Thermodynamic Conditions of the Test Gas in a Ballistic Compressor

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Abstract
The development of a free-piston compressor at the University of Oregon is described. In order to characterize the thermodynamic conditions of the test gas in the ballistic compressor, a theoretical analysis of the piston's motion is made taking into account gas leakage, viscous friction, and heat losses. The values used for the radial clearance of the piston and the heat-loss constant are chosen so that the computed peak pressure and minimum volume of the test gas agree with experiment. The predictions of this treatment are then compared with observed pressure and acceleration profiles which were taken using argon and helium as test gases over a range of peak test-gas pressures from 476 to 1660 atm and are found to be in good agreement. The acceleration profile is found to be more sensitive than the pressure profile. It is evident that the compression process is nonadiabatic due to gas leakage around the piston and heat losses to the compressor walls.

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