Power requirement Chemical Engineering Plant Engineering 2

Compressors Lecture 2 compressor efficiency and multistage compression John Christy

Isothermal Compressor

Power = fRT ln

P2 P1


Adiabatic Compressor

fRT1 Power = 1




P2 P 1


1
  

)*+

"

Polytropic Compressor

fnRT1 Power = n 1


#$%



P2 P 1
!

n 1 n
& '(



1
 

Polytropic compression
In most cases the process is neither isothermal nor adiabatic If heat and work transferred with constant heat capacity, known as polytropic path
Pv n = constant

Efficiencies
In practice, compression or expansion is not carried out reversibly. Leakage and fluid friction, along with external mechanical losses, lead to a higher work input being required.
Compressor Efficiency = ideal work requiremen t actual work requiremen t
actual work output ideal work output

where n is experimental constant

n=

( c p c) ( cv c)

with c being the apparent heat capacity, such that q = c.T. Note that c is negative

Expander Efficiency =

Adiabatic vs isothermal compression

P Isothermal work (blue) Adiabatic work (orange)

Adiabatic vs isothermal compression

P Isothermal work (blue) Adiabatic work (orange) Multistage adiabatic compression with interstage cooling (yellow)

Adiabatic work exceeds isothermal work

Multistage adiabatic compression with cooling

Adiabatic vs isothermal compression

Isothermal compression requires least work, because the molar volume is kept to a minimum by removal of heat. By running multistage adiabatic compression with interstage cooling, the work requirement is reduced towards that of isothermal compression.

Multistage adiabatic compression

The minimum work requirement for multistage compression with constant inlet temperature occurs when the pressure ratio (Pr) is the same for all stages This leads to the same outlet temperature for each stage 1 fNRT1 Power = Pr 1 and 1
/ , 678 ,. 6 45 1 2 3 3 ,0 , -

where N is the number of stages.

Types: reciprocating (2 stage)

Types: reciprocating (4 stage)

Note: 1st stage larger than second and use of intercooler

Other factors
Usual to provide by-pass return line to recirculate gas in event of low output requirement, due to
Danger of overheating Positive displacement devices being used