CENTRAL COLLEGES OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY MANUAL 2

Prepared by:
Committee of the Mechanical Faculty

CENTRAL COLLEGES OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Experiment No. 5
TEST OF AIR COMPRESSOR

Rating
Submitted by:
REUBAL, JYSAR C.
BSME - 5
Submitted to:
ENGR. JOHNNY G. LALLAVE, MSME
(PROFESSOR)
Submission Date:
December 21, 2015

Experiment No. 5
TEST OF AIR COMPRESSOR

THEORY:
The Pnewrop International Classification of Compressors lists a total of sixteen
basic designs offered for low and medium air or gas delivering pressures. They may be
grouped, according to their operating principles, into three fundamental types:
a) Reciprocating in which air is compressed by a piston travelling to and from
in a close-fitting cylinder with inlet and outlet posts or valves to control the
flow.
b) Positive Rotary in which the air is driven forward mechanically by a rotary
piston or some other close-fitting rotary unit. In some types, there is more
than one motor.
c) Dynamic Rotary in which air passes through radial impellers and
compressed by centrifugal force, partly by velocity acceleration varied by
subsequent conversion of kinetic energy.

OBJECTIVES:
After the performance of the experiment, the student should be able:
1. To explain how to evaluate the performance of an air compressor.
2. To measure the data needed in the performance evaluation of an air
compression.
3. To develop professional work ethics, including precision, neatness, safety, and
ability to follow instructions.

MATERIALS / EQUIPMENT:

Portable air compressor with pressure gauge and thermometer

Thermometer

Steel tape

Stop watch

PROCEDURE:
1. Check the air compressor unit to ensure that it is in good running condition.
Check also the pressure gauge and thermometer if they are not defective.
2. Measure the following:

Ambient air temperature

Initial air temperature and pressure inside the receiver

3. Switch on the air compressor motor.

4. Get the pressure gage and thermometer readings every after two minutes until
the maximum operating pressure is reached. Also record time, make at least five
trials.

Note: The amount of air compressed can be calculated by:

m = V/R [ (P2/T2) - (P1/T1) ]

The work of compression can be calculated by:

W = mCp(T2-T1) / t
Where:
V = Volume of Air Receiver

P1 = Initial Pressure in the tank

R = Air Gas constant

T2 = Final Temperature in the tank

CP = Specific heat of air

T1 = Initial temperature in tank

P2 = Final pressure in tank

t = Fill up time for the tank

AIR COMPRESSOR

SPECIFICATIONS:

3 Phase Induction Motor

3 Hp, 2.2. KW
220/380 V
8.6/5 Amp
770 RPM
105 L Tank Capacity

DATA AND RESULTS:

Air Compressor and Motor Specification:
Temperature (K)

Pressure

304.15 K

14.7 psia

306.15 K

1.033512 kg/cm2

Ambient air condition

Initial air condition in the
receiver

1st Reading 2nd Reading

Pressure
(kg/cm2)

3rd Reading

4th Reading

5th Reading

3.4

4.5

309

311

313

315

318

0.105

0.105

0.105

0.105

0.105

1.349

2.740

4.721

7.076

0.393

0.956

1.391

1.981

2.355

0.032

0.133

0.274

0.504

0.802

35

70

105

140

175

Temperature
(K)
Volume
(m3)
Total Mass
of Air Added
(kg)
Mass of Air
Added
(kg)
Work of
Compression
(KW)
Time
(Seconds)

SOLUTIONS:
m = V/R [ (P2/T2) - (P1/T1) ]
Where:
V = Volume of Air Receiver
R = Air Gas constant ( 8.314 Nm/K-mol)
P1 = Initial Pressure in the tank
P2 = Final pressure in tank
T1 = Initial temperature in tank
T2 = Final Temperature in the tank
-1st ReadingConversion: 1000 Liters = 1m3
V = 105 Liters
V = 105 L ( 1m3/1000L)
V = 0.105 m3
R = 8.314 Nm/K-mol
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 309 K
Conversion: 1kg/cm2= 10,000kg/m2
P1 = 1.033512 kg/cm2 (10,000kg/m2 / 1kg/cm2)
P1 = 10,335.12 kg/m2
P2 = 2 kg/cm2 (10,000kg/m2 / 1kg/cm2)
P2 = 20,000 kg/m2

V = 0.105 m3
R = 8.314 Nm/K-mol
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 313 K
P1 = 10,335.12 kg/m2
P2 = 45,000 kg/m2
THEREFORE:

, , .
.

=
[(

)]

.
.

M = 1.391 kg
Total Mass of Air Added = 1.349+1.391 = 2.740
-4th ReadingV = 0.105 m3
R = 8.314 Nm/K-mol
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 315 K
P1 = 10,335.12 kg/m2
P2 = 60,000 kg/m2
THEREFORE:

THEREFORE:

-3rd Reading-

, .

[(

)]

M = 0.393 kg
Total Mass of Air Added = 0
-2nd Reading-

, , .
.

=
[(

)]

.
.

M = 1.981 kg
Total Mass of Air Added = 2.740+1.981 = 4.721
-5th Reading-

V = 0.105 m3
R = 8.314 Nm/K-mol
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 311 K
P1 = 10,335.12 kg/m2
P2 = 34,000 kg/m2

V = 0.105 m3
R = 8.314 Nm/K-mol
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 318 K
P1 = 10,335.12 kg/m2
P2 = 70,000 kg/m2

THEREFORE:

THEREFORE:

.
=

, , .

)]
[(

M = 0.956 kg
Total Mass of Air Added = 0.393+0.956 = 1.349

, , .
.

)]
=
[(

M = 2.355 kg
Total Mass of Air Added = 4.721+2.355 = 7.076

SOLUTIONS:
THEREFORE:

= (
)

Where:
m = Total mass of air added

Cp= Specific heat of air ( 1.006 )

T1 = Initial temperature in tank
T2 = Final Temperature in the tank
t = Time to fill up time for the tank
st

-1 Readingm = 0.393 kg

Cp = 1.006

= (. )( .

.
)(
)

W = 0.274 kW
-4th Readingm = 1.981 kg

Cp = 1.006
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 315 K
t = 140 seconds
THEREFORE:

T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 309 K
t = 35 seconds

= (. )( .

.
)(
)

W = 0.504 kW
-5th Reading-

THEREFORE:
= (. )( .

.
)(
)

W = 0.032 kW
-2nd Reading-

m = 2.355 kg

Cp = 1.006
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 318 K
t = 175 seconds
THEREFORE:

m = 0.393 kg

Cp = 1.006

= (. )( .

T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 311 K
t = 35 seconds

W = 0.802 kW

THEREFORE:

= (. )( .

.
)(
)

W = 0.133 kW
-3rd Readingm = 1.391 kg

Cp = 1.006
T1 = 306.15 K
T2 = 313 K
t = 105 seconds

.
)(
)