Editing Compressor (section)

{{Short description|Machine to increase pressure of gas by reducing its volume}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Small stationary Bauer HP compressor installation DSC09403.JPG|thumb|A small stationary high pressure breathing air compressor for filling scuba cylinders]]
[[File:Atlas Copco XASS - Ystad-2024.jpg|thumb|A powerful compressor for street work. Model XASS from [[Atlas Copco]] circa 1985.]]
[[File:Gas Compressor wellsite.jpg|thumb|right|Natural gas compressor at a gas well]]
[[File:High pressure compressor BellisMorcom.jpg|thumb|right|High pressure reciprocating compressor from Belliss and Morcom, used in the bottling industry]]
A '''compressor''' is a mechanical device that increases the [[pressure]] of a [[gas]] by reducing its [[volume]]. An [[air compressor]] is a specific type of gas compressor.

Many compressors can be staged, that is, the gas is compressed several times in steps or stages, to increase discharge pressure. Often, the second stage is physically smaller than the primary stage, to accommodate the already compressed gas without reducing its pressure. Each stage further compresses the gas and increases its pressure and also temperature (if inter cooling between stages is not used).