Air Compressor

Ajan. Prodpran Sririterasard

Sakaorat Kasemthanapruet 5610755570

Attawat Chantimapong 5610755752
Tharatorn Rungruengthanapol 5610755638
Pavares Viwatthanasittiphong 5610755646

Date of experiment: 18 April 2016

Due: 24 April 2016
 Content
Abstract 1
Theory 2
Objectives 4
Material and Apparatus 5
Experimental procedure 5
Experiment Data 6
Discussion 7
Conclusion 8
Appendix 9
References 10
 Abstract

This experiment is to study the operation and principle of compressor

which in this case is the reciprocating compressor and also study the efficiency
of the compressor operating under different type of system. For Isothermal
system, the work (Ws) can be determined from P3 and P1 and this kind of system
should use the lowest work. For Isentropic system, Ws can be calculated from P2
and P1 and this system should use the highest work. For polytropic system, it is
a two stages process which the work can be calculated from area under the
graph and the value should be between Isothermal and Isentropic system. Then,
the work used will be compared and analyze that the system tends to be
Isothermal or Isentropic. Finally, the efficiency of each system will be
determined from the flow rate and P4.
 Introduction and Theory

In this lab, we will study operation of an air compressor and determine the
compressor efficiencies.

1-2: Polytrophic compression from p1 to p2 𝑝1 𝑣1 = 𝑝2 𝑣2 − 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡

𝑝2 𝑇2 𝑛−1
Using an ideal gas law, =( ) 𝑛
𝑝1 𝑇1

2-3: Constant-pressure gas evacuation 𝑝2 = 𝑝1

3-4: Polytrophic expansion from 𝑝2 to 𝑝1

4-1: Constant-pressure gas loading 𝑝4 =𝑝1

Consider the polytrophic compression from 𝑝1 to 𝑝2 , of which the required

work is
𝑝 𝑃2
𝑤𝑠 = − ∫𝑝 2 𝑛𝑅𝑇𝑙𝑛( ) (1)
1 𝑃1

𝑛−1
𝑛 𝑝2 𝑛
𝑤𝑠 = − 𝑅𝑇1 [( ) − 1] (2)
𝑛−1 𝑝
1
Where 𝑤𝑓 = specific work (J/kg) p = absolute pressure of air
(N/m2)

V = specific volume (m3/kg) n = polytrophic index

𝑇1 = absolute temperature of air at stage 1 (K)

R = gas constant of air = 287.05 J/kg*k

𝛾−1
𝛾 𝑇 𝑃2 𝛾
−∆𝑊𝑠 = ×𝑅 × (( ) − 1) (3)
𝛾−1 𝑀 𝑃1

N in the equation 𝑝𝑣 𝑛 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 is different for different types of

compression,

For an isothermal compression, n = 1

𝑐𝑝
For an adiabatic (or isentropic) compression, = 𝛾 = =
𝑐𝑣
ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜, where ϒ = 1.4 for air

For a polytrophic compression 1 < 𝑛 < 𝛾

From the above plot, we may conclude that the isothermal compression required
the least amount of work, while the polytrophic compression is more realistic.

The total efficiency of compressor is

∆𝑊𝑠∗𝑄
η𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑜𝑟 = (4)
𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑊

Objective
1) To study the use of compressor
2) To find the relative between wind speed from compressor and work
done
3) To find the efficiency of the compressor
 Material and Apparatus
1. Compressor and the test tools

Experimental procedure
1. Turn on compressors.

2. Every time when adjust condition, the compressor must be turned off.

3. Collect data before the compressors drain out the excess gas.

4. Determine 𝑤𝑠 of isentropic, isothermal and polytrophic compression.

5. Plot graph of P vs. V.

 Experiment Data
T1 T2 T3 T4
308.4 339.7 312.8 419.6
P1 P2 P3 ∆P P4
-90 380 380 10.7 7685
P1 P2 P3 ∆P P4
0.91 1.38 1.38 1.0107 8.685

Actual Work ɤ= 1.4

1506.1 (watt) R= 8.314
(mbar)
Find Q 4558.534852 (litre/min) Density 1.225 kg/m3
(baratm) 0.00126626 (m3/sec)
0.001551168 (kg/sec)
0.086176006 (mol/sec)

Isentropic work = 13156.27 W

Isothermal work = 92.00584 W

Efficiency
Isentropic 0.752775

isothermal 0.005264

polytropic 0.415777
W 7266.55 J/s

P(bar) (Pa) T T(K) V

0.91 91000 35.4 308.4 0.028176
1.38 138000 66.7 339.7 0.020466
1.38 138000 39.8 312.8 0.018845
8.658 865800 146.6 419.6 0.004029
 Discussion

The calculated works are as expect from the theory; the highest power
needed is from isentropic work which is 13156.27 W found from equation (3),
the lowest power needed is 92.00584 W from isothermal found from equation
(1). The work needed in case of polytropic is calculated from an area under a
graph between pressure and volume, the result is 7266.55 W. The gas constant
𝐽
value use in all calculation is 8.314 . The actual energy used is 1506.1 W.
𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐾
Then to find the efficiency, use equation (4). The efficiency is range from
0.005264 to 0.415777 to 0.752275 for isothermal, polytropic and isentropic case
respectively.
 Conclusion

The efficiencies are lower for the cases which require lower power
because the actual work put into the system is the same. The power required for
the real case is 7266.55 W which is closer to 92.00584 W of isothermal case
compare to 13156.27 W from isentropic case. The reason is because the process
is two-step compressor which allow the whole system to operate like ideal case.
The volume used in the calculation is found in case of ideal gas hence using less
energy. Another reason is the calculation for the condenser use the same
pressure for both before and after the air enters the condenser which also is in
the case of ideal situation. By using two ideal values the energy use is quite low
therefore the value is closer to isothermal which is the ideal case. To make the
value more precise, the pressure of the gas after entering the condenser should
be measure and to be able to use the ideal gas condition, the gas used in the
experiment should has smaller molecule like hydrogen.
 Appendix
1.Isothermal work
𝑃3
∆Ws = 𝑄𝑅𝑇1𝑙𝑛( )
𝑃1

𝐽
Q = Flowrate (mol/s) R = 8.314 ( )
𝐾∗𝑚𝑜𝑙

2.Isentropic
ɤ−1
ɤ 𝑅𝑇1 𝑃2 ( ɤ )
∆Ws = ∗ ∗ (( ) − 1) ɤ=1.4
ɤ−1 𝑄 𝑃1

3.Efficiency
∆Ws∗Q
ɲ=
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑊

4.Flowrate
𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑟𝑒
Q = K*SQRT(∆P) K= 52
𝑚𝑖𝑛−𝑆𝑄𝑈𝑇(𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑟)

5.Volume

PV = nRT

6.Polytropic
0.028176
Area under curve = ∫0.020466 (−5 × 107 𝑥 ) + ( 1 × 106 ) 𝑑𝑥 +
0.020466 0.018845
∫0.018845 138000 𝑑𝑥 +∫0.004029 (−6 × 106 𝑥 ) + 262750 𝑑𝑥

Work = 7266.55 j/s

 Reference
1. AE 381 Chemical Engineering Laboratory 1 2/2010 Book, Department of
Chemical Engineering Thammasat University.
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_constant