Types of

g
compressor
 What is the
Compressor..?

▪ The compressor is the heart of a mechanical refrigeration

system.
▪ There is the need for many types of compressors because of
the variety of refrigerants and the capacity, location and
application of the systems.
▪ Generally, the compressor can be classified into two basic
types: positive displacement and roto-dynamic.
Classification Of Compressors
According To Shaft Connection

Open

Hemetric

Semi-Hemetric
According To Pressure

Roto-
Dynamic

Positive
Displacement
 Positive
Displacement

Rotary Reciprocating

Screw Scroll Vane

 Radial
Roto-
Centrifugal
Dynamic
Axial
 compressor

pressure connection

dynamic Positive open

displacement

Semi-
rotary reciprocating hermetic
centrifugal

screw hermetic

scroll

vane
 open
Definition
Compressor and motor are two separate units
The most common type
Direct drive
Advantages :
- Non electric power source(turbine,..)
- Possibility of repair
- Maintenance easy and cheap

disadvantages :
- Noisy operation
- Need seals to prevent leakage
- Lubrication at sealing to maintain pressure Belt drive

Applications : car air conditioning , food industry refrigeration

 hermetic
Definition
Compact unit (the same casing)

Advantages :
- Completely sealed
- Portable compressor
- No coupling , no need to disassemble to move
- More easy to install , Less noise
- Suffer vibration

disadvantages :
- Burnout winding can contaminate system
- No repair , Only electric power sources

Applications : small capacity refrigeration (freezer)

 SemiDefinition
hermetic
Is a mixing between open and hermetic
The casing is bolted together

Advantages :
- Can prevent leakage quite
- Possibility of repair

disadvantages :
- Increase of production cost Semi hermetic
- There can be oil leakage

Applications : larger capacity (supermarket refrigeration)

 Reciprocating Compressor
❑ The Construction of Reciprocating
Compressors :
The main elements of a reciprocating
compressor include
piston

cylinder

valves

connecting
rod

crankshaft

casing.
 Principle of Operation
Piston compressors, also called
reciprocating compressors, use a piston
and cylinder arrangement to provide
compressive force
The reciprocating motion of the piston due
to external power compresses the
refrigerant inside the cylinder.

• The piston is driven by a crank shaft via a connecting rod.

• At the top of the cylinder are a suction valve and a discharge
valve.
• A reciprocating compressor usually has two, three, four, or six
cylinders in it
 Clearance Space and Clearance Fraction

• In order to prevent the piston from striking the valve plate,

a clearance volume must be allowed at the end of the
piston compression stroke.
• Manufacturing design tolerances require this to allow for
reasonable bearing wear, which would effectively lengthen
the stroke.
• The space between the bottom and top of the valve
assembly adds extra to the clearance volume.
❑ The performance of reciprocating compressors can be
described by volumetric efficiency.
❑ Here we only consider the actual and the clearance
volumetric efficiencies. The actual volumetric efficiency
is defined as
 Slugging of Liquid
• Great care should be taken to prevent excess liquid refrigerant from
entering reciprocating compressors.
• When large quantities of liquid suddenly enter the compressor for a
short period of time it is called slugging.
• The force at the end of the discharge stroke could easily break valves
and even connecting rods if there is liquid slugging in the cylinder.

• A related problem caused by slugging is excess dilution of the

lubricating oil by the refrigerant.
• This may result in ineffective lubrication and rapid wear of bearing or
the piston and cylinder.
• When a compressor is not operating, the pressure in the crankcase is
relatively high and the oil is cold.
❑Advantages ❑Disadvantages
low initial cost and a simple high maintenance costs,
Easy to install design. potential vibrational issues,
large power output range and can reach are not typically designed to run
extremely high pressures. continuously at full capacity.
 Scroll Compressor

❑ The scroll compressor is a rotary,

positive displacement
compressor which is used in
residential air-conditioning and
heat pump systems.

❑ It uses two interleaved scrolls to

compress fluids.
 Principle of Operation

Scroll compressors use two offset spiral disks nested

together to compress the refrigerant. The upper disk is
stationary while the lower disk moves in orbital fashion.
 Advantages and limitation

• Scroll compressors can deliver high compression pressure ratio.

• The pressure ratio is increased by adding spiral wraps to the scroll.
• Scroll compressors are true rotary motion and can be dynamically
balanced for smooth, vibration-free, quiet operation.
• They have no inlet or discharge valves to break or make noise and no
associated valve losses.
• Although scroll compressors continue to expand into larger and
smaller size compressor market, some weak points of scroll
compressors could limit this trend.

❑ Disadvantages
as fully hermetic designs, scroll compressors cannot be easily repaired.
They also typically cannot rotate in both directions.
 Application of Scroll Compressors

Scroll compressors are commonly used in:

air
commercial
automobile conditioning
chillers.
systems

Rotary scroll compressors have a small capacity of

under 20 tons; however, they are highly efficient due
to the absence of pistons, which allows them to
reach 100% volumetric efficiency.
Screw Compressor
 The Construction and operation of Screw
Compressors
Screw compressors use a pair of helical
rotors or screws which mesh together to
compress the refrigerant between them.
They can produce high pressure for a
small quantity of gas and consume less
power than reciprocating compressors.

The vapor so trapped in the interlobe

space is moved both axially and radially
and is compressed by direct volume
reduction as the enmeshing of the lobes
progressively reduced the space occupied
by the vapor. The length and diameter of the rotors
determine the capacity and the discharge
pressure. The longer the rotors, the higher the
pressure
 Advantages And Disadvantages
• low to medium initial and maintenance costs and few moving parts.
• high-speeding, low weight and dimensions (their dimensions in 2-10 times, and
masses in 10-100 times less than in the reciprocating compressors of the same
capacity)
• The continuous flow of cooling lubricant allows much higher single-stage
• compression ratios.
• Low vibration due to reducing or eliminating pulsations by screw
• technology

❑ Disadvantages
• high noise level
• necessity for cooling at medium and high degrees of the increased pressure.
• A major problem with screw compressors is that the pressure difference between
entry and exit creates very large radial and axial forces on the rotors whose magnitude
and direction is independent of the direction of rotation.
Screw Capacity Control
Rotary-Vane
 Rotary-Vane
Rotary Vane compressors utilize a rotating
drive shaft positioned eccentrically within a
cylindrical housing that contains fixed inlet
and discharge ports. Affixed to the drive
shaft are adjustable vanes.

❑ Advantages
Rotary vane compressors have compact
dimensions and operate efficiently

❑ Application
preferred choice for low capacity applications, such as a household refrigerator or
residential air conditioning unit. However, rotary compressors are also often used in
the food and beverage industry for product handling applications.
Centrifugal Compressor
 Centrifugal Principle
Centrifugal compressors use the rotating action of an impeller wheel to
exert centrifugal force on refrigerant inside a round chamber (volute).
They are well suited to compressing large volumes of refrigerant to
relatively low pressures.
▪ Centrifugal compressors are used for cooling capacities ranging from
(35:10000) TR
▪ Therefore, it is able to handle high flow rates with small and medium
pressure ratios

❑Application
for a water cooled chiller.
Centrifugal compressors work with different cooling fluids.R11, R12,
R22, R113, R123, R500, R134a

❑ Advantages
Centrifugal compressors are desirable for their simple design
few moving parts
energy efficiency when operating multiple stages.
Its efficiency is relatively high in all sizes over a wide level of
operating conditions and generally its efficiency ranges
between70_80%
 Centrifugal Compressor Stages
The compressive force generated by an impeller wheel is small,
so systems that use centrifugal compressors usually employ two or
more stages (impellers wheels) in series to generate high compressive
forces.
Capacity Control
Centrifugal Compressor Efficiency Characteristics
 Inverter Technology
• Inverter-driven systems can promote maximum compressor efficiency in
term of smooth operation.
• The system can detect subtle fluctuations in temperatures and adjust its
capacity output automatically which lead to constant stable temperature
while minimizing power consumption and promoting humidity control.
• Inverter system can control over room temperature to deliver
appropriate capacity which is smart technology that can suitably match
cooling and heating performance with operating requirements at specific
location so the system can ensure that a room will be never too hot or
too cold.
• Compressor operates at a fixed speed with on and off repetitively, on the
other hand, inverter compressor has controller which can control power
output to fit with variable operating environment as well.
 The advantages of inverter compressors
• It is desirable to have an air-conditioner to operate at low noise,
constant temperature control, all-day running, low frequency
compensation and instantly achieving the set temperature.
• The emergency of inverter compressor makes them achievable in an
energy efficient way.
• The inverter compressor can reduce power consumption, power surges
(from starting AC motors), and deliver constant pressure.
• Currently, these advantages are achieved with the technology being
heavy expense associated with the drive and the sensitivity of these
drives, particularly, to heat and moisture
 The Inverter’s Application in Refrigeration

• Inverter technology is becoming the new trend in refrigeration and air

conditioning industry.
• The system can enhance smoothing performance for any cooling or
heating applications.
• For current situation, this technology can decrease the using of energy
which not only save money but also friendly to the environment and
create less global warming.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Compressor will not operate. 1. No electrical power. Turn on power.
Push the reset button.
2. Low oil level. Check oil level. Replace your
oil if necessary.
3. Pressure switch not Replace or repair.
making contact.
4. Defective unloader or Replace or repair.
check valve.
5. Pressure in the tank is See pressure switch
below the cut-in pressure. adjustment.
Replace pressure switch to
one that has a lower cut-in
Psi.
Compressor suddenly stops 1. Bad unloader valve. Replace the unloader valve.
working.
2. Loss of power Plug compressor into a new
power source.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Reset mechanism cuts out 1. Motor overload. Shut down immediately to
repeatedly; fuses of proper avoid damage.
size blow(too much power).
2. Malfunction or improperly Adjust or replace.
adjusted.
3. High ambient Provide ventilation.
temperature.
Fuses blow repeatedly. 1. Wrong fuse size. Check to make sure that
fuses are of proper ampere
rating.
2. Low voltage. Adjust voltage.

3. Defective unloader check Replace or repair.

valve.
4. Belt to tight. Loosen belt.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Knock – same cycle as R.P.M. 1. Main bearings. Replace bearings.

2. Connecting rod bearings. Replace rod.

3. Loose flywheel. Tighten.

Knock occurs while 1. Connecting rod bearings. Replace rod.

compressor is loading.

2. Wrist pin, wrist pin Replace complete piston

bearings. assembly.

3. Loose connecting rod nut Tighten.

or bolt .
4. Loose flywheel. Tighten setscrew.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Excessive noise in operation. 1. Loose pulley, flywheel belt, Tighten.
belt guard, clamps or
accessories.

2. Lack of oil in crankcase. Check for possible damage to

bearings, replenish oil.

3. Piston hitting the valve Remove the compressor

plate. cylinder head and inspect for
foreign matter on top of the
piston, clean, add a new
gasket and reassemble the
head.

4. Compressor floor Tighten.

mounting loose.

5. Defective crankcase. Repair.

Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Compressor vibrations. 1. Mounting bolts loose. Tighten.
2. Compressor not properly Level compressor so that all
mounted. feet touch the floor before
tightening down.
3. Pulley and flywheel Realign.
misaligned.
4. Belts noise. Tighten belts.
5. Bent crankshaft. Replace crankshaft.
Excessive discharge 1. Dirty cooling surfaces. Clean cooling surfaces of
refrigerant temperature. cylinder, intercooler and
discharge tube.
2. Poor ventilation. Improve ventilation or
relocate compressor.
3. Blown head gasket. Replace head gasket.
[Link] refrigerant Clean or replace refrigerant
intake. filter.
5. Worn valves. Replace valve plate assembly.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Receiver pressure builds up 1. Dirty refrigerant filter. Clean or replace filter.
slowly.

2. Blown cylinder head Install new gasket.

gasket.

3. Worn or broken low Install new valve plate.

pressure intake or discharge
valves.

4. Refrigerant leaks. Tighten joints.

5. Loose belts. Tighten or replace belts.
6. Speed too slow. Check pulley size and belt
tension.
Receiver pressure builds up 1. Excessive water in receiver. Drain receiver/tank.
rapidly.

2. Speed too fast. Check speed.

Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Receiver does not hold 1. Faulty check valve. Disassemble check valve
pressure when compressor is assembly.
unloaded. Clean or replace faulty parts

Excessive belt wear. 1. Pulley out of alignment. Realign motor pulley with
compressor flywheel.

2. Belts too tight. Adjust tension.

3. Belts too loose. Adjust tension.

4. Pulley or flywheel wobble. Check for worn crankshaft,

keyway or pulley bore,
resulting from running with
loose pulleys.
Check for bent crankshaft.

5. Nick in belt groove of File smooth.

pulley or flywheel.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution

Insufficient pressure at point 1. Leaks or restriction. Check for leaks or restriction

of use. in hose or piping.
Repair.

2. Restricted refrigerant Clean or replace refrigerant

intake. filter.

3. Slipping belts. Tighten belts.

4. Service hose too small. Replace with larger hose.

Refrigerant leaking from inter 1. Safety relief valve not Remove and install new
stage safety relief valve when functioning properly safety relief valve. If new
compressor is pumping. safety valve leaks, remove
cylinder head, inspect and
clean reed valve assembly.

2. Leaky gasket - High Replace gasket.

pressure inlet valve.
Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Excessive oil consumption. 1. Restricted refrigerant Clean or replace refrigerant
intake. filter.

2. Oil leaks. Tighten bolts or replace

gasket.

3. Worn piston rings. Replace rings.

4. Wrong oil viscosity. Drain oil, refill with oil of

proper viscosity.

5. Compressor tilted too Level compressor.

much. Vibration pads.

6. Scored cylinder. Replace cylinder.

Common Compressor Troubleshooting
Problem Cause Solution
Oil in discharge refrigerant. [Link] refrigerant Clean refrigerant filter and
intake restricted. check for other restrictions in
the intake system.
2. Worn piston rings. Replace rings.
3. Excessive oil in Drain down to bottom of
compressor. threads.
4. Wrong oil viscosity. Check viscosity and change
oil if necessary.
5. Piston rings installed Install rings in proper
upside down. position.
6. Plugged crankcase Clean or replace.
breather.
Milky oil in oil reservoir. 1. Water entering oil Service unit( change oil,
reservoir due to compressor clean or replace air cleaner).
operating in high humidity Drain tank daily.
environment.