COMPRESSORS

ROTARY
COMPRESSORS
 Screw compressor

(Straight) lobe compressor

Sliding vane compressor

Liquid ring compressor

Scroll compressor
SCREW
(HELICAL LOBE)
COMPRESSOR
HOW IT WORKS

Fem
ale

M
ale
HOW IT WORKS
HOW IT WORKS

Air filter

ei v er
rec
Air Seals

Timing gears
Screws

Bearings
HOW IT WORKS
USES

Portable air compressors

Refrigeration

Pneumatic power apps Supercharger

P & V DIAGRAMS

Suction Compression Discharge

V Pd
V
P

Ps

Revolution of rotor
P & V DIAGRAMS

Compression
Compression Discharge
Discharge

V Pd

Pd

Revolution of rotor
 OFF-DESIGN CONDITIONS

Unlike the reciprocating and centrifugal compressors, the screw compressor is

designed to withstand a fixed pressure ratio (design or built-in pressure ratio) which
depends on the design of the compressor (place of the discharge port)

Under-compression
P P Energy lost
[compressing the same gas twice]
Over-compression
Energy lost
[excessive compression]

Pd Pd

Ps Ps

Revolution of rotor Revolution of rotor

P & V DIAGRAMS &
OFF-DESIGN CONDITIONS
DRY & FLOODED
SCREW COMPRESSORS

PROBLEM
High friction between mating screws!!!

Use timing gears Inject oil for lubrication

Dry screw compressor Flooded screw compressor
 DRY SCREW COMPRESSOR

• Timing gears are used to ensure synchronization between screws.

• Needs cooling by water jackets.
• The high discharge temperature limits the pressure ratio to 5.
• Should be operated at high speeds (8000 rpm) to minimize gas leakage through teeth
clearances.
• Produces high frequency pulsations which may cause vibrations to the piping.
 FLOODED SCREW COMPRESSOR

The oil is
circulated under
the pressure of
the compressed
gas i.e. no pump
is needed.

• Oil lubrication: one screw drives the other  no need for timing gears.
• Oil cooling: can reach as high pressure ratios as 15.
• No need for water jackets.
• Oil sealing: higher volumetric efficiency + can operate at low speeds (3000 rpm).
• Dampens pulsations and suppresses noise.
• Although most of the injected oil can be separated from the discharge gas, the flooded screw
compressor can’t be used for food and pharmaceutical industries.
• Oil compatibility with the process gas should be confirmed.
FLOODED SCREW COMPRESSOR
CAPACITY CONTROL

1. Suction or discharge throttling

2. External bypassing
3. Speed control
4. Slide valve
 Intake

Intake
CAPACITY CONTROL
SLIDE VALVE

Discharge Discharge SLIDE

SLIDE
VALVE
VALVE

Ps
P P

V V
Suction volume Suction volume
CAPACITY CONTROL
SLIDE VALVE

Suction gas

From internal
control port

Rotor Electric
motor
Discharge gas
Electronic
position
Slide valve sensor

Oil supply and

return for slide
valve control

Internal control port

CAPACITY CONTROL

100%
ttl ing
Suction thro

e va lve
Slid
% Power

p eed
S
l
ea
Id

100%
%Q
CAPACITY CONTROL
SLIDE VALVE
 CHARACTERISTICS

• Lack of valves
• Light in weight & simple in construction
• Doesn’t exhibit large shaking forces
• Can be used as single or multistage units
• The driver used is electric motor for process service and internal
combustion engine for portable service
STRAIGHT LOBE
COMPRESSOR
(ROOTS BLOWER)
 STRAIGHT LOBE COMPRESSOR

Withstands low pressures only, hence the

name blower
STRAIGHT LOBE COMPRESSOR
SLIDING VANE
COMPRESSOR
SLIDING VANE COMPRESSOR

Widely used as vacuum pump

SLIDING VANE COMPRESSOR
LIQUID RING
COMPRESSOR
 LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR

suction Casing Discharge

Rotor
LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR
LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR
 LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR RELIABILITY

• The casing is not subjected to the pumped gas, so it can handle difficult
corrosive gases and liquid carrying gases.
• Used as a pump to evacuate water-carrying steam from the condenser of the
thermal power plants.
SCROLL
COMPRESSOR
SCROLL COMPRESSOR

High efficiency [volumetric &

isentropic]

Low noise and vibrations

Used in air conditioners

SCROLL COMPRESSOR