Compressor Efficiency Area 1-2-5-4 = isothermal work of compression for a single stage Area 1-2-3-4 = isentropic work of compression

for a single stage

When the compression takes place in a multi-stage compressor with inter-stage cooling, the work of compression is intermediate between that for single stage isothermal compression and that for isentropic compression. The net saving in energy is shown as the shaded area.

Compressor efficiency is usually quoted as either an isothermal efficiency or an isentropic efficiency. iso = (Wiso/Wact) =

isothermal work for a single stage (eq. 14) actual work (eq. 27) (30)

isen = (Wisen/Wact) =

isentropic work for a single stage (eq. 15) actual work (eq. 27) (31)

Energy balance for a two stage compressor

1Q2 1W2

= net heat transfer across system boundary = net work transfer across system boundary

E1 = initial energy of the system E2 = final energy of the system

From the fist law of thermodynamics: E2 E1 = 1Q2 1W2 m(h2 h1) = 1Q2 1W2 m(h2 h1) = 1Q2 1W2 mCp(T2 T1) = 1Q2 1W2 where: Cp = dh/dT

Applying the First Law of Thermodynamics for a two-stage compressor with interstage cooling. For the low pressure (LP) stage: mCp(Ti T1) = QLP WLP For the cooler: mCp(T1 Ti) = QI For the high pressure (HP) stage: mCp(T2 T1) = QHP WHP (32) (31) (30)

Worked Example 2 A 2-stage compressor compresses air from 1 bar and 15C to 15.5 bar. Calculate the work done per hg of air delivered and the heat rejected from the interstage cooler. Polytropic index, k = 1.3 Specific gas constant = 287 J kg-1 K-1 Specific heat capacity, Cp = 1.005 kJ kg-1 K-1

Worked Example 3 A three stage compressor is required to compress air from 140kNm-2 to 4000 kNm-2. calculate the intermediate pressures, the work done per kg of the gas and the isothermal efficiency of the process. Assume the compression to be isentropic ( = 1.4) and perfect interstage cooling. Show by means of a Temperature-Entropy diagram the effect of imperfect interstage cooling on the performance of the compressor.