Reciprocating Compressors

Compressors
• Compressors are work absorbing devices which are used for
increasing pressure of fluid at the expense of work done on fluid. The
compressors used for compressing air are called air compressors.

• Compressors are similar to fans and blowers but differ in terms of

pressure ratios. Fan is said to have pressure ratio up to 1.1 and blowers
have pressure ratio between 1.1 and 4 while compressors have
pressure ratios more than 4.
Air Compressor
 Uses of Compressed Air
• Automobile suspension system
• Operating lifts, cranes etc.
• Pump sets for oil and gas transmission lines
• Inflating automobile and aircraft tyres.
• Air conditioning, drying and ventilation systems.
• Used in air liquefaction unit to produce pure oxygen,nitrogen,argon etc.
• Used in Blast furnace to make steel
• Supercharging in IC engines
• Gas turbine plants etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPRESSORS
 CLASSIFICATION....
Based on the principle of operation compressors can be
classified as
• Positive displacement compressors
• Dynamic compressors
*In positive displacement compressors, the air is compressed or
pressurised by means of the displacement of a moving part of the
compressor.
*In Dynamic compressors, the air is compressed or pressurised
by means of a dynamic force which is produced by means of
rotation of a bladed wheel or impeller inside a casing.
 CLASSIFICATION.....
Positive displacement compressors can be further classified based on
the type of mechanism used for compression
• Reciprocating compressors
• Rotary compressors
*In Reciprocating compressors, the air is compressed or pressurised by
means of the displacement of a moving piston inside the compressor
cylinder. Reciprocating compressors are again classified as single acting
and double acting Reciprocating compressors,
*In Rotary compressors, the air is compressed or pressurised by being
trapped in the reduced space formed by two sets of engaging surfaces.
Roots blower, Vane compressor, Screw compressors etc. are examples
 CLASSIFICATION.....
According to the direction of flow of air, dynamic air
compressors are classified as
• Centrifugal Compressors
• Axial flow Compressors
*In Centrifugal Compressors, the air moves radially outward
direction through the impeller blades in the casing of the
compressor.
*In Axial flow Compressors, the air flows parallel to the axis
of rotating drum.
 CLASSIFICATION....
• Based on number of stages: Compressors may also be classified on
the basis of number of stages. Generally, the number of stages depends
upon the maximum delivery pressure
• Single stage compressor, for delivery pressure up to 5 bar
• 2 stage compressor, for delivery pressure between 5 and 35 bar
• 3 stage compressor, for delivery pressure between 35 and 85 bar
• 4 stage compressor, for delivery pressure more than 85 bar
 Free Air Delivery (FAD)
• When a gas such as air flows in a pipe, mass of air depends on both
pressure and temperature. It would be meaningless to talk about
volume of air unless temperature and pressure is considered
• For this reason volume of air referred as free air delivery or FAD
• FAD volume of air down to compressor at atmospheric pressure and
temperature
 Free Air Delivered
• Let Pa, Ta are atmospheric temperature and pressure and volume
down to compressor be Va ( Va = FAD )
• And P, T be pressure and temperature after compression and volume
after compression be V
• PV/T =Pa Va/Ta
Free air delivered Va,
• Va =(PV/T)(Ta/Pa)
 Reciprocating Compressors
• The two major types of reciprocating compressors are single acting
and double acting, both of which are available as single or two stage
compressors.
• The single acting compressor performs compression on one side of the
piston during one direction of the movement of piston. The double
acting compressor performs compression on both sides of the piston
when the piston moves in both directions.
• The reciprocating air compressor sucks atmospheric air during suction
stroke and then compresses it to high pressure by the movement of
piston inside a cylinder.
• An electric motor or IC engine is used to supply external power for the
movement of piston.
Construction (Single Acting)
 Construction (Single Acting)
• The main components of a reciprocating compressor are
i. Cylinder
ii. Cylinder head
iii. Piston with piston rings
iv. Connecting rod
v. Inlet and outlet valves (Spring loaded valves)
vi. Crank shaft and bearings.
Working Principle
• Process 4-1 : Suction Stroke - Inlet valve opens.
Fresh air enters the compressor cylinder at
constant pressure P1. Volume of air increases to
V1.
• Process 1-2 : Compression Stroke – Polytropic
compression of air from pressure P1 to P2.Volume
of air decreases from V1 to V2.Temperature of air
increases from T1 to T2 .
• Point 2 : Delivery valve open
• Process 2-3 : Discharge of compressed air
through delivery valve at constant pressure
P2 .Volume of air decreases from V2 to zero.
• Process 3-4 : No air in the cylinder and position
of piston to start suction stroke
 Working Principle
• The electric motor rotates the crank shaft and hence produces reciprocating motion of the
piston in the cylinder with the help of connecting rod.
• When the piston moves from TDC to BDC, the pressure in the cylinder falls below the
atmospheric pressure. Then the atmospheric air pushes the inlet valve to open and enters
into the cylinder.The line 4-1 represents the suction stroke in P-V diagram.During suction
stroke the delivery valve will remain closed.
• When the piston moves from BDC to TDC, the pressure in the cylinder increases. At this
stage both the valves remains closed.The curve 1-2 represents the compression of air in the
P-V diagram.
• When the pressure of air reaches the required value, the delivey valve opens and the
compressed air is discharged from the cylinder to storage tank. The point (2) represents the
opening of the delivery valve and the line 2-3 represents the discharge of air from the
cylinder.
• At the end of the compression stroke, the piston once again moves downward (to BDC), the
pressure in the cylinder falls below the atmospheric pressure, the delivery valve closes and
inlet valve opens for next cycle.
• The suction, compression and delivery of air takes place with two strokes of the piston
 Reciprocating Compressors

Single Acting Double Acting

Single Stage Reciprocating Compressor - Equation
for work input(Neglecting Clearance volume)
Single Stage Reciprocating Compressor - Equation
for work input(Considering Clearance volume)

• Derivation
 Minimizing Compression Work
• The work done on the air during compression process can be
minimized by keeping the specific volume of air as small as possible
during compression process.
• It is achieved by maintaining the air temperature as low as possible
during compression process, therefore cooling arrangement is needed
on the compressor to cool the air during the compression.
• To study the effect of cooling of air on compression work, consider
three types of compression process for the same pressure ratio(P 2/P1)
1. Isentropic Compression Process or Frictionless adiabatic
Compression Process. (Involves no cooling)
2. Polytropic Compression Process (Involves partial cooling)
3. Isothermal Compression Process (Involves perfect cooling)
• Three compression processes are plotted
on a P V diagram for same suction and
delivery pressures. The area of the P V
diagram is the measure of compression
work.
• The area of P V diagram with isentropic
compression is maximum. Thus the
compressor with isentropic compression
requires maximum work input to run the
compressor.
• The area of P V diagram with isothermal
compression is minimum. Thus the
compressor with isothermal compression
requires minimum work input to run the
compressor.
• Isothermal compression can not be achieved in practice but
an attempt is made to approach the isothermal condition by
cooling the compressor either by fixing of cooling fins or a
water jacket to the compressor cylinder.
• Isothermal compression is an ideal compression with perfect
cooling (T1 = T2). Where T1 = Temperature of air before
compression and T2 = Temperature of air after compression.
• It is obvious that the work input required to run the
compressor can be reduced by reducing the value of
compression index (n). This can be achieved by cooling the
compressor cylinder by air or water circulation.
 DEFINITIONS
• Mean Effective Pressure (Pm)
It is defined as the average pressure, which acted on the air during the
entire compression stroke of piston
Mean Effective Pressure (Pm

The Mean Effective Pressure can be computed from the actual indicator
diagram (P-V diagram) of the compressor.

(Pm x Spring Constant

• Indicated Power (IP)
• Indicated work done is the actual work done in the compressor
cylinder for compressing air. The Indicated work done on air per unit
time is called the indicated power input to the compressor.

IP = * n
L = Stroke length of piston
A = Bore Area of Cylinder
N = Speed of the compressor in rpm
n = Number of suction per revolution of crank shaft
Pm = Mean Effective Pressure
• Brake Power (BP)

Brake power or shaft power is the actual power input required at the
compressor shaft from the prime mover to drive the compressor. The
actual power input required at the compressor shaft will be more than
the indicated power required because some power is used to overcome
the frictional resistance in shaft bearings.

Brake Power = Indicated Power + Frictional power

EFFICIENCIES OF A RECIPROCATING
COMPRESSOR
1. Mechanical Efficiency
2. Adiabatic Efficiency
3. Isothermal Efficiency
4. Compressor Efficiency
5. Volumetric Efficiency
• Mechanical Efficiency
It indicates the Mechanical losses
Mechanical efficiency =

• Adiabatic Efficiency
Adiabaticefficiency =

• Isothermal Efficiency
Isothermal efficiency =
• Compressor Efficiency
 The compressor efficiency indicates the performance of the compressor to
achieve isothermal compression.
 The compressor efficiency compares the actual indicated work input in the
compressor cylinder with the isothermal work input in the cylinder.

Compressor efficiency =

• Volumetric Efficiency

Volumetric efficiency =
 Volumetric Efficiency of Reciprocating Air
Compressor
• Derivation
 Free Air Delivery (FAD)
• The volume of compressed air delivered corresponding to atmospheric
conditions is known as Free Air Delivery(FAD). The Free Air Delivery
is the volume of compressed air delivered at stated pressure and
temperature of intake air reduced to atmospheric pressure and
temperature. It is expressed in m3/minute.
Limitations of Single Stage Compression
 Advantages of Multi Stage Compression
• High pressure ratio can be achieved. Which means the air can be
copressed to a sufficiently high pressure.
• The air can be cooled perfectly at pressures intermediate between the
intake pressure and delivery pressure by using inter coolers.
• Power required to drive the compressor can be reduced.
• Volumetric efficiency can be increased.
• Low working temperature in each stage improves lubrication of
machine parts.
• Due to low pressure ratio in stages, the compressor speed could be
higher for the same isothermal efficiency.
Work done in a two stage Reciprocating
Air Compressor
Condition for minimum work required for
a two stage compressor
Inter cooler and After Cooler
 Inter cooler and After Cooler
• The cooler which is placed between the stages of a multistage compressor
is called inter cooler. In the inter cooler the air gets an opportunity to cool
down to its initial temperature by properly regulating the supply of cooling
water in the inter cooler. The purpose of inter cooler is to reduce the
workdone on the air for compressing it to the required delivery pressure.
• The cooler which is placed between HP cylinder and receiver in a
multistage compressor is called after cooler. It is used to cool the air after
coming out from the compressor and before entering the receiver. After
coolers can not influence the workdone in a compression. It is used to
remove the moisture content of air and also to reduce the size of the
receiver.
 Problem 1
• A single acting, single cylinder reciprocating air compressor has a cylinder
diameter of 200mm and a stroke of 300mm. Air enters the cylinder at 1 bar,
27o C. It is then compressed polytropically to 8 bar according to the law
PV1.3 = Constant. If the speed of the compressor is 250 rpm, calculate (i) the
mass of air compressed per minute and (ii) The power required in KW for
driving the compressor, if mechanical efficiency is 80%. Neglect clearance.
 Problem 2
• A double acting air compressor works with an indicated power of 37KW.
Air enters the cylinder at 1 bar, 27 o C and compressed. It is then compressed
polytropically to 7 bar according to the law PV 1.2 = Constant. If the speed of
the compressor is 200 rpm with average piston speed 2.5m/s. Neglect
clearance. Find the dimensions of the cylinder.
 Problem 3
• A single stage, single acting reciprocating air compressor has a cylinder
diameter(bore) of 25cm and a stroke of 35cm. The speed of the compressor
is 650 rpm. The clearance volume is 4.5% of the swept volume. The index
of expansion 1.35 and the index of compression is 1.3. The suction
o
conditions are 0.95 bar and 25 C. Delivery pressure is 6 bar. The
o
atmospheric conditions are at 1.013 bar and 20 C. Determine
(i) The indicated power input to the compressor.
(ii) The Free Air Delivery (FAD) in m3/min
(iii) The volumetric efficiency referred to the free air conditions.
 Problem4
• A single stage, double acting reciprocating air compressor delivers air at 7.5
bar. The pressure and temperature at the end of the suction stroke are 1 bar
and 30oC. It delivers 2.5m3 of free air per minute, when the compressor is
running at 350rpm. The clearance volume is 5% of the stroke volume. The
pressure and temperature of the ambient air are 1.013 bar and 25 oC. The
index of compression is 1.3 and the index of expansion is 1.35. Calculate
(i) The volumetric efficiency of the compressor.
(ii) The indicated power of the compressor.
(iii) The power required of the motor if mechanical efficiency is 85%.
 Problem 5
• Air at 103 KPa and 27oC is drawn in LP cylinder of a two stage air
compressor and is isentropically compressed to 700 KPa. The air is then
o
cooled at constant pressure to 37 C in an air cooler and is then again
compressed isentropically to 4 MPa in the HP cylinder and is delivered at
this pressure. Determine the power required to run the compressor if it has
to deliver 30 m3 of air per hour measured at inlet conditions.