Contents

ABSTRACT..............................................................................................................................................2
TITLE......................................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
OBJECTIVE.............................................................................................................................................5
THEORY..................................................................................................................................................5
EQUIPMENT...........................................................................................................................................7
EXPERIMENT SET UP..............................................................................................................................7
PROCEDURE...........................................................................................................................................8
DISCUSSION...........................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................11

ABSTRACT
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

This experiment is done to analyse the variation of performance with pressure for a two stage
reciprocating air compressor. The objective of this experiment is to investigate the effect of
delivery pressure on the performance of a reciprocating air compressor.

The experiment is conducted by using The Cussons P905 Two Stage Reciprocating Air
Compressor Test Set. The experiment was first started with the discharge valve closed and
compressor operating at constant speed at 700 rpm. The pressure is varied from 2.0 until 11.0
bar. The force and the output temperature are recorded. Further calculation was made to
determine the inlet airflow, power outputs and efficiencies.

The relationship between pressure and the compressor performances are determined by the
graph plotted. Next, comments about the graph are stated in the discussion part. Finally, a
conclusion on the experiment is made.

2
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

TITLE
First stage compressor

INTRODUCTION
Cussons P9050 Two Stage Reciprocating Air Compressor Test Set is constructed in two
major assemblies- an instrumentation and a control console which straddles on a welded steel
base-frame carrying the air compressor system. The test set is a complete and self-contained
system requiring only interconnections between the two major assemblies with a three phase
main electrical supply, a water supply and a water drain.

The two compressors are separately controlled by DC dynamometer. Each compressor is

driven by a single vee wedge belt at a variable speed. The advantage of this drive system is it
can be used either a two stage machine or a single stage machine with the second stage
undrive and bypassed. The delivery air flow can be varied and the capacity of the delivery
can be changed by connecting one or both of two air receivers. This test set also can be used
as air compressor in the laboratory by using a single stage form. This test set consists of
seven parts which is:

1. The first stage compressor

The first stage compressor is an industrial twin-cylinder aircooled machine with a bore of 70
mm and a stroke of 50 mm giving a capacity of 385 ml. The inlet valves are fitted with
diaphragm-operated head unloaders which unload the compressor by holding the inlet valves
open. The unloaders are connected to automatic pilot valves fitted to the lower air receiver
which opens when the air pressure reaches a preset value. The delivery valve acts as a non
return valve when the compressor is unloaded thus preventing discharge of the air receiver
back through the compressor.

2. Dynamometer

The dynamometer is a separately excited DC motor with the stator of the machine mounted in
self aligning trunnion bearings. The dynamometer is fitted with torque arms, one of which
connects to a strain gauge load cell for load measurement. A 100 tooth wheel is fitted at the
non drive end of the machine where a magnetic pick-up feeds a pulse train signal to a
“frequency to voltage” convertor for speed feedback/indication.

3
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

3. Belt Drive System

The dynamometer is a separately excited DC motor with the stator of the machine mounted in
self aligning trunnion bearings. The dynamometer is fitted with torque arms, one of which
connects to a strain gauge load cell for load measurement. A 100 tooth wheel is fitted at the
non drive end of the machine where a magnetic pick-up feeds a pulse train signal to a
“frequency to voltage” convertor for speed feedback/indication.

4. Water Cooled Intercooler

The water cooled intercooler is a shell and tube heat exchanger which is mounted vertically
on a bracket behind the first stage compressor. The heat exchanger is used in a counter flow
configuration with the water flowing upwards through the tubes with the air entering the shell
at the top and leaving a t the bottom. A three port two-way ball valve at the inlet to the
intercooler is provided to allow the intercooler to be bypassed. A moisture separator is fitted
at the exit from the intercooler to provide automatic periodic discharge of the collected
condensate. The moisture separator has a maximum operating temperature of 80 C.

5. Air Receiver

Two horizontal air receivers each having a capacity of 250 litres are fitted each with a drain
valve, safety relief valves, pressure gauge connection and delivery valve. The receivers are
arranged so that the lower one is always used while the top one is available to double the
system capacity when required.

6. Bedplate Assembly

The bedplate is a welded structure manufactured from standard steel sections. The lower air
receiver is directly mounted across one end of the bedplate with the second air receiver
mounted on top of the first. A steel plate cross-member carries the dynamometer and load cell

4
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

whilst two pairs of hollow section square tube support the two compressor slide bases. The
bedplate is mounted on six spring mounts which provide vibration isolation from the floor.

OBJECTIVE
1. To investigate the effect of delivery pressure on the performance of a reciprocating air
compressor.
2. As the requirement for the transfer degree program.
3. To introduce the student about the basic knowledge of air compressor system.

THEORY
Working Equation (appendix)

1. Intake air pressure

P1 +hρg=Patm
P1=101. 3kPa−9 . 81×10−3 h
* h in mm

2. Inlet air flow

Q c=2.972h 0.5 ±1.0−3 m3 /hour

3. Volumetric efficiency
Q 1 2. 972 (h )0 . 5
η vol= =
V 0. 02309 N C
h0 . 5
=128 . 71
NC

4. Dynamometer power output

W d=2 πN d T offload

5
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

5. Compressor power input

W c=W d −2πN d T offload

6. Ideal isothermal power input

P2
W T =P1 Q c ln
P1

6. Ideal isentropic power input

γ P 2 γ −1γ
W s= P1 Q c
γ−1 [( ) ]
P1
−1

7. Isothermal thermal efficiency

WT
ηT =
Wc

8. Isentropic thermal efficiency

Ws
ηs =
Wc

*Nc = 0.3636 Nd

6
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

EQUIPMENT

1) Cussons P9050 Two Stage Reciprocating Air Compressor Test Set.

EXPERIMENT SET UP

Set up the system as a single stage air compressor operating into both air receivers by
removing the drive belt from the second stage compressor, and then opening the bypass from
the second stage compressor. After that, close the bypass around the cooler and open the
interconnecting valve to the second air receiver.

7
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

FIGURE 1 : Air System Schematic

PROCEDURE

1. The compressor is operated at constant speed N P,700 rpm and readings are taken
whilst the air receivers charge.

2. At an increments of air receiver pressure of 0.5 bar with constant compressor speed
Nc= 700 rev/min, the reading of air compressor discharge pressure Pc, inlet air flow
orifice manometer reading h, and the reading of dynamometer load LD are recorded.

3. When the air receiver pressure reaches the pre-set value on the off-loading valve, both
inlet valves are opened and compressor delivery is ceased.

4. A reading of the dynamometer load in this condition can then be used as a measure of
the drive belt and cylinder friction power, in which can then be deducted from the
measurement of dynamics power output to give a measure of the compressor air
power input, Wc.

5. For each set of results obtained, the following parameters are calculated (referred to
Appendix ):

a) Inlet air flow, QC

b) Volumetric efficiency, ηvol
c) Dynamometer power output, WD
d) Compressor power input, WT
e) Ideal isothermal power input, WT
f) Ideal isentropic power input, Ws
g) Isothermal thermal efficiency, ηT
h) Isentropic thermal efficiency, ηS

6. Graphs of the discharge pressure P2 against the inlet air flow Qc is plotted and P2
against the power output Wc, WD, WS, WT are plotted. Then, the graphs of ηvol, ηS, ηr
against P2 are plotted.

8
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

DISCUSSION

 From the graph 1, which is the discharge pressure versus inlet air flow, we can see
that the inlet airflow,Q C will decrease as we increase the discharged pressure, P2 and
this relation is inversely proportional. Based on the theory, the flow will be low at
high pressure.

 By studying the shape of graph 2,power versus the discharge pressure, P2 it is

obviously shown that all the power increases when the discharged pressure, P2
increases. This shows that the relation for power output and power input is directly
proportional. For the relation between power and discharge pressure, we can say that
when discharged pressure, P2 increases, the dynamometer power output,W D
,compressor air power input, W C ,isothermal power input ,W T and isentropic power
input,W S also gradually increase.

 Based on the graph 3 which is efficiencies versus discharge pressure, we can

conclude that when the discharged pressure increases, the isothermal efficiency and
isentropic efficiency are slightly increase. Meanwhile, the inversely proportional of
graph is shown by volumetric efficiency.

 Due to shortage of water during the experiment, we used chiller instead of inter
cooler, to supply the water in and to dispose the water out. Therefore, the
temperature T₃ and T₄ are slightly different with the normal condition.

 The readings are not accurate because of the parallax error. Eye is not meniscus and
not straight to the meter.

 There might be some errors in this experiment due to some technical reasons, for
example, the reading shown on the machine is always fluctuating, so different
person will read a different reading, which is not very accurate.

9
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, inlet airflow, Qc and η vol are inversely proportional to P2 whereas all the
power, W D , W C , W T and W s are proportional to discharge pressure, P2.

10
 FIRST STAGE COMPRESSOR

REFERENCES

1. http://www.cussons.co.uk/pdf/english/enthermo/P9050.pdf

2. Boles, Michael A., and Yunus A. Cengel. Thermodynamics: An

Engineering Approach with Student Resource DVD. New York:
McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math, 2006.

3. http:// www.cussons.co.uk/pdf/english/enthermo/P9050.PDF

11