MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

INTRODUCTION TO

COMPRESSORS

Engineering for the Petroleum and Process Industries

 WHAT ARE COMPRESSORS ?

Compressors are machines used to increase the total energy level

of a compressible fluid (either gas or vapor).

Molecular weight of compressed gas vary from 2 (Hydrogen) ~ 352

(uranium hexafluoride)
 WHAT ARE COMPRESSORS APPLICATIONS ?

Compressors applications vary from home refrigerator to large

complex petrochemical plants

Compressors can be used for:

Gas transmission through pipelines
Storage and transmission of energy (e.g. shop air compression)
Volume reduction for storage or transportation (e.g. LPG, LNG)
Process requirements (e.g. chemical reactions)
Energy conversion (e.g. Ref. system, heat pumps)
 COMPRESSOR
COMPRESSOR TYPES

DYNAMIC
DYNAMIC POSITIVE
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
DISPLACEMENT

Ejector
Ejector Centrifugal
Centrifugal Axial
Axial Rotary
Rotary Reciprocating
Reciprocating

Single
Single Acting
Acting

Double
Double Acting
Acting

Free
Free Piston
Piston

Vane
Vane Liquid
Liquid Ring
Ring Screw
Screw Lobe
Lobe
Labyrinth
Labyrinth

Diaphragm
Diaphragm
SELECTION OF COMPRESSORS
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT COMPRESSORS
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
 POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT COMPRESSORS

Positive Displacement Compressors, are

machines in which successive volumes of gas are
confined within a closed space where the
pressure is increased as volume of the closed
space is decreased.
 RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS

Reciprocating compressors are positive displacement machines

that compress and move gases by using a combination of
Rotational and Linear (Reciprocating) motion
 HOW RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
WORK ?
Reciprocating compressors are positive
displacement machines that compress and
move gases by using a combination of
Rotational and Linear (Reciprocating) motion

Ideal Reciprocating Compressor cycle as

following:
Suction
Compression
Discharge
Expansion
 RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
CLASSIFICATION

Reciprocating compressors are available in:-

Single Acting (Trunk or automotive piston Type)
Double acting (Cross Head Type)
Trunk
Piston
Cylinder
Volume

Head-End Crank-End
Cylinder Cylinder Rod Connecting
Volume
Volume Packing Rod

Crank

Piston Rod Cross

Piston
Head
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS
 RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS CONSTRUCTION
CRANK SHAFT
Large Selection of
Large Access To Crosshead Standard Cylinders
Guide and Packing

Robust Guides
and Frame

Heavy Duty
Guide Support

44” (1118 mm) Consolidated Relief

Throw Valve simplifies the
Spacing Oil System

Steel backed tri-metal Digital No-Flow Lubrication

Shoes and Bearings Counter and Shutdown
 Small Bore
Piston & Step Liner

Cylinder Body &

Piston Rod Common
To 3 Diameters
Large Bore
Piston & Stub Liner

Medium Bore
Piston & Liner
Variable Volume
Head – Common
To 3 Diameters
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS VALVES CONSTRUCTION

Plate valve
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS VALVES CONSTRUCTION
 Frame & Cylinder Lubrication
Digital No-Flow
Timer
Oil Pressure Gauges

Oil Filter
Divider Block Mount

Plate-type
Oil Cooler
Oil-level
Controller
(option) Pre-lube Pump Lubricator
RECIPROCATING
COMPRESSORS
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS CONSTRUCTION
PISTON ROD PACKING
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS CONSTRUCTION
CROSS HEAD
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS CONSTRUCTION
CONNECTING ROD
RECIPROCATING COMPRESSORS CONSTRUCTION
CRANK SHAFT
Variable Volume Clearance Pockets

Locking Collar
 RECIPROCATING
COMPRESSORS
PULSATION DAMPENER
RECIP. COMPRESSORS
GAUGE BOARD
RECIP. COMPRESSORS DRIVE METHODS

Electric Motor
RECIP. COMPRESSORS DRIVE METHODS

Internal Combustion Gas Engine

CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS
HOW CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS WORK?

1- GAS INITIAL CONDITION AT INLET

2- GAS AFTER ACCELERATION

2

3 3- GAS AFTER DECELERATION

1
FROM BENOLLI EQUATION:

P3+RV3/2+RGZ3 = P2+RV2/2+RGZ2
CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS
IMPELLER TYPES
HORIZONTALLY SPLIT COMPRESSORS TOP NOZZLES
HORIZONTALLY SPLIT BACK TO BACK
ARRANGEMENT COMPRESSORS
HORIZONTALLY SPLIT HIGH FLOW
COMPRESSORS
VERTICALLY SPLIT COMPRESSORS
TOP NOZZLES
VERTICALLY SPLIT VERY HIGH PRESSURE
COMPRESSORS
VERTICALLY SPLIT PIPELINE COMPRESSORS
HIGH SPEED INTEGRALLY GEARED CENTRIFUGAL
COMPRESSORS