COMPRESSOR COMPRESSOR COMPRESSOR COMPRESSOR S S S S GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY

Adiabatic compression. Adiabatic compression. Adiabatic compression. Adiabatic compression. See, Compression adiabatic
Aftercooler. Aftercooler. Aftercooler. Aftercooler. Heat exchangers for cooling air or gas discharged from compressors.
They provide the most effective means of removing moisture from compressed air
and gases,
Air bearings. Air bearings. Air bearings. Air bearings. See Gas bearings.
Air Air Air Air- -- -cooled compressors. cooled compressors. cooled compressors. cooled compressors. These are machines cooled by atmospheric air circulated
around the cylinders or casings.
Base plate. Base plate. Base plate. Base plate. A metallic structure on which a compressor or other machine is
mounted.
Boolean logic. Boolean logic. Boolean logic. Boolean logic. The logic of binary systems, such as control systems in which all
operations my be reduced to on/off, open closed, or some similar dichotomous
basis.
Capacity. Capacity. Capacity. Capacity. Capacity of a compressor is the full rated volume of flow of gas
compressed and delivered at conditions of total temperature, total pressure, and
composition prevailing at the compressor inlet. It sometimes means actual flow
rate, rather than rated volume of flow.
Capac Capac Capac Capacity, actual. ity, actual. ity, actual. ity, actual. Quantity of gas actually compressed and delivered to the
discharge system at rated speed of the machine and under rated pressure
conditions. Actual capacity is usually expressed in cubic feet per minute (cfm) at
that stage inlet gas conditions.
Casing. Casing. Casing. Casing. The pressure containing stationary element that encloses the rotor and
associated internal components of a compressor, and it includes integral inlet and
discharge corrections (nozzles).
Check valve. Check valve. Check valve. Check valve. A valve that permits flow in one direction only.
Clearance. Clearance. Clearance. Clearance. The maximum cylinder volume on a working side of the piston minus the
piston displacement volume per stroke It is usually expressed as a percentage of
the displace volume.
Clearance pocket. Clearance pocket. Clearance pocket. Clearance pocket. An auxiliary volume that may be opened to the clearance space
to increase the clearance, usually temporarily, to reduce the volumetric efficiency of
the compressor
Compressibility. Compressibility. Compressibility. Compressibility. A factor expressing the deviation of a gas from the laws of
hydraulics. (See also Super compressibility Super compressibility Super compressibility Super compressibility)
Compression, adiabatic Compression, adiabatic Compression, adiabatic Compression, adiabatic. . . . This type of compression is effected when no heat is
transferred to or from the gas during the compression process
Compression, isothermal. Compression, isothermal. Compression, isothermal. Compression, isothermal. isothermal compression is a compression in which the
temperature of the gas remains constant. For perfect gases, it is represented by the
equation PV is a constant, if the process is reversible,
Compression, polytropic. Compression, polytropic. Compression, polytropic. Compression, polytropic. Compression in which the relationship between the pre~
sum and the volume is expressed by the equation Pv is a constant.
Compression ratio. Compression ratio. Compression ratio. Compression ratio. The ratio of the absolute discharge press= to the absolute inlet
pressure
Critical pressure. Critical pressure. Critical pressure. Critical pressure. The limiting value of saturation pressure as the saturation
temperature approaches the critical temperature.
Critical temperature. Critical temperature. Critical temperature. Critical temperature. The highest temperature at which well defined liquid and
vapor states exist. It is sometimes defined as the highest temperature at which it is
possible to liquify a gas by pressure alone.
Diaphragm. Diaphragm. Diaphragm. Diaphragm. A stationary element between the stages of a multistage centrifugal
compressor, It may include guide vanes for directing the flowing medium to the
impeller of the succeeding stage. In conjunction with an adjacent diaphragm, it
forms the diffuser surrounding the impeller.
Diaphragm routing. Diaphragm routing. Diaphragm routing. Diaphragm routing. A method of removing heat from the flowing medium by
circulation of a coolant in passages built into the diaphragm.
Diffuser. Diffuser. Diffuser. Diffuser. A stationary passage surrounding an impeller, in which velocity pressure
imparted to the flowing' medium by the impeller is converted into static pressure
D DD Digital controls igital controls igital controls igital controls, see Logic controls.
Displacement. Displacement. Displacement. Displacement. Displacement or a compressor is the piston volume swept out Per
unit time; it is usually expressed in cubic feet per minute.
Dynamic Type Dynamic Type Dynamic Type Dynamic Type compressors. Machines in which air or gas is compressed by the
mechanical action of routing vanes or impellers imparting velocity and pressure to
the flowing medium.
Efficiency. Efficiency. Efficiency. Efficiency. Any reference to efficiency of a dynamic type compressor must be
accompanied by a qualifying statement which identifies the efficiency under
consideration, as in the following definitions.
Efficiency, compression. Efficiency, compression. Efficiency, compression. Efficiency, compression. Ratio of calculated isentropic work requirement to actual
thermodynamic work requirement within the cylinder, the Inner as determined from
the cylinder indicator card.
Efficiency, isother Efficiency, isother Efficiency, isother Efficiency, isothermal, mal, mal, mal, Ratio of the work calculated on an isothermal basis to the
actual work transferred to the gas during compression.
Efficiency, mechanical. Efficiency, mechanical. Efficiency, mechanical. Efficiency, mechanical. Ratio of thermodynamic work requirement in the cylinder (a
shown by die indicator card) to actual brake horsepower requirement.
Efficiency, polytropic. Efficiency, polytropic. Efficiency, polytropic. Efficiency, polytropic. Ratio of the polytropic compression energy transferred to the
gas no the actual energy transferred to the gas,
Efficiency, volumetric. Efficiency, volumetric. Efficiency, volumetric. Efficiency, volumetric. Ratio of actual capacity to piston displacement, stated as a
percentage.
Exhauster Exhauster Exhauster Exhauster. .. . This is a term sometimes applied to a compressor in which the inlet
pressure is less than atmospheric pressure.
Expanders. Expanders. Expanders. Expanders. Turbines or engines in which a gas expands, doing work, and
undergoing a drop in temperature. Use of the term usually implies that the drop in
temperature is the principle objective. The orifice in a refrigeration system also
performs this function, but the expander performs it nearly isentropically, and is
thus more effective in cryogenic systems.
Filters Filters Filters Filters are devices for separating and removing dust and dirt front air before it
enters a compress.
Flange connection. Flange connection. Flange connection. Flange connection. The flange connection (inlet or discharge) is a means of
connecting the casing to the inlet or discharge piping by means of bolted rims
(flanges).
Fluidics Fluidics Fluidics Fluidics The general subject of instruments and controls dependent upon low rate
flow of air or gas at low pressure as the operating medium. These usually have no
moving Parts,
Free air. Free air. Free air. Free air. Air at atmospheric conditions at any specific location. Because the altitude,
barometer, and temperature may vary at different localities and at different times,
it follows that this term does not mean air under identical or standard conditions.
Gas. Gas. Gas. Gas. While from a physical point of view a gas is one of the three basic phases of
matter, and thus air is a gas, a special meaning is assigned in pneumatics practice.
The term gas refers to any gas other than air.
Gas bearings Gas bearings Gas bearings Gas bearings are load carrying machine elements permitting some degree of motion
in which the lubricant is air or some other gas.
Guide vane. Guide vane. Guide vane. Guide vane. A stationary element that may be adjustable and which directs the
flowing medium to the inlet of an impeller.
Head, adiabatic. Head, adiabatic. Head, adiabatic. Head, adiabatic. The energy in four pounds required to compress adiabatically and
to deliver one pound of a given gas from one pressure level to another.
Head, polytropic. Head, polytropic. Head, polytropic. Head, polytropic. The energy in foot pounds required to compress polytropically and
to transfer one pound of a given gas from one pressure level to another.
Horsepower, brake. Horsepower, brake. Horsepower, brake. Horsepower, brake. The horsepower input to the compressor shaft, mature
generally to any drive, machine shaft.
Horsepower, indicated. Horsepower, indicated. Horsepower, indicated. Horsepower, indicated. The horsepower calculated from compressor indicator
diagrams. The term applies only to displacement type
Horsepower, theoretical, or ideal. Horsepower, theoretical, or ideal. Horsepower, theoretical, or ideal. Horsepower, theoretical, or ideal. The horsepower required to compress
adiabatically the air or gas delivered by the compressor through the specified range
of pressures.
Humidity, specific. Humidity, specific. Humidity, specific. Humidity, specific. The weight of water vapor in an air vapor mixture per pound of
dry air.
Humidity, relative. Humidity, relative. Humidity, relative. Humidity, relative. The relative humidity of a gas (or air) vapor mixture is the ratio
of the partial pressure of the vapor to the vapor saturation pressure at the dry bulb
temperature of the mixture.
Impeller. Impeller. Impeller. Impeller. The part of the totaling element of a dynamic compressor that impacts
energy to the flowing medium by means of centrifugal force. It consists of a number
of blades mounted so as to rotate with the shaft.
Indicator card. Indicator card. Indicator card. Indicator card. A pressure volume diagram for a compressor or engine cylinder
produced by direct measurement made by the use of a device called an indicator.
Inducer. Inducer. Inducer. Inducer. A curved inlet section on an impeller
Intercoolers. Intercoolers. Intercoolers. Intercoolers. Heat exchangers for removing the heat of compression between
stages of a compressor They usually condense and remove a considerable amount
of moisture as well.
Interc Interc Interc Intercooling. ooling. ooling. ooling. The removal of heat from the air or gas between stages or stage
groups.
Intercooling degree of. Intercooling degree of. Intercooling degree of. Intercooling degree of. The difference in air or gas temperatures between the inlet
of the compressor and the outlet of the intercooler.
Intercooling, perfect. Intercooling, perfect. Intercooling, perfect. Intercooling, perfect. Perfect intercooling exists when the temperature of the air
leaving the intercoolers equals the temperature of the air at the compressor intake.
Isentropic cornpression. Isentropic cornpression. Isentropic cornpression. Isentropic cornpression. An adiabatic compression with an increase in entropy; a
reversible-adiabatic compression.
Isothermal Isothermal Isothermal Isothermal compression. compression. compression. compression. See Compression, isothertnal Compression, isothertnal Compression, isothertnal Compression, isothertnal. .. .
Liquid piston. Liquid piston. Liquid piston. Liquid piston. A liquid-piston compressor is a rotary compressor in which a vaned
motor revolves in an eliptical casing, with the rotor spaces sealed by a ring of liquid
rotating with it inside the casing.
Land f Land f Land f Land factor. actor. actor. actor. Ratio of the average compressor load during a given period of time to
the maximum rated load of the compressor. It applies also to air tools, where it is
the product of the work factor times the time factor.
Logic controls. Logic controls. Logic controls. Logic controls. Control devices the operation of which may be reduced to binary
operation such as on off, 0-1 or open closed They are also referred to as digital
controls.
Multicasing compressor. Multicasing compressor. Multicasing compressor. Multicasing compressor. When two or more compressors, each with a separate
casing, are driven by a single motor or turbine, the combined unit is called a
multicasing compressor.
Multistage axial compressor. Multistage axial compressor. Multistage axial compressor. Multistage axial compressor. A machine having two or more rows of muting vanes
operating in series on a single rotor and in a single casing.
Multistage centrifugal compressor. Multistage centrifugal compressor. Multistage centrifugal compressor. Multistage centrifugal compressor. A machine having two or more impellers
operating in series on a single shaft and in single casing.
Multistage compressors. Multistage compressors. Multistage compressors. Multistage compressors. Machines employing two or more stages.
Overhung type centrifugal compressor. Overhung type centrifugal compressor. Overhung type centrifugal compressor. Overhung type centrifugal compressor. A single-inlet compressor with the impeller
or impellers mounted on an extended shaft of the driver (i.e., one in which the
compressor has no shaft of its own).
Pedestal type centrifugal compressor. Pedestal type centrifugal compressor. Pedestal type centrifugal compressor. Pedestal type centrifugal compressor. A single-inlet compressor with the impeller or
impellers mounted on a shaft supported by two bearings in a pedestal, with the
driver coupled to the compressor shaft.
Performance curve. Performance curve. Performance curve. Performance curve. This curve is a plot of expected operating characteristics (e.g.,
discharge pressure versus inlet capacity, shaft horsepower versus inlet capacity).
Piston displacement. Piston displacement. Piston displacement. Piston displacement. Net volume actually displaced by the compressor piston at
rated machine speed, generally expressed in cubic feet per minute, (usually cfm).
For multistage compressors, the piston displacement of the first stage only is
commonly stated as that of the entire machine.
Polyt Polyt Polyt Polytropic compression. ropic compression. ropic compression. ropic compression. See Compression, polytropic Compression, polytropic Compression, polytropic Compression, polytropic. .. .
Polytropic head. Polytropic head. Polytropic head. Polytropic head. See Head, polytropic Head, polytropic Head, polytropic Head, polytropic.
Positive displacernent compressors. Positive displacernent compressors. Positive displacernent compressors. Positive displacernent compressors. Compressors in which successive volumes of
air or gas are confined within a closed space, and compressed. They may be either
totaling or reciprocating.
Power wheel. Power wheel. Power wheel. Power wheel. A built in mechanical device to recover a portion of the power
consusmed by a constant speed centrifugal compressor when operating at reduced
capacity or reduced pressure rise, or both.
Power, theoretical (polytropic). Power, theoretical (polytropic). Power, theoretical (polytropic). Power, theoretical (polytropic). The mechanical power required to compress
polytropically and to deliver, through the specified range of pressures, the gas
delivered by the compressor.
Pressure, absolute. Pressure, absolute. Pressure, absolute. Pressure, absolute. The total pressure measured from absolute zero, (i.e., from an
absolute vacuum).
Pressure, critical. ssure, critical. ssure, critical. ssure, critical. See Critical pressure Critical pressure Critical pressure Critical pressure. .. .
Pressure, discharge. Pressure, discharge. Pressure, discharge. Pressure, discharge. The absolute total pressure of the discharge flange of a
compressor
Pressure, intake. Pressure, intake. Pressure, intake. Pressure, intake. The absolute total pressure at the inlet flange of a compressor.
Pressure ratio. Pressure ratio. Pressure ratio. Pressure ratio. See Compression ratio. Compression ratio. Compression ratio. Compression ratio.
Pressure rise. Pressure rise. Pressure rise. Pressure rise. The difference between the discharge pressure and the intake
pressure.
Pressure, static Pressure, static Pressure, static Pressure, static. The pressure measured in a flowing stream (liquid or gas) in such
a manner that no effect on the measurement is produced by the velocity of the
stream.
Pressure, total. Pressure, total. Pressure, total. Pressure, total. The pressure that would be produced by stopping a moving stream
of liquid or gas. It is the pressure measured by an impact tube.
Pressure, velocity. Pressure, velocity. Pressure, velocity. Pressure, velocity. The total pressure minus the static pressure in an air or gas
stream,
Receivers. Receivers. Receivers. Receivers. Tanks used for the storage of air discharged from compressors. They
serve also to damp discharge line pulsations.
Reciprocating compressors Reciprocating compressors Reciprocating compressors Reciprocating compressors. Machines in which the compression element is a piston
having a reciprocating motion in a cylinder.
Reduced pressure. Reduced pressure. Reduced pressure. Reduced pressure. Ratio of the pressure of a gas to its critical pressure, in like
units.
Reheaters. Reheaters. Reheaters. Reheaters. Heat exchangers for raising the temperature of compressed air in
increase its volume.
Reynold's number. Reynold's number. Reynold's number. Reynold's number. A dimensionless flow parameter, (/), in which if is a
significant dimension, often a diameter, is the fluid velocity, is mass density,
and , is dynamic viscosity, all in consistent units.
Rotor. Rotor. Rotor. Rotor. The rotating element of a machine and, in the case of a compressor is
composed of the impeller (or impellers) and shaft, and may include shaft sleeves,
and a thrust balancing device.
Rotary compressors. Rotary compressors. Rotary compressors. Rotary compressors. Machines in which compression is effected by the positive
action of rotating elements.
Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, sliding vane compressors. Machines in which axial vanes slide radially in an
eccentrically mounted rotor.
Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, two impeller positive displacement compressors. two impeller positive displacement compressors. two impeller positive displacement compressors. two impeller positive displacement compressors. Machines in which two
mating lobed impellers revolve within a cylinder or casing and are prevented from
making contact with each other by timing gears mounted outside the cylinder.
Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, Rotary, liquid piston compressors. liquid piston compressors. liquid piston compressors. liquid piston compressors. Machines in which water or other liquids are
used, usually in a single rotating element, to displace the air or gas handled.
Seals. Seals. Seals. Seals. Devices used between rotating and stationary parts to separate, and
minimize leakage between, areas of unequal pressures.
Shaft. Shaft. Shaft. Shaft. The part of the rotating element on which the rotating parts are mounted
and by means of which energy is transmitted from the prime mover.
Shaft sleeves. Shaft sleeves. Shaft sleeves. Shaft sleeves. Devices that may be used to position the impeller or to protect the
shaft.
Single stage compressors. Single stage compressors. Single stage compressors. Single stage compressors. Machines in which air or gas is compressed in each
cylinder or casing from initial intake pressure to final discharge pressure.
Single Single Single Single- -- -stage centrifugal compressors. stage centrifugal compressors. stage centrifugal compressors. stage centrifugal compressors. Machines having only one impeller.
Sole plate. Sole plate. Sole plate. Sole plate. A metallic pad, usually embedded in concrete, on which the compressor
feet are mounted.
Specific gravit Specific gravit Specific gravit Specific gravity. y. y. y. This property is the ratio of the specific weight of air or gas to that
of dry air at the same pressure and temperature.
Specific heat. Specific heat. Specific heat. Specific heat. The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit
weight of a substance by one degree (whether Celsius or Fahrenheit must be
stated).
Specific weight. Specific weight. Specific weight. Specific weight. This property of a gas is the weight of air or gas per unit volume.
Unless otherwise specified, it refers in compressor practice to the weight per unit
volume at conditions of total temperature, total pressure and composition which
prevail at the compressor intake.
Speed. Speed. Speed. Speed. The speed of a compressor refers to the number of revolutions per minute
of the compressor shaft.
Stability or percentage stability. Stability or percentage stability. Stability or percentage stability. Stability or percentage stability. Stability is 100 minus the "surge limit" at rated
discharge pressure, where the surge limit in percentage of rated capacity.
Stages. Stages. Stages. Stages. Steps in the compression of a gas. In the case of reciprocating compressors
each stage usually requires a separate cylinder, and in dynamic compressors, each
requires a separate rotor disc; in either case, the gas is passed through the stages
in succession,
Standard air. Standard air. Standard air. Standard air. Air at a temperature of 68 F, a pressure of 14.70 psia, and a relative
humidity of 36 % (0.0750 density). This is in agreement with definitions adopted by
ASME, but in the gas industries the temperature of "standard air" is usually given
as 60 F.
Supercompressibility, factor. Supercompressibility, factor. Supercompressibility, factor. Supercompressibility, factor. This is a factor expressing deviation of a gas from
perfect gas laws. See also compressibility compressibility compressibility compressibility. .. .
Surge limit (pumping or pulsation point). Surge limit (pumping or pulsation point). Surge limit (pumping or pulsation point). Surge limit (pumping or pulsation point). In a dynamic compressor, surge limit is
the capacity below which the compressor operation becomes unstable.
Temperature,absolute. Temperature,absolute. Temperature,absolute. Temperature,absolute. Absolute temperature equals the Fahrenheit temperature
plus 459.6. It is referred to as the Rankine temperature. In the metric systems,
absolute temperature equals the Celsius temperature plus 273 and is known as the
Kelvin temperature.
Temperature, critical. Temperature, critical. Temperature, critical. Temperature, critical. See Critical temperature Critical temperature Critical temperature Critical temperature.
Temperature, discharge. Temperature, discharge. Temperature, discharge. Temperature, discharge. The total temperature at the discharge flange of the com-
pressor.
Temp Temp Temp Temperature, Intake. erature, Intake. erature, Intake. erature, Intake. 'The total temperature at the intake flange of the compressor
Temperature rise ratio. Temperature rise ratio. Temperature rise ratio. Temperature rise ratio. This is the ratio of the computed isentropric, temperature
rise to the measured total temperature ride during compression. For a perfect gas,
this is equal to the ratio of the isentropic enthalpy rise to the actual endralpy rise.
Temperature, static. Temperature, static. Temperature, static. Temperature, static. The actual temperature, of a moving gas stream. It is the
temperature indicated by a thermometer moving in the stream with the same
velocity as the stream.
Temperature, total. Temperature, total. Temperature, total. Temperature, total. The temperature which would be measured at the stagnation
point if a gas stream were stopped, with adiabatic compression front the flow
condition to the stagnation pressure.
Thrust balancing device (balance piston or drum). Thrust balancing device (balance piston or drum). Thrust balancing device (balance piston or drum). Thrust balancing device (balance piston or drum). The part of the rotating element
that counteracts any inherent thrust developed by the impellers.
Torque. Torque. Torque. Torque. Torsional moment or couple. It usually refers to the driving couple of a
machine or motor.
Turbine. Turbine. Turbine. Turbine. A prime mover in which a stream of fluid, such as water, stream or gas,
provides the impulse to drive a bladed rotor.
Two stage compressors. Two stage compressors. Two stage compressors. Two stage compressors. Machines in which air or gas is compressed from initial
pressure to an intermediate pressure in one or more cylinders or casings.
Unit type compressors. Unit type compressors. Unit type compressors. Unit type compressors. Compressors of 20 hp or less capacity, generally combined
with all the components required to put them into operation.
Vacuum Pumps. Vacuum Pumps. Vacuum Pumps. Vacuum Pumps. Compressors that operate with an intake pressure below
atmospheric and discharge pressure usually atmospheric and slightly higher.
Valves. Valves. Valves. Valves. Devices with passages for directing flow into alternate paths.
Volute. Volute. Volute. Volute. A stationary, spirally shaped passage that converts velocity head to
pressure.
Water Water Water Water- -- -cooled compressors. cooled compressors. cooled compressors. cooled compressors. These are machines cooled by water circulated through
jackets surrounding the cylinders or casings.