History of Screw Compressor (Air End)

The principle was established by Mr. Krigar of Germany in 1878. It was first commercialized by SRM of Sweden in 1934. In our nation, Kyungwon Machinery began asembly production in 1980s, Screw compressor product was first launched in Korea during 1986 according to exclusive tehnical agreement with SRM of Sweden. Kyungwon is contributing to reinforcement of international competitiveness and development of peripheral devices based on improvement in domestic technology,

1878
Idea on the basic principle of compressor was registered as patent by Mr. Krigar of Germany
Early 1930s
SRM (name of the company at the time was 'The Ljungstroem Steam Trubine Co.') was Conducting an experiment on gas turbine. SRM began to develop a new compressor due to surging phenomenon experienced in centrifugal & axial flow type compressors in the past.
1934
As a result of .ntinued research on the problems, Mr. All Lynsholm (Chief Engineer of SRM) of Sweden succeeded in development of positive-displacement rotary cornpressor nam. "Lysholm Compressor,That is, a dry-running screw compressor that can obtain compression ratio above 2:1 with Iwo rotors of helical lobe and groove, and one stage)
1935 ~ 1945
  • SRM conducted manufacturing on 70 screw compressors
    - Rotor diameter: 50~530mm
    - Combination of rotor lobe: 3x3, 3x4, 4x6, 5x7
  • Basic theory on dry-running screw compressor was established and design parameters were determined
  • Female rotor groove was the asymmetric type
  • Despite the WorldWar II, SRM sign. the license agreement with several companies on this compressor type ("Lysholm Compressor")
  • Early pilot products were successful, but it was difficult to satisfy the degree of precision required for processing of rotors to guarantee trouble-free operation. The compressors were determined to be not practical, and development of screw airend was temporarily terminated by the WorldWar II.
1946
After the WorldWar II, research on rotor profile was continued to develop "Circular Symmetric Profile' (by Mr Hans Nilsson / Chief Engineer of SRM at the time who became president later on)
1947 ~ 1950
  • 25 compressors (rotor diameter: 110~400mm, lobe combination: 3x4, 3x5, 4x4, 5x7, 4x6) were manufactured a. tested to determine performance and characteristics of the dry compressor having 'Symmetric Circular Profile'
  • SRM presented many reports in 1951 based on the result of the above test.
    1. Report 839/K-74: "Calculation of the characteristics of the screw compressor
    2. Report 841/K-75: 'Standardization of screw compressor"
    3. Report 847/K-80 'Regarding available tooling machines (American & European)
for the manufacture of rotors for a screw compressor.
1952
  • SRM additionally introduced standard size compressor (SRM Report 877/K-94) -Diameter of 6 rotors: 63, 100, 250, 400, 630
    -Lobo combination: 4x6
    -The ratio of length to diameter: 0.9, 1.5
  • J. Hoiroyd & Co. develop. rotor milling machine and supplied it to HowdenCanpany of England (dias. 125, 160, 200 a. 250mm f0r processing)
  • Howden greatly contributed to the development of oil flooded compressor with SRM later on.
  • GHH-RAND start to manufacture SF type screw airend. (oil-free type in early stage) through technical affiliation with SRM
1953.10
11 companies participated in 'Technical Compressor Conference' held at SRM. AI this conference, 4x6 standard profile (diameter of two rotors is identical) developed by SRM was acknowledged as the most widely applicable compressor in the world As another surprising fact, several dry screw compressors (dia. 500mm) developed in 1950 and supplied to Municipal Gas Works in Stockholm, Sweden in 1952 have been in continuous use for 33 years unti11985. These compressors were never slopped except for two times for replacement of synchronizing gear and sleeve bearing.
1953 ~ 1958
Companies that signed a license agreement with SRM manufacturer. about 600 symmetric profile dry screw compressors (dia. 65~30mm) for static air compression.
1954.07
Oil injected Prototype of SRM (performance improved by 8~10% compared to oil-free type)
1955
As dry compressor began to penetrate into the market, R&D store of SRM started to develop oil inj.tion screw compressor. Al this time, the screw was used in simple or multi-stage dry gas compressor for city gas and chemical industry. ◦ With, development oil injection type air screw that showed great improvement in performance (increased sealing and cooling effects from oil), the sound level was extremely reduced compared to early dry compressors. Primary compression provided for compression up to 7~0 bar and oil injection screw compressor was used for new purposes.
1956
Lightweight design for aircraft was introduced and 425 compressors were manufactured between 1956~1958.
1957
The first commercialized oil injection type compressor was introduced by ATLAS COPCO.
1958
Oil injection screw was used in the portable air compressors
1960
Renowned air compressor makers around the world signed a license agreement with SRM
1964
  • Oil injection screw compressor was first applied to refrigeration.
  • With an attempt to develop an oil injection screw compressor used in refrigeration, "slide valve" that can perform stepless capacity control was installed on the compressor. Several companies in the refrigeration field entered into license agreement with SRM, producing about 1,000 refrigeration screw compressors.
Early 1965
More than 10,000 oil injection air compressors were manufactured.
Late 1965
  • Mr Lars Schibbye (Chief Engineer of SRM in 195) developed asymmetric rotor profile, and a commercialized Product was Introduced by SULLAIR of the United States in 1969.
  • SRM developed an asymmetric profile targeting stationary air compressor market (Which does not have the defect of Lysholm asymmetrical profile abolished by the end of the 1940s)
  • Specific power consumption was reduced by 10~ 5% compared to the symmetric profile.
  • Screw compressor appeared in r.ipr.along compressor market that had been dominating the market until the 1960s.
1970's
  • Demand for small sized screw compressor(dua 63~27mm) with SRM asymmetric profile continued to increase.
  • GHH-RAND developed CF type airend (5x6 profile, asymmetric, a different diameter of two rotors)
1982
  • SRM introduced D-PROFILE.
D profile does not refer to a specific profile but indicates an optimized method of determining the profile for different systems. It was introduced in software form to develop more than 400 D profiles.
1980's
  • Various screw profiles were developed and announced
(SRM 'D-1982 Comp Air - 1984., Rinders - 1987 started manufacture of screw compressor)
1986
Kyungwon Machinery signed an exclusive license agreement with SRM and, "started domestic production of the screw compressor"
1990 ~ 2000
G-profile and H-profile systems were developed by improving the disadvantages of D-profile with the development of processing technology.
2001 ~ 2012
Patent for "⍺" profile was registered - domestic patent in 2011 (10-1012291) and US patent in 2012 (12/328, 295)