Category: Cabinet Cooler

Addressing Real Customer Concerns About Using Cabinet Cooler Systems

Published on by Neal RakerLeave a comment

Following is a recent e-mail  transcript between myself and a potential client and his concerns about using a Cabinet Cooler System.

Dear Sir,
I have gone through your web. We need a Cabinet Cooler System for our CNC panel. I have lots of question in my mind regarding cabinet cooler.

1) What is force of air inside the cabinet?
Depending on how tight the cabinet is, pressure can build up to about 2 PSIG maximum.

2) How can we control condensation?
The source of condensation would be from the air outside the cabinet, not from the Cabinet Cooler System itself as is often mistaken. As long as you have the cabinet cooler installed properly and have closed off all vents / fans from pulling outside air into the panel, you will have no difficulty with condensation.
It is also worth mentioning that we are not trying to create a refrigerator-like atmosphere inside customers’ electrical panels. Generally, we maintain a target temperature of 95°F (35°C) inside the enclosure, so there is not any real opportunity for condensation to form as a result. In fact, the original volume of air within the enclosure is purged out of the box about 3 times or more during the first few minutes of operation.

3) Humidity affects the electronic circuits – How do we prevent it?
As mentioned in #2 above, when you install the Cabinet Cooler System properly and close off all vents, the enclosure is then purged with clean, dry air. Humidity level within the cabinet will drop to a range of about 45% which is considered dry enough for cabinet cooling purposes. And so, the conditions within the cabinet are such that no condensation would ever have chance to form inside the enclosure.

4) Where does the exhaust air go?
Exhaust air flows out of the cabinet through the Cabinet Cooler. It has its own vent incorporated into the mounting base. Cold air is delivered through center opening, cabinet air exhaust vents out through a perimeter vent on the base of the cabinet cooler.

5) What is the air consumption?
The air consumption will depend on how much heat load you have in the application but the general range is anywhere from 8 to 80 SCFM @ 100 PSIG to produce cooling powers from 550 Btu/hr up to 5600 Btu/hr. And note, this is only when the thermostat calls for cooling due to the heat load within. So, the Cabinet Cooler System will only use the energy necessary to keep the enclosure at desired set point and no more.

6) Air solution is 3 times more expensive than electricity. How we can save energy?
Utilizing thermostat control is the best way to limit energy use to that only required to maintain desired set point inside the cabinet. We normally work to a 95°F (35°C) set point. This might seem a bit high to the novice user but electronics can live comfortably at this temperature. Remember, we are cooling electronics and not human beings.

When a customer is looking at an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System, they are taking into account a lot more than just the cost of energy in their purchase. It is no secret that Freon based air conditioning units are fairly efficient at cooling. The problem with them is that they are a huge maintenance issue for those companies who have them. With the factory environment being much dirtier and hotter than a typical laboratory or office, Freon coolers do not stand up  to the excessive heat, dirt, moisture, and other contaminations that reduce their efficiency and reduce their effectiveness to a critical point where they fail. (A point that no Freon air conditioner cooler manufacturer is going to admit to).

So, I ask you, what happens when you experience a component failure in a cabinet with a Freon based air conditioner that has failed and you don’t know about it until it is too late? Not only are you out the cost of the repair for both the air conditioner and the failed component(s) inside the cabinet, but also the lost production. So, you are paying more money for repairs, lost production, saving face with your client due to lost production, etc. etc.

What we are selling with our Cabinet Cooler is hassle-free, and virtually maintenance-free operation. When fed with clean, dry, oil-free air, EXAIR Cabinet Coolers operate indefinitely with little input from your maintenance crew. Another benefit of the vortex cooler operation is that the panel is pressurized a bit so as to keep out any dirt, dust or other harmful debris from getting into the cabinet. Many customers involved with materials in their production that tend to be powdery in nature find this feature quite useful. Freon air conditioners placed in the same scenario simply end up with clogged filters and burn up due to low airflow. Click here to check out a quick comparison.

7) Air creates the noise. Will your coolers increase the noise pollution?
Compressed air does create noise when used. This is a fact of life. EXAIR does take every step possible to keep the sound level of our Cabinet Cooler Systems at a reasonably low level. We market the use of our Cabinet Cooler Systems for industrial or factory type applications. Use in a lab or in an office setting is possible, but is not the normal use. When placed on the shop floor or near a large oven, boiler, stamping machine, or mill you would not even know when the unit was operating and not. If you want to know the actual dB rating for each Cabinet Cooler System, you can follow this link.

8) My air compressor has 650 CFM capacity. Your product will consume air from a main air line. Continuous air leakage can’t build the pressure in the reservoir and it’s a costly solution for us.
You write as if you expect our Cabinet Cooler System to take the full capacity of your compressor. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Cabinet Cooler Systems are designed to turn on and off as needed to accommodate the heat generated within the application. In other words, it is not a constant leak as you have described. And to describe the flow through our Cabinet Cooler System as a leak really gives false indication that it isn’t doing anything. The Cabinet Cooler System IS doing something. It cools the electronics in your cabinet to keep the cabinet up and running so your process does not break down. If you want a high degree of reliability in this sense, great! Consider using a Cabinet Cooler System. Do away with the constant headaches of dealing with repairs to Freon coolers and the electronics inside the boxes they are supposed to be cooling. If you are hyper concerned about only energy use to the neglect of the other costs associated with running Freon based coolers, this is a common mind-set that we encounter in our discussions with customers. You are going to spend money to run production. It is your choice how much of that goes into energy use and how much is dedicated to fixing things that break down. Which would you rather do?

It is my job to point out to you that energy use is NOT the only cost that goes into the decision of what to buy when it comes to cooling equipment for this purpose. I hope I have pointed out a few reasonable issues for you to consider.

9) Main compressor is running continuously to generate the adequate air pressure.
If your compressors are “at capacity”, you should consider a program to have a more efficient operating system. Up to 30% of the average compressor’s capacity is lost through leaks in the piping system alone (in your system that would be up to 195 SCFM!). If you could save almost 1/3 of your compressed air by simply fixing leaks, would you do it? We have products that can help you get a handle on locating and fixing your leaks and also to monitor your air use for any given pipe line in your facility from ½ inch up to 6 inch pipe. Take a look at our Optimization Products

If you have applications where air is being used for things like blowing and cooling, chances are, we have other products that can help you to reduce that air usage too (Air Knives, Air Nozzles, Air Amplifiers). If you have things like open copper tubes, steel pipes and pipes with drilled holes performing blowing within your applications, we have products that can cut down on air use, lower sound levels, and bring you into compliance with OSHA dead end pressure requirements. It’s a matter of management taking the time to implement an air savings program to endeavor to save air (energy) use.  There are other things that can be done on the compressed air production side of things in your plant as well to increase efficiency. Following is a link to an on-line magazine that perhaps you should review to get better ideas of what I’m talking about. http://www.airbestpractices.com/

Neal Raker
Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com

Cabinet Cooler Systems Vs. Refrigerant AC and Heat Exchangers

Published on by Kirk EdwardsLeave a comment

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EXAIR Cabinet Cooler systems have significant advantages over other cooling options. Our Cabinet Cooler systems are UL  listed for NEMA 12, 4 and 4X integrity and are marked CE for conforming to European Union safety standards. This blog entry will highlight the benefits and compare them to refrigerant based air conditioners and traditional heat exchangers.

Cabinet Cooler systems use Vortex Tube technology, with no moving parts, to create the cold air outlet flow which is pumped into an electronic cabinet. As air is pushed into the cabinet the Cabinet Cooler system also provides its own built-in exhaust so there is no need to vent the cabinet. This creates a positive purge on the cabinet which will keep dirt, dust and debris out of the cabinet.

Refrigerant air conditioning units have many moving parts including a compressor, condenser blower motor and evaporator blowers. All of  these products can and will break down, costing you hundreds of dollars in repairs. Most manufacturers warranty these products for 2 years. EXAIR Cabinet Cooler units are under warranty for 5 years and can last 20!

EXAIR Cabinet Cooler systems are unaffected by vibration which can cause refrigerant leaks and component failures in traditional air conditioners. Please don’t be shocked when you shell out $600.00 for a new compressor – more than  complete NEMA 12 Cabinet Cooler system with solenoid and thermostat!

And don’t forget about the floor drain to capture the condensate from the condenser in an air conditioner, but no worries from a Cabinet Cooler unit there is no troublesome by-product to deal with. You must also regularly keep your vent filters clean so you do not damage the refrigerant cooler, these products are not suitable for harsh or dirty environments like an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler systems.

Here is a cost comparison to an equivalent traditional refrigerant air conditioner. You will see we also have a total cost advantage.
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems Vs. Refrigerant Air Conditioners

When you receive your EXAIR Cabinet Cooler system all you need to do is open the box and install it into a standard knockout hole; there is no need to let the compressor oil settle or worry about any shipping damage which will void your warranty.  No need to cut the side of your cabinet open for installation.

Heat exchangers, though less expensive are also less effective. Heat exchangers are negatively affected by a rise in temperature. In other words, the more you need them to cool your cabinet in the summer time, the less ability they have to do it as the weather warms! Heat exchangers are significantly de-rated as the outside temperatures rise. Cabinet Cooler systems are not dependent upon ambient temperatures to create cooling.

Heat exchangers also fail when dirt and dust clog the air intake filters. Cabinet Cooler systems again do not use ambient air but compressed air which should be clean and dry. The right quality of air is easily achieved through the use of a compressed air filter which is typically included in a Cabinet Cooler system. Replacement filter elements for a Cabinet Cooler unit should be installed twice a year as a rule, they are inexpensive (<$20) and simple to replace.

Cabinet Cooler systems are not only extremely effective but also operate efficiently by using a thermostat control to turn themselves on and off only as needed. As the seasons change and your cabinet does not get as hot during the winter, the cooler shuts itself off (you won’t even notice it until it turns back on during a hot day). If you do not generate heat in your cabinet due to a shutdown or running one shift, it will again turn itself off. A thermostat control ensures optimum efficiency by turning it off when not in use,  just like STEP 4 in the 6 Steps to Optimization.

In Summary:

  • EXAIR Cabinet Coolers systems are UL listed to maintain the NEMA 12, 4 and 4X integrity of your electronic enclosure. And CE marked for conforming to EU safety standards.
  •  Have no moving parts to break or wear, very durable.
  •  Can create a positive purge on the cabinet to keep dirt and debris from entering the cabinet.
  •  Are not affected by ambient temperature or conditions.
  •  Inexpensive to purchase.

EXAIR Cabinet Coolers systems are an inexpensive solution which will payoff for years to come!

Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@exair.com

NEW stuff – PEEK material and CE marks

Published on by Kirk EdwardsLeave a comment

As I wax poetic in constructing this weeks blog entry I have learned that this sense of “wax” is an intransitive verb hinting at becoming increasingly verbose and romantic in speech. And yes it is fitting; because I can’t explain how I long for writing my Wednesday blog entries.

And apparently it has caught on, as we now have our company president blogging about the New York Yankees and Earth Day. Our design engineer has been inspired to blog about 80’s supergroup Devo and selling flowers – all in the name of compressed air. It almost brings a tear to my eye…

A tear to my eye because as they creatively spin their bloggin’ yarns, I am left to ponder the practicality of our blog and the necessity to report EXAIR going’s on and product information such as our latest couple of announcements.

Via our Facebook page, Friday May 14th we announced the release of two additional PEEK air nozzles. PEEK is a very robust polymer thermoplastic with excellent mechanical and chemical resistance properties. It is highly resistant to thermal degradation and resists attack from organic and aqueous environments. Because PEEK has such good qualities it is used to manufacture bearings, pumps, cable insulation etc. and now – Super Air Nozzles.

We have seen our other PEEK air Nozzles used in blow offs for calendar rolls where the nozzles occasionally get hit and fall into the calendar roll and damage the roll, the PEEK does not damage the roll if it gets smashed in between. They are also used to blow off a very sensitive mirror on a large telescope because the mirror can easily be scratched, the PEEK nozzles reduce the potential of scratching the mirror. PEEK is also commonly used in the medical and chemical industries.

On Monday we announced the addition of the CE mark to our Super, Standard and Full Flow Air Knives, our Super and Adjustable Air Amplifiers and our Super and Standard Air Wipes. This is in addition to our CE marked Cabinet Coolers.

The European Union has developed a system of directives to safeguard public health and maintain conformity to these safety and health requirements – If you can meet the requirements, you can place the mark on your products. This mark insures our customers that these products meet the safety, material, information and performance standards of the European Directives. It is a benefit for anyone buying or selling internationally and as the world gets smaller we are improving the ease of international business by providing these recognizable and desirable marks.

Now that I have that information out-of-the-way, my increasingly verbose (if not already accomplished) and romantic (most likely impossible) blog entry will have to wait until next week.

Kirk Edwards
Application Engineer
kirkedwards@exair.com

Time for Spring Cleaning

Published on by Leave a comment

Here in Cincinnati the winds of spring have arrived. Now it is time for spring cleaning which includes washing windows, cleaning out the garage, tuning up the mower, and the list goes on. One item that is often overlooked is cleaning out the medicine chest.

With the cost of prescriptions I hang on to unused or leftover prescription pills, syrups, creams and ointments because someday I will need them again. After reading an article from our local hospital I realized that this might not be a good idea because over time they lose their potency.

The next question is how to dispose of these. Flushing them down the drain sends them into our rivers and streams. The US Fish and wildlife has reported pharmaceuticals have crept into our water sources and is having a negative effect on fish and wildlife. The FDA has issued guidelines for disposal.

While we are on the topic of spring cleaning, I would suggest you update your catalog library. EXAIR has introduced a substantial number of compressed air saving products. Our OPTIMIZATION products focus on saving your air. And much of our core product line reduces your compressed air usage. You do not want to miss any opportunities to improve your processes by decreasing compressed air consumption and to save your company money. You can get the latest  catalog copy by clicking on this link or register in our Knowledge Base to add digital information to your library.

You will find 2D drawings and 3D models, both in multiple formats. You can also download digital catalog files, look through our long list of FAQ’s, view our products’ PowerPoint presentations and see our videos.  Over 800 applications can be sorted and you can take advantage of our air savings calculators to see how quickly you can get ROI or see how adding our air controlling product, the EFC, can  save you money.

Joe Panfalone
Application Engineer
joepanfalone@exair.com