🔍 Key Concepts

• Function of an intercooler in a multi-stage air compressor • What causes pressure to build excessively between stages • How relief valves protect equipment when normal flow is restricted

💭 Think About

• When would pressure in the intercooler space rise high enough to lift its relief valve: if air is not leaving the intercooler properly, or if extra air is entering it? • Which component’s failure would cause abnormally high pressure between the low-pressure and high-pressure stages, not just a small loss or leak? • Think about the air path: low-pressure stage → intercooler → high-pressure stage. Which choice represents a problem after the intercooler that would trap pressure in it?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which option would cause over-pressurization between stages, not loss of pressure • Eliminate any options that would mainly cause leakage or low pressure, rather than lifting a relief valve • Confirm which component, if leaking or defective, would allow high-pressure air to back up into the intercooler space