Compressed Air System

By Amit Jha

Requirement
For Braking of Generator For Service air requirement For pressurizing Accumulator of governor

Equipments
Compressor Receiver Air Drier

Compressor

Compressor
Types

HP Compressor
Basically compressor can be of following types 1. Reciprocating Air Compressors Reciprocating air compressors are positive displacement machines, meaning that they increase the pressure of the air by reducing its volume. This means they are taking in successive volumes of air which is confined within a closed space and elevating this air to a higher pressure. The reciprocating air compressor accomplishes this by a piston within a cylinder as the compressing and displacing element

2. Rotary Screw Compressors Rotary air compressors are positive displacement compressors. The most common rotary air compressor is the single stage helical or spiral lobe oil flooded screw air compressor. These compressors consist of two rotors within a casing where the rotors compress the air internally. There are no valves. These units are basically oil cooled (with air cooled or water cooled oil coolers) where the oil seals the internal clearances

3. Centrifugal Compressors The centrifugal air compressor is a dynamic compressor which depends on transfer of energy from a rotating impeller to the air.

Requirement of Receiver

? What if not ?

 It acts as a storage tank for air. The operating pressure of the LP compress air system is say 8kg/cm2. Then motor will start at 7 kg/cm2 & it will stop at say 12 kg/cm2. The compressed air is stored in receiver. Now the requirement is catered by Receiver. If not it will keep on doing start & stop which will burn off your motor

Air Dryer

What if not

 It cools the air which comes after receiver and in this process moisture is separated. So basically it is a moisture separator This can also be done by another type of air dryer called desiccant air dryer.

Working Principle
Its working principle is based on the fact that moisture at low temperature condenses to water droplets and can then be separated. In the above shown air dryer it being done by Refrigeration Cycle i.e., the principle used in Refrigerator .

Desiccant air dryer

Working