Analysis of the working process in an oil-flooded screw compressor by means of an indicator diagram

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the thermodynamic processes in an oil-flooded screw compressor. The pressure within the working chamber is measured with a small pressure sensor, embedded in the female rotor on the discharge side. The results so obtained were transformed into an indicator diagram. Based on the indicator diagrams at various operating conditions, the working process is analysed. Owing to oil restricting back-flow of the gas through the discharge port, constant-volume compression is not evident even at substantial under-compression conditions, thus making the compressor maintain a high efficiency over a wide range of pressure ratios. However, the additional power consumption resulting from over-compression is comparatively large at pressure ratios lower than that for which the compressor was designed. So a compressor with fixed volume ratio should be designed with the built-in volume ratio low enough to avoid this effect. At the end of the discharge process, the pressure rises steeply due to increased resistance to oil flow, and therefore, the design of a flow-guiding slot to assist oil discharge is recommended. Higher rotating speeds increase the pressure slightly, but the losses associated with this are compensated by the increased volumetric efficiency. Thus a screw compressor maintains its isentropic efficiency over a wide range of speeds. Larger oil:gas ratio presents a higher pressure level in the indicator diagram, offsetting the improved sealing effect, and test results show that the appropriate oil:gas mass ratio range is between 8:1 and 20:1.