Pimpri Chinchwad Education Trust's

Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering

Nigdi, Pune
Subject: Applied Thermodynamics

Double-acting Reciprocating Compressor

Introduction
A double-acting reciprocating air compressor
compresses air on both the forward and backward
strokes of its piston. This design allows for more
efficient compression of air compared to
single-acting reciprocating compressors, which
compress air only during one stroke of the piston.
The objective of a compressor is to take a definite
quantity of a gas or air and deliver it at a required
pressure by converting mechanical energy into
pneumatic energy through a reciprocating motion
of a piston within a cylinder. This compression
process increases the pressure of the gas or air,
making it suitable for various applications such as
refrigeration, air conditioning, and pneumatic tools.
It's commonly used in many applications due to its
versatility and reliability.
Fig 3: Working of single-acting reciprocating compressor
Construction of Double-acting Reciprocating Compressor
Advantages
Double-acting reciprocating compressors consist of the following components:
● Reciprocating compressors offer several advantages in various applications:
● Piston and Cylinder: The cylinder contains the working gas and is sealed at one
end with a piston that moves back and forth ● Higher efficiency: The double-acting reciprocating compressor has a piston
● Connecting rod: it connects the piston to the crankshaft that works in 2 directions at a time. Hence it is more efficient than single-acting
● Crankshaft: Power is supplied from motor to crankshaft and it reciprocates the reciprocating compressors.
piston ● Reduced Vibration: Because of balanced forces and smoother operation,
● Air filter: It is used to remove the particles, pollutants and micro-organisms from double-acting compressors generally produce less vibration, leading to quieter
the incoming air. operation and reduced wear on surrounding equipment.
● Water jacket: It is provided around the piston for reducing the heat produced ● Adaptability: They can handle different types of gases, including toxic,
● Valves: 2 suction valves for intake of air & 2 delivery valves for delivering the air corrosive, and flammable gases.
● Storage tank: The compressed air is stored in the tank for required usage ● High Pressure Applications: They are capable of delivering high-pressure
ratios (3 to 6), which make them suitable for applications requiring
high-pressure compression, such as in natural gas transmission.
● Less Pulsation: The double-acting design results in less pulsation in the
discharge flow, which can be beneficial for applications where a steady flow of
compressed air or gas is required.
● Control: They offer good control over precise adjustment of pressure and flow
rates, required in air conditioning and refrigeration systems.

Limitations
● Complexity: They tend to be more complex in design compared to
single-acting compressors, which can lead to higher maintenance and
operational costs.
● Higher Initial Cost: Due to their complexity and larger size, double-acting
compressors often have a higher initial purchase cost compared to
Fig 1: Construction of Double-acting Reciprocating Compressor single-acting compressors.
● Energy Consumption: They can consume more energy compared to
Principle
single-acting compressors due to the larger size and increased number of
Reciprocating compressors moving parts.
(a) (b) ● Size and Weight: Reciprocating compressors tend to be larger and heavier
operate on the principle of positive
displacement, where a volume of compared to some other types of compressors with similar capacity.
gas is compressed in a confined Applications
space.
Air compressors work by forcing ● Industrial Refrigeration: used in cold storage facilities, food processing plants,
atmospheric air under pressure to beverage production.
create potential energy that can ● Oil & Gas Industry: utilized for natural gas transportation over long distance,
be stored in a tank for later use. gas lift operations in oil wells.
Fig 2: P-V diagram of Single-acting Reciprocating Compressor (a) neglecting
● Chemical Industry: used in chemical manufacturing processes for
clearance, (b) considering clearance compressing gases and vapors in reactions, separation processes, and
Working storage.
● Air Compression: used in pneumatic tools, air brakes in locomotives and
When the piston moves from TDC towards the BDC, the pressure in the cylinder on trucks, air conditioning systems.
the top side falls below the atmospheric pressure, and due to the pressure ● Mining Industry: ventilation systems, pneumatic tools, and mine dewatering
difference across the top suction valve, the suction valve opens to allow the air into operations.
the cylinder. ● Medical Industry: supplying compressed air to hospitals and healthcare
facilities, medical equipment like dental drills and oxygen concentrators.
While the suction is taking place on the top side of the piston, the air is getting
compressed on the bottom side. When the piston nears the BDC, the pressure of Conclusion
the air on the bottom side of the piston is high and opens the discharge valve and The double-acting reciprocating compressor is a efficient solution for compressing
discharge the high-pressure air. gas that can produce pressures upto 6 bar with single stage and upto 35 bar with
two stages. It is a crucial device in a wide range of industrial applications from
The piston now moves from BDC towards TDC and the lower discharge valve automobile to medical. It is an upgraded model of single-acting reciprocating
closes. The air at top is compressed and released via discharge valve at the top. At compressor and is more efficient and has several advantages.
bottom, suction of air takes place through the bottom suction valve.
Group Members Project Guide:
This cycle keeps repeating where suction and compression of air happens
Kaushek Joshii (SYMEB073) Prof. Gaffar G. Momin
simultaneously.
Yash Kaldate (SYMEB076)
Aryan Kawade (SYMEB082)
There are two compression strokes for each revolution of the crankshaft. Yadnyesh Kshirsagar(SYMEB091)

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