After air and water mixing, the process of gas compression in the downcomer shaft or pipe of a hydraulic air compressor is considered nearly isothermal due to (i) the mass flow rate of water being typically of three orders higher than that of the gas it compresses, (ii) water having a heat capacity approximately four times that of air, and (iii) the intimate contact and large heat transfer area between the gas phase and the liquid phase of the bubbly flow. A formulation for estimation of the efficiency of a closed- or open-loop hydraulic air compressor, expressed in terms of the principal hydraulic air compressor design variables, is presented. The influence of a hitherto underappreciated factor affecting the performance of these installations, such as the solubility of the gas being compressed in the water, is explored. A procedure for estimating the yield of compressed gas, accounting for these solubility losses, is explained and used to determine the mechanical efficiency of historical hydraulic air compressor installations from reported performance data. The result is a significant downward revision of hydraulic air compressor efficiency by approximately 20% points in comparison to most reported efficiencies. However, through manipulation of cosolute concentrations in the water, and the temperature of the water (through regulation of the ejection of compression heat), the mechanical efficiency can be increased to the formerly reported levels. The thermo-economic implication of these efficiency determinations is that in a modern context, hydraulic air compressors may be able to outperform conventional mechanical gas compression equipment.
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November 2016
Research-Article
Mechanical Efficiency of Hydraulic Air Compressors
Valeria Pavese,
Valeria Pavese
Mining Innovation,
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: vpavese@mirarco.org
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: vpavese@mirarco.org
Search for other works by this author on:
Dean Millar,
Dean Millar
Mining Innovation,
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: dmillar@mirarco.org
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: dmillar@mirarco.org
Search for other works by this author on:
Vittorio Verda
Vittorio Verda
Department of Energy (DENERG),
Politecnico di Torino,
24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi,
Torino 10129, Italy
e-mail: vittorio.verda@polito.it
Politecnico di Torino,
24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi,
Torino 10129, Italy
e-mail: vittorio.verda@polito.it
Search for other works by this author on:
Valeria Pavese
Mining Innovation,
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: vpavese@mirarco.org
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: vpavese@mirarco.org
Dean Millar
Mining Innovation,
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: dmillar@mirarco.org
Rehabilitation and Applied Research
Corporation (MIRARCO),
935 Ramsey Lake Road,
Sudbury, ON P3E2C6, Canada
e-mail: dmillar@mirarco.org
Vittorio Verda
Department of Energy (DENERG),
Politecnico di Torino,
24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi,
Torino 10129, Italy
e-mail: vittorio.verda@polito.it
Politecnico di Torino,
24 Corso Duca degli Abruzzi,
Torino 10129, Italy
e-mail: vittorio.verda@polito.it
Contributed by the Advanced Energy Systems Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESOURCES TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received October 28, 2015; final manuscript received May 5, 2016; published online June 27, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Na Zhang.
J. Energy Resour. Technol. Nov 2016, 138(6): 062005 (11 pages)
Published Online: June 27, 2016
Article history
Received:
October 28, 2015
Revised:
May 5, 2016
Citation
Pavese, V., Millar, D., and Verda, V. (June 27, 2016). "Mechanical Efficiency of Hydraulic Air Compressors." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. November 2016; 138(6): 062005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4033623
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