Definition check: perfect intercooling in multistage compression For a multistage air compressor with intercoolers, perfect intercooling means the air temperature at the inlet to each subsequent stage is brought back to the initial intake temperature. Is this statement correct?

Introduction / Context:
Intercooling removes heat between compression stages. The idealized target is perfect intercooling, a concept that appears in most textbook derivations for minimizing total compression work and for selecting optimal intermediate pressures.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Same overall suction and delivery pressures.
• Intercoolers with negligible pressure loss (idealization).
• “Initial temperature” refers to the first-stage inlet temperature.

Concept / Approach:
Perfect intercooling aims to restore the compressed air to the original intake temperature prior to entering the next stage. On a T–s diagram, each stage begins at the same temperature line, reducing the average specific volume and, consequently, the work per stage. This is the condition used to derive equal pressure-ratio staging as the minimum-work solution.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Analytical expressions show that, with perfect intercooling and equal pressure ratios per stage, the total compressor work is minimized for a specified overall pressure ratio.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Limiting perfect intercooling to specific numbers of stages or requiring zero clearance is unnecessary; the definition is independent of those details.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “perfect intercooling” (temperature reset) with “regeneration” (recuperation) or aftercooling (cooling after final compression).

Final Answer:

Agree