Quick Difference between Single Stage and Multi-Stage Compressor

Single stage compressor	Multi-stage compressor
Only one cylinder for the compression process	More than one cylinder are connected in series
Used in low-pressure ratio application.	Achieve a very high-pressure ratio.
The size of cylinder is very large when compared to the cylinders in the multistage compressor.	Individual cylinders are small when compared to single cylinder compression.
The temperature of fluid due to compression is very high. No intercooler.	Temperature is low. Intercooling is more efficient than cooling with a cylinder wall surface. It also reduces thermal stress.
The high temperature damages cylinder head and burns lubricating oil.	Lower temperature facilitates effective lubrication.
Volumetric efficiency is low for given pressure ratio	Volumetric efficiency is high for given pressure ratio
High leakage loss due to high pressure ratio.	Chance of leakage loss is low
Large size of flywheel required due to high torque fluctuation.	Provide more uniform torque, it needs light flywheel
Suitable for light task	Suitable for the heavy task. It can manage larger load.