Reciprocating compressors – the very first type of compressors that people started using, works according to the simplest principle, when the incoming gas (1) is drawn into the cylinder (3) through the inlet (suction) valve, compressed by the piston in the cylinder to the required pressure and exits through the outlet (discharge) valve (2).
The piston compressor body is made of a cast body and has integrated stainless steel pipes to ensure the transition of gas from one stage to the next. Each compressor is designed to solve a specific range of volumes, pressures, and gas compression ratios. This type of compressor is characterized by the highest efficiency at the design point, i.e. in the design mode (by pressure, temperature, supply) it has the lowest energy consumption, but at the same time requires relatively high labor costs for maintenance, since it has many parts that perform translational motion, are subject to friction and alternating loads.
Open crankcase piston compressors are most often used to supply gas to gas turbine units, in which significant forces applied to gas compression create the least load on the foundations.
MAIN COMPRESSOR COMPONENTS
- Casing
- Drive
- Piston assembly
- Cylinder head assembly
- High pressure cylinder
There are piston compressors with one or more cylinders, opposite, with V, W-shaped or L-shaped cylinder arrangement, with one or more compression stages.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Advantages:
- High maintainability (simplicity of design, time costs)
- Resistance to adverse environmental impacts
- Application in dusty industries
- Reduced energy costs
- It is possible to compress gases to high pressure
Disadvantages:
- High noise level
- Vibration
- A foundation with large inertia and stiffness is required
OPERATING RANGE
- Power range: 500-7500 kW
- Volume range: 150-10000 m3/h
- Pressure: 0.3-45 MPa
- Speed: 200-1500 rpm
- Number of rows: 2, 4, 6
- Average weight with cylinders: 1000-50000 kg
