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Contents
1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................2
2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION........................................................................................3
3. TECHNICAL DATA...................................................................................................5
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:..................................................................................6
5. THEORY......................................................................................................................7
6. PERFORMANCE INDEX:........................................................................................15
7. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES:.........................................................................18
8. DATA SHEET............................................................................................................19
9. TEACHER’S GUIDE.................................................................................................20
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
1. INTRODUCTION
Compressors are machines for compressing air or gas. They are widely used in industrial
factories for various functions as in handling of material in powder or particle form
(cement, starch and seeds), automatic system control, pneumatic power tools, chemical
compression process (sulfuric acid, ammonia gas), refrigeration, gas turbine, etc.
1. The reciprocating compressor is suitable for work application that requires high
pressure but not so high flow rate.
3. The centrifugal compressor is suitable for work application that requires not so
high pressure but very high flow rate.
4. The axial flow compressor is similar to the centrifugal compressor but for less
pressure and more flow rate.
In this manual, only reciprocating air compressor for high pressure will be discussed as
it is being most widely used today.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The test set is for studying the two-stage reciprocating air compressor characteristics.
An industrial type compressor is driven via a v-belt by a motor dynamometer with an
inverter. Air cooling of the compressor is done by fins. The air receiver has a safety
valve, a drain valve and a discharge valve.
1 2 14 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
3. TECHNICAL DATA
3.1. Compressors:
Speed: Speed sensors for motor and compressor with a selector switch, and an
indicator.
Air flow: Inlet orifice plate with an air box and an inclined water manometer.
Air box inlet diameter = D = 98.5mm
Orifice diameter = d = 25mm
Temperature measurement: Air inlet and outlet of each stage and water inlet and
outlet of intercooler.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
Typical Test:
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
Note:
Since there are water vapors in ambient air so these also get compressed along with air
to get rid of this timely drain the storage tank from the drain valve supplied at the
bottom of tank.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
5. THEORY
In the compression of air or gas, the relation between absolute pressure (P) and volume
(V) may be expressed as follow:
pVn = C 1
The graphical presentation for the change of compression state from point 1 to point 2
according to equation (1), so-called p-V diagram may be shown as in figure 2 below.
Figure 3 p-V diagram of air compression from state (1) to state (2)
C = Constant, depending on the type of gas
n = Constant, depending on the process in which gas is compressed
If the gas is compressed at a constant temperature, n = 1 and the compression process
is called “isothermal process”.
If no heat is added to or removed from the air mass during the compression,
k = Cp/Cv
Where:
Cp = Specific heat of gas at constant pressure, (normally = 1.005 kJ/kg K)
Cv = Specific heat of gas at constant volume, (normally = 0.718 kJ/kg K),
And the process is called “isentropic” or “reversible adiabatic” process.
In actual practice, the compression process is neither Isothermal nor Isentropic but a
combination of both processes. This third process is called “polytropic” process.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
Figure 5 shows the working cycle of a reciprocating air compressor. The process from
the initial state (0) to the first state (1) is in a suction stage of the operation in which the
pressure is constant until the piston moves to the bottom dead center (state 1). The
piston then returns and compresses the gas in the compression process from state 1 to
state 2 at which point the discharge valve opens while the piston still moving ahead. The
piston pushes the gas out of the cylinder in the process when pressure remains constant
until the piston reaches state 3, which is the top dead center of the piston. The
discharge valve is then closed and the piston starts to reverse its direction while the
suction valve opens and the pressure drops from state 3 to state 0. The new cycle is
then repeated indefinitely. Work done throughout the complete cycle may be calculated
as follows:
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
1 2 3 0
W cycle =∫ pdV +∫ pdV +∫ pdV +∫ pdV
0 1 2 3
2
= p1 ( V 1−0 ) +∫ pdV + p 2 ( 0−V 2 ) + 0
1
2
W cycle =( p1 V 1 − p2 V 2 )+∫ pdV
1 2
n−1
n p2
3
W sysle =
n−1
p1V1
p1 [( ) n −1
]
p1 = Atmospheric pressure
= 1.013 bar
p2
W cycle =− p1 V 1 1 n
()
p1
4
From equation (3) and (4) of the cycle 0-1-2-3, it can be seen that work done for the
isothermal process is less than the work done for the polytropic process (or as long as
the value of n is more than one).Error! Bookmark not defined.
In actual practice, reciprocating air compressor always has a clearance in the cylinder.
This clearance is expressed as % of cylinder total displacement volume and it is referred
to as % clearance (% C).
V3
%C=
V 1−V 3 5
Where
V3 = Clearance Volume
V1-V3 = Swept
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
Figure 6 p-V and T-S diagram of single air compression with clearance acting.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
The p-V diagram of figure 6 (A) is similar to that of figure 5 with an exception of state 3
being at state 3′, where the piston begins to move backward and both discharge and
suction valves are still closed. Thus the compressed gas in the cylinder clearance space
expands, resulting in further work done to the piston until state 4 is reached and the
suction valve opens. The calculation for the total work done in a complete cycle is as
follows:
Wcycle = Work done in the compression process + Work done in the expansion process
n−1 m−1
p p
6
W cycle =
n
n−1 [( ) ]
p1 V 1 2
p1
n
−1 −
m
m−1
p4 V 4 3
p4 [( ) ]m
−1
Since p1 = p4 and p2 = p3, and the expansion work is very small in comparison with the
compression work. Thus it can be assumed that m = n causing only small discrepancy in
using equation (6).
The area 1 2 3’ 4’ = Compression work done
n−1
p
W cycle =
n
n−1 [( ) ]
p1 ( V 1−V 4 ) 2
p1
n
−1
7
The difference between equation (7) and equation (6) lies in the term V4 which volume
depends on the pressure p1 and the temperature T1 respectively.
Normally, the intercooler is air cooled finned tube. However, for education purpose, the
intercooler may be water cooled. In this case, the intercooler effect is more pronounced
than air cool.
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
The amount of heat that is created by the compression of gas in stage 1 and then
transferred to the cooling water in the intercooler can be determined from the water
flow rate and the temperature difference of water between the outlet and the inlet
sides. In actual operation, a certain amount of heat created by gas compression is also
transferred to surrounding air. Works done for both stages of compression are as
follows:
n−1
p
Stage 1
8
W 1 st =
n
n−1 [( ) ]
p 1 ( V 1−V 7) 2
p1
n
−1
n−1
p
Stage 2
W 1 st =
n
n−1 [( ) ]
p 2 ( V 3−V 6 ) 3
p2
n
−1
9
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
n−1 n−1
p p
10
W total=
n
n−1
mRT 1 2
p1 [( ) ] n
−1 +
n
n−1
mRT 2 3
p2 [( ) ]
n
−1
n−1 n−1
p p
11
W total=
n
n−1
mRT 1 2
p1 [( ) ( ) ]
n
+ 3
p2
n
−2
or
n−1 n−1
p p
12
W total=
n
n−1
mC P 2
p1 [( ) ] n
−1 +
n
n−1
mC P 3
p2 [( ) ]
n
−1
n−1 n−1
p p
=
n
n−1
mC P 2
p1 [( ) ( ) ]
n
+ 3
p2
n
−2
( p2 )opt =√ p 1 p 4 13
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
6. PERFORMANCE INDEX:
EP = E×I×φ 14
Where
E = Voltage, Volts
I = Current, Ampere
φ = Power Factor
This electrical power may also be directly measured by a Wattmeter.
This is the power (in W) that the motor supplies to the compressor.
BP = Torque × ω
Or
2 πN Nm
F . r× =W
BP = 60 s 15
The air mass flow rate going into the compressor is calculated from the rate of flow
through the orifice of the inlet box and the differential pressure of the manometer as
follows:
2 Δp A2
Q=
√ ρ
∗
A2 2
ρ = density of air
A 2 = dia of smaller orifice
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
This is the theoretical power from the theory of isentropic compression process
(reversible adiabatic process).
n−1 n−1
T p2 p3
. .
W=m R 1 {
( )
p1
n
} {
−1 +m RT 2 ( )
p2
n
−1
}
T = Temperature, K
p = Pressure, N/m2
Subscript 1 = Inlet
Subscript 2 = Outlet or discharge
.
m = Mass flow rate kg/s
R = General Gas constant
This is the minimum horsepower for the compression process calculated as follows:
p2 p
IsoP=p 1 V 1 ln
( ) p1 ( )
+ p 3 V 3 ln 3
p2
18
But
p1V1 = p3V3 ∴
Iso P= p1V1 (ln p2 − ln p1 + ln p3 − ln p2)
= p1V1 (ln p3 − ln p1)
p3
p1 V 1 ln
= p1 19
Where,
p = Pressure,
V = Volume per unit time, m3/sec
Isentropic efficiency (Isen eff %)
By definition,
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
IsenP
100×
Isen eff % = BP 20
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
System efficiency
By definition,
Sys Eff % = 100 x Isen P / BP 22
Volumetric efficiency
By definition,
= qv
Swept Volume × speed
Cycle
Where:
qv is volume flow rate (m3/s). The volume flow rate can be determined from
qm = qv . ρu 23
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
7. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES:
Start the compressor by pushing green button on control box. Slightly open the
air receiver discharge valve to maintain a constant pressure in the air receiver
tank.
Record the following data:
Motor speed and compressor speed by turning the knob to the right and left
respectively.
Note down Pressures after stage 1 and stage 2, in the receiver and after
the air receiver discharge valve
Temperatures of ambient air, after stage 1, after stage 2, in the air
receiver and after receiver discharge valve
Inclined manometer levels at the air tank inlet and the discharge pipe section.
(Before recording the level of the manometer water reservoir should be adjusted
to the mark level).
7.1. Calculations
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Two Stage Air Compressor ME-TH-3810
8. DATA SHEET
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