IQS Newsroom Articles on Reciprocating Compressors
Reciprocating Compressors
Reciprocating compressors, also known as piston compressors, are
positive displacement air compressors that use a piston in a cylinder as the mechanism for compressing air. Usually an electric motor provides power for a crankshaft to push the piston up and down; to reciprocate. When the crankshaft pushes the piston up, the air is pushed into a tank with a one-way
check valve that does not permit it back into the cylinder. As more air enters the tank, the pressure increases. When the piston is pulled down, new air enters and the process begins again. Reciprocating compressors are the most common types of air compressors, and are utilized in oil refineries, gas pipelines, chemical plants, natural gas processing plants, and refrigeration plants. A compressor is a component of a vapor compression refrigeration system, which is the most common method for
air conditioning of public buildings and residences. Reciprocating compressors differ from screw compressors by the method of compression they employ, but are able to be utilized in similar applications.
Air compressors are typically made of cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel, or a combination of these materials. The pistons or other minor components may be made of plastic in small air compressors. There are different varieties of reciprocating compressors that depend on the applications. In a single stage reciprocating compressor, all of the compression takes place in a single cylinder. Multi-stage compressors will compress the air to intermediate pressures in 2 or more steps before the final desired pressure is reached. This allows for higher pressures to be reached, but can limit the cubic feet per minute, or CFM.