Definition
A compressor increases the pressure of a gas by mechanically reducing its volume (using rotating or reciprocating elements depending on design) supplying compressed gas for pneumatic tools, process needs, or refrigeration cycles. The general category covers any gas-compressing machine, of which an air compressor is the specific application compressing atmospheric air.
Key facts
- Compresses a gas by reducing its volume, distinguished from a pump, which moves an essentially incompressible liquid instead.
- Design types include rotary screw, reciprocating piston, and centrifugal compressors, each suited to different pressure and flow requirements.
- Generates significant heat as a byproduct of compression, requiring cooling as part of normal operation.
- An air compressor is the specific, common application of this general category, compressing atmospheric air rather than another gas.
How does Compressor work or appear?
A compressor works by mechanically reducing the volume a given quantity of gas occupies (through a rotating screw, a reciprocating piston, or a spinning impeller depending on design) which raises the gas's pressure, generating heat as a byproduct that the system must remove through cooling.
How it relates to an air compressor
A compressor is the general category for any machine compressing a gas. An air compressor is the specific, most common application: a compressor whose working gas is atmospheric air, typically supplying compressed air for pneumatic tools or process use, as distinct from compressors handling other process gases.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How is a gas compressed?
A compressor compresses it by mechanically reducing the gas's volume, raising its pressure, using a rotary, reciprocating, or centrifugal design, distinct from a pump, which moves an incompressible liquid instead.
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