Comparison of different types of compressor

Comparison between different types of compressor

Comparison between Reciprocating Air Compressor and Rotary Air Compressor:

Aspects	Rec. Air Compressor	Rot. Air Compressor
1.Suitablity	Suitable for low discharge of air at high Pressure.	Suitable for handling large volume of air at low pressure.
2.Operational Speed	Low	Usually High
3. Air Supply	Pulsating	Continuous
4. Balancing	Cyclic Vibration occur	Less Vibration
5. Lubricating System	Generally complicated	Generally Simple lubricating s/m.
6.Quality of air delivered	Generally contaminated with air	Air delivered is relatively more clean
7. Size	Large for the given discharge	Small for the same discharge
8. Free air handled	250-300 m3/min	2000-3000m3/min
9. Delivery pressure	High	Low
10. Usual standard of Compression	Isothermal compression	Isentropic Compression

Comparison of Centrifugal Compressor and Axial flow compressor:

Aspects	Centrifugal Compressor	Axial Flow Compressor
1.Type of flow	Axial (Parallel to the direction of axis of the machine)	Radial
2.Pressure ratio per stage	High (about 4.5:1)	Low (about 1.2:1)
3. Isothermal efficiency	About 80-82%	About 86-88%
4.Frontal area	Larger	Smaller
5.Flexibility of operation	More	Less
6. Part load performance	Better	Poor
7. Effect of deposit formation on the surface of impellor rotor	Performance not adversely affected	Performance adversely affected
8. Starting torque required	Low	High
9. Suitability for multistaging	Slightly difficult	More suitable for multistaging
10. Delivery pressure possible	Up to 400 bar	Up to 20 bar
11. Efficiency V/S speed curve	More flat	Less flat comparatively
12. Applications	Used in: blowing engine in steel mills, Low pressure refrigeration, big central air-conditioning plants, fertilizer industry, Superheating IC Engine, Gas pumping in long distance pipe line etc [Previously used in jet engines]	Mostly used in jet engines, Power plant, gas turbines and steel mills.

Comparison of Reciprocating Compressor and Centrifugal compressor:

Aspects	Reciprocating Compressor	Centrifugal Compressor
1.vibration problems	Greater	Less
2.Mechanical efficiency	Lower	Higher
3. Installation Cost	Higher	Lower
4. Pressure ratio per stage	About 5:8	About 3:4.5
5. Capability to deliver pressure	High pressure	Medium pressure
6. Capability of delivering volume of air/gas	Small	Greater
7. Flexibility in capacity and pressure range	Greater	No flexibility in capacity and pressure range
8. Maintenance expenses	Higher	Lower
9. Continuity of service	Lesser	Greater
10. Compression efficiency	Higher at compression ratio above 2	Higher at compression ratio less than 2
11. Adaptability	Adaptability to low speed drive	Adaptability to high-speed low maintenance cost drivers such as turbines.
12. Operating attention	More	Less
13. Mixing of working fluid with lubricating oil	Always a chance	No chance
14. Suitability	For low, medium and high pressure & Low and medium gas volumes.	For low and medium pressures & Large gas volumes.

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