Quincy Rotary Screw Sales Manual Useful Formulas

 

1) Estimating horsepower requirements at pressures other than rated pressure.

 

In most rotary screw compressors, increasing or decreasing the pressure settings will have  

similar effects. The rule of thumb is:

For every I PSIG change from rated pressure, the brake horsepower required will change 0.5% from the rated BHP. Increase the pressure by 10 PSIG and the BHP will go up 5%. Decrease the pressure by 20 PSIG and the BHP will go down 10%.

 

2) Estimating volume flow rates at pressures other than rated pressure.

 

Changes in discharge pressure from the rated pressure of the compressor will result in    

changes in the overall compression ratio. These compression ratio changes will cause

changes in the volumetric efficiency of the compressor that will result in changes in capacity. The rule of thumb is:

For every 10 PSIG change from rated discharge pressure, the CFM capacity of the compressor will change 0.4% from the rated capacity. Reducing pressure from 110 PSIG to 100 PSIG will result in a capacity increase offour tenths of one percent. Increasing the pressure by 10 PSIQ will cause a reduction in capacity of about four tenths of one percent.

 

3) Estimating power costs.

 

To estimate power costs, you will need to know the following:

a) What is the cost per KWH?

b) How many hours per year does the compressor run?

c) At what capacity will the compressor run or how many hours will the compressor run at     

    various load levels?

d) What are the brake horsepower requirements of the compressor at the required load

     levels?

e) What is the motor efficiency?

 

It is important to use actual CFM requirements to figure the load level of the compressor. Do not base power cost calculations on comments like, “About half the time we run at full load and about half the time we run at 70% of full load.” Full load for one machine may not be the same as full load for another machine. Always determine the exact air requirement in order to provide the customer with a power cost calculation that approximates his situation.

 

Motor efficiencies vary from horsepower to horsepower and from manufacturer to manufacturer within horsepower ranges. The only way to accurately figure power costs will be to use the motor efficiency number on the nameplate of the actual motor being used.

 

With the above information in hand annual power costs can be estimated by using the following formulas:

1)        kW = BHP x .746 / Motor Efficiency

EXAMPLE – Find the kW of a 100 HP, nominal Efficiency motor running at a 95 HP load.

KW = 95 x .746 / .93 = 76.2

 

2)        Cost per Hour = KWH x Power Cost in $

EXAMPLE – Find the cost per hour to operate the compressor in the above example assuming a cost of 7 cents.  Cost Per Hour = 76.2 x 0.07 = $5.334

 

To find the annual power costs, calculate the cost per hour of operating at the various anticipated load levels and multiply by the anticipated number of hours that the machine will operate at those load levels.

 

 

4)  Estimating additional capacity required to raise system from one pressure to a higher pressure.

 

            To calculate the additional capacity required you need to know:

1)        Current CFM capacity (total) of all compressors feeding the system.

2)        Current System Press (PSIG)

3)        Desired System Press (PSIG)

4)          Ambient absolute press (PSIA)

The formula for this calculation is:

(Desired absolute system pressure divided by Current Absolute system Press) times Current CFM Capacity equals Actual Capacity required to achieve desired system pressure.

 

EXAMPLE:

What is the additional capacity required to maintain a 100 PSIG system pressure at sea level in a system that now operates at 91 PSIG using 500 cfm?

 

                                                (Desired Pressure / Current Pressure) x Current Capacity

                                                      (114.7 / 105.7) x  500 = Actual

 

 

Capacity Required

                                                            1.085 x 500 = 542.5 cfm

 

5)  Estimating BTU heat rejection of air-cooled rotary screw air compressors.

 

Heat transfer in rotary screw compressors is dependent on a number of factors concerning efficiencies of lubricant coolers and aftercoolers and the rate of radiant cooling.  The only way to arrive at exact heat rejection rates is to actually test the compressor under anticipated operating conditions.  Approximate heat rejection rates of rotary screw compressors in standard plant operating conditions for use in designing heat recovery packages or use in sizing additional plant air conditioning requirements can easily be calculated.  The rule of thumb is:

 

The total BTU’s per minute of heat rejected by a rotary screw air compressor is equal to the brake horsepower being used times 42.41.  A 100 BHP compressor would have a total heat load of 4,241 BTU/minute.  Of this total about 8% is rejected as radiant heat.  Of the remaining 92% about 85% (78.2% of total) is rejected through the lubricant cooler and about 15% (13.8% of total) is rejected through the aftercooler.

 

 

Calculating BHP Requirements For Less Than Full Load Operation

 

Modulating single (All and two-stage (Ingerso1l-Rand) rotary screw compressors:

To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of compressed air that is less than the full load capacity of a modulating rotary screw compressor, convert the desired CFM demand level into a percentage of the full load capacity of the compressor. If the demand on a 750 CFM compressor was 600 CFM, the percentage would be 80%. Find the Percent of Capacity in the chart below and note the multiplier next to it. Multiply the drive motor BHP by the number corresponding to the demand percentage. This will give you an estimate of the brake horsepower required to meet the specified air demand.

MODULATING

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

100%

1

80%

0.9577

60%

0.9033

99%

0.9981

79%

0.9554

59%

0.9001

98%

0.9962

78%

0.9529

58%

0.8968

97%

0.9942

77%

0.9505

57%

0.8935

96%

0.9923

76%

0.948

56%

0.8902

95%

0.9903

75%

0.9455

55%

0.8868

94%

0.9883

74%

0.943

54%

0.8833

93%

0.9863

73%

0.9404

53%

0.8798

92%

0.9842

72%

0.9378

52%

0.8762

91%

0.9821

71%

0.9351

51%

0.8725

90%

0.98

70%

0.9324

50%

0.8687

89%

0.9779

69%

0.9297

 

 

88%

0.9758

68%

0.927

 

 87%

0.9736

67%

0.9242

 

86%

0.9714

66%

0.9213

 

85%

0.9692

65%

0.91 84

 

84%

0.967

64%

0.9155

 

83%

0.9647

63%

0.9125

 

82%

0.9624

62%

0.9095

 

81%

0.9601

61%

0.9064

 

 

If, in the above example, the BHP listed for the 750 CFM compressor was 163, then the BHP required at the 600 CFM level (80% of full load) would be 163 x .9577 or 156.1 BHP.

 

 

Variable displacement rotary screw compressors with built-in clearance volume (Turn Valve and Spiral Valve:

To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of air that is less than the full capacity of a variable displacement rotary screw compressor with built-in clearance volumes, follow the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the following table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

100%

1

80%

0.8629

60%

0.7448

98%

0.9853

78%

0.8503

 

97%

0.9781

77%

0.844

 

96%

0.9709

76%

0.83 79

 

95%

0.9638

75%

0.83 17

 

94%

0.9567

74%

0.8256

 

93%

0.9497

73%

0.8 195

 

92%

0.9427

72%

0.8135

 

91%

0.9358

71%

0.8076

 

90%

   0.9289

70%

0.8016

 

89%

0.922 1

69%

0.7958

 

88%

0.9153

68%

0.7899

 

87%

0.9086

67%

0.7841

 

86%

0.9019

66%

0.7784

 

85%

0.8953

65%

0.7727

 

84%

0.8887

64%

0.767

 

83%

0.8822

63%

0.7614

 

82%

0.8757

62%

0.7558

 

81%

0.8693

61%

0.7503

 

 

 

Variable displacement rotary screw compressors without built-in clearance volume

(PowerSync®):

To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of air that is less than the full capacity of a variable displacement rotary screw compressor without built-in clearance volumes, follow the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the following table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.

 

POWER $YNC

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

100%

1

80%

0.8266

60%

0.683

99%

0.9905

79%

0.8187

59%

0.6766

98%

0.9811

78%

0.811

58%

0.6701

97%

0.9718

77%

0.8033

57%

0.6638

96%

0.9626

76%

0.7956

56%

0.6575

95%

0.9535

75%

0.7881

55%

0.6512

94%

0.9445

74%

0.7806

54%

0.645

93%

0.9355

73%

0.7732

53%

0.6389

92%

0.9267

72%

0.7659

52%

0.6328

91%

0.9179

71%

0.7586

51%

0.6268

90%

0.9092

70%

0.75 14

50%

0.6209

89%

0.9006

69%

   0.7443

 

88%

0.892

68%

0.7372

 

87%

0.8836

67%

0.7302

 

86%

0.8752

66%

0.7233

 

85%

0.8669

65%

0.7164

 

84%

0.8587

64%

0.7096

 

83%

0.8505

63%

0.7029

 

82%

0.8425

62%

0.6962

 

81%

0.8345

61%

0.6896

 

 

 

 

Two-stage rotary screw compressor with variable displacement first stage (Suilair):

To calculate the horsepower required to produce an amount of air that is less than the full capacity of a two-stage rotary screw compressor with a variable displacement first stage, follow the preceding example to determine the percentage of full load capacity. Then use the following table to determine the BHP consumed at the desired load level.

 

 

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

Percent of
Full Load
Capacity

Full Load
BHP
Multiplier

100%

1

80%

0.9154

60%

0.8167

99%

0.996

79%

0.9108

59%

0.8113

98%

0.992

78%

0.9062

58%

0.8058

97%

0.988

77%

0.9016

57%

0.8003

96%

0.984

76%

0.897

56%

0.7947

95%

0.9799

75%

0.8923

55%

0.789

94%

0.9758

74%

0.8875

54%

0.7833

93%

0.9717

73%

0.8828

53%

0.7775

 

 

 

     91%

0.9633

71%

0.8731

90%

0.9591

70%

0.8682

89%

0.9549

69%

0.8633

88%

0.9506

68%

0.8583

87%

0.9463

67%

0.8532

86%

0.942

66%

0.8482

85%

0.9376

65%

0.8431

84%

0.9333

64%

0.8379

83%

0.9288

63%

0.8327

82%

0.9244

62%

0.8274

81%

0.9199

61%

0.8221

 

 

 

Useful Formulae

 

 

1.   COMP RPM=  motor pulley dia x motor rpm

comp. pulley dia.

           

2.   MOTOR PULLEY p. d.=       comp pulley dia x comp rpm

motor r p m

           

3.   COMP PULLEY p. d.=       motor pulley dia x motor rpm

comp rpm

 

 

4.   MOTOR RPM   =                 Comp pulley dia x comp rpm

                                                               motor pulley p. d.

 

5.  FREE AIR =                     Piston Displacement x volumetric efficiency

           

 

6.  REQUIRED PISTON DISPLACEMENT=  free air

            vol. eff.

           

 

7.  PISTON DISP. IN CU. FT. MIN. =  Cyl. Bore in IN. x Cyl bore x stroke in IN. x rpm

                                                                                    2200

           

8.  CU FT COMPRESSED AIR=            Cu. Ft. free Air x 14.7

                                                                       2200

 

 

9.  CU. FT. Free AIR =    cu. Ft. free air x (psig + 14.7)

                                                            14. 7

 

 

10.  CU FT. Free Air Required to Raise Rec. from 0 Gauge to final Pressure=

 

                                                            vol. of Rec. in cu. Ft. x psig

                                                            (atmospheric press) p.s.i.a

 

11.  CU. FT of Free Air Req’d to raise Rec from some press. Greater than 0 to a final press.

 

                                                         Vol. Of rec in cu. Ft. x (final psig          initial psig)

                                                                                              (atmospheric press) p.s.i.a.

 

12.  Piston Speed in Ft. per Min.=  2 x Stroke (in IN.) x rpm

                                                                        12

 

13.  GALLONS =  CU. FT.

                                           .134

 

 

14.  CU. FT. =             gallons x .134

                       

 

15.  Total Force in Lbs. of Air Cylinder =      Area of the Cylinder Dia.      X     PS I G of

                                                                        in sq inches                       air press used

           

 

16. CFM of Free Air req’d to operate=          Vol of Cyl    X    Cycles      (Gage Press + 14.7     

                   Cylinder (Single Acting                 in cu ft            Per Min X            (14.7)

 

 

17.  PUMP UPTIME (MIN) = V (tank size in gal ) x (final tank press         initial tank press

7.48 x atmos. Press. (psia ) x pump delivery (cfm)

 

 

Piston displacement for multi-stage compressors only the low pressure cylinders are considered