factors to consider when designing a refrigeration or air conditioining system.
This type of compressor was used as the supercharger on Volkswagen G60 and G40 engines in
the early 1990s.
Diaphragm compressors[edit]
Main article: Diaphragm compressor
A diaphragm compressor (also known as a membrane compressor) is a variant of the
conventional reciprocating compressor. The compression of gas occurs by the movement of a
flexible membrane, instead of an intake element. The back and forth movement of the membrane
is driven by a rod and a crankshaft mechanism. Only the membrane and the compressor box
come in contact with the gas being compressed.[1]
The degree of flexing and the material constituting the diaphragm affects the maintenance life of
the equipment. Generally stiff metal diaphragms may only displace a few cubic centimeters of
volume because the metal can not endure large degrees of flexing without cracking, but the
stiffness of a metal diaphragm allows it to pump at high pressures. Rubber or silicone diaphragms
are capable of enduring deep pumping strokes of very high flexion, but their low strength limits
their use to low-pressure applications, and they need to be replaced as plastic embrittlement
occurs.
Diaphragm compressors are used for hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) as well as in
a number of other applications.

A three-stage diaphragm compressor

The photograph on the right depicts a three-stage diaphragm compressor used to compress
hydrogen gas to 6,000 psi (41 MPa) for use in a prototype compressed
hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station built in downtown Phoenix,
Arizona by the Arizona Public Service company (an electric utilities company). Reciprocating
compressors were used to compress the natural gas. The reciprocating natural gas compressor
was developed by Sertco.[17]
The prototype alternative fueling station was built in compliance with all of the prevailing safety,
environmental and building codes in Phoenix to demonstrate that such fueling stations could be
built in urban areas.

Dynamic[edit]
Dynamic compressors depend upon the inertia and momentum of a fluid.
Air bubble compressor[edit]
Also known as a trompe. A mixture of air and water generated through turbulence is allowed to
fall into a subterranean chamber where the air separates from the water. The weight of falling
water compresses the air in the top of the chamber. A submerged outlet from the chamber allows
water to flow to the surface at a lower height than the intake. An outlet in the roof of the chamber
supplies the compressed air to the surface. A facility on this principle was built on the Montreal
River at Ragged Shutes near Cobalt, Ontario in 1910 and supplied 5,000 horsepower to nearby
mines.[18]
Centrifugal compressors[edit]
A single stage centrifugal compressor

Main article: Centrifugal compressor

Centrifugal compressors use a rotating disk or impeller in a shaped housing to force the gas to
the rim of the impeller, increasing the velocity of the gas. A diffuser (divergent duct) section
converts the velocity energy to pressure energy. They are primarily used for continuous,
stationary service in industries such as oil refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants
and natural gas processingplants.[1][19][20] Their application can be from 100 horsepower (75 kW) to
thousands of horsepower. With multiple staging, they can achieve high output pressures greater
than 1,000 psi (6.9 MPa).
This type of compressor, along with screw compressors, are extensively used in large
refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Magnetically levitated and air bearing centrifugal
compressors exist.
Many large snowmaking operations (like ski resorts) use this type of compressor. They are also
used in internal combustion engines as superchargers and turbochargers. Centrifugal
compressors are used in small gas turbine engines or as the final compression stage of medium-
sized gas turbines.
Diagonal or mixed-flow compressors[edit]
Diagonal or mixed-flow compressors are similar to centrifugal compressors, but have a radial
and axial velocity component at the exit from the rotor. The diffuser is often used to turn diagonal
flow to an axial rather than radial direction.[21] Comparative to the conventional centrifugal
compressor (of the same stage pressure ratio), the value of the speed of the mixed flow
compressor is 1.5 times larger.[22]
Axial-flow compressors[edit]

An animation of an axial compressor.

Main article: Axial-flow compressor

Axial-flow compressors are dynamic rotating compressors that use arrays of fan-like airfoils to
progressively compress a fluid. They are used where high flow rates or a compact design are
required.
The arrays of airfoils are set in rows, usually as pairs: one rotating and one stationary. The
rotating airfoils, also known as blades or rotors, accelerate the fluid. The stationary airfoils, also
known as stators or vanes, decelerate and redirect the flow direction of the fluid, preparing it for
the rotor blades of the next stage.[1] Axial compressors are almost always multi-staged, with the
cross-sectional area of the gas passage diminishing along the compressor to maintain an
optimum axial Mach number. Beyond about 5 stages or a 4:1 design pressure ratio a compressor
will not function unless fitted with features such as stationary vanes with variable angles (known
as variable inlet guide vanes and variable stators), the ability to allow some air to escape part-
way along the compressor (known as interstage bleed) and being split into more than one
rotating assembly (known as twin spools, for example).
Axial compressors can have high efficiencies; around 90% polytropic at their design conditions.
However, they are relatively expensive, requiring a large number of components, tight tolerances
and high quality materials. Axial-flow compressors are used in medium to large gas
turbine engines, natural gas pumping stations, and some chemical plants.

Hermetically sealed, open, or semi-hermetic[edit]

A small hermetically sealed compressor in a common consumer refrigerator or freezer typically has a
rounded steel outer shell permanently welded shut, which seals operating gases inside the system. There is
no route for gases to leak, such as around motor shaft seals. On this model, the plastic top section is part of
an auto-defrost system that uses motor heat to evaporate the water.

Compressors used in refrigeration systems are often described as being either hermetic, open, or
semi-hermetic, to describe how the compressor and motor drive are situated in relation to the gas
or vapor being compressed. The industry name for a hermetic is hermetically sealed
compressor, while a semi-hermetic is commonly called a semi-hermetic compressor.
In hermetic and most semi-hermetic compressors, the compressor and motor driving the
compressor are integrated, and operate within the pressurized gas envelope of the system. The
motor is designed to operate in, and be cooled by, the refrigerant gas being compressed.
The difference between the hermetic and semi-hermetic, is that the hermetic uses a one-piece
welded steel casing that cannot be opened for repair; if the hermetic fails it is simply replaced with
an entire new unit. A semi-hermetic uses a large cast metal shell with gasketed covers with
screws that can be opened to replace motor and compressor components.
The primary advantage of a hermetic and semi-hermetic is that there is no route for the gas to
leak out of the system. Open compressors rely on shaft seals to retain the internal pressure, and
these seals require a lubricant such as oil to retain their sealing properties.
An open pressurized system such as an automobile air conditioner can be more susceptible to
leak its operating gases. Open systems rely on lubricant in the system to splash on pump
components and seals. If it is not operated frequently enough, the lubricant on the seals slowly
evaporates, and then the seals begin to leak until the system is no longer functional and must be
recharged. By comparison, a hermetic or semi-hermetic system can sit unused for years, and can
usually be started up again at any time without requiring maintenance or experiencing any loss of
system pressure.
The disadvantage of hermetic compressors is that the motor drive cannot be repaired or
maintained, and the entire compressor must be replaced if a motor fails. A further disadvantage is
that burnt-out windings can contaminate whole systems, thereby requiring the system to be
entirely pumped down and the gas replaced (This can also happen in semi hermetic compressors
where the motor operates in the refrigerant). Typically, hermetic compressors are used in low-cost
factory-assembled consumer goods where the cost of repair and labor is high compared to the
value of the device, and it would be more economical to just purchase a new device or
compressor. Semi-hermetic compressors are used in mid-sized to large refrigeration and air
conditioning systems, where it is cheaper to repair the compressor rather than buying and
installing a new one. A hermetic compressor is simpler and cheaper to build than a semi-hermetic
compressor.
An advantage of open compressors is that they can be driven by non-electric power sources,
such as an internal combustion engine or turbine. However, open compressors that drive
refrigeration systems are generally not totally maintenance-free throughout the life of the system,
since some gas leakage will occur over time.

Thermodynamics of gas compression[edit]

Isentropic compressor[edit]
A compressor can be idealized as internally reversible and adiabatic, thus an isentropic steady
state device, meaning the change in entropy is 0.[23] By defining the compression cycle
as isentropic, an ideal efficiency for the process can be attained, and the ideal compressor
performance can be compared to the actual performance of the machine. Isotropic Compression
as used in ASME PTC 10 Code refers to a reversible, adiabatic compression process [24]
Isentropic efficiency of Compressors:

is the enthalpy at the initial state

is the enthalpy at the final state for the actual process

is the enthalpy at the final state for the isentropic process

Minimizing work required by a compressor[edit]

Comparing reversible to irreversible compressors [edit]
Comparison of the differential form of the energy balance for each device
Let be heat, be work, be kinetic energy and be potential

energy.
Actual Compressor:

Reversible Compressor:

The right hand side of each compressor type is equivalent, thus:

re-arranging:

By substituting the know equation into the last equation

and dividing both terms by T:

Furthermore, and T is [absolute temperature] ( )

which produces:

or

Therefore, work-consuming devices such as pumps and

compressors (work is negative) require less work when they
operate reversibly.[23]
Effect of cooling during the compression process[edit]

P-v (Specific volume vs. Pressure) diagram comparing

isentropic, polytropic, and isothermal processes between the
same pressure limits.

isentropic process: involves no cooling,

polytropic process: involves some cooling
isothermal process: involves maximum cooling
 By making the following assumptions the required work for
the compressor to compress a gas from to is the

following for each process:

Assumptions:
and

All processes are internally reversible

The gas behaves like an ideal gas with constant specific heats
Isentropic ( , where ):

Polytropic ( ):

Isothermal ( or ):

By comparing the three internally

reversible processes compressing
an ideal gas from to ,

the results show that isentropic

compression ( ) requires the

most work in and the isothermal

compression( or )

requires the least amount of work

in. For the polytropic process (

) work in decreases as the

exponent, n, decreases, by
increasing the heat rejection during
the compression process. One
common way of cooling the gas
during compression is to use
cooling jackets around the casing
of the compressor.[23]

Compressors in ideal
thermodynamic
cycles[edit]
Ideal Rankine Cycle 1-
>2 Isentropic compression in
a pump
Ideal Carnot Cycle 4-
>1 Isentropic compression
Ideal Otto Cycle 1-
>2 Isentropic compression
Ideal Diesel Cycle 1-
>2 Isentropic compression
Ideal Brayton Cycle 1-
>2 Isentropic compression in a
compressor
Ideal Vapor-compression
refrigeration Cycle 1-
>2 Isentropic compression in a
compressor
NOTE: The isentropic assumptions
are only applicable with ideal
cycles. Real world cycles have
inherent losses due to inefficient
compressors and turbines. The real
world system are not truly
isentropic but are rather idealized
as isentropic for calculation
purposes.

Temperature[edit]
Main article: Gas laws
Compression of a gas increases
its temperature.

where

or

and
so

in which p is
pressure, V is
volume, n take
s different
values for
different
compression
processes
(see below),
and 1 & 2 refer
to initial and
final states.


Adiabatic -
This
model
assumes
that no
energy
(heat) is
transferre
d to or
from the
gas during
the
compressi
on, and all
supplied
work is
added to
the
internal
energy of
the gas,
resulting
in
increases
of
temperatu
re and
pressure.
Theoretica
l
temperatu
re rise is:
[25]

with T1 an
d T2 in
degrees R
ankine or
kelvins, p2
and p1 bei
ng
absolute
pressures
and

ratio of
specific
heats (app
roximately
1.4 for
air). The
rise in air
and
temperatu
re ratio
means
compressi
on does
not follow
a simple
pressure
to volume
ratio. This
is less
efficient,
but quick.
Adiabatic
compressi
on or
expansion
more
closely
model real
life when a
compress
or has
good
insulation,
a large
gas
volume, or
a short
time scale
(i.e., a
high
power
level). In
practice
there will
always be
a certain
amount of
heat flow
out of the
compress
ed gas.
Thus,
making a
perfect
adiabatic
compress
or would
require
perfect
heat
insulation
of all parts
of the
machine.
For
example,
even a
bicycle tire
pump's
metal tube
becomes
hot as you
compress
the air to
fill a tire.
The
relation
between
temperatu
re and
compressi
on ratio
described
above
means
that the
value of
for

an
adiabatic
process is
(the

ratio of
specific
heats).

 Isothe
rmal -
This
model
assum
es
that
the
compr
essed
gas
remai
ns at
a
consta
nt
tempe
rature
throug
hout
the
compr
ession
or
expan
sion
proce
ss. In
this
cycle,
intern
al
energ
y is
remov
ed
from
the
syste
m as
heat
at the
same
rate
that it
is
added
by the
mech
anical
work
of
compr
ession
.
Isothe
rmal
compr
ession
or
expan
sion
more
closel
y
model
s real
life
when
the
compr
essor
has a
large
heat
excha
nging
surfac
e, a
small
gas
volum
e, or a
long
time
scale
(i.e., a
small
power
level).
Comp
ressor
s that
utilize
inter-
stage
coolin
g
betwe
en
compr
ession
stages
come
closes
t to
achiev
ing
perfec
t
isothe
rmal
compr
ession
.
Howe
ver,
with
 practic
al
device
s
perfec
t
isothe
rmal
compr
ession
is not
attain
able.
For
exam
ple,
unless
you
have
an
infinite
numb
er of
compr
ession
stages
with
corres
pondi
ng
interc
oolers
, you
will
never
achiev
e
perfec
t
isothe
rmal
compr
ession
.

For an
isothermal
process,
is 1,

so the
value of
the work
integral for
an
isothermal
process is:

When
evalua
ted,
the
isothe
rmal
work
is
found
to be
lower
than
the
adiab
atic
work.

 P
ol
ytr
op
ic
-
T
hi
s
m
od
el
ta
ke
s
int
o
ac
co
un
t
bo
th
a
ris
e
in
te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
in
th
e
ga
s
as
w
ell
as
so
m
e
lo
ss
of
en
er
gy
(h
ea
t)
to
th
e
co
m
pr
es
so
r's
co
m
po
ne
nt
s.
T
hi
s
as
su
m
es
th
at
he
at
m
ay
en
te
r
or
le
av
e
th
e
sy
st
e
m,
an
d
th
at
in
pu
t
sh
aft
w
or
k
ca
n
ap
pe
ar
as
bo
th
in
cr
ea
se
d
pr
es
su
re
(u
su
all
y
us
ef
ul
w
or
k)
an
d
in
cr
ea
se
d
te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
ab
ov
e
ad
ia
ba
tic
(u
su
all
y
lo
ss
es
du
e
to
cy
cl
e
eff
ici
en
cy
).
C
o
m
pr
es
si
on
eff
ici
en
cy
is
th
en
th
e
ra
tio
of
te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
ris
e
at
th
eo
re
tic
al
10
0
pe
rc
en
t
(a
di
ab
ati
c)
vs
.
ac
tu
al
(p
ol
ytr
op
ic)
.
P
ol
ytr
op
ic
co
m
pr
es
si
on
wi
ll
us
e
a
va
lu
e
of

be
tw
ee
n
0
(a
co
ns
ta
nt
-
pr
es
su
re
pr
oc
es
s)
an
d
inf
ini
ty
(a
co
ns
ta
nt
vo
lu
m
e
pr
oc
es
s).
F
or
th
e
ty
pi
ca
l
ca
se
w
he
re
an
eff
or
t
is
m
ad
e
to
co
ol
th
e
ga
s
co
m
pr
es
 se
d
by
an
ap
pr
ox
im
at
el
y
ad
ia
ba
tic
pr
oc
es
s,
th
e
va
lu
e
of

wi
ll
be
be
tw
ee
n
1
an
d

Sta
ged
co
mp
res
sio
n[edi
t]
In the
case
of
centrif
ugal
compr
essors
,
comm
ercial
design
s
curren
tly do
not
excee
da
compr
ession
ratio
of
more
than
3.5 to
1 in
any
one
stage
(for a
typical
gas).
Since
compr
ession
raises
the
tempe
rature,
the
compr
essed
gas is
to be
cooled
betwe
en
stages
makin
g the
compr
ession
less
adiab
atic
and
more
isothe
rmal.
The
inter-
stage
cooler
s
typical
ly
result
in
some
partial
conde
nsatio
n that
is
remov
ed
in vap
or-
liquid
separ
ators.
In the
case
of
small
recipr
ocatin
g
compr
essors
, the
compr
essor
flywhe
el may
drive
a
coolin
g fan
that
directs
ambie
nt air
across
the int
ercool
er of a
two or
more
stage
compr
essor.
Becau
se
rotary
screw
compr
essors
can
make
use of
coolin
g
lubrica
nt to
reduc
e the
tempe
rature
rise
from
compr
ession
, they
very
often
excee
da9
to 1
compr
ession
ratio.
For
instan
ce, in
a
typical
diving
compr
essor
the air
is
compr
essed
in
three
stages
. If
each
stage
has a
compr
ession
ratio
of 7 to
1, the
compr
essor
can
output
343
times
atmos
pheric
press
ure (7
×7×
7=
343 at
mosp
heres)
.
(343 a
tm or
34.8
MPa o
r
5.04 k
si)

Dri
ve
mo
tors
[edit]
There
are
many
option
s for
the
motor
that
power
s the
compr
essor:

 G
as
tu
rbi
ne
s
po
w
er
th
e
ax
ial
an
d
ce
nt
 rif
ug
al
flo
w
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
th
at
ar
e
pa
rt
of
jet
en
gi
ne
s.
 St
ea
m
tu
rbi
ne
s
or
w
at
er
tu
rbi
ne
s
ar
e
po
ss
ibl
e
fo
r
lar
ge
co
m
pr
es
so
rs.
 El
ec
tri
c
m
ot
or
s
ar
e
ch
ea
p
an
d
qu
iet
fo
r
st
ati
c
co
m
pr
es
so
rs.
S
m
all
m
ot
or
s
su
ita
bl
e
fo
r
do
m
es
tic
el
ec
tri
ca
l
su
pp
lie
s
us
e
si
ng
le-
ph
as
e
alt
er
na
tin
g
cu
rr
en
t.
La
rg
er
m
ot
or
s
ca
n
on
ly
be
us
ed
w
he
re
an
in
du
str
ial
el
ec
tri
ca
lt
hr
ee
ph
as
e
alt
er
na
tin
g
cu
rr
en
t
su
pp
ly
is
av
 ail
ab
le.
 Di
es
el
en
gi
ne
s
or
pe
tr
ol
en
gi
ne
s
ar
e
su
ita
bl
e
fo
r
po
rt
ab
le
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
an
d
su
pp
or
t
co
m
pr
es
so
rs.
 In
au
to
m
ob
ile
s
an
d
ot
he
r
ty
pe
s
of
ve
hi
cl
es
(in
cl
ud
in
g
pi
st
on
-
po
w
er
ed
air
pl
an
es
,
bo
at
s,
tr
uc
ks
,
et
c.)
,
di
es
el
or
ga
so
lin
e
en
gi
ne
s
po
w
er
ou
tp
ut
ca
n
be
in
cr
ea
se
d
by
co
m
pr
es
si
ng
th
e
int
ak
e
air
,
so
th
at
m
or
e
fu
el
ca
n
be
bu
rn
ed
pe
r
cy
cl
e.
T
he
se
en
gi
ne
s
ca
n
po
w
er
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
us
in
g
th
eir
o
w
n
cr
an
ks
ha
ft
po
w
er
(t
hi
s
se
tu
p
kn
o
w
n
as
a
su
pe
rc
ha
rg
er
),
or,
us
e
th
eir
ex
ha
us
t
ga
s
to
dri
ve
a
tu
rbi
ne
co
 nn
ec
te
d
to
th
e
co
m
pr
es
so
r
(t
hi
s
se
tu
p
kn
o
w
n
as
at
ur
bo
ch
ar
ge
r).

Ap
plic
atio
ns[e
dit]
Gas
compr
essors
are
used
in
variou
s
applic
ations
where
either
higher
press
ures
or
lower
volum
es of
gas
are
neede
d:


In
pi
pe
lin
e
tr
an
sp
or
to
f
pu
rifi
ed
na
tu
ral
ga
s
fr
o
m
th
e
pr
od
uc
tio
n
sit
e
to
th
e
co
ns
u
m
er,
a
co
m
pr
es
so
r
is
dri
ve
n
 by
a
ga
s
tu
rbi
ne
fu
el
ed
by
ga
s
bl
ed
fr
o
m
th
e
pi
pe
lin
e.
T
hu
s,
no
ex
te
rn
al
po
w
er
so
ur
ce
is
ne
ce
ss
ar
y.

P
et
rol
eu
m
re
fin
eri
es
,
na
tu
ral
ga
s
pr
oc
es
si
ng
pl
an
ts,
pe
tr
oc
he
mi
ca
l
an
d
ch
e
mi
ca
l
pl
an
ts,
an
d
si
mi
lar
lar
ge
in
du
str
ial
pl
an
ts
re
qu
ire
co
m
pr
es
si
ng
fo
r
int
er
m
ed
iat
 e
an
d
en
d-
pr
od
uc
t
ga
se
s.

R
ef
rig
er
ati
on
an
d
air
co
nd
iti
on
er
eq
ui
p
m
en
t
us
e
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
to
m
ov
e
he
at
in
re
fri
ge
ra
nt
cy
cl
es
(s
ee
 v
a
p
or
-
c
o
m
pr
e
ss
io
n
re
fri
g
er
at
io
n)
.

G
as
tu
rbi
ne
sy
st
e
m
s
co
m
pr
es
s
th
e
int
ak
e
co
m
bu
sti
on
air
.

S
m
all
-
vo
lu
m
e
 pu
rifi
ed
or
m
an
uf
ac
tu
re
d
ga
se
s
re
qu
ire
co
m
pr
es
si
on
to
fill
hi
gh
pr
es
su
re
cy
lin
de
rs
fo
r
m
ed
ic
al,
w
el
di
ng
,
an
d
ot
he
r
us
es
.

V
ari
ou
 s
in
du
str
ial
,
m
an
uf
ac
tu
rin
g,
an
d
bu
ild
in
g
pr
oc
es
se
s
re
qu
ire
co
m
pr
es
se
d
air
to
po
w
er
pn
eu
m
ati
c
to
ol
s.

In
th
e
m
an
uf
ac
tu
rin
g
an
 d
bl
o
w
m
ou
ldi
ng
of
P
E
T
pl
as
tic
bo
ttl
es
an
d
co
nt
ai
ne
rs.

S
o
m
e
air
cr
aft
re
qu
ire
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
to
m
ai
nt
ai
n
ca
bi
n
pr
es
su
riz
ati
on
at
 alt
itu
de
.

S
o
m
e
ty
pe
s
of
jet
en
gi
ne
s
—
su
ch
as
tu
rb
oj
et
s
an
dt
ur
bo
fa
ns
—
co
m
pr
es
s
th
e
air
re
qu
ire
d
fo
r
fu
el
co
m
bu
sti
on
.
T
he
 jet
en
gi
ne
's
tu
rbi
ne
s
po
w
er
th
e
co
m
bu
sti
on
air
co
m
pr
es
so
r.

In
S
C
U
B
A
di
vi
ng
,h
yp
er
ba
ric
ox
yg
en
th
er
ap
y,
an
d
ot
he
r
lif
e
su
pp
or
 t
de
vi
ce
s,
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
pu
tb
re
at
hi
ng
ga
si
nt
o
s
m
all
vo
lu
m
e
co
nt
ai
ne
rs,
su
ch
as
di
vi
ng
cy
lin
de
rs.
[26]
[27]


In
su
rf
ac
e
su
pp
lie
d
di
vi
ng
 ,
an
air
co
m
pr
es
so
r
fr
eq
ue
ntl
y
su
pp
lie
s
lo
w
pr
es
su
re
air
(1
0
to
20
ba
r)
fo
r
br
ea
thi
ng
.

S
ub
m
ari
ne
s
us
e
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
to
st
or
e
air
 fo
r
lat
er
us
e
in
di
sp
la
ci
ng
w
at
er
fr
o
m
bu
oy
an
cy
ch
a
m
be
rs
to
ad
ju
st
de
pt
h.

Tu
rb
oc
ha
rg
er
s
an
d
su
pe
rc
ha
rg
er
s
ar
e
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
th
at
in
cr
ea
se
int
er
na
l
co
m
bu
sti
on
en
gi
ne
pe
rf
or
m
an
ce
by
in
cr
ea
si
ng
th
e
m
as
s
flo
w
of
air
in
si
de
th
e
cy
lin
de
r,
so
th
e
en
gi
ne
ca
n
 bu
rn
m
or
e
fu
el
an
d
he
nc
e
pr
od
uc
e
m
or
e
po
w
er.

R
ail
an
d
he
av
yr
oa
d
tr
an
sp
or
tv
eh
icl
es
us
e
co
m
pr
es
se
d
air
to
op
er
at
e
rai
l
ve
hi
 cl
e
or
ro
ad
ve
hi
cl
e
br
ak
es
—
an
d
va
rio
us
ot
he
r
sy
st
e
m
s
(d
oo
rs,
wi
nd
sc
re
en
wi
pe
rs,
en
gi
ne
,g
ea
rb
ox
co
nt
rol
,
et
c.)
.

S
er
vi
ce
st
ati
 on
s
an
d
au
to
re
pa
ir
sh
op
s
us
e
co
m
pr
es
se
d
air
to
fill
pn
eu
m
ati
ct
ire
s
an
d
po
w
er
pn
eu
m
ati
c
to
ol
s.

Fi
re
pi
st
on
s
an
d
he
at
pu
m
ps
ex
 ist
to
he
at
air
or
ot
he
r
ga
ss
es
,
an
d
co
m
pr
es
si
ng
th
e
ga
s
is
on
ly
a
m
ea
ns
to
th
at
en
d.

R
ot
ar
y
lo
be
co
m
pr
es
so
rs
ar
e
oft
en
us
ed
to
pr
ov
id
e
air
in
pn
eu
m
ati
c
co
nv
ey
in
g
lin
es
fo
r
po
w
de
r
or
so
lid
s.
Pr
es
su
re
re
ac
he
d
ca
n
ra
ng
e
fr
o
m
0.
5
to
2
ba
r
g.
[28]