IMPROVING PERFORMANCE OF TWO-STAGE RECIPROCATING

AIR COMPRESSOR BY INTER COOLER USING WATER AND

ETHYLENE GLYCOL AS THE COOLING MEDIUM

Abstract:
The volumetric efficiency reduces with increasing pressure ratio in compressor
with single stage compression. Also for getting the same amount of free air
delivery the size of cylinder to be increased with increasing pressure ratio. The
increase in pressure ratio also requires sturdy structure from the mechanical
strength point of view for withstanding large pressure difference. The solution
to number of difficulties associated in using multistage compressor with inter
cooler. In multistage compression the partly compressed air leaving first stage is
cooled up to ambient temperature in intercooler and then sent to subsequent
cylinder for compression. To attain ambient temperature after inter cooler by
air cooling is not possible. To aim of this study is to attain air temperature as
close to ambient condition in intercooler by water and ethylene glycol as the
cooling medium.

Introduction:
Basically in our day to day life the usage and consumption of the high
pressurized gases and air are necessary. In order to convey this ,the single stage
compressors doesn’t meet the requirements. Hence the multi stage compressors
came into existence. With the advent of the multi stage compressors, the air and
gases at very high pressures are obtained. In this regard the temperature of the
fluid to be compressed in the stages are increased instinctly. To avoid this
intercoolers are used in the compressors, which reduces the temperature and
work required to compress the fluid. The intercooler can be cooled using either
by air or by water which the medium acts as the heat exchanger. The topic
under discussion goes on how to increase the volumetric efficiency of the
compressors using water inter-cooling with the sustained data.

Materials and methodology:

The main purpose of the inter-cooling is to reduce temperature of the fluid
compressed and in return the intercooler must be capable of drawing the heat
and sending it out. Hence the inter cooler must be cooled for the effective
functioning of the compressors. The intercooler can be efficiently cooled with
the liquid medium so that the heat generated can be easily cooled with low cost
and work input. The various effects of the intercooler using air,water and
ethylene glycol as the cooling medium are discussed below.

Analytical methodology:
Experimental setup description
Two stage single acting reciprocating air compressor with shell and pipe type
intercooler used. Electricity Supply: Single Phase, 220 VAC, 50 Hz, 14 amp .

Apparatus specification
Bore diameter,
HP(D) = 0.0.063 m
LP(D) = 0.0795m
Length of stroke,
HP(L) = 0.098 m
LP(L) = 0.098 m
Diameter of orifice, d = 0.010 m
Diameter of pipe, Dp = 0.022 m
Density of water,ρ_ = 1000 kg/m3
Density of air, ρ_ = 1.21 kg/m3
Co-efficient of discharge of orifice, Cd = 0.64
Energy meter constant, E.M.C = 120revolutions / kWhr
Atmospheric pressure, Pa = 1.03327 x 1005 N/m2
RPM of motor, Nm = 1440 Rpm
PROPERTIES OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL :

Freezing point = -13.00 °C

Density at 20°C =1.1135 g/cm3
Refractive index, nD=20 1.4318
Heat of vaporization at 101.3 kPa =52.24 kJ/mol
Heat of combustion =19.07 MJ/kg
Critical temperature = 372 °C
Critical pressure = 6515.73 kPa
Critical volume = 0.186 L/mol
Flash point = 111 °C
Ignition temperature = 410 °C
Viscosity at 20 °C = 19.83 mPa.s
Cubic expansion coefficient at 20 °C 0.62×10-3 K-1

Observation table:

s.no discharge compressor time for 2rev manometer temp of air Temp of water
pressure speed of energy depression before after Before After
(bar) (N) rpm meter disc(t) sec (h) m cooling cooling cooling cooling

1 0 741 45 0.12 38 35 38 27
2 1 725 36 0.11 50 45 50 31.5
3 2 722 34 0.105 51 45 51 32
4 3 708 32 0.102 54 48 54 32.8
5 4 704 30 0.1 55 49 55 33

Resultant tabulation:

Result of intercooling by way air:

sl.no Discharge volumetric isothermal heat rejected

pressure efficiency(%) efficiency(%) (KJ/kg)
1 0 37.61 0 3.015
2 1 36.77 14.75 5.025
3 2 36.42 21.59 6.03
4 3 35.79 25.04 6.05
5 4 35.07 27.2 6.07

Result of intercooling by water:

sl.no Discharge volumetric isothermal heat rejected
pressure efficiency(%) efficiency(%) (KJ/kg)
1 0 37.61 0 11.055
2 1 37.02 14.82 18.6
3 2 36.79 21.58 19.1
4 3 36.54 25.01 21.3
5 4 35.52 27.03 22.1

Result of intercooling by ethylene glycol:

sl.no Discharge volumetric isothermal heat rejected

pressure efficiency(%) efficiency(%) (KJ/kg)
1 0 37.54 0 18.59
2 1 36.89 14.39 21.23
3 2 36.27 21.28 22.17
4 3 35.98 25.38 24.28
5 4 35.47 27.2 24.99

Results and discussions:

Effect of intercooling on pressure and volumetric efficiency. There is an

improvement in volumetric efficiency by using different intercoolant when
pressure is increased of two stage reciprocating air compressor with shell and
pipe intercooler.
From the above graph we conclude that the volumetric efficiency of the
compressor using water cooling is more than the air intercooling. Whereas the
efficiency of the compressor can be even increased by using the other cooling
mediums like the ethylene glycol and alcohol etc., froam the resultant tabulation
we observe that heat rejected in case of water intercooling is more than that of
the air cooling. This shows that the work required for compressing the fluid
decreases in case of compressors using water intercooling, thereby increasing
the overall efficiency.

From the above graph we see that the isothermal efficiency of the compressors
using water intercoolers are high when compared to the air intercoolers . from
the calculation part, the isothermal efficiency depends on the shaft power and
the isothermal power. From the results in the tabulation we see that the power
required for compressing the fluid is greatly reduced due to the more absorption
of the heat energy in the intercooling.
The above graph pictorially shows that the heat rejected is more in case of the
fluids than the air. Thus in the air cooling the heat rejected is less. The overall
efficient working of the compressor is greatly affected by the rise in temperature
of the fluid at the compressors in the multi stage compressors. This rise in
temperature is absorbed by the intercoolers in which the heat is dissipated to the
atmosphere. This heat dissipation is more in case of the water intercoolers from
the resultant tabulation when compared to the air.

Conclusion:
From the different intercooling processes carried out in two stage reciprocating
air compressor, it can be concluded that the isothermal work required to
compress the air has been reduced. So the power
required to drive the reciprocating compressor has also reduced with respect to
normal intercooling. From all the results of intercooling processes, it can be
concluded that the water intercooling and ethylene glycol intercooling gives
better volumetric efficiency as compared to other type of intercooling.