Reciprocating Compressor: Differential Pressure
Reciprocating Compressor: Differential Pressure
(OP)
Does a recip compressor (which takes suction from a header and discharges into a header) maintain a fixed differential pressure across the cylinder if the speed of the machine and suction temperature of the gas remain constant?
Or does the compressor react to the pressure of the discharge header? That is, if the suction pressure drops from 20 bar to 10 bar but the discharge header pressure is constant at 40 bar, does the pressure ratio of the cylinder change from 2 to 4?
In my mind, the discharge pressure should be relatively fixed as the discharge valve will not open until the pressure in the cylinder reaches the discharge header pressure. But if the suction pressure is lower, the DP across the cylinder increases, and therefore the discharge temperature of the gas will increase substantially.
Or does the compressor react to the pressure of the discharge header? That is, if the suction pressure drops from 20 bar to 10 bar but the discharge header pressure is constant at 40 bar, does the pressure ratio of the cylinder change from 2 to 4?
In my mind, the discharge pressure should be relatively fixed as the discharge valve will not open until the pressure in the cylinder reaches the discharge header pressure. But if the suction pressure is lower, the DP across the cylinder increases, and therefore the discharge temperature of the gas will increase substantially.





RE: Reciprocating Compressor: Differential Pressure
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. Galileo Galilei, Italian Physicist
RE: Reciprocating Compressor: Differential Pressure