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BME II/I
Lecture 4
Air Compressor
Iswor Bajracharya, PhD
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Pulchowk Engineering Campus
Contents
Chapter 2: Air Compressor
1. Introduction & classification of air compressor
2. Primary components of reciprocating air
compressor
3. Processes of a reciprocating compression on p-v
diagram
4. Volumetric, adiabatic & isothermal efficiency
5. Multistage compression and its advantages
6. Other types of air compressor: Centrifugal, Axial,
Roots Blower, Rotary, Screw
7. Comparison among type of compressor
Compressors
Crankcase
These are also called as steady flow compressors and use dynamic
action of solid boundary for realizing pressure rise. Rather than
physically reducing the volume of a captured pocket of air,
dynamic compressors speed up the air to high velocity, and then
restrict the air flow so that the reduction in velocity causes
pressure to increase. They are oil-free by nature, and some are
oil-less. Non-positive displacement compressor may be of
a) Axial flow type
b) Centrifugal type depending upon type of flow in
compressor.
Displacement of Compressor
The swept volume of the piston in the cylinder is known as
displacement of compressor. It is given by πR2L for single acting
compressor.
Swept Volume
The volume displaced by the air when the piston moves from BDC to
TDC position is known as swept volume. It is same as compressor
displacement.
Clearance Volume
The volume contained in the cylinder above the top of piston when the
piston is at TDC is called clearance volume,Vc.
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2.3 Processes of Reciprocating Compressor on p-v
Diagram
Without Clearance
Compression of air in compressor may be carried out by
isothermal compression, polytropic compression or adiabatic
compression process.
The p-v diagram for a single stage and single acting air-
compressor neglecting clearance volume is shown in the figure but
in actual cycle clearance volume can not be negligible.
Clearance volume is necessary in order to prevent collision of
piston with cylinder head, accommodating valve mechanism etc.
Fig: P-V diagram for single stage & single acting compressor without
clearance volume
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Compression Work
Air enters compressor at pressure p1 and is compressed up to p2.
Compression work requirement can be estimated from the area
below the each compression process.
Area on p–v diagram shows that work requirement shall be
minimum with isothermal process 1–2.
Work requirement is maximum with adiabatic process 1–2.
We are interested in a compressor having minimum compression
work requirement. Therefore, ideal compression should occur
isothermal compression for minimum work input
……………(1)
( n = 1)……………(2)
(R = 287 J/kg-K )
……………(3b)
……………(4)
……………(5)
…………(6)
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Isothermal Efficiency
From the above derivation, the isothermal efficiency is given by
Isothermal efficiency is
defined by the ratio of
Isothermal work and
actual indicated work in
reciprocating compressor.
……………(7)
……………(8)
Figure: Theoretical p-v diagram for single stage compressor with clearance volume
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Assuming the compression and expansion of the air follow the polytropic
law, the work done per cycle is given by the area 1-2’-3-4-1 on p-v diagram.
Where,
……(9)
OR
…………(11)
……………(12)
…………(13)
(Watt)….…(14)
(Watt)..…..(15)
Volumetric Efficiency
The volumetric efficiency of a compressor is the ratio of the
actual free air delivered (FAD) to the displacement of the
compressor. In the figure, the actual volume of air delivered by
compressor (v1-v4) having clearance volume vc, is less than the
swept volume of the compressor (v1-v3). Practically the volumetric
efficiency lies between 60 and 90%. The volumetric efficiency or
clearance factor is given by
Where,
70
ηv
ηvn
60
50
40 3 4 5 6 7
2
Pressure Ratio (p2/p1)
Fig: Effect of compression ratio on volumetric efficiency with constant Vc
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Isothermal Efficiency of Reciprocating Compressor
The efficiency of a compressor increases if the compression follows a
isothermal process. The actual compression process & the isothermal
compression process are shown in the figure.
2’ 2 p2
3
pvn = c
p2 p1
p 2
pv = c T
2’
p1 1
4 1
v s
Fig: Isothermal and polytropic process of a compressor on p-v and T-s diagram
3 2’ 2
pvn = c
p2
p
pv = c
4
p1
1
v
Fig: Isothermal and polytropic process of a compressor on p-v diagram
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The work done per kg of air delivered when the compression follows a
polytropic process with no clearance volume is given by the equation (2)
The work done per cycle when the compression follows the isothermal
process is given by an area 1-2’-3-4-1 on the p-v diagram.
…………(18)
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…………(19)
The saving in the work per cycle is given by an area 1-2’-2-1 and per kg air
delivered is given by
…………(21)
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The work supplied per kg of air can be reduced by decreasing the value of n
(compression index). The reduction in work supplied per cycle due to
reduction in compression index from n1 to n2 is given by the area 1-2-3-1 on
p-v diagram.
Where n1>n2
3’ 2’
p3
3 2
p2
p1 1
4 4’
vc (v1-v’4 )
(v1-v’4 )
Fig: Effect of increased pressure ratio on actual air delivered with the fixed clearance volume
L.P H.P
Water In
D d
v
Fig: p-v diagram of two stage compression with perfect inter-cooling effect
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Fig: T-s diagram of two stage compression with perfect inter-cooling effect
Assumptions:
1. Compression in all the stages follows same index of
compression.
2. No pressure drop in suction and delivery pipes in each stage.
Suction and delivery pressure remains constant in the stages.
3. Perfect inter-cooling between compression stages.
4. Mass handled in different stages is same .
5. Air behaves as perfect gas during compression.
From the combined p-v diagram for two stage compression, the compression
work requirement is calculated as follows:
Work requirement in LP cylinder [from equation (1)]
…………(23)
5 4 pvn2 = c
p3
H.P.
pvn1 = c
2
p2 3 pv = c
L.P.
p1 1
v
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The total work done per kg of air delivered is the addition of work done by L.P.
cylinder and H.P. cylinder and is given by following equation for imperfect
cooling:
…………(24)
Assume,
…………(25)
…………(29)
…………(30)
…………(31)
Or
…………(33)
…………(34)
As
…………(35)
…………(37)
Where va1, va2, va3…. are the actual volume of air sucked during
the suction stroke in respective cylinders and ρ1, ρ2, ρ3 are the
corresponding densities.
Assuming perfect gas,
…………(38)
Let D1,D2, D3 .. be the cylinder diameters and L1, L2, L3.. the stroke length
of the cylinders.
…………(39)
…………(40)
…………(41)
Where, Tw1 and Tw2 are the inlet and outlet temperatures of the
cooling water in the inter-cooler.
…………(42)
Air in after
compression Cooled Air T2
(T2) Out (T3)
Tw2 T3
Fig: p-v diagram for Roots Blower Fig: Schematic of Roots Blower
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The volume of air at atmospheric pressure p1 is entrapped
between the rotor A and casing.
When the rotor rotates, air trapped in volume space V is
displaced towards high pressure region due to rotation of rotor.
Exit end is connected to receiver in which air is gradually
transferred and the pressure inside receiver increases due to
cumulative effect of air being transferred from atmospheric
pressure region to receiver region.
There is no change in the volume of air within the compressor
but it merely displaces the air from the suction end to the
discharge end, against the discharge system resistance.
…………(43)
…………(44)
The efficiency of roots blower is given by the ratio of isentropic work to the
actual work done
Construction
This compressor consists of rotor housed eccentrically inside the
outer casing.
The rotor carries a set of spring –loaded vanes in the slots of the
rotor.
These vanes are generally non metallic and made of fiber or
carbon composites or any other wear resistant material.
These vanes remain in continuous contact with casing such that
leakage across the vane-casing interface is minimum or absent.
It has inlet end and delivery end which is connected to receiver.
Let the inlet air be at pressure p1 and volume trapped is V1. This
volume is partly compressed up to volume V4 and pressure rises
from p1 to p2, p3 and p4. Finally, the compression occurs at
constant volume V4 and pressure rises from p4 to pf.
The work done per revolution with N vanes is given by:
…………(46)
Introduction
1. Centrifugal compressor is a non-positive displacement machine
in which the compression of air takes place due to the dynamic
action of rotating elements in the machine.
2. It is used to supply large quantities of air but at lower pressure
ratio.
3. Unlike to reciprocating compressor, centrifugal compressors are
steady flow machines.
4. Centrifugal compressors operates at very high speed and are
available up to the speed of 20,000 to 30,000 rpm.
Pressure ratio per stage of 4: 1 can be Pressure ratio per stage achievable is 1.2 : 1
achieved in this compressor. only
Max pressure of 400 bar can be achieved by Max pressure of 10 bar can be achieved by
multistaging . multistaging.
Good part load efficiency and wide operating Poor part load efficiency and narrow
speed range operating speed range.
Requires small starting torque. Requires large starting torque.
Large frontal area. Only suitable for land Small frontal area. Suitable for aviation
application. application
Poor isentropic efficiency, about 70%. Power Better isentropic efficiency (85 to 90%).
required per kg of air flow rate is more. Power required per kg of air flow rate is less.
Centrifugal compressors are used for super- Axial flow compressors are used in large gas
charging in IC engines and in refrigeration turbines.
system.