Kurdistan Region Government (KRG)

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Erbil Polytechnic University

Erbil Technical Engineering College

Mechanical and Energy Engineering Department

Report about:
classification of compressor

Prepared by:
Name: Nabaz Muhammad

Supervised by
Dr. Ranj sirwan Abdullah

Submission Date
2020/12/10

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................1
2. TYPES OF COMPRESSORS ...................................................................................................1
2.1 Reciprocating compressors ............................................................................................1
2.2 The Rotary Screw Compressor .......................................................................................2
2.3 Rotary compressor ..........................................................................................................3
2.4 Scroll compressors ..........................................................................................................4
2.5 Centrifugal compressor ..................................................................................................5
3. Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................6
Reference ....................................................................................................................................7

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 1. Introduction
A compressor is the most important and often the costliest component (typically 30
to 40 percent of total cost) of any vapour compression refrigeration system (VCRS).
The function of a compressor in a VCRS is to continuously draw the refrigerant
vapour from the evaporator, so that a low pressure and low temperature can be
maintained in the evaporator at which the refrigerant can boil extracting heat from
the refrigerated space. The compressor then has to raise the pressure of the
refrigerant to a level at which it can condense by rejecting heat to the cooling
medium in the condenser.

2. TYPES OF COMPRESSORS
Five major types of compressors are used in the refrigeration and air-conditioning
industry. These are the

2.1 Reciprocating
2.2 Screw
2.3 Rotary
2.4 Scroll
2.5 centrifugal

2.1 Reciprocating compressors

Reciprocating compressor is the workhorse of the refrigeration and air conditioning
industry. It is the most widely used compressor with cooling capacities ranging from
a few Watts to hundreds of kilowatts. Modern day reciprocating compressors are
high speed (≈ 3000 to 3600 rpm), single acting, single or multi-cylinder (up to 16
cylinders) type. Reciprocating compressors consist of a piston moving back and
forth in a cylinder, with suction and discharge valves to achieve suction and

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compression of the refrigerant vapor. Its construction and working are somewhat
similar to a two-stroke engine, as suction and compression of the refrigerant vapor
are completed in one revolution of the crank. The suction side of the compressor is
connected to the exit of the evaporator, while the discharge side of the compressor
is connected to the condenser inlet. The suction (inlet) and the discharge (outlet)
valves open and close due to pressure differences between the cylinder and inlet or
outlet manifolds respectively.

Reciprocating compressor

2.2 The Rotary Screw Compressor

The rotary screw compressor is another mechanical method of compressing
refrigerant gas and is used in larger installations. Instead of a piston and cylinder,
this compressor uses two tapered, machined, screw-type matching gears that squeeze
the refrigerant vapor from the inlet to the outlet, the rotary screw compressor has an
open motor instead of the hermetic design. A shaft seal traps the refrigerant in the
compressor housing where the rotating shaft leaves the housing. A flexible coupling

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is used to connect the motor shaft to the compressor shaft to prevent minor
misalignment from causing seal or bearing damage. Screw-compressors are used in
large systems The refrigerant may be any of the common refrigerants.

Screw compressor

2.3 Rotary compressor

This type has a rotor eccentric to the casing as the rotor turns it reduce the gas volume
and increase its pressure. Advantage of this compressor are that it has few parts, is
of simple construction and can be relatively quiet and vibration free. Small rotary
compressor is often used in household refrigeration and window air conditioners.

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 Rotary compressor

2.4 Scroll compressors

This type of compressor has two spiral shaped scrolls one set inside the other. (these
are each shaped somewhat like a pinwheel toy or a spinning spiral firework).
One scroll rotates and the other is stationary, the refrigerant suction gas drawn in
from the perimeter. The volume decrease as the gas moves to the center, increasing
its pressure, and the gas is then discharged. The scroll compressor has a number of
beneficial feature. It has a few moving part. It has no suction or discharged valve. It
motion is rotary, reducing vibration. It has a high efficiency and low noise level. It
is available as a hermetic compressor, in small and medium sizes. the scroll
compressors are used in small capacity (3 to 50 kW) refrigeration, air conditioning
and heat pump applications. They are normally of hermetic type.

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 Scroll compressor

2.5 Centrifugal compressor

This type of compressor has vaned impellers rotating inside a casing, similar to a
centrifugal pump. The impeller increases the velocity of the gas, which is then
converted to a pressure increase by decreasing the velocity. The nature of the
centrifugal compressor makes it suitable for very large capacities up to 10000 tons.
The impeller can be rotated up to 20000 RPM, enabling the compressor to handle
large quantities of refrigerant. Centrifugal compressors are steady-flow devices
hence they are subjected to less vibration and noise.

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 Centrifugal compressor

3. Conclusion
The compressor is used for change the pressure from low side to high side. the
compressor has much type, any type of it used for different application. If we use for
domestic purpose the reciprocating and rotary compressor is very good because the
reciprocating is low cost and light weight and rotary is very low vibration and no
noise, but the scroll compressor used to small or medium purpose. In the other type
of compressor such as screw and centrifugal is better to use in very large application.
Thus to choose the compressor only not depend on the one parameter, depend on the
cost, life and maintenance …etc.

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Reference
 Refrigeration and air conditioning technology by WILLIAM C. WHITMAN,
WILLIAM M. JOHNSON JOHN A. TOMCZYK, EUGENE SILBERSTEIN
 Air conditioning principles and system by EDWARD G. PITA