When it comes to modern industrial machinery, the rotary screw compressor is one of the most widely used technologies. Renowned for their reliability and versatility, screw compressors are the workhorse behind many industrial processes and applications. This durable technology is suited to an array of demanding industry tasks, without which, businesses around the world would encounter operational challenges and efficiency problems.
There are two basic principles of compression in air compressors. One of these is the principle of positive displacement. There are a lot of compressor types that use this method, screw compressors being the most popular.
Operating Principles
As the name suggests, rotary screw compressors use rotary movements to compress the air. Within the compressor, there is a set of male and female rotors. They will be designed differently so that, when turned in unison, air will become trapped between them. The male rotor has convex lobes and the female rotor has concave cavities; in this way, they can mesh together without touching to achieve compression. Additionally, the male rotor will have slightly less lobes than the female, meaning it will rotate more quickly, effectively driving the female rotor.
Unlike piston compressors which use the same principle of compression, the screw element is not equipped with valves. As such, it can work at a high shaft speed and there are no mechanical or volumetric losses to create imbalance. This means that screw technology can combine a large flow rate with a compact, space-saving design.
