Construction and working

of different types of
reciprocating and rotory
compressor
 Air Compressor
A machine providing air at high pressure is
known as ‘compressor’ and work
must be done upon the air by an external
agency. An air compressor takes in air at
atmospheric pressure, compresses it at the cost
of the work supplied ,
and delivers the high pressure air to a storage
vessel called as ‘receiver’ from
• which it may be conveyed by the pipe line to a
place where the supply of compressed air is
required
 Reciprocating Compressors
Construction
It normally consists of a piston that
reciprocates in a cylinder.
The movement of the piston is provided by crank &
connecting arrangement.
Also the cylinders are provided
with ‘inlet’ & ‘exhaust’ valves.

Working
During the downward stroke of the
piston, fresh air is sucked inside &
during the upward stroke the air is compressed to the
clearance volume and delivered.
 Two stage ReciprocatingCompressors

The PV diagram of double acting

Reciprocating
Compressor is shown below.
Isothermal compression requires less work
when temperature remains constant.
But this is practically not possible and the
temperature of fluid rises during
compression.
So after compression of first stage
the fluid is passed through a
intercooler and thus shaded work can be
saved.
 Double Acting Reciprocating
compressors

Its construction is same as the single

acting compressors but the
difference is that, that the
compressive action takes place at
both the sides of piston ,
alternatively.
•
 Rotary Compressors
Positive Displacement
means that the air is trapped between the
limited area and squeezed, resulting in
highpressure.
Non-positive displacement
means that the air is compresses due to
transfer of kinetic energy into pressure
energy.
 Screw Compressor
Construction
Its consist of two rotors one consisting
of male lobe (driver) & other the female
flute (driven). They remain in constant
mesh with each other and housed in a
casing with close tolerances.
Working
When the lobes rotate it drives the flutes.
The air is sucked between thengaps of
lobes and gets squeezed to high pressure
and is delivered from other end.
 Root Blowers
Construction
It consists of two lobes whose shaft sare driven
by gear arrangement.Lobes have epicycloid,
hypocycloid,involute profiles. A small clearance
is maintained so as to avoid wear.
Working
When the lobes rotates the air gets trapped between
the lobes & casing.
The air is positively displace until the space is open
to high pressure.
Root blowers have a pressure rotation
of 1 to 2 and capacity around 8.5
m3/mm with speed of 250 rpm.
 Vane Compressors
Construction
It consists of rotor located eccentrically
in a cylindrical outer casing. The rotor
carries a set of spring loaded vanes
in the slots of the rotor.
Working
As the rotor starts rotating, the air is
sucked from the inlet side. This air
gets trapped between the vanes.
But as the rotor continues to
rotate,the trapped air is subjected
tore duction in volume and
thusncompression takes place.
 Centrifugal compressor
Construction
It consists of a rotating member known
as ‘impeller wheels’ mounted in steel
shaft and enclosed in cast iron casing.
The volute casings is provided tofurther build-up the
pressure.
Working
As the impeller rotates at high speed,air undergoes
centrifugal action and isaccelerated to a high velocity.
The air is decelerated in the diffuser
rings and volute casing to build it
pressure.
Finally the compressed air leavesthrough output.
 Axial flow compressor
Construction
An axial flow compressor is aincreases multistage unit as
each stage builds uppressure by small amount.
The unit consists of a ring of fixedb lades and a ring of
moving blades.
Working
As the rotor rotates, air in bladespassage accelerate due to
Which velocity & pressure increases.
The air then passes through fixed blade passages of diffuser
shape and which decreases the velocity and result in rise in
pressure