CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

1.0 SUMMARY

Compressor is used to take a definite quantity of fluid which is usually a gas or air and
deliver it at a required pressure. In other words, the job of a compressor is to increase
the pressure of the incoming fluid. Choice of centrifugal compressors is determined by
their characteristics curves based on the pressure required and the amount of input of
mechanical work that is power input. From the result that we obtain, the highest
efficiency of compressor was running with the speed 10 000 rpm. The efficiency at
speed 10000 rpm higher than others and it only produced lower flow rate than other.
The lowest was at speed 10000 rpm curve that in unstable condition. For all the speeds
measurement, the inlet temperature values were almost similar. The most important
are the outlet temperature values. While doing the experiment, the butterfly valve is
very difficult to handle. The computer that we used also have problem because the
software that been used sometimes detect faster sometimes slower so the value that we
need is not accurate. For the conclusion, the highest was at speed 10000 rpm but it
produce lower flow rate than other speeds.

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2.0 OBJECTIVE;

To study the characteristics curves of a centrifugal compressor.

3.0 INTRODUCTION

Compressor is a part of a system that used conservation of energy to change the

energy from one to another. It is used in many mechanical systems such as power plant,
refrigerator and jet engines to increase the pressure of the fluid. Several types of
compressor are used such as axial compressor and centrifugal compressor. A compressor
is called axial compressor when the air is turned perpendicular to the axis of rotation
from left to right, whereas it is called centrifugal compressor as the flow through the
compressor is turned perpendicular to the axis of rotation spin around the shaft. In
general, the compressor consists of two main parts; blades and shaft. The fluid can be air
or gas flows through the moving and fixed blades. The work input to the shaft is
transferred by the moving blades to the air. A centrifugal compressor is made up of an
impeller with a series of curved radial vanes. Air is drawn in near the hub, called the
impeller eye and is spin round at high speed by the vanes on the impeller as the impeller
rotates at high rotational speed. The static pressure of the air increases from the eye to the
tip of the impeller. Centrifugal compressors or blowers are used for a wide range in
engineering and there is no basic difference in the design for any of the different
applications. [1]

Figure 1; a centrifugal compressor [2]

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Centrifugal compressors are widely being used for many applications such as in
pipeline transport of natural gas to move the gas from the production site to the
consumer, in oil refineries, natural gas processing plants, petrochemical and chemical
plants, in air separation plants to manufacture purified end product gases, in refrigeration
and air conditioner equipment refrigerant cycles and also in industry and manufacturing
to supply compressed air for all types of pneumatic tools. [3]

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4.0 THEORY

The performance of the compressor is characterized by the pressure ratio across

the compressor (CPR), the rotational speed of the shaft necessary to produce the pressure
increase and an efficiency factor that indicates how much additional work is required
relative to an ideal compressor. [1]

P2, T2 (exit)

Q out
Win

P1, T1 (enter)

Figure 2: schematic diagram of typical compressor

The increase of the pressure is measured by CPR. This is the ratio of the air total
pressure, pt exiting the compressor to the air pressure flowing in the compressor. This
CPR number must be always greater than 1.0. [1]

CPR = Pt2 / Pt1 or P exit / P enter

In order to produce the increase in pressure, the compressor must perform work
on the flow. The shaft turns the blades at a high rate of speed. Several stages are usually
employed to produce a high CPR, with each stage producing a small pressure increase. In
the centrifugal compressor, additional pressure increase is obtained from turning the flow
radically, radiating from or converging to a common center. Since no external heat is
being added from the compressor during the pressure increase, the process is isentropic.
The total temperature ratio across the compressor is related to the pressure ratio by the
isentropic flow equations. [1]

γ-1
Total temperature ratio = Tt2 = Pt2

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γ
Tt1 Pt1

Where, γ is the ratio of specific heats.

Work must be done to turn the shaft on which the compressor is mounted. From
the conservation of energy, the compressor work per mass of airflow CW is equal to the
change in specific enthalpy, ht of the flow from the entrance to the exit of the compressor.

CW = ht2 - ht1

The term specific means per mass of airflow. The enthalpy at the entrance and exit is then
can be related to the total temperature, Tt by the equation;

CW = Cp2Tt2 - Cp1Tt1

Where Cpi is the specific heat at each particular point.

Performing rearrangement, the equation of compressor work per mass of airflow can be
written;

CW = CpTt1 (CPR(γ-1)/γ -1)

ηC

This equation relates the work required to turn the compressor to the compressor pressure
ratio, the incoming total temperature, some properties of gas and an efficiency factor, η C.
The efficiency factor is included to account for the actual performance of the compressor
as opposed to the ideal isentropic performance of the compressor. In an ideal
performance, th value of the efficiency would be 1.0. However, in reality, the value is
always less than 1.0. So, additional work is needed to overcome the inefficiency of the
compressor to produce a preferred CPR. The work is provided by the power turbine
which is connected to the compressor by the central shaft. It is worth to note that the CPR
is related to the total temperature ratio across the compressor. Since the CPR is always

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greater than 1.0 and the value of the ratio of specific heats is about 1.4 for air, the total
temperature ratio is also greater than 1.0. It means air heats up as it passes through the
compressor. The efficiency of a compressor can also be improved by carrying out the
compression in several stages. This is called multistage compression. [1]

Volumetric flow rate, Q = л d2 2(100) Δp (3600)

4 ρ

Where;
Diameter, d = 0.044m
Ρ = 1.21 kg/m3
Both at 20°C and 1013 mbar and the pressure drop Δp at the nozzle in mbar.

η = Phyd 100%
Pel

Where Phyd can be calculated from the total pressure head and the flow rate.

Phyd = 100(dp1 + dp2) Q

3600

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5.0 METHODOLOGY
5.1 Apparatus
 Two stage compressor
 Transparent intake
 Shaped inlet for good flow
 A protective plate
 Transparent outlet
 Butterfly valve
 Pressure measuring point
 Electric motor in the housing
 A speed adjuster
 An optical sensor
 Housings

5.2 Procedures
1. The windows and the analysis software is being start.
2. The actual measure values is being display by choosing the command system
diagram on the menu
3. The measure data has been record in an ASCII file.
4. Every time the save measurement button is click is will be save into the
previously into the ASCII file. The data that have been recorded consists of
(a) Time
(b) Volumetric flow rate
(c) Speed “n” of the compressor
(d) Electrical power
(e) Efficiency “η”
(f) Differential pressure 1st stage dp1
(g) Differential pressure 2nd stage dp2
(h) Compressor total pressure
(i) Inlet temperature Tin
(j) Outlet temperature Tout

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5. The compressor characteristic curves is being recorded

(a) The interface module is being switch on
(b) The power meter at the switch on the rear is being switch on
(c) The butterfly valve is being close completely
(d) The speed of the compressor is being set by the speed adjuster
(e) The butterfly valve is being opened a little and the flow rate for the
first measurement point is being set
(f) Whenever the flow rate is being dropped the speed need to be adjust
(g) The measurement is being recorded when it is in steady state
(h) The process is being repeat until the butterfly valve is fully open

6. The pressure-flow rate characteristic curve was recorded for 4 different speeds
which are 10000 rpm, 11000 rpm, 12000 rpm and 13000 rpm.

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6.0 RESULTS

Table 1: run 1 at speed 10000rpm

Flow in Tin in Tout in dp1 in dp2 in Power Efficiency dptotal Phyd Pel
m3/h deg°C deg°C mbar mbar in W in % mbar W W

0.0000 34.2773 39.6484 31.2988 19.6777 99.6094 0.0000 50.9766 0.0000 0.0000
0.0000 34.2773 39.6484 28.2227 19.1406 91.7969 0.0000 47.3633 0.0000 0.0000
14.2881 34.2773 39.6484 24.3652 18.2129 93.7500 7.7104 42.5781 16.8989 219.1689
30.1219 34.2773 39.7461 24.7559 18.6523 136.7188 11.4153 43.4082 36.3205 318.1753
51.7361 34.2773 40.3320 23.2910 18.8477 181.6406 14.9120 42.1387 60.5581 406.1033
72.6994 34.3750 40.6250 22.0703 19.0918 222.6563 17.3157 41.1621 83.1239 480.0491
86.3875 34.3750 40.7227 21.0449 19.2871 240.2344 19.2655 40.3320 96.7829 502.3635
95.6105 34.3750 40.8203 19.7266 19.4336 246.0938 20.9728 39.1602 104.0034 495.8975
100.9197 34.3750 40.8203 19.1895 19.5313 244.1406 22.4266 38.7207 108.5467 484.0088
105.4268 34.3750 40.8203 19.3848 19.8242 255.8594 22.6905 39.2090 114.8244 506.0469

Table 2: run 2 at speed 11000rpm

Flow in Tin in Tout in dp1 in dp2 in Power Efficiency dptotal Phyd Pel
m3/h deg°C deg°C mbar mbar in W in % mbar W W
0.0000 33.4961 36.5234 34.1309 19.5801 117.1875 0.0000 53.7110 0 0
0.0000 33.4961 36.6211 31.5430 19.3848 117.1875 0.0000 50.9278 0 0
12.6009 33.4961 36.7188 30.0781 18.9453 138.6719 4.7820 49.0234 17.15943 358.8311
31.5922 33.4961 36.9141 29.1992 19.3359 183.5938 9.2424 48.5351 42.59245 460.8383
57.5479 33.4961 37.6953 28.2227 19.7754 263.6719 11.9891 47.9981 76.72747 639.9747
82.6297 33.6914 38.0859 26.2695 20.5566 324.2188 14.5528 46.8261 107.4785 738.5399
94.7765 33.5938 38.2813 24.3652 20.2637 332.0313 16.0671 44.6289 117.4936 731.2687
103.0329 33.5938 38.2813 23.0957 20.5078 332.0313 17.6772 43.6035 124.7943 705.9614
109.4384 33.5938 38.3789 22.5586 20.4102 333.9844 18.5775 42.9688 130.6233 703.1258
113.0075 33.5938 38.3789 22.3633 20.4102 335.9375 19.0718 42.7735 134.2701 704.0232

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Flow in Tin in Tout in dp1 in dp2 in Power Efficiency dptotal Phyd Pel
m3/h deg°C deg°C mbar mbar in W in % mbar W W

0.0000 33.7891 37.6953 38.4277 21.3379 162.1094 0.0000 59.7656 0.0000 0.0000
0.0000 33.7891 37.6953 36.4258 20.8984 166.0156 0.0000 57.3242 0.0000 0.0000
14.2881 33.6914 37.7930 36.1328 21.1914 199.2188 4.2218 57.3242 22.7515 538.9004
38.1016 33.8867 38.1836 36.5723 21.8750 300.7813 7.6973 58.4473 61.8592 803.6499
65.9939 33.8867 38.9648 33.6426 22.3145 367.1875 11.1404 55.9570 102.5783 920.7809
87.8198 33.8867 39.4531 30.6152 22.5098 410.1563 13.3879 53.1250 129.5952 968.0043
101.9262 33.9844 39.6484 29.1016 22.7539 437.5000 14.7252 51.8555 146.8175 997.0493
112.3027 29.8828 39.8438 27.2949 22.2656 439.4531 15.8056 49.5605 154.6051 978.1686
117.5335 33.8867 39.8438 26.5137 22.3633 439.4531 16.6143 48.8770 159.5744 960.4641
121.4254 33.8867 39.8438 26.1719 22.7539 435.5469 17.6209 48.9258 165.0231 936.5193
Table 3: run 3 at speed 12000rpm

Table 4: run 4 at speed 13000rpm

Flow in Tin in Tout in dp1 in dp2 in Power Efficiency dptotal Phyd Pel
m3/h deg°C deg°C mbar mbar in W in % mbar W W

0.0000 33.9844 38.6719 47.2168 23.9258 222.6563 0.0000 71.1426 0.0000 0.000
0.0000 33.9844 38.6719 44.6289 23.3887 226.5625 0.0000 68.0176 0.0000 0.000
19.6371 33.9844 38.7695 40.1367 22.3633 248.0469 4.9179 62.5000 34.0922 693.231
37.1978 33.9844 39.0625 41.9434 23.5352 347.6563 6.9949 65.4785 67.6572 967.234
71.1222 34.0820 40.0391 42.3828 25.3418 521.4844 9.6006 67.7246 133.7979 1393.639
91.8596 34.0820 40.4297 36.5234 24.7559 542.9688 11.6339 61.2793 156.3636 1344.035
112.2017 34.1797 40.8203 33.4961 24.6582 566.4063 13.5685 58.1543 181.2503 1335.821
121.5188 34.0820 40.9180 32.1777 24.7070 572.2656 14.5735 56.8848 192.0158 1317.568
127.7966 34.1797 40.9180 30.9570 24.6582 568.3594 15.4012 55.6152 197.4288 1281.903
130.1707 34.1797 41.0156 30.4688 24.8047 566.4063 15.8349 55.2734 199.8606 1262.149

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6.1 The pressure-flow rate characteristic curve, efficiency curve and

temperature curve for different speeds

Efficiency vs. Flowrate

25.0000

20.0000
E ffic ie n c y (% )

15.0000
10000 rpm
11000 rpm
12000 rpm
13000 rpm
10.0000

5.0000

0.0000
0.0000 20.0000 40.0000 60.0000 80.0000 100.0000 120.0000 140.0000
Flowrate (m 3/hr)

Figure 3; graph of Efficiency vs. Flowrate

dP Total vs. Flowrate

55.0000

50.0000
d P T o ta l (m b a r)

45.0000
10000 rpm
11000 rpm
12000 rpm
13000 rpm
40.0000

35.0000

30.0000
0.0000 20.0000 40.0000 60.0000 80.0000 100.0000 120.0000 140.0000
Flowrate (m3/hr)

Figure 4; graph of dP Total vs. Flowrate

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Temperature In vs. Flowrate

35.0000

34.0000

33.0000
Temperature (C)

10000 rpm
11000 rpm
32.0000
12000 rpm
13000 rpm

31.0000

30.0000

29.0000
0.0000 20.0000 40.0000 60.0000 80.0000 100.0000 120.0000 140.0000
Flowrate (m3/hr)

Figure 5; graph of Temperature in vs. Flowrate

Temperature Out vs. Flowrate

41.5000

41.0000

40.5000

40.0000
Temperature Out (C)

39.5000

10000 rpm
39.0000
11000 rpm
12000 rpm
38.5000 13000 rpm

38.0000

37.5000

37.0000

36.5000

36.0000
0.0000 20.0000 40.0000 60.0000 80.0000 100.0000 120.0000 140.0000
Flowrate (m3/hr)

Figure 6; graph of Temperature out vs. Flowrate

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6.2 The determination of maximum efficiency and the flow rate for each speed.

The maximum efficiency and the Flow rate for each speed are:

Speed 10,000 rpm:

Maximum efficiency : 22.6905
Maximum Flowrate : 105.4268

Speed 11,000 rpm:

Maximum efficiency : 19.0718
Maximum Flowrate : 113.0075

Speed 12,000 rpm:

Maximum efficiency : 17.6209
Maximum Flowrate : 121.4254

Speed 13,000 rpm:

Maximum efficiency : 15.8349
Maximum Flowrate : 130.1707

6.3 Sample calculation;

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For reading 10,000 rpm at 14.2881 m3/h Flowrate.

Total dP, Δp = dP1 + dP2

= 24.3652 + 18.2129

= 42.5781 mbar

Volumetric flow rate, Q (theoretical) = л d2 2(100) Δp (3600)

4 ρ
= л (0.044m)2 2(100) (6.1523) (3600)
4 1.21 kg/m3

Q = 174.5576 m3/hr

Phyd (theoretically) = 100(dp1 + dp2) Q

3600
= 100(42.5781) (174.5576 m3/hr)
3600
= 206.4536 W

Phyd (from exp) = 100(dp1 + dp2) Q

3600
= 100(42.5781) (14.2881m3/hr)
3600
= 16.8989 W

Pel = Phyd 100%

η
= (16.8989 m3/hr) x 100%
(7.7104 m3/hr)
= 219.1702 W

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7.0 DISCUSSION

This experiment is carried out to study the characteristics of a centrifugal

compressor. The experiment was performed in varying speed at appoximately 10000rpm,
11000rpm, 12000rpm and 13000rpm.

During the experiment five parameters has been recorded. That are flow rate in
unit m3/hr, temperature in unit °C, pressure in unit mbar, power in unit Watt and also
percentage of efficiency.

From the result that we obtain, we observe that the highest efficiency of
compressor when running with the speed 10 000 rpm. Follow by the speed 11 000
rpm, 12 000rpm and lastly 13 000.This is because at this speed, the compressor
running better than others speed condition. At his speed also give better performance
than the others.

By referring the graphs efficiency vs. flow rate, we can see that the efficiency
at speed 10000 rpm higher than others and it only produced lower flow rate than other.
Meanwhile at speed 13000 rpm, the curve show that it is in stable condition. Even it
efficiency lower but it can produce higher flow rate. For speed 11000 and 12000 rpm,
both of them are in the medium condition.

By referring the graphs total pressure vs. flow rate, the speed 13000 rpm
required more pressure than other. It also in the stable condition and produce more
flow rate than other. The lowest was at speed 10000 rpm curve that in unstable
condition.

By referring the graphs temperature of inlet and outlet vs. flow rate; we also
observe that the highest outlet temperature is at speed 13 000 rpm and the lowest at
10000 rpm speed. This is because of the compressor produce more energy at the high
speed than the inlet temperature. For all the speeds measurement, the inlet temperature

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values were almost similar .The most important are the outlet temperature values.

Our opinion is the speed 10000 rpm is the stable condition to running the
compressor. To produce more flow rate and high temperature the more speed is much
better. But, the compressor cannot be operates at high speed to avoid the compressor
from damage.

While doing the experiment we notice that many problems have occurred. The
problem is mostly because of the equipment. We notice that the butterfly valve is very
difficult to handle. Whenever we increase the angle of the butterfly valve the speed of
the equipment will decrease most of the time so it is difficult to maintain the average
speed. The butterfly valve itself have problem because the holder of the valve is loose
so it is impossible to control.

The computer that we used also have problem because the software that been
used sometimes detect faster sometimes slower so the value that we need is not
accurate.

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8.0 RECOMMENDATION

During do the experiment, we face some problem while handling the equipment.
The problem is when we handle the butterfly valve. When we increase the speed of the
butterfly valve, it becomes hard to adjust. It was also not tight enough so we cannot set
the valve accurately. So it needs to be tight so it will not move when we adjust it.

The computer needs to be upgrade into a newer model because the capacity of the
ram is low so sometimes the computer will be lagging for a number of times.

9.0 CONCLUSION

The objective of this experiment is to study the characteristics of a centrifugal

compressor. By doing this experiments, now we know how to operate the centrifugal
compressor properly at different speed. From the experiment that has been performed, it
can be said that the experiment was successfully done at different speed to get the most
efficient speed of the centrifugal compressor and we learn and study the characteristic
curves of a centrifugal compressor for different speed which were at 10000, 11000,
12000, and 13000 rpm. And from our observation, we determined that the stable
condition to operated the compressor at the speed 10000 rpm. This is because of its
efficiency better than others.

So, we know which speed give best efficiency. Of course at speed 10000 rpm but
it produce lower flow rate than other speeds. At this speed, it also produces lowest outlet
temperature than others. This condition suitable for operation and avoid the compressor
from any damage.

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10.0 REFERENCES

1. Miss Suhaini Mamat, the Experiment Manual Lab (Experiment 5: Centrifugal

Compressor).
2. http://www.fscconline.com/%22Passing%20Gas%22article/Centrifugal
%20Compressor.gif
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_compressor

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