The Basics of Air Compressor on a Ship

Air compressor is a device with vast application in almost all sorts of industries and household
requirements. So as the maritime industry, also uses air compressors as its essential equipments or the
feeder equipments to different systems. They can be employed in a number of processes ranging from
small process of cleaning of the filters to the bigger and crucial tasks such as starting main as well as
secondary engines. A Compressor is a multipurpose device which finds many applications on a ship. In its
general form, the compressor is an equipment used to compress or reduce the volume of either air or
any sort of fluid. Major application of compressor on ship are as follows: these are used in AC
compressor; refrigeration compressor; main air compressor and deck air compressor of a ship.

In a more technical language air compressor can be defined as a mechanical device in which electrical or
mechanical energy is transformed into pressure energy in the form of pressurized air. These works on
the principles of thermodynamics. According to ideal gas equation without any temperature difference,
with increase in gaseous pressure, its volume reduces. The air compressor works on the same principle it
produces compressed air, by reducing the volume of air this reduction in volume results in increase in air
pressure without any temperature difference.

MAIN COMPONENTS OF AIR COMPRESSOR

1. Electricity or power source: This is the key component of any type of compressor and essential for
running the compressor. Power source or electric motor is used to run the compressor efficiently and at
constant speed without fluctuations.

2. Cooling Water: Cooling water is used to cool the compressor in between different stages.

3. Lubricating Oil: Lubricating oil is necessary to keep the all mobile parts of the compressor lubricated.
This lubrication reduces the friction in parts of compressor and thus imparts more life to the compressor
by reducing wear-tear of components of compressor.

4. Air: This is the component without which an air compressor can’t be even imagined. Air around us is
in low pressure and served as an input to the compressor.

5. Suction Valve: Suction valve is provided with suction filter it inputs the air, which is to be compressed
in the main compartment of the compressor.

6. Discharge Valve: This valve take the output air to discharge at requisite location or to the storage tank
or storage air bottle.

WORKING OF AN AIR COMPRESSOR:

In general air compressor on ships can be classified in two different types namely:

1. Main air compressor: These air compressor are high pressure compressors has minimum pressure
value of 30 bars and used to run main engine.

2. Service air compressor: It compresses air to a low pressure of only 7 bars and later used in service
and control air lines.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMPRESSORS AS PER THEIR DESIGN AND WORKING PRINCIPLE

As per the design of air compressors, these are generally categorized in four different categories as
below:

1. Rotary vane compressor

2. Reciprocating air compressor

3. Rotary screw compressor

4. Centrifugal compressor

Out of these types of compressor, reciprocating air compressor is mostly used on ship. A reciprocating
air compressor consists of piston, connecting rod, crankshaft, wrist pin, suction valve and discharge
valves. The piston is connected to low and high side of suction line and discharge line. The crankshaft
rotates which in turn rotates the piston. The downward moving piston reduces the pressure in main
cylinder, the pressure difference will open the suction valve. The piston is taken downward by the
rotating crankshaft and the low pressure air, gets filled in the cylinder. Now the piston reciprocates
upward and this upward movement starts building up the pressure and closes the suction valve. When
the air gets pressurized to its specific value discharge valve gets opened and the pressurized air starts
moving through discharge line and get stored in air bottle. This pressurized air in air bottle can be used
to run the main as well as auxiliary engines later on. There can be single acting and double acting
reciprocating air compressor on the ship.

CLASSIFICATION ON THE BASIS OF USAGE:

On the basis of applications of Air Compressor on Ship these are of four types:

1. Main air compressor: It is used to supply highly pressurized air to start main and secondary engines.
Air compressor has air storage bottle which stores the pressurized air. There are available different
capacity main air compressors, but this capacity should be adequate for starting main engine. The
minimum air pressure required is 30 bars to start the main engine. A pressure valve is provided which
reduces pressure and supplies controlled air from the storage air bottle. The control air filter, controls
the input as well as output air in the air bottle.

2. Topping up compressor: This type of compressor is used to cater any sort of leakage in the system. It
implies that if there observed any leakage in the system the topping up air compressor covers up the
leakage by taking the lead. With leakage in system the air pressure declines below the requisite level
which can be replenished to its specified level by topping up compressor by supplying pressurized air.

3. Deck air compressor: As the name suggest this sort of compressor is used for providing its services at
deck. It has separate service air and storage air bottle. The capacity of these compressors is lower than
main air compressor and generally ranges between 6 to 8 bars

4. Emergency air compressor: These are the compressors provided in extra. It means that when main air
compressor go out of order or need support and to start secondary engine in emergency. These
compressors can be driven either by engine or motor. Sometimes motor driven emergency compressors
are used and they need emergency generator or other power supply.

Efficiency of Air Compressors: The air compressors can work efficiently if installed properly as per the
installation guide. All the crew available should be responsive in working with air compressor in
emergency as these are the basic part of important machineries in ship. Efficiency of the air compressor
can be increased by following techniques and installations.

Pressure bar: Pressure bar or pressure gauge should be installed within all the compressors so as to
note the air pressure and discharge the air at the specified pressure. Without this device if air is
pressurized below the requisite value it cannot propel or run the system to which it is employed.

Safety Devices: These are the devices used to reduce the loss of energy from air compressor and
increase the efficiency. Safety devices automatically shuts down the input and output air when adequate
compressing is reached and saves the device from overpressure.

APPLICATION OF AIR COMPRESSOR ON BOARD

1. Air compressor is used to provide the starting air to various machines and main engine.

2. Other than main engine other systems also require compressed air. These systems are: Control valves.
Throttle controls and other monitoring systems which work on pressurized air.

3. This compressed air controls many operations in auxiliary engine as well.

4. In pneumatic tools like cleaning devices compressed air is required to keep the devices running and
serve the purpose efficiently.

5. In whistling operation of ships also compressed air is employed and the fog horns operate on the
compressed air.

6. Hydraulic jack in ship also uses compressed air to perform lifting operations.

7. Many a times a boilers; refrigerants and heat exchangers in ship are started using compressed air.

8. Sometimes compressed air is used in kicking the propellers of the ship maneuvering system.

CONCLUSION
 In a nutshell, Compressor are the mechanical device which runs on the principles of thermodynamics
that is reduces the volume of air and increases the pressure of air. This highly pressurized air when
injected to run either main engine or auxiliary devices such as heat exchanger; boilers; etc. Most
common type of compressor used in marine industry are double acting reciprocating air compressors.
There are multiple compressors provided on a ship to serve different purposes. They can run main and
auxiliary engines. Sometimes propeller of the ship runs on the compressed air which increases the
application of air compressor in marine industry. Air compressors can never be forgone from ship as
they have wide applications on board from smaller tasks of cleaning the filters to the crucial process of
running the engine and even propelling the ship.