Design and Fabrication of Compressed Air Storage using Spent Refrigerant Cylinder

Abstract

The design and fabrication of compressed air storage system was carried out using recycled refrigerator compressor and refrigerant cylinder. Conventional air compressors used in vulcanizing employ environmentally unfriendly fossil fuel and or electricity which can be epileptic in supply in Nigeria. Therefore, this present research aimed to use alternative materials such as recycled refrigerant compressors and cylinders to produce a cheap DC-operated air compressing and storage unit. In doing so, two concepts were significant considered. The first concept was the use of a refrigerant compressor and LPG gas cylinder. The second concept was the use of a refrigerant compressor and a refrigerant gas cylinder commonly found in domestic fridges and air-conditioners. The refrigerant cylinder was the air storage tank. The second concept was selected using a decision matrix based on some design considerations. Test and analysis carried out on the locally made compressed air storage machine showed that its efficiency was 74.56% which exhibited a good operational output. It was observed that the refrigerant compressor took an overall time of 52 minutes to fill a 5kg refrigerant cylinder to its full holding capacity of 6 bars. The portable air compressing and storage machine could be hand-pushed from one place to another for comfortability and could be used with or without electric current for inflating tires, beds, balls, and other inflatables within its designed and operating pressure