Advantages & disadvantages of Centrifugal Compressor

What is Centrifugal Compressor?

A centrifugal compressor is a type of compressor that works on the principle of moving fluid from high to low pressure. It comprises two rotating elements called impeller and stator, in which the impeller rotates inside the stator at a very high speed. In this process, fluid flows from high pressure to low pressure through the gap between these two rotating elements. It is a machine that converts pressure energy into mechanical energy.  The main difference between compressors and pumps is that the compressor working fluid is a gas and the pump working fluid is liquid.  It consists of a motor connected to an impeller that rotates at high speed and the pump-head connected to a flexible hose. The fluid passes through the flexible hose from one end to another, thus creating pressure in the process. A centrifugal compressor is a device that uses the pressure from a fluid to compress air.

The Main Advantages & Disadvantages of Centrifugal Compressor: 

The Main Advantages & Disadvantages of Centrifugal Compressor are explained as follows

Advantages of Centrifugal Compressor:

• Centrifugal compressors are relatively simple to operate and maintain.
•  It is highly efficient.
• It is more reliable.
• This type of compressor can be used for both liquid and gas applications. The flow rate is also variable so it can be adjusted according to the needs.
• It is less expensive.
• Less downtime due to high reliability.
• It is an ideal compressor, that handles high pressure, low volume liquid, or gas applications that would otherwise require a higher cost pump.
• This pump has very little maintenance cost as compared to other types of pumps used in air conditioning units.

Disadvantages of Centrifugal Compressor:

• It is not more stable at high compression.
• It is Less flexible.
• The main disadvantage with this type of compressor is that there are no integrated controls available with them, unlike other types which have built-in control systems. It required additional components like solenoid valves etc., They are quite bulky because they need more space for their installation than most other compressors.
• It generates more vibrations, this may cause damages to parts.
• The noise produced by these machines is very loud and the moving parts inside the compressor often wear out quickly. 
• The motor performance does degrade over time but this depends on how well maintained your equipment