This document provides information about different types of air compressors. It begins with an introduction to air compressors in general, then classifies them based on their working principles, number of stages, piston action, number of cylinders, pressure ratio, and cooling method. It defines key terminology used in air compressors. It then describes the workings and applications of three main types of air compressors: reciprocating compressors, centrifugal compressors, and axial compressors. It concludes by listing references used to compile the information.

1. GANDHINAGAR INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY
ACTIVE LEARNING ASSIGNMENT
ELEMENTS OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING(2110006)
AIR COMPRESSORS
PREPARED BY: GUIDED BY:
Ravi Gelani (150120116020) PROF. Jyotin Kateshia
Kaushik Nakrani (150120116039)
Shrvan Kushwaha (150120116034)
BRANCH: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY- D-D2
SEMESTER:2 (EVEN)

2. GOALS:
Introduction
Classification
Terminology
Reciprocating compressor
Centrifugal compressor
Axial compressor
References

3. AIR COMPRESSORS
• An air compressor is a device that converts
power into potential energy by forcing air into
a smaller volume and thus increasing its
pressure.
• The energy in the compressed air can be stored
while the air remains pressurized.

4. CLASSIFICATION:
Air Compressors are classified on various categories,
according to the:
 Principle of Working:
1. Positive displacement
2. Dynamic(Negative displacement)
 Number of Stages:
1. Single stage - pressure ratio upto 5 – 6.
2. Multi stage – pressure ratio more than 6.

5.  Acting of Piston:
1. Single Acting 2. Double Acting
 Number of Cylinders:
1. Single Cylinder 2. Double Cylinder
 Pressure Ratio:
1. Fan- pressure ratio upto 1.1
2. Blower- pressure ratio 1.1 to 2.5
3. Compressor- pressure ratio more than 2.5
 Method of Cooling:
1. Air cooled 2. Water cooled

6.  According to the Arrangement of Cylinder:
1. Vertical 3. V-type
2. Horizontal 4. Radial

7. AIR COMPRESSOR TERMINOLOGY
 SINGLE ACTING COMPRESSOR:
Compressor in which suction, compression and delivery of air
takes place only in one side of piston.
 DOUBLE ACTING COMPRESSOR:
Compressor in which suction, compression and delivery of air
takes place on both sides of piston.
 SINGLE STAGE COMPRESSOR:
Compressor in which compression of air from suction pressure to
delivery pressure takes place in one cylinder .

8.  MULTI STAGE CYLINDER:
Compressors in which compression of air from suction pressure
to delivery pressure takes place in more than one cylinder.
 COMPRESSION RATIO:
It is defined as a ratio of an absolute discharge pressure to
absolute suction pressure.
 VOLUMETRIC EFFICIENCY:
Defined as the ratio of actual volume of air taken in the
compressor to the swept volume of the compressor.
 COMPRESSOR CAPACITY:
Volume of the air delivered by the compressor.
Expressed in cubic metre per minute or cubic metre per second.

9. RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
• A reciprocating compressor or piston compressor is
a positive-displacement compressor that uses pistons driven by
a crankshaft to deliver gases at high pressure
• The intake gas enters the suction manifold, then flows into the
compression cylinder where it gets compressed by a piston
driven in a reciprocating motion via a crankshaft, and is then
discharged.
• It also consists of inlet valve and delivery valve and they
operated because of the pressure difference across it.

10. RECIPROCATING AIR COMPRESSOR

11. Working:
• When piston moves downward during suction stroke, the
compressed air left in the cylinder expands and due to expansion,
the pressure inside the cylinder falls below atmospheric pressure
which result in the opening of inlet valve opens and delivery valve
remains closed and fresh air is sucked into the cylinder.
• At the time of upward stroke, there is slight increase in pressure
which closes the inlet valve and when both the valves are closed the
pressure inside the valve increases.
• So when the pressure inside the cylinder increases above the
compressed air pressure on outside of delivery valve,the delivery
valve remain open and compressed air is delivered into the receiver.
So, at the end piston move downward and as pressure decreases
delivery valve remain closed.
• When pressure falls below atmospheric once again inlet valve opens
and thus the cycle is repeated.

12. Application:
• Applications include oil refineries, gas pipelines, chemical
plants, natural gas processing plants and refrigeration plants.
One specialty application is the blowing of plastic bottles
made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

13. CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS
• Centrifugal compressors, sometimes termed radial
compressors, are a sub class of dynamic symmetric axis
turbo-machinery.
• This compressive dynamic turbo-machine achieves a pressure
rise by adding kinetic energy/velocity to a continuous flow
of fluid through the rotor or impeller.
• It consists of an impeller (rotor) usually rotates at high speed
(sometimes at 20 K to 30 K rpm) in an air tight volute casing.
• It is a steady flow of device having continuous flow of air and
it deals with the large quantity of air with the moderate range.

14. CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR

15. AXIAL COMPRESSOR
• An axial compressor is a machine that can continuously pressurise
gases.
• It is a rotating, airfoil-based compressor in which the gas or working
fluid principally flows parallel to the axis of rotation.
• This differs from other rotating compressors such as centrifugal
compressors, axi-centrifugal compressors and mixed-flow
compressors where the fluid flow will include a "radial component"
through the compressor.
• The energy level of the fluid increases as it flows through the
compressor due to the action of the rotor blades which exert a torque
on the fluid.
• The stationary blades slow the fluid, converting the circumferential
component of flow into pressure. Compressors are typically driven
by an electric motor or a steam or a gas turbine.

16. • Axial flow compressors produce a continuous flow of
compressed gas, and have the benefits of high efficiency and
large mass flow rate, particularly in relation to their size and
cross-section.
• They do, however, require several rows of airfoils to achieve a
large pressure rise, making them complex and expensive
relative to other designs (e.g. centrifugal compressors).

17. Working:
• Axial compressors consist of rotating and stationary components. A
shaft drives a central drum, retained by bearings, which has a
number of annular airfoil rows attached usually in pairs, one rotating
and one stationary attached to a stationary tubular casing.
• A pair of rotating and stationary airfoils is called a stage. The
rotating airfoils, also known as blades or rotors, accelerate the fluid.
The stationary airfoils, also known as stators or vanes, convert the
increased rotational kinetic energy into static pressure
through diffusion and redirect the flow direction of the fluid,
preparing it for the rotor blades of the next stage.
• The cross-sectional area between rotor drum and casing is reduced
in the flow direction to maintain an optimum Mach number using
variable geometry as the fluid is compressed.

18. Application:
• Axial compressors are integral to the design of large gas
turbines such as jet engines, high speed ship engines, and
small scale power stations. They are also used in industrial
applications such as large volume air separation plants,blast
furnace air, fluid catalytic cracking air.
• Due to high performance, high reliability and flexible
operation during the flight envelope, they are also used
in aerospace engines.

19. References:
• Elements of Mechanical Engineering by “N M Bhatt” & “Dr. J
R Mehta”.
• Physics textbook of 12th of the “Frank Brothers”.s
• Internet : www.compressor.com

20. THANK
YOU 