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Compressors are similar to and both can transport the fluid through a Pipe . As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of a gas. Liquids are relatively incompressible, so the main action of a pump is to transport liquids. TYPES OF COMPRESSORS The main types of gas compressors are illustrated and discussed below: Centrifugal compressors See Also: Centrifugal compressor 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. They are primarily used for continuous, stationary service in industries such as Oil Refineries , Chemical and Petrochemical plants and Natural Gas Processing plants. Their application can be from 100 hp (75 kW) to thousands of horsepower. With multiple staging, they can achieve extremely high output pressures greater than 10,000 psi (69 MPa). Many large snow-making operations (like Ski Resorts ) use this type of compressor. They are also used in internal combustion engines as superchargers and Turbocharger s. Centrifugal compressors are used in small Gas Turbine Engine s or as the final compression stage of medium sized gas turbines. Diagonal or mixed-flow compressors See Also: 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. Axial-flow compressors See Also: Axial-flow compressor Axial-flow compressors use a series of fan-like rotating Rotor blades to progressively compress the gasflow. Stationary Stator vanes, located downstream of each rotor, redirect the flow onto the next set of rotor blades. The area of the gas passage diminishes through the compressor to maintain a roughly constant axial Mach Number . 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. Reciprocating compressors See Also: Reciprocating compressor Reciprocating compressors use Piston s driven by a crankshaft. They can be either stationary or portable, can be single or multi-staged, and can be driven by electric motors or internal combustion engines. Small reciprocating compressors from 5 to 30 Horsepower (hp) are commonly seen in automotive applications and are typically for intermittent duty. Larger reciprocating compressors up to 1000 hp are still commonly found in large industrial applications, but their numbers are declining as they are replaced by various other types of compressors. Discharge pressures can range from low pressure to very high pressure (>5000 psi or 35 MPa). In certain applications, such as air compression, multi-stage double-acting compressors are said to be the most efficient compressors available, and are typically larger, noisier, and more costly than comparable rotary units. Introduction to Industrial Compressed Air Systems Rotary screw compressors See Also: Rotary screw compressor Rotary screw compressors use two meshed rotating positive-displacement Helical Screws to force the gas into a smaller space. These are usually used for continuous operation in commercial and industrial applications and may be either stationary or portable. Their application can be from 3 hp (2.24 kW) to over 500 hp (375 kW) and from low pressure to very high pressure (>1200 psi or 8.3 MPa). They are commonly seen with roadside repair crews powering air-tools. This type is also used for many automobile engine Supercharger s because it is easily matched to the induction capacity of a Piston engine. Scroll compressors See Also: Scroll compressor A scroll compressor, also known as '''scroll pump''' and '''scroll vacuum pump''', uses two interleaved spiral-like vanes to Pump or Compress Fluid s such as Liquids and Gas es. The vane geometry may be Involute , Archimedean Spiral , or hybrid curves. They operate more smoothly, quietly, and reliably than other types of compressors. Often, one of the scrolls is fixed, while the other orbits eccentrically without rotating, thereby trapping and pumping or compressing pockets of fluid between the scrolls. Diaphragm compressors See Also: Diaphragm compressor A diaphragm compressor (also known as a '''membrane compressor''') is a variant of the conventional reciprocating compressor. The compression of gas occurs by the movement of a flexible membrane, instead of an intake element. The back and forth movement of the membrane is driven by a rod and a crankshaft mechanism. Only the membrane and the compressor box come in touch with the gas being compressed. Diaphragm compressors are used for hydrogen and compressed natural gas ( CNG ) as well as in a number of other applications. The photograph included in this section depicts a three-stage diaphragm compressor used to compress Hydrogen gas to 6,000 psi (41 MPa) for use in a prototype hydrogen and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station built in downtown Phoenix, Arizona by the Arizona Public Service company (an electric utilities company). Reciprocating Compressor s were used to compress the Natural Gas . The prototype Alternative Fuel ing station was built in compliance with all of the prevailing safety, environmental and building codes in Phoenix to demonstrate that such fueling stations could be built in urban areas. TEMPERATURE Charles's Law says "when a gas is compressed, temperature is raised". There are three possible relationships between temperature and pressure in a volume of gas undergoing compression:
STAGED COMPRESSION Since compression generates heat, the compressed gas is to be cooled between stages making the compression less adiabatic and more isothermal. The inter-stage coolers cause condensation meaning water separators with drain valves are present. The compressor flywheel may drive a cooling fan. For instance in a typical diving compressor, the air is compressed in three stages. If each stage has a compression ratio of 7 to 1, the compressor can output 343 times atmospheric pressure (7 x 7 x 7 = 343 Atmospheres). PRIME MOVERS There are many options for the " Prime Mover " or motor which powers the compressor:
APPLICATIONS Gas compressors are used in various applications where either higher pressures or lower volumes of gas are needed:
SEE ALSO
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