A reciprocating compressor uses a piston to compress gas by positive displacement, producing a constant supply of compressed gas. They are available in various sizes and designs for industrial and domestic use, compressing gases such as air, hydrogen, and refrigerants. They are typically electrically or motor-driven and are used for applications where high compression ratios are required with low flow rates.
A reciprocating compressor is a machine that uses an internal mechanism to compress a gas by positive displacement. These machines typically consist of a crankshaft-driven piston in a closed cylinder equipped with intake and exhaust valves. The compressor works by drawing gas into the cylinder, compressing it, and sending it to a holding tank or supply line. This cycle repeats over and over again producing a constant supply of compressed gas. The reciprocating compressor is generally electrically or motor driven and is available in a range of sizes and designs for use in a wide variety of industrial and domestic applications.
The reciprocating term refers to any repeated back-and-forth or up-and-down motion, and in this case it applies to the repeating cycle that follows the compressor piston. Positive displacement is the process of taking a specified amount of a fluid or gas and moving or forcing it into an outlet or discharge line. A reciprocating piston compressor works by drawing a body of gas through an inlet valve on the downstroke of the piston and compressing it on the upstroke. As the piston reaches the top of its upstroke, an outlet valve opens allowing compressed gas to leave the cylinder into the supply line. This process is repeated constantly, thus producing a constant supply of compressed gas.
Reciprocating compressors are usually driven by electric motors or petrol and diesel engines. Smaller do-it-yourself (DIY) versions and commercial units installed in factories or plants are usually electrically operated, while those designed for mobile use are motor-driven. Large industrial compressors can feature multiple cylinder designs and often include the option to use any number of such cylinders depending on demand. Small home models typically have only one cylinder that feeds compressed air into a storage tank or directly into the supply hose.
These machines are used to compress a variety of gases which include air, hydrogen, oxygen, refrigerants and hydrocarbons. The gases they compress can either be fed directly into another part of the process or into a storage tank for later use. Air compressors are typically used to drive pneumatic tools or equipment while other gases are compressed as part of an industrial process such as air conditioning, chemical manufacturing, and crude oil refining. The reciprocating compressor is typically used where high compression ratios are required with rather low flow rates. The use of a reciprocating compressor is usually limited to applications where the gases involved hold very little moisture.
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