EXPERIMENT NO: 5

(CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR)

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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

OBJECTIVE:

To study the characteristics curves of a centrifugal compressor.

KEYWORDS
Centrifugal Compressor, Axial Compressor.

OVERVIEW:
Compressor is used to take a definite quantity of fluid (usually a gas or air) and deliver it
at a required pressure. In other words, the job of a compressor is to increase the pressure
of the incoming fluid.

Choice of centrifugal compressors is determined by their

characteristics curves based on the pressure required and the amount of input of
mechanical work (power input).

1.

INTRODUCTION
Compressor is part of a system that used conservation of energy to change the

energy from one form to another. It is used in many mechanical systems such as power
plant, refrigerator and jet engines to increase the pressure of the fluid. Several types of
compressor are used such as axial compressor and centrifugal compressor. A compressor
is called axial compressor when the air is turned perpendicular to the axis of rotation as
shown in Figure 1.1, whereas it is called centrifugal compressor as the flow through the
compressor is turned perpendicular to the axis of rotation as shown in Figure 1.2.
In general, the compressor consists of 2 main parts: blades and shaft. The fluid (air
or gas) flows through the moving and fixed blades.

The work input to the shaft is

transferred by the moving blades to the air. A centrifugal compressor is made up of an

impeller with a series of curved radial vanes. Air is drawn in near the hub, called the
impeller eye, and is spin round at high speed by the vanes on the impeller as the impeller
rotates at high rotational speed. The static pressure of the air increases from the eye to
the tip of the impeller. Centrifugal compressors or blowers are used for a wide range of
purposes in engineering, and there is no basic difference in the design for any of the
different applications.

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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

Figure 1.1 Axial Compressor

Figure 1.2 Centrifugal Compressor

2.

THEORY

The performance of a compressor is characterized by the pressure ratio across the

compressor (CPR), the rotational speed of the shaft necessary to produce the pressure
increase, and an efficiency factor that indicates how much additional work is required
relative to an ideal compressor.
The increase of the pressure is measured by CPR. This is the ratio of the air total
pressure pt exiting the compressor to the air pressure flowing in the compressor. This
CPR number must be always greater than 1.0. Let compressor entrance is labeled point 1
and compressor exit is labeled point 2 as illustrated in Figure 1.3.

Then
CPR =

p
p

t2

t1

or

p
p

exit

enter

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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

q out

2
T2

m = Air

Win

1
T1

Figure 1.3: Schematic diagram of typical compressor

In order to produce the increase in pressure, the compressor must perform work on the
flow.

The shaft turns the blades at a high rate of speed.

Several stages are usually

employed to produce a high CPR, with each stage producing a small pressure increase. In
the centrifugal compressor, additional pressure increase is obtained from turning the flow
radially, radiating from or converging to a common center.

Since no external heat is

being added to or extracted from the compressor during the pressure increase, the

process is isentropic. The total temperature ratio

T
T

t2

across the compressor is related

t1

to the pressure ratio by the isentropic flow equations.

p
T

T
p
t2

t2

t1

t1

where is the ratio of specific heats.

Work must be done to turn the shaft on which the compressor is mounted.

From the

conservation of energy, the compressor work per mass of airflow CW is equal to the
change in the specific enthalpy ht of the flow from the entrance to the exit of the
compressor.
CW = ht 2 ht1
The term specific means per mass of airflow. The enthalpy at the entrance and exit is
then can be related to the total temperature Tt by the equation below.

CW = cp2Tt2 cp1Tt1
Where cpi is the specific heat at each particular point.
CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

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Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

Performing rearrangement, the equation of compressor work per mass of airflow can be
written:
CW =

c p Tt1

CPR

( 1) /

This equation relates the work required to turn the compressor to the compressor
pressure ratio, the incoming total temperature, some properties of gas, and an efficiency
factor C . The efficiency factor is included to account for the actual performance of the
compressor as opposed to the ideal isentropic performance of the compressor. In an ideal
performance, the value of the efficiency would be 1.0. However, in reality, the value is
always less than 1.0. So additional work is needed to overcome the inefficiency of the
compressor to produce a preferred CPR.

The work is provided by the power turbine,

which is connected to the compressor by the central shaft. It is worth to note that the
CPR is related to the total temperature ratio across the compressor.

Since the CPR is

always greater than 1.0 and the value of the ratio of specific heats is about 1.4 for air, the
total temperature ratio is also greater than 1.0.

It means air heats up as it passes

through the compressor.

The efficiency of a compressor can also be improved by carrying out the
compression in several stages. This is called multistage compression. Figure 1.4 shows a
schematic diagram of a two stage compressor. After the first stage of compression the
fluid is passed into a smaller cylinder in which the gas is compressed to the required final
pressure.

Figure 1.4: Two stage compression

3.

EXPERIMENT
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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

The experimental unit includes the compressor to be investigated, together with

its drive motor, the necessary fittings and sensors as shown in Figure 1.5.

All

components are fitted to a sturdy base plate.

Figure 1.5: Experimental unit of centrifugal compressor

Figure 1.6 below shows the set up of this unit. It consists of parts as shown in
Table 1.

Figure 1.6: Experimental Module Layout

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Table 1: Parts of the experimental unit

CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

No

Parts

No

Parts

Two stage compressor

Pressure measuring point

Transparent intake

Electric motor in the housing

Shaped inlet for good flow

A speed adjuster

A protective plate

10

An optical sensor

Transparent outlet

11

Housings

Butterfly valve

Figure 1.7 Block diagram with the measuring points

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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

3.1

Start-up Procedure

1.

Switch on PC in order to start Windows Program which at the same time will start
the analysis software.
** Ensure the plug for the PC is already in the socket and the switch is already on.
** Make sure your hand is dried in order to avoid from electrocution.

2.

If at the beginning, the monitor screen menu seems to be static or not responding,
straightaway press F1.

3.

When the password menu pop-up, simply click OK. Do not insert any password.

4.

Click HM 280.03 at the Desktop Menu.

5.

Click HM 292 software for Centrifugal Compressor

6.

Switch on the Interface Module and power meter at the switch on the rear of the
equipment.
** Ensure the plug for the Interface Module is already in the socket and the switch
is already on.
** Please make sure that your hand is dried in order to avoid from electrocution.

7.

From the HM 292 software menu for Centrifugal Compressor, create your own
filename in order to record data, for e.g, Test.AFD.
** Ensure you keep on creating new filename each time before you start with new
experiment or measurement.

3.2

Experimental Procedures.

1.

Completely close the Butterfly Valve in the outlet flow of the Compressor.

2.

While still holding the knob for Butterfly Valve in completely close position or 0
turn, use another hand to turn the knob for the Speed Adjuster.

3.

At the same time, observe the speed of the Compressor as shown by the software.
Keep on turning until you obtain 10 000 rpm which is the lowest speed of the
Compressor.
**Allow speed difference of magnitude 200 rpm.

4.

Click Start at the software menu.

5.

As soon as you have observed green light illuminates at the software menu,
quickly click stop.
**This will basically generate a set of data for 10 000 rpm speed of Compressor at
0 turn of Butterfly Valve. This data is automatically saved in the filename that
has already been created.

6.

Release the knob for the Speed Adjuster.

**This needs to be done each time when one set of data already generated by the
software.
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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

**This step needs to be done in order to shut down the Compressor and also to
avoid over-heating the Compressor.

7.

The following steps are meant to retrieve the recorded data by the software :
a.) Click at Show Desktop in order to return to the Desktop Menu.
b.) Click at Folder hm280 and search for your already created filename and data.
The data is in Wordpad and not properly align according to the Column Header.
You have to adjust the data on your own.
c.) Save your filename and data in your own diskette or Pen Drive.
** Ensure that you do not create your own folder at the Desktop Menu. This is in
order to avoid the data to become missing or difficult to locate.
** Ensure that you record or remember your filename to simplify your search and
saving of your data.
** These steps from ( a.) to ( c. ) can be done each time after you have finished
one set of data or can also be done after you have completely finished your
experiment.

8.

Generate another set of data with this time turn the knob for Butterfly Valve to
obtain 10 turn and still obtain the same 10 000 rpm speed of Compressor.
**This step will basically cause the reduction of the Compressor speed. You need
to adjust the Speed Adjuster in order to obtain once more 10 000 rpm Compressor
speed.

10.

Repeat step ( 4. ) and ( 5. ) in order to generate another set of data for 10 000 rpm
speed of Compressor with 10 turn of the Butterfly Valve.

11.

Release the knob for the Speed Adjuster.

12.

Repeat steps ( 4. ) and ( 5. ) while this time increasing the turn of Butterfly Valve
from 10 to 90 which is the maximum turn of the valve. Each increase should be
done stepwise at 10. ( Refer to Lecturer / Technician )
**Ensure that you manage to obtain 10 sets of data for 10 000 rpm speed of
Compressor.

13.

Repeat the whole experiment. This time to generate another 10 sets of data for
one more Compressor speed in the range of 11 000 rpm to 16 000 rpm. ( Consult
your Lecturer / Technician )

3.3

SHUT DOWN PROCEDURE

1.

Click exit at the HM 292 software menu.

2.

Exit windows program. Please ensure that you have already saved your required
experimental file/data from Folder hm280.

3.

Switch off the Interface module including power meter at the switch on the rear of
the equipment.

4.

Switch off all switches and pull all the plugs away from the socket.

CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

4.

DATA SHEET
Speed: _______________________

Flow

Temp In

Temp

dP1

dP2

Total

Power

rate(m3/hr

(oC)

Out (oC)

(mbar)

(mbar)

dP

(W)

5.

(mbar)

Efficiency

Phyd

(%)

(W)

10

TASKS.

CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Pel (W)

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor

1.

Based from the data you have obtained for two different Compressor speed, plot
the following list of graphs :
a.) Differential Pressure for Stage 1, dp1 Vs Flow rate and Total Differential
Pressure, dptot Vs Flow rate.
b.) Efficiency, Vs Flow rate.
c.) Inlet Temperature, Tin Vs Flow rate and Outlet Temperature, Tout Vs Flow rate.

2.

Analyze and compare those graphs that you have managed to plot. Discuss your
results.

6.

USEFUL FORMULAS.

Volumetric flow rate, Q and efficiency, can be calculated based on the following
equations:

2
d
4

2(100) p

(3600)

with diameter d = 0.044m, = 1.21

in

m3
h

10%

kg
at 20oC and 1013 mbar, and the pressure
m3

drop p at the nozzle in mbar.

Phyd
Pel

100% in %

Where, Phyd can be calculated from the total pressure head and the flow rate.

Phyd

100( dp1 dp 2 ) Q
in W
3600

with dp1, dp2 in mbar and V in

m3
h

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CLB 20703: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics

Exp. 5: Centrifugal Compressor