Experimental investigation and economic assessment of angular position of a taper disc and its effect on separation efficiency and pressure drop in the air-oil separator of a screw compressor

Oil-flooded screw compressors are extensively utilized in industrial and commercial gas processing as well as refrigeration applications. To enhance efficiency, it is critical to design these compressors to minimize energy losses in key subsystems, particularly the separation system. In this study, an experimental evaluation was performed to investigate the effects of various cone angles (31° to 39°) and angular positions (0° to 360°) on separation efficiency, pressure drop, and oil carryover reduction. The results indicate that a cone angle of 37° yielded the highest performance, achieving a separation efficiency of 95.53 % and a pressure drop of 41,161.56 kPa. Furthermore, the angular position significantly influenced the pressure drop, with the minimum observed at 150° and the maximum at 105° An economic analysis was conducted comparing the modified separator system to the existing compressor system, revealing substantial cost savings in energy consumption, oil usage, maintenance, and filter replacement. The analysis demonstrated total annual savings of $5,756 with a return on investment (ROI) period of 1.73 years. These findings underscore the significant performance improvements and economic feasibility of the proposed modifications.