For its Storage Plus energy-saving control, HPC KAESER uses a special phase change material (PCM) that can extract latent heat.
In contrast to other available thermal mass storage systems, the heat energy does not go through a temperature change; rather, it goes through a phase change.
Only when the entire medium has undergone this phase change – meaning that the storage is now full – does the temperature begin to rise.
When the latent heat is discharged, the phase change reoccurs in the opposite direction, with the temperature remaining constant until all the heat has been discharged.
- The compressor provides cold refrigerant for compressed air drying purposes and to cool down the thermal mass.
- The thermal mass solidifies at a constant temperature, thereby conducting a significant amount of heat away, via the refrigerant.
- The refrigerant then cools the thermal mass further until the cut-out point is reached.
- The refrigerant compressor switches off.
- The thermal mass provides cold for drying the compressed air, whilst itself warming up.
- The thermal mass melts at a constant temperature, thereby absorbing a significant amount of heat from the moist compressed air.
- The thermal mass heats up until the cut-in point of the compressor is reached.
