Reciprocating air compressors

Compression Ratio

Compressors

APT300S

Introduction
In a reciprocating engine the piston travels through two extremes namely
the Top Dead Center (TDC) and the Bottom Dead Center (BDC).

D - Bore (cylinder diameter)

L - Stroke (Length the

distance the piston travels)

Vs - Swept volume (the volume swept through by the piston during a

single stroke).
Vc - Clearance volume (the volume between the piston crown and the
cylinder head at TDC)
Compressors

APT300S

Operation of engine
The air enters the cylinder during the suction (intake) stroke at the start
of the compression stroke (BDC)
The volume in the chamber is at a maximum, which is a combination of
the swept volume (Vs), and clearance volume (Vc).
At the end of the compression stroke (TDC), the volume is at a relatively
small volume, which equals Vc.

Compressors

APT300S

Compression ratio
The compression ratio by definition is the ratio of the maximum and
minimum volumes of the compression stroke.
r

max volume Vs Vc

min volume
Vc

The swept volume is a function of the cylinder area as well as the

length the piston has to travel.
Vs Area of bore x Length of stroke
d 2

xL
4

Compressors

APT300S

Examples
Example 1:
A petrol engine has a cylinder bore of 95 mm and a stroke of 120 mm. If
the compression ratio is 8 to 1, calculate, in cubic centimeters, the
clearance volume.
Example 2:
An engine cylinder has a swept volume of 98 cm3, a bore of 50 mm, and
a compression ratio of 10. How much must the cylinder-head be raised,
using a distance piece which matches the bore, to lower the compression
ratio to 8.4?

Compressors

APT300S

Reciprocating air compressors

Single-stage compression

Compressors

APT300S

Operation
Consists of a piston that reciprocates (moves) in a cylinder.
Purpose is to raise the pressure of air
Piston moving upwards
Piston moving down the cylinder

Compressors

APT300S

Ideal indicator diagrams (P-V)

Neglecting clearance:

4-1: Volume of air V1 into compressor at pressure P1 and temperature T1.

1-2: Air is compressed according to the law PVn = c from pressure P1 to P2.
The volume decreases from V1 to V2. The temperature increases from
T1 to T2.
2-3: Compressed air of volume V2 and at pressure P2 with temperature T2
delivered from compressor.
Compressors

APT300S

Ideal indicator diagrams (P-V)

Work done (Neglecting clearance):
The work done is equivalent to the area under the graph:
W p1V1

p1V1 p 2V2
p 2V2
n 1

p1V1 p 2V2

p1V1 p 2V2
n 1

1
p1V1 p2V2 1

n

n
( p1V1 p 2V2 )
n 1

pV
n
p1V1 1 2 2
n 1
p1V1

P P
n

p1V1 1 2 1
n 1
P1 P2

Compressors

1
n

APT300S

P2 P2
n

p1V1 1

n 1
P
P

1
1

n 1

P2 n
n

p1V1 1

n 1
P

n 1

n
n
P

W poly
p1V1 2
1
n 1
P
1

n 1

n
n
P

mRT1 2
1
n 1
P
1

1
n

Ideal indicator diagrams (P-V)

Including clearance:

1: Cylinder is full of intake air, the volume is V1, and the piston is about to
commence its compression stroke.
Compressors

APT300S

10

Ideal indicator diagrams (P-V)

Including clearance:
1-2: Air is compressed polytropically according to the law PV n = C to a
delivery pressure P2 and volume V2.
2: The delivery valve theoretically opens.
2-3: Compressed air is delivered from the cylinder.
3: Piston has reached the end of the inward stroke. V3 is the clearance
volume.
3-4: Expansion of residual compressed air according to the law PV n = C
NB: V1 V4 is referred to as the effective swept volume.
4: Inlet valve opens
4-1: Fresh charge is taken into the cylinder.
Compressors

APT300S

11

Ideal indicator diagrams (P-V)

Work done (Including clearance):
The work done is equivalent to the area under the graph:
W Area 5126 - Area 5436

P2

P1

p1V1
n 1

p1V1
n 1

P2

P1

p1 V1 V4
n 1

P2

P1

P
mR T1 T4 2
P
1

Compressors

1
p 4V4
n 1

n 1

n
n

1
p1V4
n 1

W poly

n 1
n

APT300S

n 1
n

n 1
n

P3

P4
P2
P1

n 1
n

n 1

12

Isothermal efficiency
The comparison between the actual work done during compression
and the ideal isothermal work done.
Isothermal Efficiency

Where, Wiso P1V1 ln

Wiso P1 (V1 V4 ) ln

Compressors

P2
P1

P2
P1

Isothermal Work (Wiso )

Polytropic Work (WPoly )

(neglecting clearance)

(including clearance)

APT300S

13

Examples
Example 3:
A single-acting, single-cylinder air compressor has cylinder dimensions of
200 mm bore and 300 mm stroke. The speed is 250 rpm. The pressure
and temperature of the air at the end of the suction stroke is 96.5 kPa
and 29.5C, and the pressure after compression is 620 kPa. The value of
the polytropic index n = 1.25. Neglecting clearance, determine:
(a) The polytropic power
(b) The isothermal power
(c) The isothermal efficiency
For air take R = 287 J/kg.K

Compressors

APT300S

14

Mechanical efficiency
The actual work input to a compressor is larger than the indicated
(polytropic) work due to the work having to overcome losses due to
friction.

Compressors

mech

Polytropic Work
Work Input

Indicated Power
Shaft Power

APT300S

15

Examples
Example 4:
A single-cylinder, double-acting air compressor is required to deliver
14 m3 of air per minute measured at 101.3 kPa and 15C. The delivery
pressure is 700 kPa and the speed 300 rpm. Take the clearance volume
as 5% of the swept volume. For the compression and expansion, n = 1.3.
Calculate:
(a) The swept volume of the cylinder and hence the cylinder bore and
stroke, given that the stroke to bore ratio is 1.5:1
(b) The delivery temperature
(c) The indicated power
(d) The power of the motor required to drive the compressor if the
mechanical efficiency of the compressor is 85%

Compressors

APT300S

16

Volumetric efficiency
After delivery, the high pressure air left in the clearance volume of the
compressor has to expand to the intake pressure before any new air
can be sucked in.
This reduces the induced volume to a value less than that of the swept
volume.
Volumetric Efficiency

Volume of Free Air Delivered

Swept Volume

Free air is the volume of air delivered measured at the conditions of

pressure and temperature just outside the inlet valve.
vol

Compressors

APT300S

V1 V4 As free

air

Vs

17

Examples
Example 5:
A single acting air compressor takes in air at a pressure of 96 kPa and
32C. The air is compressed to a pressure of 725 kPa and delivered to a
receiver. The clearance volume of the compressor is 5% of the swept
volume and both compression and expansion processes may be of the
form PV1.3 = constant. Determine the volumetric efficiency of the
compressor if the free air conditions are 101.3 kPa and 19C.

Compressors

APT300S

18

Reciprocating air compressors

Multi-stage compression

Compressors

APT300S

19

2-stage compressor
Perfect
intercooling at P2
P2, T2

Compressors

APT300S

T2 =T1

P3, T3

20

Cycle arrangements (P-V diagram)

Cycles:
8156 (1-stage compressor)
8147 & 7456 (2-stage compressor
without intercooling between cylinders)
8147 & 7236 (2-stage compressor with
perfect intercooling between cylinders)

(T1 = T2)

Compressors

APT300S

21

Work done for 2-stage compression

Total work required (W) Wstage 1 Wstage 2

n
W
p1V1
n 1

n 1

P4 n
n

1
p2V2
P1
n 1

n 1

P3 n

1
P2

But p2V2 p1V1 (since T2 T1), also, P4 P2

n 1
n 1

P2 n

P3 n

n
n

W
p1V1
1
p1V1
1
n 1
P1
n 1
P2

p1V1
n 1

Compressors

n 1
n 1

P2 n P3 n

2
P1
P2

APT300S

22

Work done for 2-stage compression

The intermediate pressure P2 is the only variation, so for the work to be a
minimum, we differentiate the expression in brackets with respect to P2
and equate it to zero. The result is:
P2 P1P3 1 2

P2 P3

P1 P2

Or

Thus, the pressure ratio is the same for each stage. The total minimum
n 1

work is:
P n

2n
W

p1V1 2
n 1
P1

In terms of the overall pressure ratio

n 1
P3 2n

2n

p
V

1 1
(P3/P1):

n 1
P1

And for x number of stages:

n 1
P2 n

xn

W
p1V1 Or
1
n 1
P1

Compressors

APT300S

xn
p1V1
n 1

n 1

Px 1 xn

1
P1

23

Energy balance for a 2-stage compressor

with intercooler
QL
m,
P1, T1

LP stage

QI
m,
P4, T4

WL

Intercooler

QH
m,
P2, T2

HP stage

P4 = P2
T2 = T1

WH

QL WL mC p T4 T1

QI mC p T4 T2 mC p T4 T1

QH WH mC p T3 T2 WH mC p T3 T1

Compressors

APT300S

24

m,
P3, T3

Examples
Example 6:
A two-stage single-acting reciprocating compressor takes in air at the
rate of 0.2 m3/s. Intake pressure and temperature are 0.1 MPa and 16C.
The air is compressed to a final pressure of 0.7 MPa. The intermediate
pressure is ideal and intercooling is perfect. The index of compression is
1.3 and the compressor runs at 600 rpm. Neglecting clearance,
determine:
(a) The intermediate pressure
(b) The total volume of each cylinder
(c) The cycle power
(d) The % saving in power by using a 2-stage intercooled compressor
instead of using a single-stage compressor.
(e) The heat transfer per second in the intercooler (Take R = 0.287
kJ/kg.K and Cp = 1.005 kJ/kg.K).
Compressors

APT300S

25