AIR COMPRESSOR

Air Compressors

COMPRESSOR – A device which takes a definite quantity of fluid ( usually gas, and

most often air ) and deliver it at a required pressure.

Air Compressor – 1) Takes in atmospheric air,

2) Compresses it, and

3) Delivers it to a storage vessel ( i.e. Reservoir ).

Compression requires Work to be done on the gas,

Compressor must be driven by some sort of Prime Mover ( i.e. Engine )

 AIR COMPRESSOR

Heat Rejected Heat to Radiation

Frictional Heat to
Work Coolant

Prime Mover Compressor

Work

Heat LP Air In HP Air Out

Source
 Application of compressed air
 Driving pneumatic tools in shops like drills,rivetters, screw drivers,
etc.

 Blast furnaces,

 Spray painting and spraying fuel in diesel engine,

 Air refrigeration and cooling of large buildings,

 Inflating automobiles and air craft tyres,

 Supercharging internal combustion engine,

 Cleaning purpose,

 Operating air brakes in buses, trucks and trains etc.

 CLASSIFICATION OF AIR COMPRESSOR

AIR COMPRESSOR

RECIPROCATING ROTARY
COMPRESSOR COMPRESSOR

Centrifugal compressor
NO.OF STAGES FOR No.of sides of piston in
COMPRESSION operation
Single stage Single acting
Multi-stage Double acting
RECIPROCAING AIR COMPRESSOR-WORKING
 Equation for Work
(a) Without clearance

1 – 2” : Adiabatic Compression = Max. Work.

1 – 2 : Polytropic Compression
1 – 2’ : Isothermal Compression = Min. Work.
  n 1

 n    P2  n

Wact  1 1 1  
 PV  
 n 1    P1  
 

 n 1

 n    P2  n

Wact   mRT1 1    
 n 1    P1  
 
(b) With clearance

 n 1

n   P2   n
W P1 (V1  V4 ) 1    
n 1   P1  
 
 n 1

n   P2   n
 P1 Va 1    
n 1   P1  
 

 n 1

n  P   n
W m1 R T1 1   2  
n 1   P1  
 
ROTARY COMPRESSOR –VANE TYPE
Rotor is concentric with the shaft.
Vanes slide within the rotor but keep contact with the
cylinder.

Rotor - Vanes assembly is Off-center.

Enclosed in an housing filled with oil.
The oil film forms Seal between the High and Low
Pressure sides.
VANE TYPE COMPRESSOR
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

Centrifugal / Radial Compressors :

Special class of Radial – Flow Work – Absorbing
Turbomachinery
Have Density increases greater than 5 %.

Experience relative Fluid Velocities above

Mach = 0.3, when the working fluid is Air /
Nitrogen.
Achieves Pressure Rise by adding Kinetic
Energy / Velocity to a continuous flow of fluid
through the Rotor / Impeller.
AXIAL COMPRESSOR
• Most suited For Higher Capacity and comparatively Low Pressure

applications.

• Higher Efficiency, Smaller Foundation Requirements in weight and space.

• More Efficient Drive Selection because of its higher speed and lower

power .

• Stationary Blades can be either fixed or movable which allows for better

control and increased flexibility in operations.

• Size larger than Centrifugal Compressors.

• Casing require extremely Precision Casting.

Thank you