ISENTROPIC EFFICIENCY CALCULATIONS

for
POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT
ROTARY-LOBE BLOWERS

Roger E. Blanton, P.E.

District Sales Manager
Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
 EFFICIENCY

 All air and gas compressors are less

than 100% efficient
 EFFICIENCY

P1 V1 T1

Position 1
P2 > P1
V2 < V1
P2 T2 > T1
V2
T2

Position 2
 EFFICIENCY

 Entropy is a measure of the energy

loss
 COMPRESSION MODEL

 Constant entropy (isentropic)

process is ideal
 No heat loss and perfectly reversible
 ISENTROPIC COMPRESSION
 Follows this relationship,

P2 /P1 = (v1/ v2)k » Pvk = a constant

where: v = specific volume [ft3/lb]

P1, P2 = initial and final pressure [Pabs]
k = Cp/Cv = specific heat ratio = 1.4 for air
 COMPRESSOR WORK

 For continuous isentropic compression of a

gas obeying the previous relationship,
work per unit mass (ft·lb/lb) is

Wis = vdP = P1 * v1 * [k / (k-1)] * [(P2 / P1)((k-1) / k) – 1]

BHF = Big Hairy Formula !!!

 POWER

 hpis = Wis * m / 60 / 550

where m is mass flow rate in lb/min

 EFFICIENCY

 Isentropic efficiency of a
compressor is the ratio of the ideal
isentropic work to the actual work
required

is = Wis / Wact = hpis / hpact

 EXAMPLE CALCULATION

 Brand K model 42 @ 2000 rpm

 P1 = 14.7 psia
 P2 = 10 psig (24.7 psia)
 T1 = 68° F
 ρ1 (density) = 0.075 lb/ft3
 K = 1.4 (air)
 BHP = 13.2 (from performance table)
 CFM = 222 (from performance table)
 m = 222 * 0.075 = 16.65 lb/min
 EXAMPLE CALCULATION (cont’d)

 v1 = 1/ ρ1 = 1 / 0.075 = 13.33 ft3/lb

 k / (k-1) = 1.4 / (1.4 – 1) = 1.4 / 0.4
= 3.5
 P2 / P1 = 24.7 / 14.7 = 1.68
 (k-1) / k) = (1.4 -1) / 1.4 = 0.4 / 1.4
= 0.286
 (P2 / P1)((k-1) / k) = 1.680.286 = 1.16
 EXAMPLE CALCULATION (cont’d)

Back to the Big Hairy Formula

Wis = P1 * v1 * [k / (k-1)] * [(P2 / P1)((k-1) / k) – 1]

Wis = 14.7 * 13.33 * 3.5 * [1.16 -1] * 144

= 15,801 ft·lb/lb
 EXAMPLE CALCULATION (cont’d)

 hpis = Wis * m / 60 / 550

 hpis = 15801 * 16.65 / 60 / 550
= 8 hp
 EXAMPLE CALCULATION (cont’d)

 is = hpis / hpact

 is = 8 / 13.2 = 61% efficient
 CONCLUSION

 Repeat this procedure for different

blowers at the same pressure
 CONCLUSION

 Perform this calculation on blowers bid

for a project to evaluate efficiency
 Look at blower efficiency, not just price
when making a decision
 CONCLUSION

 Perform a Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis

 Typically a 20 year project horizon is
considered
 Include installation, estimated
maintenance, and operating costs
 Discount the expenses to net present
value (NPV) for comparison
 CONCLUSION

 Operating cost greatly outweighs first

cost
 Blower efficiency is important for
customer satisfaction