Types of Compressors

ARU 302
TYPES OF
COMPRESSORS
COMENTA • CONCEPCION • CORTEZ • PALMES

Discussion Compressors
points
Types of compressors
Positive Displacement
Key topics covered
in this presentation Dynamic
Compressor is used to compress air or other
Compressor
gases to pressures higher than atmosphere
pressure. It compresses the air taken from the
atmosphere and increases its pressure.
INTRODUCTION
Compressors are used in many different

industries such as the automotive, chemical
and petrochemical, textile, food, energy,
healthcare and glass.
Compressors are vital in many sectors, from

small businesses to large industrial plants and
a secret hero in the production of many
products that we use in our daily lives.
Types of Compressors
and its Applications
Types of Compressors
Positive Displacement Dynamic
Reciprocating Rotary Centrifugal Axial
Single-acting Screw
Double-acting Scroll
Diaphragm Lobe
Liquid Ring
Vane
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
RECIPROCATING
Reciprocating
Compressor
Reciprocating compressors generate
pulses of compressed air or gas that are
discharged into the piping that transports
the air or gas to its point(s) of use.
Reciprocating compressors have been

widely used for over 200 years ever since
gases needed to be compressed. In the
last 50 years however their dominance as
the compressor type of choice has been
eroded as other compressor types have
been developed.
Reciprocating compressors can be used

in almost any compression application,
but other compressor types are generally
preferred for certain applications.
Single Acting
Compressor
In single acting compressors, air is drawn
and compressed on only one side of the
piston. When the piston moves down, the
suction valve opens and air enters the
cylinder. When the piston moves up, at
the end of the compression, the discharge
valve opens and the compressed gas is
released.
Double Acting
Compressor
In a double acting compressor, air is
drawn and compressed on both sides of
the piston. The piston is operated by a
connecting rod through an airtight seal.
There are compression chambers on both
sides of the piston and a set of suction
and discharge valves. .
Double acting compressors have higher

efficiency. However, they are expensive
to manufacture. They are usually water
cooled.
Diaphragm
These compressors use a flexible
diaphragm to compress gases. They are
often used in applications that require high
purity and leak-tightness, such as chemical
processing, pharmaceuticals, and food
processing.
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
ROTARY
Screw Compressors
These compressors use two interlocking
helical rotors to compress gases. They are
widely used in industrial applications, such
as manufacturing plants, automotive
industry, and construction sites.
Advantages of screw
compressors:
They can function in extreme weather
conditions.
Rotary screw compressors can provide
massive airflow while running quietly.
They prioritize energy conservation
and are generally energy efficient.
They are built to last
Maintenance of rotary screw
compressors is easier.
Scroll Compressors
These compressors use two spiral-shaped scrolls to
compress gases. They are commonly used in HVAC
systems, refrigeration, and air conditioning units.
Advantages of Scroll
Compressors:
Very Quiet
Low-Maintenance Operation
Oil-Free Design
Low Power Consumption
Efficient Cooling
ROTARY
LOBE COMPRESSOR
The rotary-lobe compressor is a variant of rotary-
type positive displacement compressor.
Rotary-lobe compressors are typically known as ‘roots-type’ blowers or

vacuum boosters, (from the names of the two brothers who invented it,
Philander Higley Roots and Frances Marion Roots, who patented their design in
1860) according to the situation in which they are used:
Blower – Discharge pressure above atmospheric pressure

Vacuum Booster – Suction and discharge pressure below atmospheric
pressure
Rotary-lobe compressors are simple to operate without the need for surge
control, pressurized lube oil systems, speed-reducing gearboxes, etc.
The rotary-lobe compressor incorporates two three
intermeshing rotors mounted on parallel shafts.
If the rotors have two lobes, they are shaped like If the rotors have three
the number 8, like this: lobes they look like this:
https://roots-blowers.com/rotary-type-positive-displacement-compressors/
Pros:
1. Can produce a very high volume of air.
2. Very little maintenance – the compression chamber is oil-free, so you

only have gearbox oil and maybe an air filter or silencer to change.
3. Plug and play – most manufacturers make the pumps to fit in the same
spot as the other brands. Additionally, these standard designs have been
around for decades. So you might have a blower system from the 50’s, and
most likely you can buy a new pump and it will drop right in the system with
no modifications and perform the same.
4. Durable. The pumps can take a pretty good beating. They’re often used in
harsh environments. Just make sure if it’s extremely hot, to change the
gearbox oil more often.
Cons:
1. Limited pressure range. They can only give you about 15
psi.
2. They’re not always the most energy efficient, due to the slip.
Sometimes other technologies can out perform it.
3. Loud. Usually it’s not big deal, because these are in

industrial environments where the noise doesn’t matter.
However, you can put a silencing box around them or add
silencers to reduce the noise.
APPLICATIONS
1. Polymers.
2. Paper coatings.
3. Soaps and surfactants.
4. Paints and dyes.
5. Rubber and adhesives.
6. Pharmaceuticals.
7. Food applications.
ROTARY
VANE COMPRESSOR
The rotary vane pump was patented in 1876 by Charles C. Barnes, a
Canadian engineer, and he is generally credited with inventing the modern
design.
It has a cylindrical rotor inside of a housing, and this rotor has slots where
the vanes are. The vanes can slide in and out.
As the rotor spins, the vanes are thrown out by centrifugal force, until they
touch the housing.
To keep the air from escaping its space between adjacent vanes,
there might be some oil-lubrication for the compressor that also
plays the role of sealing.
A thin layer of oil will seal the space between the vanes and the
housing.
Pros:
1. The rotor and the vanes are the only moving parts in the
compressor.
2. No valves are required.
3. Discharge is complete and there is no clearance volume.
4. The operation is positive displacement as the gas is drawn

in, trapped, and positively displaced by the movement of the
vanes.
Cons:
1. The pressure involved in forcing the vanes back into
the rotor will cause some vibration.
2. The speed is limited to 3000 rpm.
3. Lubrication must require at the vane tip to reduce

the friction between vanes and casing.
ROTARY
LIQUID RING COMPRESSOR
Liquid ring vacuum compressors are used across
process industries, especially for the recovery of gasses
and vapors. They are used in applications where severe
conditions exist and safety is a critical requirement.
Liquid ring compressors also are ideal for specialized

applications such as chlorine or hydrogen compression
and in the production of vinyl chloride monomers,
biodiesel or ethanol, and other transesterification
processes.
Liquid ring compressors occupy a special position
among the types of compressors because there is no
contact between the individual parts to create friction:
Pros:
1. Reliable Compression
2. Low noise and vibration
3. Minimal routine maintenance
4. Can span pressures aboce and below atmospheric

level
5. Nonsparking
The main applications for liquid ring compressors
include flare gas recovery and processing of
especially aggressive, flammable or corrosive
gases and vapors found in:
Chemical processing
Chlorine compression
CO2 treatment
Ozone bleaching
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or aromatics recovery
Water treatment
DYNAMIC
CENTRIFUGAL & AXIAL
Dynamic
Compressors
Works on the principle of imparting the
energy by rotating vanes of impeller on air
flowing through casing that increases
pressure in air.
Centrifugal
Compressors
Uses a rotating disk or impeller in shaped
housing to force the gas to the rim of the
impeller, increasing the velocity. A
diffuser or divergent duct converts the
velocity energy to pressure energy.
Centrifugal
Compressors
They are primarily used in stationary
service in industry such as oil refineries,
chemical and natural gas processing
plants, small gas turbine engines and
also can be used in internal combustion
engines as supercharger and
turbocharger.
Axial Flow
Compressors
A dynamic compressor that uses arrays
of fan like airfoils to progressively
compress a fluid. They are used where
high flow rates or a compact design are
required.
Axial Flow
Compressors
The arrays of airfoils are set in rows,
usually as pairs; one rotating and one
stationary. the rotating airfoils are known
as blades transport and compress the
fluid.
These compressors can have efficiency

of up to 90%.
THNX GD.

Types of Compressors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Types of Compressors

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Types of Compressors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ARU 302

COMENTA • CONCEPCION • CORTEZ • PALMES

Compressors are used in many different

Compressors are vital in many sectors, from

Reciprocating Rotary Centrifugal Axial

Reciprocating compressors have been

Reciprocating compressors can be used

Double acting compressors have higher

Rotary-lobe compressors are typically known as ‘roots-type’ blowers or

Blower – Discharge pressure above atmospheric pressure

2. Very little maintenance – the compression chamber is oil-free, so you

3. Loud. Usually it’s not big deal, because these are in

2. No valves are required.

3. Discharge is complete and there is no clearance volume.

4. The operation is positive displacement as the gas is drawn

2. The speed is limited to 3000 rpm.

3. Lubrication must require at the vane tip to reduce

Liquid ring compressors also are ideal for specialized

2. Low noise and vibration

3. Minimal routine maintenance

4. Can span pressures aboce and below atmospheric

These compressors can have efficiency

You might also like