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A reciprocating two stage compressor was studied in this lab. It consists of a
motor powering two compressors (high and low pressure) and two heat exchangers that
cool the air after each compressor. Temperature and pressure gauges and located at
important points on the compressor that gives us the information we need to find work,
heat transfer and finally the efficiency of the total system. All of the readings that were
taken off of gauges are in the data section of the lab report. Using work equations we
found the work in the low and high pressure compressors to be 1.71 kJ per second and
1.084 kJ per second. From these work values heat transfer to surroundings is found for
each of the low and high pressure compressors which is 2.48 kJ per second and 1.48 kJ
per second. Heat transfer the surroundings of the heat exchangers were also calculated
and were found to, for the intercooler .0428 kJ per sec and for the aftercooler .2001 kJ
per second. Isothermal efficiency is now calculated which is 50.7 %. Finally the
mechanical efficiency is 90.7 % and efficiency of the motor is 72.5%.
Introduction
In the reciprocating air compressor lab we studied the effects a two stage air
compressor had with constant flow rate. The compressor consisted of two compressors, a low
pressure compressor first followed by and high pressure compressor. An intercooler was
located between the two compressors and an after cooler behind the high pressure
compressor. Temperature, pressure and other information is found by gauges are placed at
important points along the compressor so it is possible to find needed thermodynamic
properties. With these properties heat transfer to the surroundings form each cylinder head
and heat exchanger can be determined. The magnitudes of energy transfer for each component
and the efficiency of the motor, compressor and isothermal efficiency can be calculated. Air
compressors can be used for a large variety of jobs in industry, most commonly seen in
compact units used for running air powered power tools.
Theory
We need to have the ability to find the work and heat that is either lost or gained by all
the components of the compressor. The assumption that the air flow in the compressor is
running at steady state lets us apply the open system conservation of energy equation:
0 ∑ ∑ ,
To find the isothermal efficiency we can use the equation:
Where, ln
The mechanical efficiency of the compressor is the ratio of the sum of the power inputs
to the power input to the compressor form motor. Also the efficiency of the motor is the
torque of the motor over voltage and current:
and,
An indicator is used for us to determine the variation of pressure and volume. A cord is
attached to a spring loaded drum. The string is attached to a linkage that moves a proportional
distance to the volume. A spring loaded indicator piston, with a spring constant k, is loaded so
movement of the stylus attached to the spring is directly proportional to the pressure of the
cylinder. If a piece of paper is wrapped around the cylinder and the stylus is pushed lightly
against it while the cylinder is rotating a P‐V diagram is traced onto this paper. The area traced
has a length L and an area A. The mean effective pressure must be calculated with:
The rate of work being done on the air is now calculated with where N is
in revs/min. It is also assumed that the heat loss is only due to losses in to the surrounding air.
Apparatus
The apparatus used in this experiment is a reciprocating air compressor consisting of
two compressors run by an electric motor running at 365 RPM, an intercooler and aftercooler.
The air at atmospheric pressure first travels into a low pressure compressor that
consists of two cylinders. There is a water cooling system on the compressor also. The air then
travels to an intercooler where it is cooled and sent on to a second compressor. The second
compressor is a high pressure compressor with one cylinder and it also has a water cooling
system attached. Then the air is passed through an aftercooler and sent to a high pressure
receiver. There are various temperature and pressure gauges throughout the apparatus which
will be shown in the diagram below. Also a diagram of the mechanical indicator will be shown
below.
Table 1: characteristics of the two compressors
High pressure compressor Low pressure compressor
Number of Cylinders 1 2
Bore 7.62 cm 10.16 cm
Stroke 10.16 cm 10.16 cm
Indicator constant(k) 217.2 kPa/cm 108.6 kpa/cm
(diagram of two stage compressor) scanner did not work
but diagram will be on hard copy (same for diagram for
indicator on next page)
Diagram 1: Representation of two‐stage compressor
Diagram 2: General arrangement of mechanical indicator
Procedure
1. Instructor started compressor and explained components
2. Temperatures, pressures and flow rates were recorded once the compressor
reached steady state.
3. P‐v diagrams were created using the two indicators on each compressor
4. P‐v diagrams were scanned onto computer and the area and length were found.
Data and Analysis
Data
Measurements from indicator: Low compressor‐length = 5.4cm
‐area = 8.497 cm squared
High compressor‐length = 5.4 cm
‐area = 9.562 cm squared
Data table 1: water flow rates (masses taken over a time period of 646 seconds)
Hose Mass(kg)
Intercooler 10.6
Aftercooler 15.4
Low pressure compressor 12.3
High pressure compressor 7.7
Air flow rate is .00764 kg/s
Data table 2: Temperature and points on apparatus
Temp 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
gage #
Temp 23.5 97.1 80.5 29.9 27 70 18.3 24.4 22.5 15.3 26.6 14.7 21.1 15.3 21.6 14.2 20.2 23.9
(degrees
C)
Air pressure after 1st compressor is 34psi (240 kPa)
Air pressure in tank is 107 psi (737.739 kPa)
Atmospheric pressure is 716 mmHg (95 kPa)
Data table 3: Motor specs.
Analysis
1. Finding the work and head loss of each cylinder head:
Low pressure cylinder
1.7125
So,
The rate of heat loss is ‐2.49 kJ per sec.
The enthalpy change of air is 74.2 kJ per kg or .5666 kJ per sec
High Pressure cylinder
1.084
So,
7.7
1.084 .00765 70 27 21.1 14.7
646
1.4888
The rate of heat loss is ‐1.4888 kJ per sec.
The enthalpy change is 43 kJ per kg or .32853 kJ per sec
2. The heat loss in the intercooler:
Heat loss in intercooler is .0428 kJ per sec
Enthalpy change of air is 50 kJ per kg or 0.382 kJ per sec
3. The heat loss in the aftercooler:
Heat loss in aftercooler is .2001 kJ per sec
Enthalpy change of air is 52 kJ per kg or 0.397 kJ per sec
4. Isothermal efficiency
832.63
ln 287 296.65 ln 184.09
95.4
1.406
1.406
50.3%
1.7125 1.084
5. Mechanical efficiency
2 34 2 1.75 6.0833
2.7965
90.7%
3.083
6. Motor efficiency
3.083
72.5%
250 17
Discussion of Results
First the work of each cylinder was found, then the heat transfer to the surroundings
and finally the enthalpy of the change in air. For the low pressure compressor the work done on
the air (1.7125 kJ per sec) is smaller than the heat lost to the surroundings (2.49 kJ per sec). The
internal energy gain of the air is 0.5667 kJ per second. Taking these numbers into account we
can see that a very large percent of work is given off as heat to the surroundings. This fact puts
into perspective the efficiency of the compressor. Similarly in the high pressure compressor the
heat lost to the surroundings (1.488 kJ per sec) is larger than the work done by the compressor
(1.084). Also again the heat transfer to the air (0.32852 kJ per sec) is a small fraction of the heat
transferred to the surroundings. One of our assumptions is that the heat is transferred only to
the surroundings but there are other places that it can go. One place is to the lubricating oil in
the cylinder crank case that is used to lubricate the piston. Oil can absorb a large amount of
heat which makes it a reasonable error in our calculation.
In the intercooler the heat lost to the surroundings is .0428 kJ per second and the loss of
internal energy of the air is 0.382 kJ per sec. The heat loss in air is much larger than the heat
lost to the surroundings. In the aftercooler the heat lost to the surroundings is .2001 kJ per sec
and the internal energy loss of the air is 0.397 kJ per sec. Again the heat loss in the air is larger
than the heat lost to the surroundings but the difference in the aftercooler is much smaller than
the difference in the intercooler. This may be because the intercooler is better insulated. Also
another factor of the aftercooler that might have affected some readings is that temperature
gauge six is located right after the high pressure compressor. There will be a slight temperature
drop from the exit of the second compressor to the inlet of the aftercooler.
The isothermal efficiency is 50.3%, this large loss in efficiency can be accounted to many
different attributes. Friction of the air flow in the inside of the pipe may be one. Also heat loss
in the pipe at spots with no isolation such at elbows will be another reason the efficiency is so
low. The mechanical efficiency is 90.7% and efficiency of the motor is 72.5%.
Conclusion
In conclusion we found that with determining energy transfers of the different
components of the reciprocating two stage compressor our total efficiency is quite low. This
low efficiency is due to many components such as unwanted heat loss and friction along the
flow path.