Air Compressors

Graph of Pressure against volume in a reciprocating compressor

Volumetric efficiency Vh = Actual suction volume Vx/ Theoretical suction volume Vs For greater efficiency air compression should be isothermal as this requires the minimum work input. In practice Isothermal compression is not possible, an ideal Isothermal cycle requires sufficient time to allow all the required heat to be transferred out of the cylinder, practicality dictates that the piston must have a relatively high speed to give a reasonable output, Cylinder cooling on a single stage compressor gives better efficiency but there is a limitation in the surface area to cylinder volume that can be used for cooling effect, but multistage compressors with an efficient extended surface interstage cooler gives cycle improved compression efficiency better approaching that of the isothermal. In theory the greater the number of stages the closer the curve will approach the ideal isothermal compression curve, however there is an increase in cost, complexity, and the law of diminishing returns limit the number. Compression in stages has the following advantages; 1. The compression ratio at each stage is lower and so the final temperature is lower. This reduces problems with lubrication 2. . The machine is smaller and better balanced 3. water can be drained off at each stage 4. Compression better approaches the ideal isothermal It is important that the compressor clearance volume is kept small as possible in order to improve overall volumetric efficiency as the air trapped in this space must expand to below suction pressure before new air can enter, this is an effective loss of stroke. clearance is required in order to prevent the piston striking the cylinder cover when starting or stopping off load. !he clearance volume is sometimes referred to as the "#ump Clearance".

Crankcase lubrication

$ubrication of the crankcase in a compressor does not pose any specific problems and normally consist of splash lubrication with pressurised oil being fed to shell bearings. %here drip cylinder lubrication is used, this should be kept to a minimum conducive with liner wear. standard mineral oil similar to that used in the main engine may be used, although due to carbon deposits, higher quality oils are generally used with the most effective being specifically designed synthetics which have allow a considerable reduction in maintenance but are costly. &ineral oils contain a blend of lighter elements such as paraffin"s, and heavier elements such as asphaltenes. 'uring compression the lighter elements are vaporised leaving the heavy ends, these coat the piston rings and discharge valves in combination with oxidised oil deposits. !hese deposits also coat passage ways and coolers resulting in higher interstage air temperatures. 'eposits on discharge valves cause them to become sticky and leak resulting in hot air being drawn back into the cylinder for recompression. !his increases the temperature and hence causes greater oxidation and deposits, and so the condition deteriorates with increasing rapidity. !emperature can become very high, this may result in oily deposits at the discharge valves carbonising. (ventually this carbon could glow red and cause detonation. It is more likely, however, that oily deposits will be carried over to the air receiver and air start manifold to be ignited by blowpast at the cylinder air start valve. 'eposits at piston rings cause leakage allowing oil to enter the cylinder from the crankcase thus increasing the danger it is essential that crankcase lubrication be kept to a minimum compatible with an acceptable wear rate. )egular maintenance will minimise oily deposits build up and hence the risk of explosion

Materials and design of a reciprocating compressor

!he compressor casing, cylinder covers and piston rings are generally of cast iron. *istons may be of cast iron, steel of aluminium. luminium being the preferred material for use on the $* piston due to its larger diameter. +alves are usually made so that parts can be interchanged between the suction and discharge valves. ,eats are of mild steel with small diameter air passages to prevent the fragments of broken valve plate from entering the cylinder. +alve plates are of vanadium steel heat treated and ground to provided the required hardness and surface finish. ,prings should be arranged such that they lift and seat squarely. -neven spring force or deposits on the seat cause valves to bend resulting in fatigue cracking.

For compressors designed for starting air requirements a water .acket relief valve is fitted.

Rotary Compressor

!he rotary compressor may be of the impeller type similar to that used in the turbocharger , scroll, twin rotating lobes or of the sliding vane type similar to the one shown above. In practice there would be several more vanes than shown. )otary compressors are capable of handling large quantities of low pressure air much more efficiently than a reciprocating compressor. In order to produce increased pressures it is possible to stage rotary compressors but leakage problems increase at higher pressures as well as stress on the vanes.

!he sliding vane compressor consists of a slotted rotor with its axis offset from that of the cylindrical casing. +anes fit in the slots and have contact with the casing /n the suction side the space contained between the casing, the rotor and an ad.acent pair of vanes is gradually increasing allowing air to be drawn in. /n the compression side this same space is gradually reduced causing the pressure increase. %hen the leading vane uncovers the discharge port air will flow to outlet. $arger compressors of this type are water0cooled, smaller compressors tend to be air cooled. !he main problems related with sliding vane compressors concern wear at the vane tips and sealing of the ends

Rotary/reciprocating Compressor
)otary compressors in general do not require internal lubrication but they are not suitable alone for providing air at a pressure for starting duties. !hey can, however, be linked to reciprocating stages to produce a hybrid compressor. !he compressor is lighter, more compact and better balanced than an equivalent all reciprocating unit. In basic terms the rotary first stage supplies air to the reciprocating second and subsequent stages. ll stages being driven by the same shaft

Safety Valve

Materials

Cast iron0Casing, $iners, *istons1 the $* piston is sometimes made from an aluminium alloy, Cylinder covers Steel0 Crankshaft, Conrods, *istons, +alve seats Vanadium Steel0 +alve plates

Starting air compressor circuit

,tarting and stopping sequence is ad.ustable, the magnetic valves are open when the compressor is stopped so any residual pressure is blown off. /n starting the magnetic valve are sometimes delayed to close so as to allow the compressor motor to reach full speed before the compressor is loaded up. !he non0return valves prevent 2* air leaking back from the receiver on which the filling is also of the non return type.

Calculation of re uired cylinder compression for a multistage reciprocating compressor

r ) for r 3 )456 for 3 3 a stage compression two pressure pressure ratio ratio stage

r 3 )457

three

stage

for example, a 7 stage compressor requiring a final pressure of 89bar would have the following interstage pressures 4st stage 4bar compressed to 9bar 6nd stage 9bar compressed to 48bar 7rd stage 48bar compressed to 89bar It would appear that most of the work is being carried out in the final stage, this is untrue as with the increase in pressure is a complimentary reduction in volume, if the temperature conditions remain the same then work will be equally divided between the stages. #y reducing the suction pressure, the cylinder is required to do more work on the air before the discharge valve opens. !his means that the air will be delivered at a higher pressure. !he higher temperature can lead to problems with the cylinder lubrication as well as a drop in efficiency as well as carbonising of the oil and increased deposits on the valves and piston rings and interstage passages. In the extreme it can lead to sei:ure and possible diesel detonation of the oil laden air. !he reduction in pressure at the suction can be due to a partially blocked suction filter or partially choked suction valve. !he lower pressure conditions in the cylinder at the start of compression can cause oil laden air to be drawn from the crankcase up the liner. !his oil can lead to increased deposits in the compressor as well as further downstream in the distribution system 1*4.+4;5 !4 3 1*6. +6;5!6 and

1*45*6;.1!65!4; 3 1+65+4; *4.+4g 3 *6.+6g and From these we get; 1g 04;5g !6 3 1*65*4; g 3 4.9 and if we take for and example *4 3 <.9 bar *6 3 4 bar *f 3 = bar !initial 3 7<< > we end with final temperatures for the two compression"s of !43 84? > and !6 3 9?= > from the graph it can be clearly seen that losses due to the bump clearance has increased and the period of constant pressure delivery has been reduced. *45*6 3 +6g5+4g !4.

Coolers
Plain Tube -easy to clean -very effective due to large surface area of large number small diameter tubes -plugging of failed tube allos cooler to continue in service with little loss in efficiency -must allow for thermal expansion by having one tube plate floating 'U' tube -suitable for higher pressures than plain tube -self compensating for thermal expansion -efficent due to large nomber small diameter tubes -failed tubes may be plugged -more expensive than plain tube and diificult to clean Coil tube -self compensating for expansion -suitable for high pressures -difficult to clean -inefficicent due to large tube diameter - not easy to plug -expensive