Air Compressors

A gas compressor is a machine for raising a gas - a

compressible fluid - to a higher level of pressure 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. Compression of a gas naturally
increases its temperature.

Compressors are closely related to pumps: both increase the

pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a
pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also
reduces the volume of a gas. Liquids are generally
incompressible, so the main result of a pump is to move the
liquid elsewhere.
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Types of air compressors:

•Reciprocating
•Rotary Screw
•Rotary Centrifugal
• Vane
•Scroll
•Others

These types are further specified by:

•The number of compression stages

•Cooling method (air, water, oil)
•Single or Double acting
•Drive method (motor, engine, turbine (steam, gas), others)
•Lubrication (oil, Oil-Free where Oil Free means no
lubricating oil contacts the compressed air)
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 RECIPROCATING AIR COMPRESSORS

The reciprocating air compressor accomplishes this by a

piston within a cylinder as the compressing and displacing
element.

Reciprocating compressors — use pistons driven by a

crankshaft. They can be either stationary or portable, can be
single or multi-staged. The reciprocating air compressor is
single acting when the compressing is accomplished using
only one side of the piston.

A compressor using both sides of the piston is considered

double acting. Reciprocating air compressors are available
either as air-cooled or water-cooled in lubricated and non-
lubricated configurations and provide a wide range of
pressure and capacity selections.
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While there are small models that are comprised of just the
pump and motor, most compressors have an air tank to
hold a quantity of air within a preset pressure range.

The compressed air in the tank drives the air tools, and the
motor cycles on and off to automatically maintain pressure
in the tank. At the top of the cylinder, you'll find a valve head
that holds the inlet and discharge valves.

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Both are simply thin metal flaps–one mounted underneath
and one mounted on top of the valve plate.

As the piston moves down, a vacuum is created above it.

This allows outside air at atmospheric pressure to push open
the inlet valve and fill the area above the piston. As the piston
moves up, the air above it compresses, holds the inlet valve
shut and pushes the discharge valve open. The air moves
from the discharge port to the tank. With each stroke, more air
enters the tank and the pressure rises.

Typical compressors come in 1- or 2-cylinder versions to suit

the requirements of the tools they power.
On the homeowner, most of the 2-cylinder models operate
just like single-cylinder versions, except that there are two
strokes per revolution instead of one.

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Some commercial 2-cylinder compressors are 2-stage
compressors–one piston pumps air into a second cylinder
that further increases pressure.

Compressors use a pressure switch to stop the motor when

tank pressure reaches a preset limit–about 8.5 bar for many
single-stage models.The air line will include a regulator that
you set to match the pressure requirements of the tool
you're using. A gauge before the regulator monitors tank
pressure and a gauge after the regulator monitors air-line
pressure. In addition, the tank has a safety valve that opens
if the pressure switch malfunctions.

The pressure switch may also incorporate an unloader valve

that reduces tank pressure when the compressor is turned
off. Many articulated-piston compressors are oil lubricated.

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That is, they have an oil bath that splash-lubricates the
bearings and cylinder walls as the crank rotates. The pistons
have rings that help keep the compressed air on top of the
piston and keep the lubricating oil away from the air. Rings,
though, are not completely effective, so some oil will enter the
compressed air in aerosol form.
Having oil in the air isn't necessarily a problem. Many air tools
require oiling, and inline oilers are often added to increase a
uniform supply to the tool. On the down side, these models
require regular oil checks, periodic oil changes and they must
be operated on a level surface. Most of all, there are some
tools and situations that require oil-free air. Spray painting with
oil in the air stream will cause finish problems. While solutions
to the airborne oil problem include using an oil separator or
filter in the air line, a better idea is to use an oil free
compressor that uses permanently lubricated bearings in
place of the oil bath.
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 CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS

Centrifugal compressors use a vaned rotating disk or impeller

in a shaped housing to force the gas to the rim of the impeller,
increasing the velocity of the gas. A diffuser (divergent duct)
section converts the velocity energy to pressure energy.
These are for continuous, heavy industrial uses and are
usually stationary.

The centrifugal air compressor is an oil free compressor by

design. The oil lubricated running gear is separated from the
air by shaft seals and atmospheric vents.
Their application can be from 100 hp (75 kW) to thousands of
horsepower. With multiple staging, they can achieve
extremely high output pressures. They are also used in
internal combustion engines as superchargers and
turbochargers.
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Centrifugal compressors are used in small gas turbine
engines or as the final compression stage of medium sized
gas turbines.

Axial-flow compressor
Axial-flow compressor uses a series of fan-like rotating rotor
blades to progressively compress the gas flow. Stationary
stator vanes, located downstream of each rotor, redirect the
flow onto the next set of rotor blades.

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The area of the gas passage diminishes through the
compressor to maintain a roughly constant axial
compression. Axial-flow compressors are normally used in
high flow applications, such as medium to large gas turbine
engines. They are almost always multi-staged. Beyond about
4:1 design pressure ratio, variable geometry is often used to
improve operation.

Diagonal or mixed-flow compressor

Diagonal or mixed-flow compressors are similar to

centrifugal compressors, but have a radial and axial velocity
component at the exit from the rotor. The diffuser is often
used to turn diagonal flow to the axial direction. The diagonal
compressor has a lower diameter diffuser than the
equivalent centrifugal compressor.
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ROTARY SCREW COMPRESSOR
A rotary screw compressor is a type of gas compressor which
uses a rotary type positive displacement mechanism. The
mechanism for gas compression utilizes either a single screw
element or two counter rotating intermeshed helical screw
elements housed within a specially shaped chamber. As the
mechanism rotates, the meshing and rotation of the two
helical shaped rotors produces a series of volume-reducing
cavities. Gas is drawn in through an inlet port in the casing,
compressed, as the cavity reduces in volume and
discharging through another port in the chamber.

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through an inlet port in the casing, compressed, as the cavity
reduces in volume and discharging through another port in
the chamber.

The effectiveness of this mechanism is dependent on close

fitting clearances between the helical rotors and the chamber
for sealing of the compression cavities. With some of these
compressors, oil is injected into the compression cavities to
aid sealing and provide cooling sink for the gas charge.
The oil is separated from the discharge stream, then cooled,
filtered and recycled. It is usual for some entrained
compressor oil to carry over into the compressed gas stream.
In some applications, this is rectified by coalescer/filter
vessels. Oil free screw compressors do without this cooling
and sealing mechanism, and usually have lower maximum
discharge pressure capability as a result.

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Oil free compressors are used in applications where entrained
oil carry-over is not acceptable.

Rotary screw compressors are used in a diverse range of

applications. Typically, they are used to supply compressed
air for general industrial applications.
Advantages of the rotary screw compressor include smooth,
pulse-free air output in a compact size with high output
volume over a long life.

The oil free rotary screw air compressor utilizes specially

designed air ends to compress air without oil in the
compression chamber yielding true oil free air. Oil free rotary
screw air compressors are available air cooled and water
cooled and provide the same flexibility as oil flooded rotaries
when oil free air is required.
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Dry compressed air
The atmospheric air drawn into a compressor is a mixture of
gases that always contains water vapour. However, the
amount of water vapour that air can carry depends on the
temperature.

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As air temperature rises– which occurs during compression
– the air's ability to hold moisture increases also. When the
air is cooled, its capacity to hold moisture reduces, which
causes the water vapour to condense.

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Removing the
moisture from the
compressed air not
only prevents
costly breakdowns
and production
downtime, but also
keeps maintenance
and repair costs to
a minimum.

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COMPRESSOR ANCILLARIES

These are made to cut off the compressor if any part of the
compressor is not working properly.

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 Air Receiver
An air receiver is essential to every compressed air system
to act as a buffer and a storage medium between the
compressor and the consumption system. There are in
principal two different air receivers in a compressed air
system:

•PRIMARY receiver - is located near the compressor, after

the after-cooler but before filtration and drying equipment
•SECONDARY receiver - is located close to the point of
large intermittent air consumption

Dryers
Desiccant Dryer: For drying compressed air, pressure dew
point to -700C

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Dewpoint Identifies the temperature at which the relative
humidity has reached 100%. If the temperature is lowered
further, the water vapor contained in it begins to condense.

Pressure dewpoint is the temperature at which air under

pressure has a relative humidity of 100%.
With refrigeration drying, a pressure dewpoint between +2
°C and +5 °C is reached. The most frequently built dryer,
works reliably and has low maintenance costs

Refrigeration drying is usually the the most efficient solution

for the majority of compressed air applications.

Absorption Drying
Absorption drying is a chemical process to bring gases or
dissolved materials into a solid or liquid state.
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Moisture from the air combines with a desiccant, which
becomes liquid and must be replaced. It has high operating
cost, but Simple installation, no external energy
requirement.

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Adsorption Drying
Adsorption drying is a physical process To deposit gases
or dissolved materials on the surface of a solid body.
Moisture from the air deposits on the porous surface of the
desiccant. Regeneration through hot air flow
Pressure dewpoints down to -90 °C possible

Refrigeration Drying
For drying compressed air,
pressure dew point to +30C.
Refrigeration drying is
usually the the most
efficient solution for
the majority of compressed
air applications.

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Moisture /Condensate Trap and drain:
Remove condensate When air is compressed, it loses its
capacity to hold water. The excess water vapour condenses
out and must be removed before the air is used.
Most of the water is removed at the compressor plant, but
some enters the pipe work.

Safety valve
This prevents the air pressure rising to an unsafe level. There
must be such a valve fitted between the compressor and any
shut-off valve, and it must
be capable of passing the full output of the compressor. The
valve must be fitted with a device which will enable it to be
operated manually. The blow-off setting must not be higher
than the maximum permissible pressure within the system.

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Liquid Separators
Separators are fitted in the pipe just before the air is to be
used. Traps are fitted at low points in the pipe work to remove
water that collects there.

There are also oil separators.

Cyclonic separator: Separates accumulating condensate

Activated carbon filter: Adsorbs oil vapor.

Vertical moisture separator
Compressed air passing through the separator strikes the
baffle plate. Any moisture droplets in the air cling to the plate
and run down to the drain plug.

Horizontal separator
Water droplets strike and cling to the baffle plates as air
passes through the separator.
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Combined filter and separator
On entering the separator, the air flows past a deflector which
catches any condensate in the air.
Any remaining moisture or oil is extracted by a filter.
Condensate can be drained off by opening the drain plug.

Drain trap
Water separated out from the air stream collects at the lowest
point. As the water collects, the level rises and lifts the float.
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The valve mechanism operated by the float is designed to
open and discharge all the water which has collected in the
trap when it has reached a certain level, and then close.

Air (Particulate) Filter

Bag filter: Clean dusty and contaminated air in take.
Pre-filter, particulate filer: Removes very small particles still on
compressor line
Micro filer: Separate oil aerosol and solid particles.
Activated carbon and filter micro-filter combination

Air line filters

These filters, used in compressed air lines, include an air
deflector which sets up a swirling action, causing the heavier
solid and liquid particles to be flung on to the wall of the bowl.

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Compressed Air Filter
The compressed air flows from left to right through the
compressed air filter. A baffle plate rotates the air.
Through the centrifugal force, water droplets and solid particles
are removed. The precleaned air flows through a filter inser

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Pressure Regulating Valve with Relief Port
The pressure regulating valve holds the working pressure
largely constant, independent of pressure fluctuations in the
network and the air consumption. The inlet pressure must
always be higher than the working pressure. If the working
pressure increases, for example, in case of a load change on
the cylinder, the compressed air can escape through a vent
hole.

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