EXAIR NEMA Type 4 Cabinet Cooler Systems aren’t new to certifications and standards, and they have recently been re-certified for the latest CE standards in line with an evolving industry’s needs. These tests were performed by an independent laboratory to ensure we are providing products that meet the highest standards and continue to pursue a path of continuous improvement.
The Cabinet Cooler Systems also carry UL and CUL Listing which is testing performed by the Underwriters Laboratory to ensure they meet strict requirements to ensure the integrity of electrical enclosures are maintained to a standard. This not only tests for the NEMA Type integrity but also the component construction and materials. This is yet another standard that we keep our products aligned with to ensure our customers can continue to safely operate their production lines.
The installation of a NEMA Type 4 Cabinet cooler System is easy as shown in the video below. These systems are designed to be a low-cost alternative to traditional refrigerant air conditioners or heat exchangers. They are also backed by a five-year built-to-last warranty.
EXAIR started writing Blogs in 2008. Since then, we have written well over 2000 Blogs. There is a ton of information in our Blog section on the website. There is most likely a Blog or 10 written about nearly each one of our products. These are primarily written by application engineers that know a thing or two about our products. There are also many application Blogs, that may be very relatable to what you are doing. When you journey to our Blog page (or simply click Blog form EXAIR.com), simply type in a key word or two in our search bar. This search bar is located just below the first row of published Blogs on the right hand of the screen, here is a screenshot of that section (right). You can also choose to follow our blog here as well.
As application engineers, we get asked questions every day. Many of these questions are best answered in one (or more) of these 2000+ Blogs. Many times a picture or video can answer your questions much more precisely than a quick conversation or an email. Many times we will send you a blog link to help. Drawing from my own experience, and asking the other Application Engineers for their lists, I wanted to put our most referenced blogs in one helpful location. I’ve categorized these the best that I can, and hopefully this will be a useful resource for you today, and in the future.
OPTIMIZING YOUR COMPRESSED AIR SYSTEM
Six Steps to Optimizing Your Compressed Air System
This is one of the key sections to our blogs. One of our main goals is to help you optimize your system. Here are 6 blogs that go into detail on each of these key points:
This is a product line that has a lot of maintenance questions, probably because these products are used to clean up dirt, and where there is dirt, there can be problems, clogs and leaks:
One of the most common questions we have concerns the Reversible Drum Vacuum (RDV) refurbishment Blog. The RDV is used on the Reversible Drum Vac, and the Chip Trapper products. We offer a refurb service for a fee, but most of the time you can do this on your own by watching and following this blog: Cleaning the Reversible Drum Vac
There are many more blogs and videos at your disposal. This is just a recap of many of our most used, most viewed and most helpful for the day-to-day conversations that happen here at EXAIR. If you have ideas for new blogs – we would love to hear that as well. Please feel free to reach out at any time for more information on any of our intelligent compressed air products.
Thank you for stopping by,
Brian Wages
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation Visit us on the Web Follow me on Twitter
If I were to tell you that I can take a supply of ordinary compressed air and drop its temperature by 50°F with no moving parts and without any type of refrigerant or electrical connection, you might be scratching your head a bit. That is of course unless you’ve been introduced to the wild world of Vortex Tubes. My favorite product among the EXAIR Product Line, the Vortex Tube, does just that. With an ordinary supply of compressed air as the sole power source, and no moving parts, the Vortex Tube converts that airstream into a hot and cold flow that exits from opposite ends of the tube. No magic, witchcraft, or wizardry involved here. Just physics!
The theory all began in the 19th century with the famous physicist and mathematician James Clerk Maxwell. He suggested that since heat involves the movement of molecules, it could be possible to create a device that could distribute hot and cold air with no moving parts with the help of a “friendly little demon” that would sort and separate the hot and cold molecules of air. Not much was done with regard to this or any further advancement until about 61 years later.
In 1928, a French physics student by the name of George Ranque was conducting some testing on a vortex-type pump he had developed. In this testing, he noticed that warm air was exhausting from one end, while cold air was coming out of the other. He dropped his plans for the pump and begin an attempt to exploit this phenomenon commercially. His business ultimately failed, along with the Vortex Tube theory, until 1945 when a German physicist named Rudolph Hilsch published a scientific paper based on the Vortex Tube.
With so many involved, the tube became known by a variety of different names: “Ranque Vortex Tube”, the “Hilsch Tube”, the “Ranque-Hilsch Tube”, and (my personal favorite) “Maxwell’s Demon”. Over the years, it has gained a reputation as a low cost, reliable, and highly effective method for industrial spot cooling and panel cooling applications. While using the tube as a PC cooler isn’t generally recommended, here’s a great video demonstrating the tube in operation from Linus Tech Tips on YouTube:
So how exactly does this thing work? The truth is no one knows for certain, but there is one commonly accepted theory that explains the phenomenon:
Compressed air is supplied into the tube where it passes through a set of nozzles that are tangent to the internal counterbore. The design of the nozzles force the air to spin in a vortex motion at speeds up to 1,000,000 RPM. The spinning air turns 90° where a valve at one end allows some of the warmed air to escape. What does not escape, heads back down the tube in the inner stream where it loses heat and exhausts through the other end as cold air.
Both streams rotate in the same direction and at the same angular velocity. Due to the principle of conservation of angular momentum, the rotational speed of the inner vortex should increase. However that’s not the case with the Vortex Tube. The best way to illustrate this is in Olympic Figure Skating. As the skater is wider, the spinning motion is much slower. As she decreases her overall radius, the velocity picks up dramatically and she spins much quicker. In a Vortex Tube, the speed of the inner vortex remains the same as it has lost angular momentum. The energy that is lost in this process is given off in the form of heat that has exhausted from the hot side of the tube. This loss of heat allows the inner vortex to be cooled, where it can be ducted and applied for a variety of industrial applications.
This Vortex Tube theory is utilized in basic Vortex Tubes, along with a variety of other products that have additional features specific for your application. EXAIR’s line of Cabinet Coolers, Cold Guns, Adjustable Spot Coolers, Mini Coolers, and Vortex Tubes all operate off of this same principle.
If you’re fascinated by this product and want to give it a try, EXAIR offers an unconditional 30 day guarantee. We have them all in stock and ready to ship as well, same day with an order received by 2:00 ET. Feel free to get in contact with us if you’d like to discuss how a vortex-based product could help you in your processes.
Hazardous Locations are a tricky opponent for electrical panels and controls. To safely be in a HAZLOC they either have to be rated for that Environment or they need to be enclosed in a Cabinet that is purged and pressurized to keep any explosive gases, fumes, or dusts out of the Cabinet.
This is no new thing, however as the Industrial revolution 4.0 continues to grow and progress products are continually being added to HAZLOC areas. For example, robotic controls, analyzers, motors and switch gears now use electronic accessories to meet the needs for, speed, process control and energy efficiency, which often renders the equipment unsuitable for use in hazardous locations.
While the demand for these new devices continues to grow, not all of these items are able to be made intrinsically safe. And the items that are not will need to be enclosed in a cabinet where heat will build and you need to manage that heat load while retaining the positive pressure a purge and pressurization is putting on the panel.EXAIR HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems are rated for Class I Div 1 & 2, Class II Div 1 & 2, and Class III environments.
First, we need to know what Class, Division, Group and Temp Code your area falls in.
Area Classification Methods
The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) establishes area classifications using three factors. Identified as Classes, Groups and Divisions, these factors are combined to define conditions of specific areas.
Class Ratings – Classes are used to define the explosive or ignitable substances that are present in the atmosphere.
Class I – Flammable gases or liquid vapor.
Class II – Ignitable metal, carbon or organic dusts.
Class III – Ignitable fibrous materials.
Division Ratings – Divisions are used to define the degree of hazard by determining the explosive or ignitable substance’s expected concentration in the atmosphere.
Division 1 – Contains substances under normal conditions
Division 2 – Contains substances under abnormal conditions
Group Ratings – Groups are used to define substances by rating their explosive or ignitable nature, in relation to other known substances.
TYPICAL CLASS I SUBSTANCESGroup A – Acetylene
Group B – Hydrogen or > 30% Hydrogen by Volume
Group C – Ethyl Ether & Ethylene
Group D – Acetone, Ammonia, Benzene & Gasoline
TYPICAL CLASS II SUBSTANCESGroup E – Aluminum, Magnesium & Alloys
Group F – Carbon, Coke & Coal
Group G – Flour, Grain, Wood, Plastic & Chemicals
Temperature Class – A Temperature Class is a term that is allocated within a hazardous area or zone to instruments and equipment. The classification or rating signifies the levels of thermal energy allowed in a particular area or produced by specific equipment. EXAIR products are Able to be used in locations at or lower than T3C.
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems are available, from stock, to suit most any electric/electronic panel heat protection need:
Cooling capacities from 275 to 5,600 Btu/hr. Call me if your heat load is outside this range…we can look at customized solutions too.
When choosing products for use in classified areas, it’s critical to ensure safety through compliance, and the HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems allow you to do that, with simplicity and reliability. If you’d like to discuss an enclosure cooling application, in or out of a classified area, give us a call.
Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer
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