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Compressor and Classification of Compressor Operation Industrial Uses

The document discusses different types of air compressors. It begins by explaining the basic purpose and function of air compressors, which is to compress air and deliver it at high pressure for industrial uses. It then describes the main types of air compressors as dynamic compressors like centrifugal and axial compressors, which use rotating elements, and positive displacement compressors like reciprocating and rotary compressors. The document focuses on explaining the operation and key features of centrifugal, axial flow, rotary, and reciprocating compressors. It concludes by classifying air compressors according to their working principle, action, and number of stages.

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Mark Strife
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144 views4 pages

Compressor and Classification of Compressor Operation Industrial Uses

The document discusses different types of air compressors. It begins by explaining the basic purpose and function of air compressors, which is to compress air and deliver it at high pressure for industrial uses. It then describes the main types of air compressors as dynamic compressors like centrifugal and axial compressors, which use rotating elements, and positive displacement compressors like reciprocating and rotary compressors. The document focuses on explaining the operation and key features of centrifugal, axial flow, rotary, and reciprocating compressors. It concludes by classifying air compressors according to their working principle, action, and number of stages.

Uploaded by

Mark Strife
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Compressor and Classification of compressor

operation Industrial uses


The purpose of an air compressor is to provide a continuous supply of pressurized air. An air
compressor is a machine to compress the air and to raise its pressure. The air compressor sucks
air from the atmosphere, compresses it and then delivers the same under high pressure to a
storage vessel. From the storage vessel, it may be conveyed by the pipeline to a place where the
supply of compressed air is required. Since the compression of air requires some work to be done
on it, therefore a compressor must be driven by some prime mover.

Principle of operation

There is little difference between the principle of operation of compressors and pumps. One of
the major differences is that for compressors we are dealing with a compressible fluid and it is
that that leads us to the two basic classes, dynamic and positive displacement. Industrial uses of
Compressed Air is used for many purposes such as for operating pneumatic drills, riveters, road
drills, paint spraying, in starting and supercharging of internal combustion engines, in gas turbine
plants, jet engines, and air motors, etc. It is also utilized in the operation of lifts, rams, pumps and
a variety of other devices. Compressed air is also used for producing a blast of air in blast
furnaces and Bessemer converters.

The principal applications of compressed air in Power Plants are as follows :

1. High pressure instrument air

2. Low pressure instrument air

3. Breathing and cooling air

4. Service air

Classification of Air Compressors

Air Compressors are classified in several ways such as:


• According to working (dynamic and positive displacement compressors);
• According to action (single acting and double acting compressors);
• According to number of stages (single stage or multi-stage compressors).
Dynamic Air Compressors
Dynamic compressors use rotating elements to accelerate air. By diffusing action, velocity is converted to
static pressure. The total energy in a flowing air stream is constant. Entering an enlarged section, flow
speed is reduced and some of the velocity energy turns into pressure energy. Thus static pressure is
higher in the enlarged section. The dynamic class includes centrifugal and axial compressors.

Centrifugal Compressors

The centrifugal compressor, originally built to handle only large volumes of low-pressure gas
and air (maximum of 40 psig), has been developed to enable it to move large volumes of gas
with discharge pressures up to 3,500 psig. The capacities of the centrifugal type compressors
have improved over the years. It used to be that maximum pressure of 150 psi was all that could
be achieved. However, pressures up to 550 psi are possible with 12,500 cfm. Lower pressure will
allow a larger capacity and the maximum is about 150,000 cfm at 150 psi. However, centrifugal
compressors are now most frequently used for medium volume and medium pressure air
delivery. One advantage of a centrifugal pump is the smooth discharge of the compressed air.
The centrifugal force utilized by the centrifugal compressor is the same force utilized by the
centrifugal pump. A centrifugal compressor, in its simplest form, consists of a rotor (or impeller)
to which a number of curved vanes are fitted symmetrically.

Centrifugal Compressors

Axial Flow Compressors

Axial flow compressors accelerate air in a direction generally parallel to the shaft. Units
resemble turbines; each pair of moving and stationary blade-rows forms a stage. Pressure rise per
stage is relatively small. As the pressure rise is very small across a row of blades, many stages
are used.

Rotary Air Compressors


The rotary compressor is adaptable to direct drive by induction motors or multi-cylinder gasoline
or diesel engines. The units are compact, relatively inexpensive, and require a minimum of
operating attention and maintenance. They occupy a fraction of the space and weight of a
reciprocating machine of equivalent capacity. Rotary compressor units are classified into three
general groups, slide vane-type, lobe-type, and liquid seal ring-type.

Reciprocating Compressors

The reciprocating air compressor is the most common design employed today. The reciprocating
compressor normally consists of the following elements: a. The compressing element, consisting
of air cylinders, heads and pistons, and air inlet and discharge valves.

Centrifugal and Axial Flow Compressors

These compressors present a more complex problem because of surging. This occurs when the
flow falls below a certain value. Surging is when the flow becomes unstable because of
secondary circulation created in the blade passages. This causes the flow as a whole to pulse and
may damage the blading. The most common flow control arrangement used on centrifugal and
axial flow compressors is the variable speed drive.

Classification of air compressors

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