What Is Industrial Centrifugal Air Compressor and What Are Its Advantages?
Industrial Centrifugal air compressors are machines in which a radial acceleration of the impellers compresses air. The surrounding casing helps this acceleration. Centrifugal air compressors can be arranged in multi-stage to increase efficiency. Accordingly, centrifugal air compressors depend largely on centrifugal pumps for the compression.
In this post, we cover every point related to a centrifugal air compressor. Here is what you will find as you read on.
- What is a centrifugal air compressor?
- What is the centrifugal air compressor working mechanism?
- Types of centrifugal compressors
- Advantages, disadvantages, and applications of centrifugal air compressors
- Advantages of the centrifugal compressor over axial flow compressor
Let’s get started.
What Is a Centrifugal Air Compressor?
A centrifugal air compressor is a machine used to deliver compressed air in applications that require constant airflow. Also known as radial compressors or dynamic air compressors, these machines work with the help of impellers that draw in air through centrifugal force.
What Is the Centrifugal Air Compressor Working Mechanism?
Centrifugal air compressors work differently compared to rotary screw air compressors and reciprocating air compressors.
When air is drawn into the compressors, the rotating impellers experience a centrifugal force. The work input occurs as the air pressure and velocity increase through the impellers. The airflow reduces in velocity once in the diffuser section. The diffuser can be a static or fixed component that helps escort the compressed air from the impellers. The loss in velocity further increases the air pressure.
Impellers and diffusers in the centrifugal air compressor contribute to about 65% and 35% of the pressure in the compressor unit.
Types of Centrifugal Compressors
Centrifugal air compressors can be categorized as:
- Single-stage centrifugal air compressors
- Multi-stage centrifugal air compressors
All centrifugal compressor types work on the same principle. However, they differ in construction.
Single-stage centrifugal air compressors
Single-stage centrifugal air compressors are designed with a single impeller used for driving air up to three or one compression ratio. These compressor types are considered to have an overhang impeller design.
Multi-stage centrifugal air compressors
Multi-stage centrifugal air compressors have up to ten impellers arranged differently, depending on the flow path requirement. Every stage is assumed to have a constant temperature and compression rate. Multi-stage air compressors are either arranged in a compound configuration, straight-through configuration, or double flow configuration.
Advantages, Disadvantages, And Applications Of Centrifugal Compressors
Advantages of centrifugal air compressors
- They are generally lightweight with simple designs that are easy to produce.
- They are oil-free; thus, they produce clean compressed air.
- They are suitable for applications that require a constant supply of compressed air.
- They are designed with fewer rubbing parts.
- They are relatively energy-efficient machines.
- They do not require a special foundation.
- They produce a high-pressure ratio per stage than axial flow air compressors.
- They are more reliable and low cost.
Disadvantages of centrifugal air compressors
- They require complex mounting since they work at a high speed.
- They experience surging, choking, and stalling issues.
- They are not suitable for applications that require high compression at limited pressure.
- They come with a large frontal area than axial flow compressors.
Applications of centrifugal air compressors
Centrifugal air compressors are used in a wide range of industries. Here are some examples of sectors that require centrifugal air compressors to work efficiently:
- Food and beverage industry
- Gas turbines and superchargers
- Oil and gas industry
- Pneumatic tools in the manufacturing industry
- Air conditioning and refrigeration
Centrifugal air compressors are used in all applications that require constant compressed air without oil droplets.
Advantages Of Centrifugal Compressor Over Axial Flow Compressor
Centrifugal air compressors and axial flow compressors are found in the rotodynamic compressor category. Here is a comparison of these two compressor types. This section will help you understand their differences.
Centrifugal air compressors
Centrifugal compressors may have one or more stages, with each stage having an impeller and diffuser. The air enters a centrifugal air compressor’s impeller axially and leaves radially. The rotating impeller blades discharge the air radially.
When the air flows through the diffuser, the velocity reduces as pressure increases according to Bernoulli’s principle. In other words, the impellers contribute to the kinetic energy, while the diffusers convert the kinetic energy into pressure.
Axial flow compressors
Axial flow air compressors are used in applications that require low-pressure heads and high flow speed. An axial-flow compressor is designed with a drum with blades attached to it. Unlike centrifugal air compressors, axial flow compressors do not change the airflow direction. The air enters the compressor unit and exits axially. The air is accelerated and then diffused to increase pressure.
Axial flow compressors are used in applications, such as compressing air in gas turbines. There are multi-stage axial compressors with many stages. Every stage comes with a rotor and stator.
The rotor is designed on rotating blades used to speed up the flow rate. The stator is a set of stationary blades that convert velocity into pressure. These components work in the same way as the impeller and diffuser in centrifugal air compressors.
Axial flow compressors are highly effective. On the other hand, the efficiency of an axial compressor is better when the rotational speed is low. They are weighty and require high starting power.
Centrifugal compressors Vs. axial flow compressors
The advantages of an axial flow compressor make it suitable for applications where a centrifugal compressor is not needed. Here is how the two compressor types compare.
- Centrifugal air compressors are easy to manufacture and design than axial flow air compressors.
- Axial flow compressors can handle more airflow than centrifugal compressors.
- Centrifugal air compressors can generate more pressure heads with a single stage of compression than axial flow compressors.
- A single-stage axial flow compressor is not as reliable and effective in increasing air pressure as a single-stage centrifugal air compressor. Therefore, axial flow compressors need multiple stages to achieve the desired pressure.
- Axial flow compressors operate more efficiently than centrifugal air compressors. Therefore, axial flow compressors are more suitable for applications that require a high airflow and pressure ratio.
The Bottom Line
That is all about centrifugal air compressor working principle, types, advantages, disadvantages, and applications. If you want to buy a centrifugal air compressor for your application, you must go through these aspects to determine the size suitable for the project. Accordingly, you may want to compare centrifugal air compressors with other compressor types to see what might work well for you.