How does an Air Compressor Work?

Screw compressor is a volumetric compressor with helical rotation, which is one of the most widely used volumetric compressors in the world.

 

1. Screw compressor principle

Screw compressor is a volumetric compressor with helical rotation, which is one of the most widely used volumetric compressors in the world.

The basic structure of a screw compressor is shown in the figure below. In the body of the compressor, a pair of intermeshing spiral rotors are configured in parallel. Usually, the thicker teeth are called the male rotor or male screw; the thinner teeth are called the female rotor or female screw. Generally the male rotor is connected to the prime mover, and the male rotor drives the female rotor to rotate. Ball bearings on the exhaust end of the rotor enable the rotor to achieve axial positioning and withstand the axial force in the compressor. At both ends of the compressor body, respectively, open a certain shape and size of the orifice. One for suction, called suction orifice; the other for exhaust, called exhaust orifice. (Generally from the upper intake, from the lower exhaust). The working cycle of a screw compressor can be divided into three processes: suction (1), compression (2) (3) and discharge (4). As the rotor rotates, each pair of intermeshing teeth completes the same cycle one after another. The volume occupied by the gas sealed in the inter-tooth volume decreases with the movement of the teeth, resulting in an increase in pressure, thus realizing the compression process of the gas, and when the inter-tooth volume is connected to the exhaust orifice, the exhaust process begins.

2. Principle of Single Screw Air Compressor

 

The working principle of single screw compressor is through the interaction of the two star wheel rotation, because their configuration is symmetrical, so that the space is divided into two, and each of them respectively to the gas compression, the balance of symmetry is the biggest feature of the single-screw machine, the current manufacturers also need to solve the problem of high speed and high temperature between the plastic star wheel and the screw star wheel will be worn out too much to ensure that the production of gas will not drop too fast.

 

3. Piston compressor principle

The working principle of piston compressor is to use the crank linkage mechanism to transform the rotary motion of the prime mover into the linear reciprocating motion of the piston, and with the help of the inlet and exhaust valves automatically open and close the gas inhalation, compression, and discharge, because of the use of the way is relatively outdated, the gas will contain a lot of oil, this equipment is not suitable for the use of high precision requirements of the industry, and secondly there is a large amount of noise, the gas is pulsed, Secondly, there are problems of high noise, gas pulsation, and the main machine is easy to be broken.

 

4. Sliding vane compressor air compressor principle

Sliding vane compressors are driven directly at lower speeds using conventional technology. The rotor is a continuously running component with a number of grooves cut along its length in which slide blades are inserted that slide on a film of oil. The rotor rotates in the stator of the cylinder, during which centrifugal force throws the slides out of the grooves to form individual compression chambers, which are reduced in volume and increased in air pressure, and the heat generated by the compression is controlled by the injection of pressurized oil, which completes the compression of the air. Because the way used is relatively backward, so the gas will contain a lot of oil, this time the need for oil and gas separator, to filter it clean before it can be put into production use, this equipment is not suitable for gas precision requirements of the industry is very high, and secondly, there is also a large amount of noise, the host of the problem of high maintenance costs.

 

5. Centrifugal Compressor Principle

Centrifugal compressor working principle is that when the air into the machine, which the impeller will rotate quickly, the gas will then enter the diffuser, gradually complete the compression. Its most significant advantages are energy saving, large exhaust volume, low failure rate, low operating costs, oil-free compressed air, is the first choice for users with a gas volume of 100 cubic meters or more!