UNIT – IV

AIR COMPRESSORS

8 WORK DONE IN POLYTROPIC COMPRESSION

 Theoretical cycle for single-stage compression neglecting clearance volume is shown.

Figure 10; Polytropic compression neglecting clearance volume.

 Compression work required per cycle is given as the area enclosed by the PV-diagram:
WC = Area (1-2-3-4-1)
= Area (0-a-2-3-0) + Area (a-b-1-2-a) – Area (0-b-1-4-0)

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

 But for polytropic compression,

.
Therefore,

 Hence, substituting this value in the equation for WC, we get

 Work done can also be written using the relation PV = mRT as,

 Work required per kg of air therefore becomes,

 It should be noted that units in the above equation are as follows:

For pressure --- N/m2 or Pascal.

For volume ---- m3 .
 Indicated power of the compressor is therefore,

WC × N
PC =
60
Where, PC is the Power is in Joules/Sec (J/s) or Watts (W),

and N is the r.p.m, i.e. the number of cycles performed per minute.

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

9. ISOTHERMAL COMPRESSION PROCESS

 Work done during the cycle depends upon the nature of the compression curve.
 The polytropic compression work is given by the equation,

 Work done during the isentropic compression can be obtained by replacing the
index for compression n by the adiabatic index, therefore

 The isothermal work done per cycle is represented by the area 4-1-2’’-3-4 on
the PV-diagram, refer figure-9.
WC iso = Area 1-2’’-3-4-1
= area ( 0-a-2’’-3-0 ) + area ( a-b-2’’-a ) − area ( 0-b-1-4-0 )

Figure 11, Compression neglecting clearance volume.

 It can be easily observed from, that the compression work required for isothermal
process is less than that for isentropic and the polytropic compression.
 Though isothermal compression process is the most economical requiring least
amount of work, it cannot be achieved in actual practice.

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

9.1 Ideal Compression Process

 Since isothermal compression requires the least amount of work, it is can be
concluded that it is the ideal process.
 Though isothermal compression process is the most desired one, it cannot be
achieved in actual practice.
 As there is saving of work by compressing air isothermally, it is necessary
that every attempt should be made to approach it.
 Three methods are adopted to achieve this object during the actual running
of the compressor.

Cold water spray :

 Cooling the air during compression by spraying cold water into the cylinder.
 The cooling done, reduces the temperature of the air and the compression
will be approximately isothermal.

Cooling Water jacket :

 In this method, cooling of air during compression is done by circulating cold
water through the cylinder jacket.
 The cold water in the cylinder jackets keeps the temperature rise as small
as possible.
 Thus the compression process remains near to isothermal conditions.

Multi-stage compression with inter cooling:

 In this method, compression of air is carried out in two or more stages.
 The compressed air from a stage is cooled in intercoolers before entering
the next stage.
 This inter-cooling between the cylinders keeps the compression very near
to isothermal.

Figure 12, Multistage Compression with inter coolers.

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

10. MULTI-STAGE COMPRESSION

 In this method, the compression of air is carried out in two or more stages in
separate cylinders. The pressure of the air is increased in each stage.
 It is a common practice to provide intercoolers between the cylinders.
10.1 Two-stage Compression without Intercooling
 The theoretical cycle for two-stage compression neglecting clearance volume is
shown in figure-13.
 The process line 6-1 shows suction of atmospheric air into the L.P. cylinder.
 Air is then compressed polytropically along the curve 1-2 to pressure P2.
 The compressed air from the L.P. cylinder is then delivered to the H.P. cylinder
along the process 2-5 and 5-2.
 Next the second stage compression begins at state point 2.
 The compressed air received from the L.P. cylinder is further compressed
polytropically to the final pressure P2 along the curve 2-4.
 Finally the compressed air is delivered to receiver along the process line 4-5.

Figure 13, Two stage compression without inter-cooling.

Work done per cycle in L.P. stage is,

Work done per cycle in H.P. stage is,

Therefore total Work done per cycle during two stage compression without
intercooling is,

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

10.2 Two-stage Compression with Perfect Intercooling

 A 2-stage air compressor with intercooling between cylinders is shown in
fig14.
 Ideal isothermal compression process is shown by the dashed curve 1-2’-3’.
 Intercooling is done in order to approach this ideal isothermal compression.
 The compressed air from LP-stage enters the intercooler and is cooled at
constant pressure P2 by the circulating cold water.
 For the ideal case, called perfect intercooling, the compressed air gets cooled
to the original intake temperature of air corresponding to point 1.
 Due to the intercooling at constant pressure, there occurs a reduction of
volume of compressed air from V2 to V2'.
 The cooled and compressed air is drawn into H.P. cylinder along line 5- 2’.
 Next air is compressed polytropically along the new curve 2’-3’’.
 The compression along the curve 2’-3’’ results in saving in work as shown
by the shaded area 2-2’-3’’-3-2.

Figure 14, Two stage compression with perfect inter-cooling.

Work done per cycle in L.P. stage is,

Work done per cycle in H.P. stage is,

Total Work done for two stage compression with perfect intercooling becomes,

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

10.3 Ideal Intercooler Pressure

 In perfect intercooling there is maximum saving in compression work.

 The saving in work also depends upon the chosen intercooler pressure p2.
 When the initial pressure p1 and final pressure p3 are fixed, a certain value of
pressure p2 will give minimum work.
 The condition for minimum work required is determined by differentiating
expression for WC and equating it to zero.
 The work done can also be written as,

𝑦(𝑝2 )2𝑦 + 𝑦(𝑝1 𝑝3 )𝑦

=0
(𝑝1 )𝑦 (𝑝2 )𝑦+1

Or, (𝑝2 )2𝑦 + (𝑝1 𝑝3 )𝑦 = 0

(𝑝2 )2 = 𝑝1 𝑝3

𝑝2 = √𝑝1 𝑝3

 This shows that for minimum work required, the intercooler pressure is the

geometric mean of the initial and final pressures.

Or

𝑝2 𝑝3
=
𝑝1 𝑝2

This means the pressure ratio in each stage is the same.

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Applied Thermodynamics Compressors; Part-2

10.4 Conditions for Minimum Work

 The minimum work done per cycle in terms of p3 and p1, can now be
determined as follows:

𝑛−1
𝑛 𝑝3 2𝑛
𝑊𝐶𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 2 𝑝 𝑉 {( ) − 1} Joules per cycle.
𝑛−1 1 1 𝑝2

 Minimum indicated power of the compressor becomes,

Pmin = W x ma J/sec. or W

Where ma is the mass of air delivered in per sec.

 Thus, conditions for maximum efficiency or minimum work required are :

 The air is cooled to initial intake temperature in the intercooler, i.e., perfect
intercooling.
 The pressure ratio in each stage is the same.
 The work required for each stage is the same.

These conditions can also be extended for three-stage air compressors.

10.5 Advantages of multi-stage compression

The advantages of multi-stage compression are as follows:
 Reduction in power required to drive the compressor.

 Better mechanical balance of the whole unit and uniform torque,

 Increased volumetric efficiency as a result of lower delivery pressure in the
L.P. cylinder.

 Reduced leakage loss owing to reduced pressure.

 Less difficulty in lubrication due to the lower working temperatures.
 Lighter cylinders construction.

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