THEORY

A compressor which is theoretically perfect would have neither clearance nor losses of any type and
would pump on each stroke a quantity of air equal to piston displacement. No actual compressor is
able to do this, since it is impossible to construct a compressor without clearance or one that will
have no wire drawing through the suction and discharge valves, no superheating of the suction
gases upon contact with the cylinder walls, or no leakage of gas past the piston or the valves. All
these factors effect the volume of gas pumped or the capacity of the compressor.

Volumetric efficiency is defined as the ratio of the volume of free air delivered per minute divided
by volume swept by the piston per minute.

Volume of free air deleivered per minute (Vinduced )

Volumetic Efficeincy (ƞ) =
Volume swept by the piston per minute( Vswept )

t1 + 273 H × M2
Free air delivery = K × × √
P1 t + 273

Where ;

K = 7.52 × 10−2 (constant of the orifice meter)

t1 = Temperature of air at the orifice

H = Observed head at upstream of the orifice meter in mm of H2O

ℎ
M2 = 𝑃1 − in mm of Hg
13.6

P1 = Barometer reading in mm of Hg

h = Observed head at downstream of the orifice meter in mm of H2O

t = Atmospheric air temperature

π d2
Vswept = ×l ×V ×N
4

D = Diameter of the bore

l = Stroke length

V = motor speed

N = number of cylinders.
 OBSERVATION

compressor (rpm)
300 400 500
Load(PSI) 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50
H(cm) 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.1 3.5 3.1 2.6 2.4 2.5 4.9 5.1 4.6 4.6 4.2
h(cm) 6 5.9 6.5 6.3 4.5 15.4 13.2 11 9.6 10.6 21.3 20.5 19.3 19.3 17.5
T(delivery) 31 30.5 31 32 32 33 33 33 33 32.5 33.5 34 34.5 35 35

Atmospheric Temperature – 32oC

Atmospheric pressure – 760mmHg

CALCULATION

P1 = 10PSI = 10 x 51.71484 = 517.1484 mmHg

H = 14mm

h = 60mm

60
𝑀2 = 517.1484 − = 512.7366 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔
13.6

t1 + 273 H × M2
Free air delivery = K × × √
P1 t + 273

31 + 273 14 × 512.7366
Free air delivery = 7.52 × 10−2 × × √
517.1484 32 + 273

=0.21445 m3/min

π d2
Volume swept = ×l ×V ×N
4

π × 0.10162
Vswept = × 0.1016 × 300 × 2
4
Vswept = 0.49422𝑚3 /min

𝑚3
0.21551 min
Volumetic Efficeincy (ƞ) = 𝑚3
× 100%
0.49422 min

Volumetic Efficeincy (ƞ) = 43.60%

INTRODUCTION

A compressor is a device used to increase the pressure of a compressible fluid. The inlet pressure
level can be any value from a deep vacuum to a high positive pressure. The discharge pressure
can range from sub atmospheric levels to high values. he inlet and outlet pressures are related
corresponding with the type of the compressor and its configuration. The fluid can be any
compressible fluid, either gas or vapor, and can have a wide molecular weight range.
Applications of compressed gas vary from consumer products, such as home refrigerators.

Compressors are commonly used in the process and gas transport distribution industries. A
partial list of these industries includes chemical, petrochemical, refinery, pulp and paper, and
utilities. A few typical applications are air separation, vapor extraction, refrigeration, steam
recompression and process and plant air.

Compressors have numerous forms their exact configurations being based on the application. For
comparison the different types of compression mode, either continuous. The intermittent mode
of compression is cyclic in nature. A specific quantity of gas is ingested by the compressor acted
upon and discharged before the cycle is repeated. In the continuous compression mode the gas is
moved into the compressor acted upon moved through the compressor and discharged without
interruption of the flow at any point in the process.

Compressors using the intermittent compression mode are referred to as positive displacement
compressors of which there are distinct types, reciprocating and rotary. Continuous mode
compressors are also characterized by two fundamental types, dynamic and ejector.

The reciprocating compressor is probably the best known and the most widely used of all
compressors. It consists of a mechanical arrangement in which reciprocating motion is
transmitted to a piston that is free to move in a cylinder.

The rotary compressor portion of the positive displacement family is made up of several
compressor configurations. The features

1. They impart energy to the gas being compressed by way of an input shaft moving a single or
multiple rotating element.

2.They perform the compression in an intermittent mode.

3. They do not use inlet and discharge valves

A volumetric efficiency which aries for different compression ratios must then be applied to the
piston displacement to determine actual free air capacity. Volumetric efficiency also varies to
some extent with the n value and the molecular weight of the gas being compressed. Greatest
volumetric loss occurs because of clearance within the compressor cylinders. However other
losses while of lesser importance also affect compressor capacity.

The effect of clearance is to reduce the induced volume of the compressor due to the fact that
some quantity of compressed air remains in the clearance space. This air on expansion occupies
the space that ought to be available for fresh air. This actually reduces the intake capacity of the
cylinder.
DISCUSSION

This lab exercise is useful to calculate the volumetric efficiency of the reciprocating compressor,
to identify the various type of compressors and its design and working principle.

It is used to identify the factors that effect the volumetric efficienc of the compressor and how to
minimize that and increase efficiency. It is also used to get the relationship between pressure,
themperature and volume of the air when it compressed.

Compression is simply increasing gas pressure. When increase the force for a given volume of
molecules to occupy a smaller volume, or by increasing the temperature so that molecular
motion is increased. So it will increase the pressure and molecular momentum in the compressor.

In practice, no compressor is truly adiabatic because some heat is always lost to the
surroundings. In this practical the outlet pipe from the compressor in much heater than the inlet
pipe. So it shows that much amount of heat is lost to the surrounding. In the industry, try to
minimize that heat lost from the compressor.

An adiabatic compression process is an approximation of what happens in a single stage of a

centrifugal compressor and is generally used to assess the performance of these machines.
There is slight heat loss to the air surrounding the compressor, but the compression may be
treated as adiabatic.
In practice, no compressor is truly isothermal, because the temperature of a gas rises when it is
compressed. Isothermal compression is more efficient than adiabatic compression because no
energy goes into raising the temperature of the gas, hence all of the energy input goes into
raising the gas pressure.

In order to make compression more efficient it needs to be as close as possible to isothermal. In

practice, this is achieved by cooling the compressor using water and flow it through the
compressor.
A polytrophic process is less efficient than isothermal compression but more efficient than
adiabatic. So in the engineering design to make compressors choose correct process, which is
best for that particular industrial work.
This practical is used to choose correct horse power and frame size of the compressor, to
determining desire flow rate, to calculate the piston displacement and to calculate the overall
compression ratio.

Volumetric efficiency

The volumetric efficiency of a compressor is defined as the ratio of actual free air delivered to
the displacement volume of a compressor. the actual volume delivered by the compressor is less
than the swept volume of the compressor.
The factors that affect that affect the volumetric efficiency

 Inlet air temperature

 dust inlet in air
 Dryness of inlet air
 Performance of inter stage and after coolers
 delivery pressure setting
 pressure drop in flow through pipes
 bends and fitting losses
 Re-expansion of clearance vapor
 pressure drop in the inlet and outlet valves
 heating of the vapor on the intake stroke
 superheating and leakage effect

Free air delivery

The volume of compressed air corresponding to atmospheric conditions is known as free air
delivery. Free air delivery is the volume of compressed air reduced to atmospheric pressure and
temperature. The free air delivered volume is less than the compressor displacement volume due
to the following reasons, Obstruction at inlet valve it offers the resistance to air flow through the
narrow passage of valve, Reexpansion of high pressure air in clearance volume it reduces
effective suction stroke, and presence of hot cylinder walls of compressor air gets heated as it
enters the cylinder. Thus, it expands and reducing the mass of air sucked into the cylinder.

Variation of pressure and Temperature.

The orifice meter is the most common head type flow measuring device. Orifice meter is used to
produce the pressure drop in the compressor. This pressure drop is used to find the flow
measurement in the compressor. The orifice meter inserted in the line causes an increase in flow
velocity and a corresponding decrease in pressure. The effective decrease in cross section
beyond the orifice meter with a maximum velocity and minimum pressure. When the usual
practice of measuring the differential pressure at a location close to the orifice meter is followed.
Friction effects between fluid and pipe wall upstream and downstream from the orifice are
minimized so that pipe roughness has minimum effect.

From this experimental observation, the upstream and downstream pressure is increased if the
rpm of the compressor will increased. When the load PSI increase, the upstream and downstream
pressure will decrease.

The temperature is also increases with the rpm of the compressor and if the load is increased the
temperature is increased
From the energy equation

𝑛 𝑝2 𝑛−1
𝑊= 𝑝1 𝑉1 [( ) 𝑛 − 1]
𝑛−1 𝑝1
𝑛
𝑊= 𝑚𝑅(𝑇2 − 𝑇1 )
𝑛−1
𝑉𝑐 𝑝2 1
𝜂𝑣 = 1 − ( ) [( )𝑛 − 1]
𝑉𝑠 𝑝1

It is seen from the equation that as the pressure ratio increases the volumetric efficiency
decreases and the temperature increases it will reduce the volumetric efficiency.

More accurate methods to measuring upstream pressure.

 use the venturi meter

 use flow nozzle meter
 use vortex flow meter
 use displacement turbine meter

50.00
45.00
40.00
35.00
30.00
25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
0 1000 2000 3000

Expected Values graph Experimental Value graph

The compressor is actually polytrophic process, but experimentally it is slightly different and the
heat losses and friction losses in the pipe is negligible in the expected graph. That’s why the graph
is not like expected graph.
Minimize the errors of the experiment.

 Use the cooling fluid to cool the compressor during the process to reduce the heat losses.
 In this compression process the temperature is constant but practically that is not true so it
makes error to calculate efficiency.
 Power losses form the motor to compressor makes error.
 Energy of compression depends on the density of the air, if the air is cool I takes less
energy.
 Dust air makes huge amount of frictional losses in the pipes.
 Recover the waste heat will minimize the error.
 reduce the pressure drop to minimize the error
CONCLUSION

The volumetric efficiency of the reciprocating compressor is depend on the temperature and
pressure ratio. If the temperature increase the volumetric efficiency will decrease and the pressure
ratio increases the volumetric efficiency decreases. Inlet air temperature, dust inlet in air, Dryness
of inlet air, Performance of inter stage and after coolers, delivery pressure setting, pressure drop
in flow through pipes, bends and fitting losses, Re-expansion of clearance vapor, pressure drop in
the inlet and outlet valves, heating of the vapor on the intake stroke and superheating and leakage
effect are the factors that effect the volumetric efficiency.
APPARATUS

 Broom Wade two stage air compressor plant comprising of water cooled intercooler
 Swinging field electric dynamometer
 Cooling water circuit
 High pressure vessel
 Thermometer
 Orifice meter
 Pressure meter

PROCEDURE

 Make sure the valves of cooling water supply and discharge lines are fully open.
 Completely unload the motor and start the motor.
 Connect the air compressor to the motor with clutch.
 Set the rpm of the motor from 300 to 400 and 500 using the adjusting rpm control meter.
 allow some minutes to function the air compressor, and air receiver is kept at 10psi
constant measure the upstream pressure, downstream pressure and delivery temperature.
 Make sure that when take the reading the air pressure must be constant. Like wise do this
for 20psi , 30psi, 40psi and 50psi.
 After get all the reading switch off the motor and close the cooling pipe line.
 Finally measure the atmospheric pressure and temperature.
RESULT

For 300rpm

Load(psi) Volume of Free air Volume swept by the Efficiency

delivery per minute piston per minute
10 0.214456 0.494222 43.39
20 0.151724 0.494222 30.70
30 0.128514 0.494222 26.00
40 0.103996 0.494222 21.04
50 0.085604 0.494222 17.32

For 400rpm

Load(psi) Volume of Free air Volume swept by the Efficiency

delivery per minute piston per minute
10 0.339007 0.658963 51.45
20 0.227039 0.658963 34.45
30 0.170127 0.658963 25.82
40 0.141682 0.658963 21.50
50 0.129152 0.658963 19.60

For 500rpm

Load(psi) Volume of Free air Volume swept by the Efficiency

delivery per minute piston per minute
10 0.400047 0.823704 48.57
20 0.291394 0.823704 35.38
30 0.226949 0.823704 27.55
40 0.19709 0.823704 23.93
50 0.168604 0.823704 20.47
REFERENCES

“What is the Volumetric Efficiency of Air Compressors?,” Expert Market. [Online]. Available:
https://www.expertmarket.co.uk/air-compressors/What-is-the-Volumetric-Efficiency-of-Air-Compressors.
[Accessed: 10-Oct-2017].

ujjwalkumarsenbgora, “Volumetric Efficiency of Reciprocating Compressor- RAC Tutorial- 6,” YouTube, 08-
Jul-2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y22Y30NjABQ. [Accessed: 12-Oct-
2017].

“All About Volumetric Efficiency video,” YouTube, 25-Dec-2013. [Online]. Available:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeO-oZVILRk. [Accessed: 11-Oct-2017].

“Volumetric efficiency,” Wikipedia, 31-Aug-2017. [Online]. Available:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volumetric_efficiency. [Accessed: 12-Oct-2017].