EXPERIMENT NO:-02

Aim:- To study various types of Compressors used for refrigeration cycle.

Theory:-
There are various types of compressors used in the refrigeration and air conditioning machines,
these are: reciprocating, rotary, screw, centrifugal and scroll. All these have been described
below briefly:

What is Refrigeration Compressor

The compressors are one of the most important parts of the refrigeration cycle. The
compressor compresses the refrigerant, which flows to the condenser, where it gets cooled. It
then moves to the expansion valve, and the evaporator and it is finally sucked by the
compressor again. For the proper functioning of the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant must be
compressed to the pressure corresponding to the saturation temperature higher than the
temperature of the naturally available air or water. It is the crucial function that is performed
by the compressor. Compression of the refrigerant to the suitable pressure ensures its proper
condensation and circulation throughout the cycle. The capacity of the refrigeration or air
conditioning depends entirely on the capacity of the compressor.

Types of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Compressors

There are various types of compressors used in the refrigeration and air conditioning machines,
these are: reciprocating, rotary, screw, centrifugal and scroll. Some have been described below
briefly:

1) Reciprocating Compressors:
The reciprocating compressors are one of the most widely used types of the refrigerating
compressors. They have piston and cylinder arrangement like the automotive engine. The
reciprocating motion of the piston due to external power compresses the refrigerant inside the
cylinder. There are three types of reciprocating compressors: hermetically sealed, semi-
hermetically sealed and open type. The open of reciprocating compressors can be of single
cylinder type or multi-cylinder type.
Figure shows the schematic of a reciprocating compressor. Reciprocating compressors consist
of a piston moving back and forth in a cylinder, with suction and discharge valves to achieve
suction and compression of the refrigerant vapor. Its construction and working are somewhat
similar to a two-stroke engine, as suction and compression of the refrigerant vapor are
completed in one revolution of the crank.
Reciprocating Compressor

Screw Compressor
The suction side of compressor is connected to the exit of the evaporator, while the discharge
side of the compressor is connected to the condenser inlet. The suction (inlet) and the
discharge (outlet) valves open and close due to pressure differences between the cylinder and
inlet or outlet manifolds respectively. The pressure in the inlet manifold is equal to or slightly
less than the evaporator pressure. Similarly the pressure in the outlet manifold is equal to or
slightly greater than the condenser pressure. The purpose of the manifolds is to provide stable
inlet and outlet pressures for the smooth operation of the valves and also provide a space for
mounting the valves.
The valves used are of reed or plate type, which are either floating or clamped. Usually,
backstops are provided to limit the valve displacement and springs may be provided for smooth
return after opening or closing. The piston speed is decided by valve type. Too high a speed will
give excessive vapor velocities that will decrease the volumetric efficiency and the throttling
loss will decrease the compression efficiency.

2) Screw Compressors:

The screw compressors comprise of the pair of meshing screws between which the refrigerant

gets compressed. They can produce high pressure for small quantity of gas. They consume less

power than the reciprocating compressors and are being used widely. It can be used with

refrigerants like R12, R22, and others.

Rotary-screw compressors use two meshing helical screws, known as rotors, to compress the
gas. In a dry-running rotary-screw compressor, timing gears ensure that the male and female
rotors maintain precise alignment. In an oil-flooded rotary-screw compressor, lubricating oil
bridges the space between the rotors, both providing a hydraulic seal and transferring
mechanical energy between the driving and driven rotor. Gas enters at the suction side and
moves through the threads as the screws rotate. The meshing rotors force the gas through the
compressor, and the gas exits at the end of the screws.

The effectiveness of this mechanism is dependent on precisely fitting clearances between the
helical rotors and between the rotors and the chamber for sealing of the compression cavities.
However, some leakage is inevitable, and high rotational speeds must be used to minimize the
ratio of leakage flow rate over effective flow rate.
Rotary Compressor

Centrifugal Compressor
In contrast to Roots blowers, screw compressors are made with different profiles on the two
rotors: the male rotor has convex lobes which mesh with the concave cavities of the female
rotor. Usually the male rotor has fewer lobes than the female rotor, so that it rotates faster.
Originally, screw compressors were made with symmetrical rotor cavity profiles, but modern
versions use asymmetrical rotors, with the exact rotor designs being the subject of patents.

3)Rotary Vane Compressor:

It is positive displacement type compressor. It provides higher efficiency and flow rates over a
wide range of pressure.
Rotary vane compressor consist of rotor with a number of vanes inserted in the radial slots cut
in rotor. The rotor is mounted eccentric in a casing. The vanes slides radially in and out of the
rotor.

As the rotor rotates at higher speed, centrifugal force throws the vanes outward keeping the
end of vane in contact with the stator ring. As the rotor turns, compression is achieved as the
volume goes from a maximum at intake port to minimum at the exhaust port.
An oil is injected into the air intake and along the stator walls to cool the air and lubricate
bearing and vanes and to provide a seal between the vane and stator wall to reduce internal
leakage.
The rotary compressors have two rotating elements, like gears, between which the refrigerant
is compressed. These compressors can pump the refrigerant to lower or moderate condensing
pressures. Since they can handle small volume of the gas and produce lesser pressure, they are
used in fewer applications.

4) Centrifugal Compressor:
Centrifugal compressors use the rotating action of an impeller wheel to exert centrifugal force
on refrigerant inside a round chamber (volute). Refrigerant is sucked into the impeller wheel
through a large circular intake and flows between the impellers. The impellers force the
refrigerant outward, exerting centrifugal force on the refrigerant. The refrigerant is pressurized
as it is forced against the sides of the volute. Centrifugal compressors are well suited to
compressing large volumes of refrigerant to relatively low pressures. The compressive force
generated by an impeller wheel is small, so chillers that use centrifugal compressors usually
employ more than one impeller wheel, arranged in series. Centrifugal compressors are
desirable for their simple design and few moving parts.

Centrifugal compressor works on the principle of accelerating a gas to a high velocity and
converting its KINETIC ENERGY (velocity) into POTENTIAL ENERGY (pressure) by decelerating the
gas. The gas enters the eye of the impeller and is accelerated to the outward edge of the
impeller as it rotates. It then enters a diffuser where its direction is changed, causing
deceleration. This deceleration converts the KE into the PE, pressure. If the gas is to be further
compressed, then a return chamber directs it from the diffuser to the eye of the next impeller
in series. The gas enters a collector or volute when it is to leave the compression stage.
Scroll Compressor
 It is discharged to the process through a discharge nozzle.
The centrifugal compressor has no connecting rods, pistons and valves; so the shaft bearings
are the only points subject to wear. The compressor discharge pressure is a function of gas
density, impeller diameter and design, and impeller speed. Centrifugal compressor impellers
rotate very rapidly.
The centrifugal compressors comprise of the impeller or the blower that can handle large
quantities of gas but at relatively lower condensing pressure.

5) Scroll Compressors:
The scroll compressor comprises of two interleaved scrolls of which one is fixed and the
other orbits eccentrically without rotating. During its motion small gaps are created between
the scrolls where the refrigerant gets compressed. The scrolls can have different shapes like
involute, Archimedean spiral or hybrid curve. In another arrangement both the scrolls may be
rotating eccentrically to produce the compression.
A scroll compressor (also called spiral compressor, scroll pump and scroll vacuum pump) is a
device for compressing air or refrigerant. It is used in air conditioning equipment, as an
automobile supercharger (where it is known as a scroll-type supercharger) and as a vacuum
pump. Many residential central heat pump and air conditioning systems and a few automotive
air conditioning systems employ a scroll compressor instead of the more traditional rotary,
reciprocating, and wobble-plate compressors.

A scroll compressor operating in reverse is known as a scroll expander, and can be used to
generate mechanical work from the expansion of a fluid, compressed air or gas.

A scroll compressor uses two interleaving scrolls to pump, compress or pressurize fluids such as
liquids and gases. The vane geometry may be involute, Archimedean spiral, or hybrid curves.

Often, one of the scrolls is fixed, while the other orbits eccentrically without rotating, thereby
trapping and pumping or compressing pockets of fluid between the scrolls. Another method for
producing the compression motion is co-rotating the scrolls, in synchronous motion, but with
offset centers of rotation. The relative motion is the same as if one were orbiting.Another
variation is with flexible (layflat) tubing where the archimedean spiral acts as a peristaltic pump,
which operates on much the same principle as a toothpaste tube. They have casings filled with
lubricant to prevent abrasion of the exterior of the pump tube and to aid in the dissipation of
heat, and use reinforced tubes, often called 'hoses'. This class of pump is often called a 'hose
pumper'. Since there are no moving parts in contact with the fluid, peristaltic pumps are
inexpensive to manufacture.

Conclusion: Thus we have studies Various types of Compressors used for refrigeration
purpose.