Aire Tecnica Libro Bueno

_________Quincy Rotary Screw Sales Manual____________
Technical Information
Capacity Ratings and Corrections

Before beginning a discussion of compressor ratings, a couple of often misused terms need
to be understood.
SCFM - Standard Cubic Feet Per Minute

A standard cubic foot of air is the amount of air contained in one cubic foot of
volume when the air is at standard conditions of pressure, temperature and relative
humidity. There are a number of different "standards" that are used for this
measurement. One of the most common definitions of "standard conditions" is air
that is at sea level pressure (14.69 PSIA), 68 degrees F and has a relative humidity
of 36%. At these standard conditions, one cubic foot of air weighs 0.075 pounds.
If the temperature goes down, this standard cubic foot of air (0.075 lb.) will
occupy less than one actual cubic foot of volume. If the temperature goes up, this
standard cubic foot of air (0.075 lb.) will occupy more than one actual cubic foot
of volume. SCFM is, therefore, a measure of weight (mass), regardless of volume.
ACFM, ICFM & CFM - Actual Cubic Feet per Minute, Inlet Cubic Feet per Minute &
Cubic Feet Per Minute
These terms refer to similar things. They refer to a volume of air (one cubic foot)
at ambient conditions, no matter what those ambient conditions are. Changes in
pressure, temperature or relative humidity (changes in mass) do not change these
ratings. These ratings are, therefore, measures of volume regardless of weight.
Although these terms sound similar, they are as different as gallons and pounds. A gallon
is a measure of volume (like ACFM and ICFM) regardless of the weight of the substance
occupying that gallon. A pound is a measure of weight (like SCFM) without regard to the
volume it occupies.
All positive displacement compressors are rated according to the inlet volume of air they
compress. It does not matter whether the manufacturer calls this number ACFM, ICFM, FAD,
Capacity ACFM or CFM. All of these terms refer to the volume of air entering the compressor.
A manufacturer can play games by measuring these volumes at different points in the compressor
package or under conditions that are different from the actual ambient conditions, but all ratings
refer to the volume of air entering the machine.
If the compressor is going into a process application and mass flow (SCFM) must be
determined, there are a few simple calculations that will allow you to determine the SCFM flow of
a compressor if you know the volume flow rating (CFM), the ambient conditions under which the
compressor must run and the standard to which you must convert. The volume flow rating will
Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -1

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tell you how many cubic feet of air the compressor can handle and the ambient conditions will tell
you what is in each of those cubic feet.
The formula for calculating the correction factor for the effect temperature has on density is:
(460 + Standard Temperature in Degrees F) / (460 + Ambient Temperature in Degrees F)
If the standard temperature is 68oF and the ambient temperature is 90oF, this formula would look
like this:
(460 + 68) / (460 + 90) = 528/550 = .96
This tells you that air at 90oF is only 96% as dense as air at 68oF. If you want to calculate
the SCFM capacity of a compressor at this temperature condition, multiply the compressor
volume flow rating by this temperature correction factor. If you know the SCFM requirement
and you are sizing a compressor to operate at 90oF, divide the SCFM requirement by the
temperature correction factor to find the volume flow required.
EXAMPLE:
The customer needs the equivalent mass flow of 400 SCFM where the standard
temperature is 68oF and the ambient temperature is 90oF.
400 / ((460 + 68) / (460 + 90)) = Volume required at 90oF

400 / (528/550) = Volume required at 90oF
400 / .96 = 417 ACFM
The customer has a 750 ACFM compressor and wants to know its SCFM delivery at
90oF, using a 68oF temperature standard.
((460 + 68) / (460 + 90)) x 750 = Compressor SCFM Capacity at 90oF

(528/550) x 750 = Compressor SCFM Capacity at 90oF
.96 x 750 = 720 = Compressor SCFM Capacity at 90oF
The capacity of the compressor did not change. It is still a 750 ACFM compressor. What
changed was the density, or weight, of each cubic foot of air that the compressor pulled in
through the inlet valve.
Another factor that affects air density and must be calculated when converting ACFM to
SCFM is the absolute ambient air pressure. Lower absolute ambient pressure means a lower air
density. The formula for finding the absolute ambient pressure factor is:
Absolute Ambient Air Pressure / Standard Air Pressure
If the location of the application is Denver, and the standard being used is 14.69 PSIA, the
formula would be:

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12.2 (absolute ambient pressure in Denver) PSIA / 14.69 PSIA = .83
This tells you that air at 12.2 PSIA is only 83% as dense as air at 14.69 PSIA. If you want
to calculate the SCFM capacity of a compressor at this pressure condition, multiply the
compressor volume flow rating by this pressure factor. If you know the SCFM requirement and
you are sizing a compressor to operate at 12.2 PSIA., divide the SCFM requirement by the
pressure factor to find the volume flow rate required.
EXAMPLE:
The customer needs the equivalent mass flow of 400 SCFM where the standard
pressure is 14.69 PSIA and the absolute ambient pressure is 12.2 PSIA.
12.2 / 14.69 = .83

400 / .83 = 482 ACFM
In order to provide 400 SCFM at the ambient air pressure found

5,000 feet above sea level, a compressor must have a volume flow
rate of 482 CFM.
The customer has a 750 ACFM compressor and wants to know its SCFM delivery at
12.2 PSIA, using a 14.69 PSIA standard.
12.2 / 14.69 = .83

.83 x 750 = 622 = Compressor SCFM Capacity at 12.2 PSIA
Consult factory if relative humidity must also be factored. The calculations required are
not as simple as those for pressure and temperature.
Effects of Altitude on Flooded Rotary Screw Compressors

Changes in altitude change both the volume flow rate (CFM) and the mass flow rate
(SCFM) of compressors. Before mass flow can be calculated, the change in volume flow must be
considered. Increases in altitude, above sea level, reduce the absolute ambient air pressure. This
reduction in ambient air pressure will cause a rise in the compression ratio required to reach a
given discharge gauge pressure.
EXAMPLE:
What is the compression ratio of a machine located at sea level, discharging at 100
PSIG?
Absolute Ambient Pressure at sea level = 14.69 PSIA

Absolute Discharge Pressure = 100 (Gauge Pressure) + 14.69 Ambient Pressure
Compression Ratio=Absolute Discharge/Absolute Ambient=114.69/14.69=
7.8 to 1 Compression Ratio

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What is the compression ratio of a machine located at 5,000 feet above sea level,
discharging at 100 PSIG?
Absolute Ambient Pressure at 5,000 feet above sea level = 12.2 PSIA
Absolute Discharge Pressure = 100 (Gauge Pressure) + 12.2 Ambient Pressure
Compression Ratio=Absolute Discharge/Absolute Ambient=112.2/12.2 =
9.2 to 1 Compression Ratio
As the compression ratio in a single stage, flooded rotary screw compressor goes up, the
volumetric efficiency of the compressor goes down slightly. For this reason, you will need to use
the following correction factors for determining the volume flow rate (CFM) at various altitudes:
VOLUME FLOW MASS FLOW TOTAL
ALTITUDE CORRECTION CORRECTION CORRECTION
FACTOR FACTOR FACTOR
Mean Sea Level 1 1 1
1000 ft above MSL 0.9984 0.964 0.9625
2000 ft above MSL 0.9969 0.93 0.927
3000 ft above MSL 0.9954 0.896 0.892
4000 ft above MSL 0.994 0.863 0.858
5000 ft above MSL 0.9926 0.832 0.826
6000 ft above MSL 0.9912 0.801 0.794
7000 ft above MSL 0.9899 0.77 0.762
8000 ft above MSL 0.9887 0.743 0.735
9000 ft above MSL 0.9874 0.715 0.706
10000 ft above MSL 0.9862 0.688 0.6785
The thinner air at altitude causes two other things to happen that affect air compressor
packages. First, the actual horsepower required by a particular compressor goes down as the
altitude goes up. This is due to the fact that the air becomes less dense (thinner air requires less
power to compress it) as altitude increases. As the air becomes less dense it also loses some of its
ability to transfer heat. This second effect means that motors lose some of their ability to dissipate
heat and can no longer be run at the rated horsepower levels. At about 7500 feet above MSL, the
motor's available horsepower curve and the compressor's horsepower requirement curve cross.
Either a larger motor will be required, ambient temperatures will have to be maintained below the
motors nameplate temperature rating or shorter motor life will have to be accepted for
installations above 7500 feet.
Altitude also affects the efficiency of the lubricant cooler and aftercooler. Tech data is
based on sea level conditions. The cooler performance degrades with altitude.

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Useful Formulas
1) Estimating horsepower requirements at pressures other than rated pressure.
In most rotary screw compressors, increasing or decreasing the pressure settings will have
similar effects. The rule of thumb is:
For every 1 PSIG change from rated pressure, the brake horsepower required will
change 0.5% from the rated BHP. Increase the pressure by 10 PSIG and the
BHP will go up 5%. Decrease the pressure by 20 PSIG and the BHP will go
down 10%.
2) Estimating volume flow rates at pressures other than rated pressure.
Changes in discharge pressure from the rated pressure of the compressor will result in
changes in the overall compression ratio. These compression ratio changes will cause changes in
the volumetric efficiency of the compressor that will result in changes in capacity. The rule of
thumb is:
For every 10 PSIG change from rated discharge pressure, the CFM capacity of
the compressor will change 0.4% from the rated capacity. Reducing pressure
from 110 PSIG to 100 PSIG will result in a capacity increase of four tenths of one
percent. Increasing the pressure by 10 PSIG will cause a reduction in capacity of
about four tenths of one percent.
3) Estimating power costs.
To estimate power costs, you will need to know the following:

a) What is the cost per KWH?
b) How many hours per year does the compressor run?
c) At what capacity will the compressor run or how many hours will the compressor run
at various load levels?
d) What are the brake horsepower requirements of the compressor at the required load
levels?
e) What is the motor efficiency?
It is important to use actual CFM requirements to figure the load level of the compressor.
Do not base power cost calculations on comments like, "About half the time we run at full load
and about half the time we run at 70% of full load." Full load for one machine may not be the
same as full load for another machine. Always determine the exact air requirement in order to
provide the customer with a power cost calculation that approximates his situation.
Motor efficiencies vary from horsepower to horsepower and from manufacturer to

manufacturer within horsepower ranges. The only way to accurately figure power costs will be to
use the motor efficiency number on the nameplate of the actual motor being used.

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With the above information in hand, annual power costs can be estimated by using the
following formulas:
1) kW = BHP x .746 / motor efficiency
EXAMPLE - Find the kW of a 100 HP, normal efficiency motor running at a 95 HP
load.
kW = 95 x .746 / .93 = 76.2
2) Cost per hour = KWH x power cost

EXAMPLE - Find the cost per hour to operate the compressor in the above example
assuming a cost per KWH of 7 cents.
Cost per hour = 76.2 x 0.07 = $5.334
To find the annual power costs, calculate the cost per hour of operating at the various
anticipated load levels and multiply by the anticipated number of hours that the machine will
operate at those load levels.
4) Estimating additional capacity required to raise system from one pressure to a higher
pressure.
To calculate the additional capacity required you need to know:

1) Current CFM capacity (total) of all compressors feeding the system.
2) Current system pressure (PSIG).
3) Desired system pressure (PSIG).
4) Ambient absolute pressure (PSIA).
The formula for this calculation is:
(Desired Absolute System Pressure divided by Current Absolute System Pressure)
times Current CFM Capacity equals Actual Capacity Required to achieve Desired
System Pressure.
EXAMPLE:
What is the additional capacity required to maintain a 100 PSIG system pressure at sea
level in a system that now operates at 91 PSIG using 500 CFM?
(Desired Pressure/Current Pressure) x Current Capacity

(114.7/105.7) x 500 = Actual Capacity Required
1.085 x 500 = 542.5 CFM
5) Estimating BTU heat rejection of air-cooled rotary screw compressors.
Heat transfer in rotary screw compressors is dependent on a number of factors concerning

efficiencies of lubricant coolers and aftercoolers and the rate of radiant cooling. The only way to
arrive at exact heat rejection rates is to actually test the compressor under anticipated operating
conditions. Approximate heat rejection rates of rotary screw compressors in standard plant

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operating conditions for use in designing heat recovery packages or use in sizing additional plant
air conditioning requirements can be easily calculated. The rule of thumb is:
The total BTUs per minute of heat rejected by a rotary screw compressor is equal
to the brake horsepower being used times 42.41. A 100 BHP compressor would
have a total heat load of 4,241 BTU/minute. Of this total, about 8% is rejected
as radiant heat. Of the remaining 92%, about 85% (78.2% of total) is rejected
through the lubricant cooler and about 15% (13.8% of total) is rejected through
the aftercooler.
Control Methods
Load Control--Load / No Load (On-line, Off-line)
One of the earliest control schemes for rotary screw compressors was the simple
adaptation of reciprocating-type controls to the rotary screw compressor. These pressure-based
controls operate within a pressure range of about 10 to 15 PSIG. The compressor will run at full
capacity until the measured system pressure reaches the upper set point of the pressure switch.
When this set point is reached, a signal is sent to close the inlet valve and relieve some or all of
the pressure in the lubricant separator reservoir. The only air being compressed, at this point, is
air that has leaked around the inlet valve plate. With some controls, this leakage is calibrated so
that an amount of air is always being delivered to the air/lubricant reservoir to maintain enough
positive pressure to ensure proper lubricant circulation. With the inlet valve closed, the
compressor is said to be running unloaded. When the system pressure drops to the lower pressure
set point, a signal is sent to reopen the inlet valve and the compressor is again running fully
loaded. This control can adequately satisfy system demands, if applied to a system designed to
use this type of compressor control. Applying a compressor with this type of control to a system
that has not been specifically designed for it can result in higher than expected energy
consumption, unacceptable fluctuations in system pressure, and lower than expected equipment
life.
Traditionally, published power consumption curves for rotary screw compressors have
simplified the actual operating conditions of this type of control, resulting in an overly optimistic
portrayal of energy requirements. Part-load power requirement calculations were actually based
on the operating characteristics of reciprocating compressors. The traditional method of
calculating power consumption at levels other than full load is to factor the power consumed at
full load and the power consumed at unload as a function of time at each of these load levels. To
find the power consumed at 80% of full load capacity one would multiply the full load
horsepower requirement by .8, the percent of time spent at full load, then multiply the unload
horsepower requirement by .2, the percent of time spent at unload, then add the two numbers
together. Actual screw compressor operation differs from this considerably.
Lubricant-flooded rotary screw compressors must also have controls designed to limit the
amount of lubricant carryover into the downstream air system. When a compressor with load/no

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load control is operating at full load, several things are happening. The system pressure is rising
from the lower pressure set point to the upper set point (usually 10 PSIG higher than the lower
set point). As the upper set point is reached, the inlet valve closes and the compressor stops
producing air for the system. At this point, the lubricant separator element is saturated, having
been subjected to the full flow of the compressed air and lubricant mix and the lubricant is
saturated with air bubbles. When the compressor control closes the inlet valve, it also opens a
blowdown valve to relieve some of the pressure in the air/lubricant reservoir. It must retain some
pressure in the reservoir, however, to provide scavenging capability as the separator element
drains and to prevent foaming as the air in the lubricant expands. Without a pressure differential
between the scavenge tube in the separator element and the return point on the compressor,
lubricant could not be removed and this remaining lubricant would blow downstream when the
compressor reloaded.
A small horsepower compressor may be able to relieve reservoir pressure in about 15

seconds. A 100 horsepower compressor requires around 30 seconds. The separator elements
used in 300 horsepower compressors require one to one and one half minutes to completely drain.
The reservoir does not maintain full pressure during this drain period, but uses an orificed
blowdown valve to maintain at least some pressure near the end of the cycle.
Since reservoir pressure is not instantaneously relieved, horsepower does not immediately
fall to the unloaded level when the inlet valve closes. Tests show that horsepower requirements
typically fall to about 80% of the full load level when the inlet valve closes, and then fall steadily
to the unload power requirement while the compressor is reducing the reservoir pressure. The
actual average horsepower required for a load/no load compressor operating at less than full
capacity is a function of the following factors:
1) Initial full load BHP requirement

2) Final full load BHP requirement
3) Initial unload BHP requirement
4) Final unload BHP requirement
5) Reservoir blowdown time requirement
6) Load/Unload cycle time
This can be illustrated by using a typical 1000 CFM compressor with a 1000 gallon air
receiver and calculating the horsepower required at various loads. Typical performance for a
machine this size would include: 222 BHP at full load and maximum discharge pressure (110
PSIG); 210.9 BHP at full load and initial load pressure (100 PSIG, 1 PSIG change in pressure
results in 0.5% change in horsepower required); 55.5 BHP at final unloaded level; 177.6 BHP at
initial unloaded level; 60 second reservoir blowdown time; 14.5 PSIA ambient pressure.
The load cycle time at a particular demand level can be calculated from the above
information by using the following formula:
(Receiver Volume ft3 x Pressure Differential PSIG)

= Cycle Time in Minutes
(Flow CFM x Ambient Pressure PSIA)

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To convert the receiver volume from gallons to cubic feet, multiply the number of gallons by
0.1337. With an 800 CFM demand, the flow in CFM for the loaded condition would be 200,
since that is the amount of compressed air, above system demand, available to raise the receiver
pressure. The flow in CFM for the unloaded condition would be 800, since the receiver satisfying
the entire demand without help from the compressor. The pressure differential is the difference
between the upper set point, 110 PSIG, and the lower set point, 100 PSIG, or 10 PSIG.
Substituting these numbers would produce the following equations:
Loaded Operation
133.7x10
200x14.5
=.461 Minutes
Unloaded Operation
133.7x10
800x14.5
=.115 Minutes
A system demand of 800 CFM will result in a load cycle of 27.7 seconds loaded and 6.9
seconds unloaded, when being supplied by a 1000 CFM compressor with a 1000 gallon air
receiver. The total cycle time to supply a steady 800 CFM demand is 34.6 seconds. With an 80%
(800 CFM) demand, the cycle would start at 100 PSIG. The 1000 CFM compressor would
deliver that amount to
Load/No Load Cycle the 1000 gallon
receiver. 800 CFM
1000 CFM Compressor w/1000 Gal. Receiver would be used to
satisfy the system
230
Final Load Final Load demand and the
220 remaining 200 CFM of
Initial Load Initial Load
210 compressor capacity
200 would be used to raise
190 the receiver pressure
180
from 100 PSIG to 110
PSIG. The
170
Initial Unload Reload Initial Unload
Reload
horsepower required
160 for full load operation
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
would be the average
of the initial loaded
Actual BHP Profile Actual Average Theoretical Average
horsepower (210.9)
800 CFM Demand (Figure 1) and the final loaded
horsepower (222), or
216.45.
When the receiver pressure reached 110 PSIG, the compressor closed the inlet valve and
began to relieve the separator reservoir pressure. For this machine, it takes 60 seconds for the
reservoir pressure to drop to its design point. During that 60 seconds, the horsepower will drop
steadily from the initial unloaded requirement (177.6) to the final unloaded requirement (55.5).
The compressor, however, is only running unloaded for 6.9 seconds at a time and never reaches
its final unloaded reservoir pressure. Falling at the rate of 2.035 BHP/second, unloaded

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horsepower will fall from 177.6 to 163.56 (This cycle is illustrated on Figure 1). The
horsepower required to run this example would be:
(average loaded BHP x % of time loaded) + (average unloaded BHP x % of time unloaded)
or
(216.45 x .8) + (170.58 x .2)
or
173.16 + 34.12 = 207.28 BHP
Using a larger air receiver will lengthen the load an unload times and will make the
unloading transition period a smaller percentage of the overall cycle time, improving the
horsepower required to run at a particular load level. Figure 2 shows power consumption at
various load levels with different receiver sizes. At a 50% load level, actual performance with a
1000 gallon receiver is about 40% higher than typical published performance. Increasing the
receiver size ten fold results in improved performance, but actual horsepower required at 50%
load is still 12 % higher
than published numbers
Load/No Load Power Curves would indicate. In
order to reach the
At Various Load Levels
theoretical performance
230 curve, the reservoir
210
blowdown period must
190
be an insignificant
percentage of the total
170
w/1,000 Gal. Rec. unloaded cycle time.
150
w/10,000 Gal. Rec.
130
Typical Published Perf. In multiple machine
110 applications, the
90 number of machines is
70 limited by the maximum
50 acceptable system
0 200 400 600 800 1000
pressure variation.
Each load/no load
1000 CFM Compressor (Figure 2) machine has to be set
with its upper and
lower pressure points at
least 2 PSIG different from the next closest compressor. Staggered in such a manner,
compressors added to a system designed originally to operate between 100 and 110 PSIG would
either have to waste horsepower to compress to higher than required pressures, or operate at a
lower than desired operating pressure. With five machines in such a system, plant air pressures
would have to drop to 92 PSIG before the final machine was instructed to run fully loaded.
Pressure is horsepower. Horsepower is money. If a plant air system can operate at a

minimum pressure of 92 PSIG, having to compress air to 110 PSIG in order to sequence
machines wastes 9% of a machine's full load power. The rule of thumb with rotary screw
compressors is; a change of 1 PSIG changes the BHP required by 0.5%.

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Capacity Control--Modulation
Load/No Load controls rely on a constant swing in discharge air pressure of about 10
PSIG. This constant fluctuation is undesirable in most applications because air device efficiency
changes between 1% and 1.4% for each pound of supply pressure change. In applications that
have small storage capacities, load/no load controls produce rapid pressure fluctuations and
excessive inlet valve wear. Modulation control addresses both of those issues by providing a
constant system pressure with minimal valve movement at any given system demand. Power
consumption does not, however, decline with increased air receiver capacity as it does with
load/no load controls. Because reduced demand produces higher pressure at a reduced flow rate,
modulating compressors usually have lower lubricant carryover than comparable load/no load
compressors.
Modulating controls usually use a 10 to 15 PSIG pressure range to determine the

compressor response to the system demand. Setting this type of control for a full load operating
pressure of 100 PSIG means that the inlet valve is completely open at all pressures below 100
PSIG. A rise in system air pressure above this setting indicates that the system is no longer using
the full capacity of the compressor and the excess capacity is causing the pressure rise. As soon
as the pressure rises above the full load setting, a signal is sent (pneumatically or electrically) to
start closing the inlet valve to reduce the compressor capacity. Airends for modulating machines,
like airends for load/no load machines, have a fixed displacement. The only way to modulate the
capacity of a fixed displacement compressor is to reduce the absolute suction pressure between
the inlet valve and the rotors by restricting the inlet flow. As the gas laws dictate, reducing the
pressure by 10% reduces the mass in a fixed volume (the fixed displacement airend) by 10%. This
process is seamless over the modulating range of the compressor. By the time the system
pressure has risen to the upper limit of the control, the inlet valve is completely closed.
Load/no load controls require the lower pressure set point to be adjusted to the minimum
system pressure required. This type of control will operate the compressor at full capacity until
the pressure is 10 PSIG above this minimum point. Operation at this upper point requires about
5% more horsepower than operation at the lower (system design) pressure. Modulating
compressors start at the same minimum system pressure requirement and only exceed that
pressure if demand is less than capacity. This gives modulating compressors a power advantage
over load/no load compressors when system pressure rises.
The horsepower required to compress a gas is a function of the mass and compression
ratio. Increasing system pressure triggers the inlet valve to reduce the inlet flow, resulting in
reduced suction pressure. As the discharge pressure rises, suction pressure drops and the number
of compression ratios increases. Because the number of compression ratios increases as the mass
flow drops, part load operation of modulating compressors requires a significant percentage of
their full load power requirement. Figure 3 illustrates the power required by modulating
compressors at various load levels. It is only slightly better than a load/no load compressor with a
receiver sized at one gallon of storage per CFM of compressor capacity. Note that the shape of
the curve and the rate of decline is almost identical to the load/no load curve using one gallon of
storage per CFM of capacity. The advantage is in where the curve starts. Modulating controls

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do not have to run
Modulating Control Power Curve at full capacity at
pressures higher
At Various Load Levels (100 PSIG System Req.) than the system
design pressure.
225
Load/no load
205
controls have a
starting point that
185 is an average of
the horsepower
165 required at either
end of their full
145
capacity range.
125
Their lower
500 600 700 800 900 1000 control point is the
system design
Inlet Modulation L/NL w/1000 Gal L/NL w/10000 Gal pressure and their
upper point is 10
1000 CFM Compressor (Figure 3) PSIG higher.
Modulating
compressors running in multiple machine applications are subject to the same limits on numbers of
machines as load/no load compressors. All modulating machines in a multiple machine application
may be running at less than full load at the same time. While this results in a very steady plant air
pressure, it is not a very efficient use of power.
Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control
When utility companies began raising electricity costs and started penalizing users with
high demands, instead of discounting costs when demands increased, compressor manufacturers
looked for more efficient ways to control rotary screw compressors at part load. Rotor length
control was developed to allow a compressor to match its output to the system demand without
the penalty of increasing compression ratios. By controlling the effective length of the rotor
compression area, inlet pressure can remain steady and compression ratios fairly constant over the
upper 50% of the compressor's capacity. This method of reducing mass flow without increasing
compression ratios provides a distinct power advantage when operating at part load. Several
methods of controlling the effective length of rotors are currently in production. Although all
types offer better efficiencies at some point in their part load operating range than modulating
controls or load/no load controls, the design and manufacture of each type of rotor length control
has both operating and efficiency differences.
Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control--Turn Valve (Spiral Valve)
The turn valve and the spiral valve are of essentially the same design. Each type is based
on a patent issued to Mike Herschler, John Shoop and Robert Anderson, who were working for
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Gardner-Denver at the time. The companies that manufacture these designs use different control
methods, but the mechanics of controlling the effective length of the compression area are the
same with both valves. Both designs incorporate a number of ports in the low pressure inlet end
of the rotor housing, near where the two rotor bores meet. These ports are as deep as the housing
is thick. Below these ports is a cylindrical shaped valve with a spiral cut groove that either seals
the port or opens to a cavity that connects to the inlet air passageway. Because these ports are
located at the start of the compression cycle and pressure is very low, opening the port, even a
small amount, prevents compression from beginning until the rotor tips pass the partition in the
rotor bore casting that separates the ports. This effectively reduces the trapped volume of air to
compressed and reduces the horsepower required.
Closing the ports creates a clearance pocket in the rotor bore. As the tip of the rotor
passes over this pocket, some of the air being compressed slips around the tip of the rotor and
passes from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure. This hurts the efficiency at
load levels above 50%, when compression is taking place in the part of the rotor bore that
contains these pockets. Typically, this efficiency loss is about four percent, according to one of
the co-inventers and verified by test results. A compressor with a turn or spiral valve will either
use more power to make the same air as the identical compressor without pockets or it will
produce less air at the same horsepower. Figure 4 illustrates typical power consumption and
CFM production for this type of control. To deliver 1000 CFM, the compressor starts at a higher
horsepower level than the other control methods. Below 900 CFM, the turn/spiral valve uses less
horsepower per CFM than modulation or either of the load/no load scenarios.
For multiple machine applications, both designs use a pressure deadband type of
control. Each machine
must initially be set to
Turn Valve Power Curve operate with a two or
At Various Load Levels (100 PSIG System Req.) three pound
differential between
225 compressors. One
205
control scheme uses a
timer to close the gap
185 between machines if
165 air usage remains
steady over a
145
predetermined period
125 of time. Another
500 600 700 800 900 1000 control method uses
the same logic used to
Inlet Modulation L/NL w/1000 Gal control load/no load
L/NL w/10000 Gal Turn/Spiral Valve
and modulating
machines. Both
1000 CFM Compressor (Figure 4)
control methods allow
individual machines to
control their own

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capacity and function more as a means of evening operating hours for maintenance purposes.
These controls will rotate base load and trim machines based on a selected time interval. This
rotation sequence is fixed, so machines must be of similar size. Because each machine controls its
own capacity, several machines may be operating at part load at the same time. Since part load
operation is always less efficient than the full load operation of a given type of compressor, this
multiple machine control scheme is not as efficient as one that operated all compressors at full
load except one trim machine.
Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control--Curved Lift Valve
Quincy Compressor developed the curved lift valve method of effective rotor length
control to overcome the efficiency losses associated with what the turn valve patent refers to as
"...the unavoidable unswept volume formed by the auxiliary ports which open into the compressor
working chambers." Instead of operating a valve that required "auxiliary ports", Quincy took
advantage of our state-of-the-art machining capabilities and designed a system of valves that are
machined in place while the rotor bores are being cut. The actual faces of the valves are
dimensionally identical to the rotor bore and have no "unswept volume" that would reduce
volumetric efficiency (see Power$ync option brochure for illustration). This rotor length control
design is the only
one in use on air
Curved Lift Valve Power Curve compressors that
maintains the full
At Various Load Levels (100 PSIG System Req.)
efficiency of solid
rotor bores.
225
Figure 5 shows
205 that the slope of
the turn/spiral
185
valve and curved
165 lift curve are very
similar. The
145
primary difference
125 is that the curved
500 600 700 800 900 1000
lift valve efficiency
improvement
Inlet Modulation L/NL w/1000 Gal L/NL w/10000 Gal allows it to make
Turn/Spiral Valve Curved Lift Valves the same CFM as
the turn/spiral
1000 CFM Compressor (Figure 5) valve at a lower
initial horsepower.

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Capacity Control--Variable Frequency Drive
Quincy Compressor and a major VFD manufacturer were involved in a joint study of the
feasibility of using variable frequency drive to control compressor capacity prior to Quincy's
development of the curved lift valve concept of capacity control. Initial results looked very
promising. It appeared that this type of control would be more efficient than any other method of
reducing the power required to operate at less than full load. Quincy was very interested in this
because it required no new airend design and no major package design changes. Unfortunately,
there is one major drawback to this method of control.
Variable frequency drives work by converting 60 Hertz current to direct current and then
reconverting it to the proper frequency required to turn the drive motor at the desired speed. This
conversion uses an additional 4% to 6% more energy. If the actual motor horsepower (kW) is
charted, it outperforms all other forms of capacity control. If, however, the power required to
make the
conversion is
Variable Frequency Drive Power Curve added back
to the motor
At Various Load Levels (100 PSIG System Req.) power, VFD
fails to
220 outperform
the turn
200
valve in the
180 upper 20%
of its
160
operating
140 range and
fails to
120
500 600 700 800 900 1000 outperform
the curved
lift valve in
Inlet Modulation L/NL w/1000 Gal L/NL w/10000 Gal
the upper
Turn/Spiral Valve Curved Lift Valves VFD
40% of its
operating
1000 CFM Compressor (Figure 6) range. For
compressors
that lack a turn valve or curved lift valve feature, and are being used in applications that do not
require the full capacity of the compressor, installing a VFD will improve part load efficiency
when compared to modulating-type controls.
Another issue that must be considered when evaluating the potential benefit of a VFD is
the operating speed of the airend. Rotary screw compressor efficiency changes with changes in
RPM. The efficiency of a given size and design of airend is governed, in part, by the tip speed of
the rotors. Tip speed is the speed, in meters per second, that the outside perimeter of a given
rotor is traveling. Efficiency remains relatively constant through a range of speeds, but falls off

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very dramatically if the airend is operating even slightly out of the proper range of speeds. On
some compressors, installing a VFD will result in virtually no part load power savings. It is very
important to contact the compressor manufacturer before installing VFD on existing compressors
in order to determine airend efficiency at the proposed operating speeds.
Multiple Machine Controls
Controlling multiple machines offers the largest opportunity for energy savings.
Pressure-based controls are offered by all compressor manufacturers. Only Quincy offers an
OEM, flow-based controller for multiple compressor installations. The controller is Power$ync.
In multiple machine applications it is not uncommon for the energy savings afforded by
Power$ync to pay back the entire conversion from competitive machines in less than two years.
In typical multiple machine installations, including installations using the Quincy

Demand-A-Matic, compressors will be running at different pressure settings. Most installations
require each compressor's operating pressure range to be set at least five PSIG apart. If the
minimum required pressure for the entire system is 100 PSIG and there are four compressors, the
compressors would likely be set to run in the following ranges:
Compressor 1 100-115 PSIG

The compressor in the fourth position would be set to run 15 PSIG higher than the system
pressure requirement just to make the pressure-based control work properly. This uses about
7.5% more horsepower than the compressor in position 1. Controls that use pressure transducers
and microprocessors can narrow the gap between compressors to about 2 PSIG, but that creates
problems. A wide gap between machines will result in fewer machines running to meet a
particular demand, but higher operating pressures will offset the savings and add to the artificial
demand. Leaks and unregulated air use will consume more CFM at higher pressures, adding to
the system demand. A narrow gap between machines keeps the artificial demand to a minimum,
but more machines will be running at part load to satisfy a particular demand.
To illustrate how this works, consider the following application that has three demand
levels; 1600 CFM, 2500 CFM and 5000 CFM. Assume that, with a 5000 CFM maximum
demand, the customer uses five 1000 CFM compressors. These compressors are set to have a 10
PSIG modulation range and the modulation ranges are set two PSIG apart. Also assume that all
the inlet valves are working perfectly and a change in pressure of one PSIG will result in a 10%
change in capacity.

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1600 CFM Demand

Pressure-Based Logic - 1000 CFM Units
120
PSIG With a 1600 CFM demand, the
system pressure will settle at 111 PSIG.
115
This will have four of the five compressors
110
operating at part load and one compressor
105 off or unloaded. At this load level, 1.6
100
compressors could satisfy the demand but
95
four machines are running.
Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5
70% 50% 30% 10% Unloaded
Loaded Loaded Loaded Loaded
2500 CFM Demand

Pressure-Based Logic - 1000 CFM Units
PSIG
120
At a 2500 CFM demand, system

115
pressure would fall to 109 PSIG and all five
110
compressors would be running, all at less
105 than full load. Only at 5000 CFM would the
100 system run with any efficiency.
95
90% 70% 50% 30% 10%
Loaded Loaded Loaded Loaded Loaded
Horsepower Required Using Old

Technology
1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 Total
CFM CFM CFM CFM CFM
This chart shows the horsepower
1600 CFM
70%= 50%= 30%= 10%=
0%=0 698.9
required in the typical system illustrated
197.4 182.5 167.8 151.2
above. In this system, it takes almost 700
2500 CFM
90%=
210.5
70%=
195.5
50%=
180.7
30%=
166.1
10%=
149.7
902.5 horsepower to provide 1600 CFM.
100%= 100%= 100%= 100%= 100%=
5000 CFM 1075.5
219.3 217.2 215.1 213 210.9
A more efficient control method is one that allows a mix of compressor sizes that can
supply demand with machines running at full, or nearly full load. Power$ync accomplishes this
with flexible scheduling and sequencing. With Power$ync, only one machine at a time trim to
match demand.

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Flow-Based System - 1600 CFM

PSIG
120 At the 1600 CFM demand level, a
mix of Power$ync machines could be
110
scheduled to have a 1000 CFM
100 compressor and a 750 CFM compressor
operating to satisfy the system
90
1000 750 1500 1000 750
requirements. Three of the five machines
CFM CFM CFM CFM CFM
could be off.
80
100% 80% OFF OFF OFF
Loaded Loaded
Flow-Based System - 2500 CFM

PSIG
120 At 2500 CFM, two machines could
be scheduled, a 1000 CFM compressor
110
and a 1500 CFM compressor. Both of
100 these machines would be running at their
peak efficiency level, full load, and the
90 other machines would be off.
1000 750 1500 1000 750
CFM CFM CFM CFM CFM
80
100% OFF 100% OFF OFF
Loaded Loaded
Horsepower Required Using New

Technology The horsepower required for
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 anything less than 5000 CFM would be
1000 1500 1000 750 Total
CFM
750 CFM
CFM CFM CFM substantially lower with Power$ync. At
1600 CFM, Power$ync would require
100%= 80%=
1600 CFM 0%= 0 0%= 0 0%=0 344.1
210.9 133.2 354.8 less horsepower. At 2500 CFM,
100%= 100%=
Power$ync would save 369.6
2500 CFM 0%= 0 0%= 0 0%= 0 532.9
210.9 322 horsepower. At 5000 CFM, the mix of
5000 CFM
100%= 100%= 100%= 100%= 100%=
1063
compressors in the Power$ync system
210.9 159.6 322 210.9 159.6
would use 12.5 fewer horsepower. At
$.07/kWh and running 4000 hours per
year at 5000 CFM and 2000 hours per
year at each of the lower demand level, Power$ync would save over $78,000.00 per year in
electrical costs. Running more hours at part load would increase the savings.

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Two-Stage Rotary Screw Compressors
Single-stage compressors compress air from a given inlet pressure to the final discharge
pressure in one step or stage. With this type of compressor, the overall compression ratio and the
compression ratio per stage are equal. Compressing sea level air to 100 PSIG (14.7 PSIA to
114.7 PSIA) results in an overall compression ratio of 7.8 to 1.
Two-stage compressors compress air from a given inlet pressure to the final discharge
pressure in two steps or stages. The first stage takes a given volume from the absolute inlet
pressure to an intermediate pressure. The second stage takes a volume at the intermediate
pressure and compresses it to the final discharge pressure. While the overall compression ratio
remains the same, regardless of the number of stages, the compression ratio per stage for a
two-stage compressor is the square root of the overall compression ratio. Compressing from sea
level to 100 PSIG yields an ideal compression ratio per stage of 2.793. The first stage would
raise the absolute pressure from 14.7 PSIA to 41.06 PSIA, 14.7 PSIA times 2.793. The second
stage would take the air at 41.06 PSIA and compress it to 114.7 PSIA. The power savings of
two-stage compression is due to the fact that the total compression ratio for this example is the
sum of the compression ratios per stage, or 5.586. Since power required to compress a gas is a
function of the total compression ratios and the mass flow, single-stage compression, with its
higher total compression ratio would require more power than a two-stage compressor
compressing the same volume of mass. That is the way things work...in theory.
The ideal compression ratio per stage assumes several things. There must be perfect
intercooling, the inlet temperature to each stage must be the same. Each stage must be sized and
ported exactly. The compressor must run at a single design point or be able to vary the volume of
both stages. In fluid-flooded, two-stage rotary screw compressors intercooling is not possible.
To cool the air stream between stages would result in water condensation that would immediately
mix with the lubricating fluid as it entered the second stage. Some cooling fluid is usually injected
between the stages, but it does not cool the interstage temperature to the ambient temperature.
Sizing and porting each stage is done for operation at full load. Move away from full load and
today's two-stage screws drop efficiency fast.
There are two primary control schemes for two-stage, flooded screws on the market
today. First is simple inlet modulation. An inlet valve on the first stage responds to increasing
system pressure by restricting the inlet flow. Second is variable displacement (spiral valve). This
method also controls only the first stage flow. Neither method addresses second stage capacity.
At full load, both types of compressors are operating with inlet valves wide open and have
near ambient pressure entering the rotor housing. As system pressure rises, the modulating
control will start to close the inlet valve, resulting in decreased pressure at the rotor face. If the
system requires 75% of the compressor's capacity, the inlet valve will restrict flow to the point
that the absolute pressure at the rotor face is 75% of ambient. At sea level, that would mean that
the pressure at the inlet to the rotors would be 11.03 PSIA instead of 14.7 PSIA. The first stage
would still compress this air 2.793 times and would discharge the air at 30.79 PSIA. Assuming
that the system pressure had risen a couple of pounds in order to signal the machine to modulate,
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the second stage would now be compressing from 30.79 PSIA to 116.7 PSIA. This would result
in a second stage compression ratio of 3.8. The total compression ratio is the sum of the two
stages, 2.79 + 3.8, or 6.59. This increase in total compression ratio offsets the decrease in mass
flow and makes part-load performance follow a standard modulating power curve.
Using a variable displacement airend on the first stage improves part-load performance
only slightly. The gas laws dictate that the fixed displacement second stage will draw the
interstage pressure down to the exact same level as in the modulating example when running at
less than full load. The same number of molecules occupying the same volume will result in the
same pressure. This means that the second stage compression ratio will be the same as the
modulating machine's second stage. The first stage compression ratio will drop because the
interstage pressure has dropped. The inlet valve remains open to the 14.7 PSIA ambient pressure
and it only has to compress up to 30.79 PSIA. In practice, exactly matching the first stage's
built-in pressure ratio to the interstage pressure at various load levels does not happen. If the
airend was designed to optimize full load performance, it is probably doing some
over-compression at part load.
The full load efficiency of a two-stage compressor with a spiral valve first stage will be
less that a comparable fixed displacement or curved lift valve compressor. Just as with
single-stage turn and spiral valve compressors, the cast-in ports in the bottom of the rotor housing
act as leak paths around the tips of the rotors. Sullair does not acknowledge this loss of efficiency
in either single-stage or two-stage literature.
Controllers for multiple machine installations of two-stage compressors are the same ones
used for single-stage compressors. They use a pressure-based logic that relies on deadbands to
stagger identically sized compressors. Any full load power savings can quickly evaporate with
several compressors running at less than full load.
Using the multiple machine example from a few pages earlier we can compare the
operating costs of a two-stage Ingersoll-Rand system to a Quincy Power$ync system. With the
Ingersoll system, one would need one 200 HP, 1100 CFM, 100 PSIG machine and four 200 HP,
990 CFM, 125 PSIG machines. Calculating the reduced horsepower required by the 125 PSIG
compressors running from 102 to 108 PSIG full load results in the following BHP consumption
levels:
Demand 2-Stage BHP Power$ync BHP Savings w/Power$ync
5000 CFM 1,012 1,063 <51>
2500 CFM 866.4 532.9 333.5
1600 CFM 669.2 344.1 325.1
Applying the same duty cycle and the same power costs as the previous example, the Quincy
Power$ync system would save over $61,000.00 per year, when compared to Ingersoll's
two-stage offering. ALWAYS look at the total system performance, not just one machine at one
operating point.

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Calculating BHP Requirements For Less Than Full Load Operation
Modulating single (All) and two-stage (Ingersoll-Rand) rotary screw compressors:

To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of compressed air that is less than the
full load capacity of a modulating rotary screw compressor, convert the desired CFM demand
level into a percentage of the full load capacity of the compressor. If the demand on a 750 CFM
compressor was 600 CFM, the percentage would be 80%. Find the Percent of Capacity in the
chart below and note the multiplier next to it. Multiply the drive motor BHP by the number
corresponding to the demand percentage. This will give you an estimate of the brake horsepower
required to meet the specified air demand.
Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load

Full Load BHP Full Load BHP Full Load BHP
Capacity Multiplier Capacity Multiplier Capacity Multiplier
100% 1 80% 0.9577 60% 0.9033
99% 0.9981 79% 0.9554 59% 0.9001
98% 0.9962 78% 0.9529 58% 0.8968
97% 0.9942 77% 0.9505 57% 0.8935
96% 0.9923 76% 0.948 56% 0.8902
95% 0.9903 75% 0.9455 55% 0.8868
94% 0.9883 74% 0.943 54% 0.8833
93% 0.9863 73% 0.9404 53% 0.8798
92% 0.9842 72% 0.9378 52% 0.8762
91% 0.9821 71% 0.9351 51% 0.8725
90% 0.98 70% 0.9324 50% 0.8687
89% 0.9779 69% 0.9297 Power consumption at
88% 0.9758 68% 0.927 levels below those listed
87% 0.9736 67% 0.9242 in these tables has not
86% 0.9714 66% 0.9213 been calculated because
85% 0.9692 65% 0.9184 of the wide variety of
84% 0.967 64% 0.9155 control combinations
83% 0.9647 63% 0.9125 used by various
82% 0.9624 62% 0.9095 manufacturers at low
81% 0.9601 61% 0.9064 load levels.
If, in the above example, the BHP listed for the 750 CFM compressor was 163, then the BHP
required at the 600 CFM level (80% of full load) would be 163 x .9577 or 156.1 BHP.

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Variable displacement rotary screw compressors with built-in clearance volume (Turn
Valve and Spiral Valve):
To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of air that is less than the full
capacity of a variable displacement rotary screw compressor with built-in clearance volumes,
follow the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the
following table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.
100% 1 80% 0.8629 60% 0.7448
99% 0.9926 79% 0.8566
98% 0.9853 78% 0.8503
97% 0.9781 77% 0.844
96% 0.9709 76% 0.8379
95% 0.9638 75% 0.8317
94% 0.9567 74% 0.8256
93% 0.9497 73% 0.8195
92% 0.9427 72% 0.8135
91% 0.9358 71% 0.8076
90% 0.9289 70% 0.8016
89% 0.9221 69% 0.7958
88% 0.9153 68% 0.7899
87% 0.9086 67% 0.7841
86% 0.9019 66% 0.7784
85% 0.8953 65% 0.7727
84% 0.8887 64% 0.767
83% 0.8822 63% 0.7614
82% 0.8757 62% 0.7558
81% 0.8693 61% 0.7503

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Variable displacement rotary screw compressors without built-in clearance volume
(Power$ync):
capacity of a variable displacement rotary screw compressor without built-in clearance volumes,
follow the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the
following table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.
100% 1 80% 0.8266 60% 0.683
99% 0.9905 79% 0.8187 59% 0.6766
98% 0.9811 78% 0.811 58% 0.6701
97% 0.9718 77% 0.8033 57% 0.6638
96% 0.9626 76% 0.7956 56% 0.6575
95% 0.9535 75% 0.7881 55% 0.6512
94% 0.9445 74% 0.7806 54% 0.645
93% 0.9355 73% 0.7732 53% 0.6389
92% 0.9267 72% 0.7659 52% 0.6328
91% 0.9179 71% 0.7586 51% 0.6268
90% 0.9092 70% 0.7514 50% 0.6209
89% 0.9006 69% 0.7443
88% 0.892 68% 0.7372
87% 0.8836 67% 0.7302
86% 0.8752 66% 0.7233
85% 0.8669 65% 0.7164
84% 0.8587 64% 0.7096
83% 0.8505 63% 0.7029
82% 0.8425 62% 0.6962
81% 0.8345 61% 0.6896

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Two-stage rotary screw compressor with variable displacement first stage (Sullair):
capacity of a two-stage rotary screw compressor with a variable displacement first stage, follow
the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the following
table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.

100% 1 80% 0.9154 60% 0.8167
99% 0.996 79% 0.9108 59% 0.8113
98% 0.992 78% 0.9062 58% 0.8058
97% 0.988 77% 0.9016 57% 0.8003
96% 0.984 76% 0.897 56% 0.7947
95% 0.9799 75% 0.8923 55% 0.789
94% 0.9758 74% 0.8875 54% 0.7833
93% 0.9717 73% 0.8828 53% 0.7775
92% 0.9675 72% 0.8779
91% 0.9633 71% 0.8731
90% 0.9591 70% 0.8682
89% 0.9549 69% 0.8633
88% 0.9506 68% 0.8583
87% 0.9463 67% 0.8532
86% 0.942 66% 0.8482
85% 0.9376 65% 0.8431
84% 0.9333 64% 0.8379
83% 0.9288 63% 0.8327
82% 0.9244 62% 0.8274
81% 0.9199 61% 0.8221

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Flow of Air Through an Orifice
Gauge Diameter of Orifice in Inches
Pressure
before
orifice 1/64 1/32 1/16 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4 7/8 1
PSI Cubic Feet of Free Air per Minute
1 0.028 0.112 0.45 1.8 7.18 16.2 28.7 45 64.7 88.1 115
2 0.04 0.158 0.633 2.53 10.1 22.8 40.5 63.3 91.2 124 162
3 0.048 0.194 0.775 3.1 12.4 27.8 49.5 77.5 111 152 198
4 0.056 0.223 0.892 3.56 14.3 32.1 57 89.2 128 175 228
5 0.062 0.248 0.993 3.97 15.9 35.7 63.5 99.3 143 195 254
6 0.068 0.272 1.09 4.34 17.4 39.1 69.5 109 156 213 278
7 0.073 0.293 1.17 4.68 18.7 42.2 75 117 168 230 300
9 0.083 0.331 1.32 5.3 21.1 47.7 84.7 132 191 260 339
12 0.095 0.379 1.52 6.07 24.3 54.6 97 152 218 297 388
15 0.105 0.42 1.68 6.72 26.9 60.5 108 168 242 329 430
20 0.123 0.491 1.96 7.86 31.4 70.7 126 196 283 385 503
25 0.14 0.562 2.25 8.98 35.9 80.9 144 225 323 440 575
30 0.158 0.633 2.53 10.1 40.5 91.1 162 253 365 496 648
35 0.176 0.703 2.81 11.3 45 101 180 281 405 551 720
40 0.194 0.774 3.1 12.4 49.6 112 198 310 446 607 793
45 0.211 0.845 3.38 13.5 54.1 122 216 338 487 662 865
50 0.229 0.916 3.66 14.7 58.6 132 235 366 528 718 938
60 0.264 1.06 4.23 16.9 67.6 152 271 423 609 828 1,082
70 0.3 1.2 4.79 19.2 76.7 173 307 479 690 939 1,227
80 0.335 1.34 5.36 21.4 85.7 193 343 536 771 1,050 1,371
90 0.37 1.48 5.92 23.7 94.8 213 379 592 853 1,161 1,516
100 0.406 1.62 6.49 26 104 234 415 649 934 1,272 1,661
110 0.441 1.76 7.05 28.2 113 254 452 705 1,016 1,383 1,806
120 0.476 1.91 7.62 30.5 122 274 488 762 1,097 1,494 1,951
125 0.494 1.98 7.9 31.6 126 284 506 790 1,138 1,549 2,023
This is approximate flow based on 100% coefficient of flow. Sharp edged orifices may
flow as little as 65% of this amount and smooth, well-rounded orifices may flow as much as 97%
of the listed amount.

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Absolute Pressure and Barometer Readings at Different
Altitudes
Altitude above Absolute Barometer Altitude above Absolute Barometer
mean sea level, ft. Pressure, PSIA reading, In. Hg mean sea level, ft. Pressure, PSIA reading, In. Hg
0 14.69 29.92 6,500 11.55 23.53
500 14.42 29.38 7,000 11.33 23.09
1,000 14.16 28.86 7,500 11.12 22.65
1,500 13.91 28.33 8,000 10.91 22.22
2,000 13.66 27.82 8,500 10.7 21.8
2,500 13.41 27.31 9,000 10.5 21.38
3,000 13.16 26.81 9,500 10.3 20.98
3,500 12.92 26.32 10,000 10.1 20.58
4,000 12.68 25.84 10,500 9.9 20.18
4,500 12.45 25.36 11,000 9.71 19.75
5,000 12.22 24.89 11,500 9.52 19.4
5,500 11.99 24.43 12,000 9.34 19.03
6,000 11.77 23.98 12,500 9.15 18.65
Fluid Loss by Weight ( Air at Standard Conditions)
1 Part per Million Carryover = 0.13 ounces of lubricant / 100,000Ft3

1 Part per Million Carryover = 0.78 ounces of lubricant / 100 CFM / 100 hours
2 Parts per Million Carryover = 1.56 ounces of lubricant / 100 CFM / 100 hours
5 Parts per Million Carryover = 3.90 ounces of lubricant / 100 CFM / 100 hours
Defining Common Electrical Terminology

Electrical Enclosures for Non-Hazardous Locations (Quick Definitions)
NEMA Type Intended Use

1 Enclosures are intended for indoor use, primarily to provide a degree of
protection against contact with the enclosed equipment or locations
where unusual service conditions do not exist.
protection against limited amounts of falling water and dirt.
3 Enclosures are intended for outdoor use, primarily to provide a degree
of protection against windblown dust, rain, and sleet and remain
undamaged by the formation of ice on the enclosure.

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3R Enclosures are intended for outdoor use, primarily to provide a degree
of protection against falling rain and sleet and remain undamaged by the
formation of ice on the enclosure.
4 Enclosures are intended for indoor or outdoor use, primarily to provide
a degree of protection against windblown dust and rain, splashing water,
and hose directed water and remain undamaged by the formation of ice
on the enclosure.
4X Enclosures are intended for indoor or outdoor use, primarily to provide
a degree of protection against corrosion, windblown dust and rain,
splashing water, and hose directed water and remain undamaged by the
formation of ice on the enclosure.
6 Enclosures are intended for indoor or outdoor use where occasional
submersion is encountered.
protection against dust, falling dirt, and dripping, non-corrosive liquids.
Note: The enclosure, conduit and motor must all be suitable for a particular NEMA
designation. To have a NEMA 4 package, for example, you must have a NEMA 4 electrical
enclosure, liquid-tight conduit and a TEFC motor. ODP motors do not have liquid-tight
connections for the conduit.
Hazardous Classifications (Quincy does not provide any equipment suitable for operation in an
area classified as hazardous.)
Class Ratings - Defines the type of hazardous substance in the surrounding atmosphere.
Class I defines an area in which the atmosphere contains flammable gases or vapors emitted by
liquids.
Class II defines an area in which the atmosphere contains conductive, carbon based, and
combustible dusts.
Class III defines an area in which the atmosphere contains ignitable fibrous materials.
Group Ratings - Defines the type of hazardous substance by its explosive rating based on
other known substances in descending order, from Class I, Group A to Class II, Group G.
Group A-D refer to atmospheres containing Class I gases, vapors and liquids.
Group E-G refer to atmospheres containing Class II conductive, carbon based, and combustible
dusts.
Division Ratings - Defines the degree of hazard by determining the hazardous substance's
expected concentration in the surrounding atmosphere.
Division 1 atmospheres contain hazardous substances under normal operating conditions.

Division 2 atmospheres contain hazardous substances under abnormal operating conditions.

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Conversion Tables
TO CONVERT: INTO: MULTIPLY BY:
atmospheres torr 760
atmospheres cms of HG 76
atmospheres ft of water 33.9
atmospheres in of Hg 29.92
atmospheres kgs per sq meter 10,332
atmospheres millimeters of Hg 760
atmospheres pounds per square inch 14.7
atmospheres tons per square ft 1,058
bars atmospheres 0.987
bars pounds per square inch 14.5
British Thermal Units ft-pounds 777.6
British Thermal Units kilowatt-hours 2.929 x 10-4
BTU per minute watts 17.57
cm of mercury torr 10
cm of mercury atmospheres 0.01316
cm of mercury feet of water 0.4461
cm of mercury kgs per sq meter 136
cm of mercury pounds per sq ft 27.84
cm of mercury pounds per sq in 0.1934
cubic centimeters cubic feet 3.531 x 10-5
cubic centimeters cubic inches 6.102 x 10-2
cubic centimeters cubic meters 10-5
cubic feet cubic centimeters 2.832 x 104
cubic feet cubic inches 1,728
cubic feet cubic meters 0.02832
cubic feet cubic yards 0.03704
cubic feet gallons 7.481
cubic feet pounds of water 62.4
cubic feet per minute cubic cms per sec 471.9
cubic inches cubic centimeters 16.39
cubic inches cubic feet 5.787 x 10-4

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cubic inches cubic meters 1.639 x 10-8
cubic meters cubic centimeters 106
cubic meters cubic feet 35.31
cubic meters cubic inches 61,024
feet centimeters 30.48
feet meters 0.3048
feet of water atmospheres 0.0295
feet of water inches of Hg 0.8826
feet of water kgs per sq meter 304.8
feet of water pounds per sq ft 62.43
feet of water pounds per sq in 0.4335
gallons cubic feet 0.1337
horsepower watts 17.57
inches centimeters 2.54
in of Hg (32 degrees F) atmospheres 0.03342
in of Hg (32 degrees F) pounds per sq ft 70.72
in of Hg (32 degrees F) pounds per sq in 0.4912
in of water (4 degrees C) inches of Hg 0.07355
in of water (4 degrees C) pounds per sq in 0.03613
kgs per sq meter atmospheres 9.678 x 10-5
kgs per sq meter bars 9.807 x 10-5
kgs per sq meter inches of Hg 2.896 x 10-3
kgs per sq meter pounds per sq in 1.422 x 10-3
liters cubic centimeters 103
liters cubic feet 0.03531
liters cubic inches 61.02
liters cubic meters 10-3
liters gallons 0.2642
liters per minute cubic feet per second 5.885 x 10-4
meters feet 3.2808
meters inches 39.37
meters per second feet per minute 196.8
meters per second feet per second 3.281

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pounds grams 453.6
pounds ounces 16
pounds of water cubic feet 0.01602
pounds of water cubic inches 27.68
pounds of water gallons 0.1198
pounds per sq in atmospheres 0.06804
pounds per sq in inches of Hg 2.036
pounds per sq in kgs per sq meter 703.1
pounds per sq in pounds per sq foot 144
temp (deg C) + 273 abs temp 1
temp (deg C) + 17.8 temp degrees F 1.8
temp (deg F) + 460 abs temp 1
temp (deg F) - 32 temp degrees C 5/9
torr millimeters of Hg 1

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_________Quincy Rotary Screw Sales Manual____________

Capacity Ratings and Corrections

SCFM - Standard Cubic Feet Per Minute

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -1

(460 + Standard Temperature in Degrees F) / (460 + Ambient Temperature in Degrees F)

(460 + 68) / (460 + 90) = 528/550 = .96

400 / ((460 + 68) / (460 + 90)) = Volume required at 90oF

((460 + 68) / (460 + 90)) x 750 = Compressor SCFM Capacity at 90oF

Absolute Ambient Air Pressure / Standard Air Pressure

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -2

12.2 / 14.69 = .83

In order to provide 400 SCFM at the ambient air pressure found

12.2 / 14.69 = .83

Effects of Altitude on Flooded Rotary Screw Compressors

Absolute Ambient Pressure at sea level = 14.69 PSIA

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -3

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -4

2) Estimating volume flow rates at pressures other than rated pressure.

3) Estimating power costs.

To estimate power costs, you will need to know the following:

Motor efficiencies vary from horsepower to horsepower and from manufacturer to

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -5

2) Cost per hour = KWH x power cost

To calculate the additional capacity required you need to know:

(Desired Pressure/Current Pressure) x Current Capacity

5) Estimating BTU heat rejection of air-cooled rotary screw compressors.

Heat transfer in rotary screw compressors is dependent on a number of factors concerning

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -6

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -7

A small horsepower compressor may be able to relieve reservoir pressure in about 15

1) Initial full load BHP requirement

(Receiver Volume ft3 x Pressure Differential PSIG)

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -8

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -9

Pressure is horsepower. Horsepower is money. If a plant air system can operate at a

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -10

Modulating controls usually use a 10 to 15 PSIG pressure range to determine the

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -11

Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control

Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control--Turn Valve (Spiral Valve)

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -13

Capacity Control--Rotor Length Control--Curved Lift Valve

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -14

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -15

Multiple Machine Controls

In typical multiple machine installations, including installations using the Quincy

Compressor 1 100-115 PSIG

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -16

1600 CFM Demand

2500 CFM Demand

At a 2500 CFM demand, system

Horsepower Required Using Old

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -17

Flow-Based System - 1600 CFM

Flow-Based System - 2500 CFM

Horsepower Required Using New

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -18

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -20

Modulating single (All) and two-stage (Ingersoll-Rand) rotary screw compressors:

Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -21

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -22

Rev.3.15.97 Tech Info -23

Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load Percent of Full Load

_Quincy Rotary Screw Sales Manual____