subject: Ceramic technology made the Compass composite pool a world leader [print this page] Ceramic technology made the Compass composite pool a world leader
The Compass ceramic core is composed of hollow ceramic spheres called microcells.
And like the ceramic tiles on the space shuttle, these tiny spheres have some truly astonishing characteristics and qualities.
Compass began building pools in 1980 using established international construction methods. In 1994 a scientific study from the UK on the relative water absorption rates in both Vinyl Ester and polyester resins, challenged Compass engineers to improve the overall permeability of their pool and spa products.
The Scientific Challenge
Compass engineers took up that challenge and through intensive research greatly increased their understanding of immersed composite structures. They knew that any answer to the potentially damaging hydrolysis of polyester resins would bring with it superior performance. They found that answer in a material with some very special properties.
A Space-Age Solution
Intense heat can have a remarkable affect on everyday materials. Glass and Ceramics are well-known examples. In the process of being super-heated, both take on quite new and unusual properties.
When the Compass R&D team researched a by-product of the extreme temperatures inside a power station furnace, they were intrigued. It was a ceramic dust composed of hollow spheres called microcells. The attributes of these tiny spheres were quite startling. They were so tough they could withstand 10,000 psi without discernable affect. They had a melting point between 1600 and 1800 degrees Celsius. They were chemically inert, but still compatible with both water and solvent based resin systems. Most important of all, they would not, they could not absorb moisture in any form.
Turning theory into practical reality
Of Course you can't make a pool of ceramics alone. Ceramic material is brittle and would shatter like a coffee cup. Compass had to find a way to blend ceramic dust with a vinyl ester resin to create a super tough layer with the properties of both. Their ground-breaking success work in this field has been patented* and is now internationally recognized. Ceramic technology not only doubled the life of a Compass pool, it had other bonuses as well. It improved impact on resistance made ceramic composite pools even tougher. Panel stiffness increased without reducing the inherent and unique ability of a composite pool to cope with ground movement and expansive soil conditions. Production quality and consistency improved with the ceramic core. The performance of pool heating systems was greatly enhanced.
The Ceramic Core is the Key
When looking at a cross-section of a Compass composite pool the ceramic core can be clearly seen. It's this core that sets Compass apart. It's this core that Compass believe is one of its major breakthroughs. It is this core that ensures you are buying the toughest, most durable and most innovative composite pool in the world.
