Air or Gas Compressors: A steady-state, steady flow machine that is used

to compressed air or gas to final pressure exceeding 241.25 Kpa gage.

Types of Compressor:
1. Centrifugal Compressors: For low pressure and high capacity
applications.
2. Rotary Compressors: For medium pressure and low capacity
application.
3. Reciprocating Compressors: For high pressure and low capacity
application.
Uses of compressed air:
1. Operation of small engines
2. Pneumatic tools
3. Air hoists
4. Industrial cleaning by air blast
5. Tire inflation
6. Paint Spraying
 7. Air lifting of liquids
8. Manufacture of plastics and other industrial products
9. To supply air in mine tunnels
10. Other specialized industrial applications
Analysis of Centrifugal and Rotary Type
2 Discharge
1 Suction
Assumption
KE = 0
W (Work) PE = 0
For a compressor, work is done on the system P
W = h - Q
P2
1. For Isentropic Compression: PVk = C PVk = C
Q=0
W = h P1
V
Q 0 ; W h mC P T2 T1
k 1
T2 P2 k

T1 P1
k 1

kP1V1 P2 k
W 1
k 1 P1

P1V1 mRT1

Rk
Cp
k 1

Where:
m mass flow rate in kg/sec
Cp constant pressure specific heat in KJ/kg-C or KJ/kg-K
2. Polytropic compression: PVn = C
W h Q ; h mC P T2 T1 ; Q mC n T2 T1
n1
T2 P2 n
k n
; Cn C V
T1 P1 1 n
n1

nP1V1 P2 n
W 1 ; where P1V1 mRT1
n 1 P1

P
P2
PVn = C

P1
V
 3. Isothermal Compression: PV = C P

W h Q ; h 0 therefore P2
PV = C
W -Q
P2 P1
W P1V1ln
P1 V

P1V1 mRT1
Analysis of Reciprocating Type Compressor (Piston-in-cylinder type):

piston
cylinder Piston rod

Valves
Pressure-Volume Diagram (PV)
HE CE HE head end
CE Crank end
L length of stroke
P1 suction pressure
P2 discharge pressure
L V1 volume flow rate at intake
P 3 2 VD displacement volume
P2
CVD clearance volume
CVD = V3

P1 4 1
V1 V

VD
CVD
1. Isentropic Compression: PVk = C
Q 0 ; W h mC P T2 T1 Where:
V1 volume flow rate at intake, m3/sec
k 1
m mass flow rate corresponding V1
T2 P2 k
P1 suction pressure, Kpa
T1 P1
P2 discharge pressure, Kpa
k 1
T1 suction temperature, K
kP1V1' P2 k
W 1 T2 discharge temperature, K

k 1 P1 W work, KW

P1V1' mRT1

2. Polytropic Compression: PVn = C

W h - Q; Q mC n T2 T1 ; h mC P T2 T1
n1
n1

T2 P2 n nP1V1' P2
n
k-n
; W 1 ; P1V1' mRT1; C n C v
T1 P1 n 1 P1 1- n

3. Isothermal Compression: PV = C
W h Q ; h 0 therefore
W -Q
P2
W P1V1'ln
P1
P1V1' mRT1

Percent Clearance: Ratio of the clearance volume to the displacement

volume.
V3
C x 100%
VD
V3 CVD
Note: For compressor design values of C ranges from 3 to 10 percent.
Pressure Ratio: Ratio of the discharge pressure to suction pressure.
P2
rp =
P1
Volumetric Efficiency: Ratio of the volume flow rate at intake to the
displacement volume.
V1'
v = x 100 %
VD
1. For Isentropic Compression and Expansion process: PV k = C

P2 k
v 1 C C
P1
 2. For Polytropic Compression and Expansion process: PV n = C
1

P2 n
v 1 C C
P1

2. For Isothermal Compression and Expansion process: PV = C

P2
v 1 C C
P1
Actual Volumetric Efficiency: Ratio of the actual volume of air drawn in by the
compressor to the displacement volume.
Va
va x 100%
VD
 For an air compressor handling ambient air where pressure drop and
heating of air occurs due to fluid friction and irreversibilities of fluid
flow, less amount of air is being drawn by the cylinder. The actual
volumetric efficiency is:

P1 TO
va v
PO T1
Where:
PO ambient air pressure in Kpa
TO ambient air temperature in K
Displacement Volume: Volume of air occupying the highest stroke L of
the piston within the cylinder. The length of stroke L is the dis-
tance from the HE (head end) to the CE (crank end).
1. For Single Acting: For single acting compressor, the piston works on
one side (at head end only) of the cylinder.
LD2Nn' m3
VD
4(60) sec
2. For Double Acting: For double acting compressor, the piston works on
both sides (at head end & crank end) of the cylinder.
a. Without considering the volume of the piston rod.
2LD2Nn' m3
VD
4(60) sec
b. Considering the volume of the piston rod.

3
LNn' m
VD 2D2 - d2
4(60) sec
Where:
D diameter of piston in meters
d diameter of piston rod in meters
N no. of RPM
n no. of cylinders
Piston Speed: It is the linear speed of the piston.
PS 2LN m
min
2LN m
PS
60 sec
Compressor Performance Factor:
1. Compression Efficiency: Ratio of Ideal Work to Indicated Work.

Ideal Work
cn x 100%
Indicated Work
2. Mechanical Efficiency: Ratio of Indicated Work to Brake or Shaft Work.
Indicated Work
m x 100%
Brake or Shaft Work

3. Compressor Efficiency: Ratio of Ideal Work to Brake or Shaft Work.

Ideal Work
c x 100%
Brake or Shaft Work
c cn m
MULTISTAGE COMPRESSION:
Multi staging is simply the compression of air or gas in two or more cylinders
in place of a single cylinder compressor. It is used in reciprocating compressors
when pressure of 300 KPa and above are desired, in order to:
1) Save power
2) Limit the gas discharge temperature
3) Limit the pressure differential per cylinder
4) Prevent vaporization of lubricating oil and to prevent its ignition if the tem-
perature becomes too high.
It is a common practice for multi-staging to cool the air or gas between stages
of compression in an intercooler, and it is this cooling that affects considerable
saving in power.
 2 Stage Compressor without pressure drop in the intercooler:
Qx
Suction 1 2 3 4 Discharge

Intercooler

1st stage 2nd stage

For an ideal multistage compressor, with perfect inter-cooling and minimum
work, the cylinder were properly designed so that:
a) the work at each stage are equal
b) the air in the intercooler is cooled back to the initial temperature
c) no pressure drop occurs in the intercooler
Work of 1st stage cylinder (W1): Assuming Polytropic compression on
both stages. n1

nP1V1' P2
n
W1 1
n 1 P1

P1V1' mRT1
Work of 2nd stage cylinder (W2): Assuming Polytropic compression on
both stages.
n1

nP3 V3' P4
n
W2 1
n 1 P3

P3 V3' mRT3
 P T P4 Px P1
P4 5 4
PVn = C 4 2
W2
Px 6
3
2
7 3 1
W1 Qx
P1
8
1
V S

For perfect inter-cooling and minimum

work: P2 P4
W1 = W 2 ; but Px P2 P3 ; then
P1 P3
T1 = T3
W = W1 + W2 Px P1P4 Where:
W = 2W1 1 Px optimum intercooler
P2 = P3 = Px P P 2 pressure or interstage
2
4
pressure
therefore P1 P
1
P1V1 = P3V3
Then the work W for an ideal 2-stage compressor is:
n1

2nP1V1' P2
n
W 1
n 1 P1

n 1

2nP1V1' P4
2n
W 1
n 1 P1

Heat losses calculation:
1. Heat loss during compression at 1st stage cylinder
Q1 = mCn(T2 T1)
2. Heat loss during compression at 2nd stage cylinder
Q2 = mCn(T4 T3)
3. Heat loss in the intercooler
Qx = mCp(T2 T3)
2 Stage Compressor with pressure drop in the intercooler:
Qx
Suction 1 2 3 4 Discharge

Intercooler

1st stage 2nd stage

n 1

With pressure drop in the intercooler: nP1V1' P2
n
W1 1
T1 T3 and P2 P3 n 1 P1
W = W1 + W2
P1V1 P3V3 n1

nP3 V3' P4
n
W2 1
n 1 P3

 P T P4 P1
P2 P3
P4 5 4
PVn = C 4 2
W2
P2 6 7
3
2
P3 3 1
W1 Qx
P1
8
1
V S

3 Stage Compressor without pressure drop in the intercooler:

Qx Qy
1 2 3 4 5 6
Suction Discharge
LP Intercooler HP Intercooler

1st stage 2nd stage 3rd stage

 P
T P6 Py Px P1
P6 7 6

W3 PVn = C 6 4 2
Py 9 4
8 5
W2 3 1
Px 11 2
5
10 3
W1
P1 Qy Qx
1 S
12 V

For perfect inter-cooling and minimum work:

T1 = T3 = T5 Px = P2 = P3
W1 = W 2 = W 3 Py = P4 = P5
W = 3W1
P1V1 = P3V3 = P5V5
mRT1 = mRT3 = mRT5
Therefore:
rP1 = rP2 = rP3
Work for each stage:

1st Stage: 2nd Stage:

n1
n1

nP1V1' P2 nP3 V3' P4
n n
W1 1 W2 1
n 1 P1 n 1 P3

3rd Stage: Intercooler Pressures:

n1
P2 P4 P6 Px Py P6
nP5 V5' P6
n or
W3 1 P1 P3 P5 P1 Px Py
n 1 P5
hence
2 2
Px P P
3
1 6 ; Py P1P6 3
Total Work: Heat Losses during compression:
Q1 = mCn(T2 T1)
W = 3W1 Q2 = mCn(T4 T3)
n1
Q3 = mCn(T6 T5)
3nP1V1' P6
3n
W 1
n 1 P1 Heat loss in the LP and HP intercoolers:
LP Intercooler
P1V1' mRT1 Qx = mCp(T2 T3)
HP Intercooler
Qy = mCp(T4 T5)
Note:
1. For isentropic compression and expansion process, no heat loss during
compression.
2. For isothermal compression and expansion process, the loss during
compression is equivalent to the compression work, and no intercooler
is required.
For multistage compression with minimum work and perfect inter-cooling
and no pressure drop that occurs in the inter-coolers between stages, the
following conditions apply:
1. the work at each stage are equal
2. the pressure ratio between stages are equal
3. the air temperature in the inter-coolers are cooled to the original
temperature T1
4. the total work W is equal to
n1
Where: s is the number of
P2S
'
SnP V 2S
W 1 1
1 stages.
n 1 P1

Note: For multistage compressor with pressure drop in the intercoolers the
equation of W above cannot be applied. The total work is equal to the sum
of the work for each stage that is computed separately.