University of Southern Philippines Foundation

Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu Ciity

College of Engineering and Architecture

ME411 Lab2

Name: Jovito C. Delambaca Jr. Experiment no. 3

Course: BSME-4 Date:

TEST OF AN AIR COMPRESSOR

(SINGLE STAGE RECIPROCATING)
Title

Theory

The air we breathe has two major constituents. They are Nitrogen and Oxygen. The
approximate composition of atmospheric air has 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1%
other gases by volume and 76% nitrogen, 23% oxygen and 1% other gases by weight.
Even though air is not a “perfect” gas, the presence of nitrogen and oxygen in major
proportion makes it obey very closely to a “perfect” or “ideal” gas. We all know that an
“Ideal” gas obeys some laws. They are

1. Boyle’s law (PV=C).

2. Charles’s law (V/T = C).
The above two laws can be combined to form a combination law which can be
represented as

PV/T = C

Objectives

1. To study all components/Accessories used in Reciprocating Air Compressor.

2. To investigate the effect of delivery pressure on the performance of reciprocating
air compressor.
Apparatus

SINGLE STAGE RECIPROCATING AIR COMPRESSOR TEST RIG

THERMACOUPLE

ENERGY METER

U-GAUGE MANOMETER
Procedure:

1. The test rig consists of Air Compressor with an air suction tank, is fitted with an orifice at one
end & other end connected to cylinder.
2. The orifice pressure tapping is connected to one limb of U -Tube manometer on panel. 3.
Thermocouple T1, T2, T3 reads temperature at inlet ( T1 ) outlet Temperature ( T2 ) & ( T3 )
records temperature of air in receiver.
4. Energy meter is used to record the power input to motor & in turn the work required for
compression. The control panel houses starter for motor, main switch, Temperature Indicator

Findings

As the volume of the space containing air reduces, the pressure increases. Also when
volume V, is kept constant, the pressure P, is directly proportional to the temperature T.
Thus as the pressure of the air is increased due to compressing, the temperature also
increases. Thus as a result of compressing air, the pressure and temperature increases as
the volume decreases.

Observation
Isothermal compression is compressing air with no change in temperature or at
constant temperature.
Adiabatic compression this process takes maximum energy input as no heat loss takes
place through the cylinder walls.

Conclusion
The two theoretical compression processes, there are huge practical constraints to
achieve. Thus the actual compression process is termed as polytropic compression. It is
evident that the polytropic curve is in between both extremes i.e., adiabatic and
isothermal compression curves.