Reciprocating Air (Gas)

Compressor

By
Shridevi Bhat
13/02/2016
Introducti
on
• An air compressor is a device that converts power (using
an electric motor, diesel or gasoline engine, etc.) into
potential energy stored in pressurized air.

• Work required for increasing pressure of air is available

from the prime mover driving the compressor.

• Generally, electric motor, internal combustion engine or

steam engine, turbine etc. are used as prime movers.

• In industry, reciprocating compressors are the most

widely used type for both air and refrigerant
compression.
The US Department of Energy (2003) reports that 70 to
90 % of compressed air is lost in the form of unusable
heat, friction, misuse and noise. For this reason,
compressors and compressed air systems are important
areas to improve energy efficiency at industrial plants.
History

Human lungs –
the earliest air
compressor

Water organ – 3rd

century B.C. – Bellows – 1500 B.C. –
Ctesibius & Hero of The first mechanical
Alexandria air compressors

 It was replaced in turn by the

Water wheel driven blasting machine invented by John
blowing cylinder – Wilkinson in 1776. Wilkinson’s
1762 – John Smeaton blasting machine became the
of England archetype for later mechanical air
Classificat
ion
Based on principles of operation
ocating air compressor is a positive displacement comp

In positive displacement compressors the

compression is realized by displacement of solid
boundary and preventing fluid by solid boundary
from flowing back in the direction of pressure
gradient. Due to solid wall displacement these
are capable of providing quite large pressure
ratios.
Non-positive displacement compressors also
called as steady flow compressors use dynamic
action of solid boundary for realizing pressure
rise. Here fluid is not contained in definite
volume and subsequent volume reduction does
not occur as in case of positive displacement
compressors.
Reciprocating compressors generally, employ
piston-cylinder arrangement where displacement
of piston in cylinder causes rise in pressure.
How it works?
 Single acting and double acting compressors
The reciprocating air compressor is considered
single acting when the compressing is
accomplished using only one side of the piston,
i.e., has one discharge per revolution of
crankshaft. A compressor using both sides of the
piston is considered double acting, i.e., completes
two discharge strokes per revolutions of
crankshaft.
 Configurations

Reciprocating compressors are available in many

configurations, the four most widely used are
horizontal, vertical, horizontal balance-opposed
and tandem. Vertical type reciprocating
compressors are used in the capacity range of 50
– 150 cfm. Horizontal balance opposed
compressors are used in the capacity range of
200 – 5000 cfm in multi-stage design and up to
10,000 cfm in single stage designs.

Reciprocating air compressors are available

either as air-cooled or water-cooled in lubricated
and non- lubricated configurations, may be
packaged, and provide a wide range of pressure
and capacity selections.
 Single stage and multistage compressors

A compressor is considered to be single stage

when the entire compression is accomplished with
a single cylinder or a group of cylinders in
parallel.
Two stage
machines are
used for high
pressures and
are
characterized
by lower
discharge
temperature
(140 to
160oC)
compared to
single-stage
Applicatio
ns
• The majority of applications for reciprocating
compressors are in the oil and gas industries.

• Oil refineries use these compressors for

processes that require high pressure delivery
of essential gases.

• The natural gas industry also utilizes

reciprocating compressors to transport gas
via cross country pipelines.

• These compressors can also be found in

chemical plants, refrigeration plants, or air
compressors for tooling.
Reference
s
• http://
elearning.vtu.ac.in/10/enotes/06ME43/Unit5-GP.p
df

• http://
www.tech.plym.ac.uk/sme/THER205-web/recips.p
df