WELCOME
COMPRESSOR
OBJECTIVE
Define compressor
Explain types of compressor
Define reciprocating compressor
Explain
the Working of reciprocating
compressor
COMPRESSOR
A refrigeration compressor, as the name indicates, is a machine
used to compress the vapour refrigerant from the evaporator
and to raise its pressure so that the corresponding saturation
temperature is higher than that of the cooling medium. It also
continually circulates the refrigerant throughout the refrigerating
system. Since the compression of refrigerant requires some work
to be done on it, therefore, a compressor must be driven by
some prime mover. Compressor is the Heart part of the
refrigeration and Air conditioning cycle, because in our human
body heart pump the blood through the whole body, like that the
compressor pump the refrigerant through the whole cycle
Types of compressor:
1. According to compression method of
compressor, they are divided into five types
1) Reciprocating compressor
2) Rotary compressor
3) Centrifugal compressor
4) Screw type compressor
5) Scroll compressor
2. According to location of prime
mover (motor) the compressor is
divided into three types
1) Hermatic compressor (sealed)
2) Semi hermatic compressor (semi
sealed)
3) Open type compressor
3. According to number of
compressor the cylinder is
divided into three types
1) Single cylinder
2) Double cylinder
3) Multi cylinder
4. According to driven method to
compressor is divided into two types
1) Direct drive
2) Belt drive
5. According to head
cooling of compressor the
compressor is divided into
two types
1) Air cooled compressor
2) Water cooled compressor
6. According to working
position of compressor
the compressor is divided
into types
1) Vertical mounted
2) Horizontal mounted
7. According to acting of
compressor
1) Single acting
2) Double acting
8. According to arrangement of piston
and cylinder the compressor is divided
into two types
1) V- shape compressor
2) W- shape compressor
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR
The compressor in which the vapour refrigerant is
compressed by reciprocating (i.e. back and forth) motion of
the piston are called reciprocating compressors. These
compressors are used for refrigerants which have
comparatively low volume per kg and a large differential
such as ammonia (R-717), R-12, R-22, and methyl chloride
(R-40). The reciprocating compressors are available in sizes
as small as 1/12 KW which are used in small refrigerators
and up to about 150 KW for large capacity installations.
The two types reciprocating compressors in
general use are single acting and double acting
horizontal compressors. The single acting
compressors usually have their cylinders arranged
vertically, radially or in V or W form. The double
acting compressors usually have their cylinders
arranged horizontally.
Let as consider that the piston is at the
top of its stroke as shown in Fig. This is
called top dead centre position of the
piston. In this position the suction valve
is held closed of the pressure in the
clearance space between top of the piston
and the cylinder head. The discharge
valve is also held closed because of the
cylinder head pressure acting on the top
of it.
When the piston moves downward (i.e. during
suction stroke), as shown in Fig, the refrigerant left
in the clearance space expands. Thus the volume of
the cylinder (above the piston) increases and the
pressure inside the cylinder decreases. When the
pressure becomes slightly less than the suction
pressure or atmospheric pressure, the suction valve
gets opened and the vapour refrigerant flows into
the cylinder. This flow continues until the piston
reaches the bottom of its stroke (i.e. bottom dead
centre). At the bottom of the stroke, as shown Fig.
the suction valve closes because of spring action.
Now when the piston moves upward (i.e. during
compression stroke) as shown in Fig, the volume of
the cylinder decreases and the pressure inside the
When the pressure inside the cylinder
becomes greater than that on the top of the
discharge valve, the discharge valve gets
opened and the vapour refrigerant is
discharged into the condenser and the cycle is
repeated.
It may be noted that in single acting
reciprocating compressor, the suction,
compression and discharge of refrigerant
takes place in two stroke of the piston or in
one revolution of the crank shaft.
Notes: 1. In a double acting reciprocating
compressor, the suction and compression
takes place on both sides of the piston. It
is thus obvious that such a compressor will
supply double the volume of refrigerant
than a single acting reciprocating
compressor (neglecting volume of piston
rode)
Notes: 2. There must be a certain distance between the
top of the piston and cylinder head when the piston is on
the top dead centre so that the piston does not strike the
cylinder head. The distance is called clearance space
and the volume there in is called clearance volume. The
refrigerant left in this space is at discharge pressure and
its pressure must be reduced below that of suction
pressure (atmospheric pressure) before any vapour
refrigerant flows in to the cylinder. The clearance space
should be a minimum.
The low capacity compressors are air cooled.
The cylinders of these compressors usually
have fins to provide better cooling. The high
capacity compressors are cooled by
providing water jackets around the cylinde
