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Intercooler
If you understand that “inter” means between, and that cooler – well that’s self explanatory isn’t it? Particularly if you’re inclined to a cold beverage drawn from a cooler on a hot afternoon out on the beach, then you already understand intercoolers.
The process of compressing air elevates the air temperature dramatically. As air is compressed from single cylinder or from cylinder to cylinder in twin cylinder reciprocating compressors, or from the compression equipment in rotary screw , or rotary vane compressors and then into the receiver, the temperature of the compressed air will continue to rise.
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An intercooler will be installed between the cylinders to help cool the air before it’s ingested into the next cylinder for further compression. This aids in the compressor’s efficiency.
Intercoolers in multi-stage units may function through air cooling or water cooling.
In air cooling the compressed air will pass through a chamber which, on the outside, offers substantially increased surface area to the ambient environment. The increased surface area will allow the heat inside the compressed air line to move more readily to the surface and to escape.
Water cooling is achieved by passing the compressed air through water-cooled heat exchanger(s) similar in concept to this one . Cool water will flow around the outside of the air line, quickly taking heat away, and cooling the compressed air rapidly.
Consider also that the air receiver, that tank that stores your compressed air before use, and that’s located between your compressor and your plant air lines, is also an intercooler of sorts.
The longer the air sits in the receiver before use the cooler the air will get and the more condensation will take place in the receiver. That, and frequent voiding of collected water through the receiver’s auto drain will prevent this condensed water from entering the downstream airline. This provides positive ramifications for the quality of the downstream air and the life of the downstream air equipment.
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