APPLIED THERMODYNAMICS

MEC4102

Course instructor

Joseph N. Arineitwe

1
Performance analysis 5
• This is a p-v diagram for an
ideal compressor
• In ideal cases, T1 and T2 are
constant. T2 depends on the
law of compression
• The law of compression is
assumed to be a reversible
polytropic.
• The value of n is usually
between 1.2 and 1.3 for a
reciprocating air compressor

pV  Const.
n

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 Performance analysis 6
• The work done by the compressor in
the cycle is the area under the p-v
diagram
• Work done = area abcd
• But abcd = abef + bcoe - adof
2
W  P2V2   pdv  P1V1
1

P2V2  P1V1
W  P2V2   P1V1
n 1
• Only the magnitude of the work
 1 
done is required W  P2V2  P1V1   1
• Work done per unit time is equal to  n 1 
work done per cycle times the
number of cycles per unit time. W
n
P2V2  P1V1 
n 1 3
Performance analysis 7
• The equation can also be expressed in terms of
temperature and mass induced per cycle
mR T2  T1   P1V1  mRT1 , P2V2  mRT2
n
W
n 1
• The rate of mass flow is more often used than
mass induced, and the equation gives the rate at
which work is done on air, or indicated power

m RT2  T1 
n
W
n 1
( n 1) / n
• Delivery temperature  P2 
T2  T1  
is given as;
 P1  4
Performance analysis 8
• The work done can n  nn1 
therefore be W  P1V1 rp  1
calculated as;
n 1  
P2
• Where the rp 
compression ratio is; P1
n  n 1

W m RT1 rp n  1
• The indicated power n 1  
can also be n   n 1 
calculated as; W VP1 rp n  1
n 1  

• Volume induced per unit time V 5

 Examples
1. A single-stage reciprocating compressor takes
1m3 of air per minute at 1.013bar and 15oC
and delivers it at 7bar. Assuming that the law
of compression is pV1.35 = constant, and that
clearance is negligible, calculate the indicated
power and delivery temperature.
2. Air is to be compressed in a single stage
reciprocating compressor from 1.013bar and
15oC to 7bar. Calculate the indicated power
required for a free air delivery of 0.3m3/min
when the compression process is polytropic
with n=1.25. Determine the delivery
temperature. 6
Performance analysis 9
(iii) The condition for minimum work
• The work done on the work is given by the area
under the graph.
• For minimum work, the area under the graph must
be minimum.
• The height of the graph is fixed by the pressure
ratio.
• The length of the diagram is fixed by the cylinder
volume (requirement for induction of gas)
• The only process which can influence the graph is
the compression line.
• The position taken by this line is decided by the
value of the index, n. 7
 Performance analysis 10
• Consider a p-v diagram below.
• Line ab1 is isothermal pV  const.ant
• Line ab is polytropic pV  const.ant
n

• Line ab2 is isentropic pV   const.ant

• Line ab1 gives minimum area

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Performance analysis 11
• Isothermal compression is the most desirable
process to give minimum work.
• This means that in an actual compressor, the air
temperature must be kept as close as possible to
its initial value.
• Hence cooling of the gas is done either by water
or gas.
• The indicated work done under isothermal
compression is given by area ab1cd

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Performance analysis 12

• ab1cd = ab1ef + b1coe - adof

P2
• Area ab1ef is given by W  P2V2 ln
P1
P2
• Indicated work per cycle W  P2V2 ln  P2V2  P1 V1
P1
• For isothermal process P2V2  P1 V1
P2
• So indicated power per cycle W  P2V2 ln 10
P1
Performance analysis 13
• By definition, isothermal efficiency is the ratio of
isothermal power to indicated power.
• In general, the least desirable form of compression
in reciprocating compressors is isentropic.
• Isothermal compression is ideal.
• Actual form of compression is usually between
these limits (polytropic).

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Performance analysis 14
(iii) The effect of clearance
volume
• All reciprocating
compressors will in
practice, have a clearance
volume.
• Clearance is necessary to
give mechanical freedom
to the working parts and
allow the necessary space
for valve operations.
• This is the volume of air
which remains in the
cylinder after the piston
has reached the end of its
inward stroke. 12
Performance analysis 15
• At completion of delivery
stroke, clearance volume, Vc,
is full of air at P2, T2
• As the piston proceeds on the
next induction stroke, the air
expands behind it until
pressure P1 is reached.
• As soon as the pressure
reaches P1, the induction of
fresh air will begin.
• Compression begins and
delivery of compressed air
starts at point b
• The effect of clearance is to
reduce the induced volume at
P1, T1 from Vs to (Va-Vd)
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Performance analysis 16

Effective swept Volume Va  Vd

• Volumetric efficiency v  
Swept Volume Vs

Vc
• Clearance ratio (4%-10%) c
Vs
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 Performance analysis 18
• The greater the pressure ratio through the
reciprocating compressor, the greater the effect of the
clearance volume since clearance air will now expand
through a greater volume before intake conditions are
reached
• This means that the effective swept volume reduces
as the pressure ratio increases and thus reducing the
volumetric efficiency (for fixed cylinder size, stroke)

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Performance analysis 19
• Effect of high pressure ratio on volumetric
efficiency

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 Performance analysis 20
• Work done per cycle is calculated by assuming the
same polytropic index for both compression and
clearance expansion.
 n 1
  n 1

n  P2  n
 n  P2  n 
W P1Va    1  P1Vd    1
n 1  P1   n  1  P1  
 n 1

 P2  n 
P1 Va  Vd  
n
W  1
n 1  P1  

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Performance analysis 21
• The volumetric efficiency
can then be expressed as

Vc  P2  n 
 1

v  1     1
Vs  P1  

 P  1n 
 
nv  1  c  2   1
 P1  

Vinduced  Va  Vd
• Volume of induced air 1n
 P2 
where Vd  Vc   18
 P1 
 Multistage compression 1
• When a higher delivery pressure is required, single-
stage compression becomes disadvantageous in
that:

– There is a reduction in effective swept volume thus a

reduction in mass flow through the compressor.
– High delivery pressures lead to higher delivery
temperatures, if higher temperature air is not a requirement
of compressed air delivered, then, any increase in
temperature represents an energy loss.
– If a single-stage machine is required to deliver high
pressure air then it will require heavy working parts in order
to accommodate the high pressure ratio through the
machine.

• The solution to these is multistage compression.

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 Multistage compression 2
• Multi-stage compression is the series arrangement of
cylinders in which the compressed air from the
cylinder before becomes the intake air for the cylinder
which follows
• The cylinders diameters decrease as pressure
increases. But there is continuity of mass flow.
• Each stage has an efficiency greater than the overall
efficiency, and the result of all stages is the same
output when considered as one compressor
Ambient
Load
rp1 rp2 rp3
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Multistage compression 3
• Consider two-stage
compression with
intercooling between the
cylinders whose P-V
diagram will be as below
• An intercooler between
cylinders helps to reduce
the final delivery
temperatures.
• Complete intercooling
means that the air enters
the second cylinder at the
same temperature as
when it entered first
cylinder
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