Tag: electrical enclosure cooling

Accessories for Your Compressed Air Products

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

Here at EXAIR we are very proud of our Intelligent Compressed Air Products. We have spent a lot of time discussing their many benefits, including their efficiency, the fact that many have no moving parts, little to no maintenance, meeting or exceeding OSHA safety standards for noise or dead end pressure. One thing we don’t talk as much about is the accessories that go along with and complement our products. Several of these accessory items are the reason why our compressed air products can boast about having little to no maintenance, or reduced noise levels. In this blog I want to cover some of these unsung heroes.

From left to right, a few value-added accessories for your Vortex Tube: Hot Muffler, Cold Muffler, Automatic Drain Filter Separator, Oil Removal Filter, and Solenoid Valve/Thermostat Kit.

Some of the most popular accessories we offer are our compressed air Filters and Regulators. We suggest using these with all our products (or even with ones that aren’t ours).

The Filter Separator is designed to remove moisture, dirt, and rust from your compressed air system. The 5-micron filter element ensures that contaminants don’t clog or harm your compressed air equipment.

An Oil Removal Filter (which should always be installed after our Filter Separator) provides even more precise filtration by getting rid of oil and solid particles with a 0.03-micron element.

Our Pressure Regulators let you choose the operating pressure. At EXAIR, we always advise running at the lowest pressure necessary to complete the task. Pressure Regulators help you achieve that, reducing unnecessary air usage and fine-tuning the performance of EXAIR products for your specific application.

We have some accessories designed specifically for certain products. For our Line Vacs, there’s the Line Vac Hose. You can also find Thermostats and Solenoid Valves that work great with our Cabinet Coolers, and if you’re using Vortex Tubes, we suggest checking out our Mufflers.

When it comes to our Air Knives, we offer a variety of fantastic options:

If you’re looking for a simple and dependable way to mount your Air Knife, our Universal Air Knife Mounting System is just what you need.

If your project needs something longer than our stock Air Knives, or if you want to manage different sections of the air flow separately, our Coupling Bracket Kits are ideal.

And if you want to simplify the plumbing for your Air Knife, don’t miss our Air Knife Plumbing Kits. They’re suitable for all Air Knives that are longer than 24 inches.

If you’re looking for plumbing options, we’ve got a range of compressed air hoses and fittings that will simplify things for you.

Our Coiled Hoses work great with our Safety Air Guns, giving you more freedom of movement while you work.

Our Compressed Air Hoses are often used alongside our Industrial Housekeeping products to provide the necessary reach for the drum and dolly.

Finally, if you’re looking for a way to mount or position your Air Nozzles, check out our Magnetic Bases, Stay Set Hoses, and Swivel Fittings that can help create a complete setup.

No matter what your application requires or the product you need, we’ve got a variety of complementary accessory products that will simplify installation and adjustments. If you have any questions about these or any other EXAIR products, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_AW

Comparing EXAIR’s Cabinet Coolers to an Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

At EXAIR we are confident in the many benefits and advantages of our products. We are aware that they are not the only possible solution. In such instances, it is always good to compare the differences between the relevant options, to make sure you are getting exactly what you need. In this blog, I am going to compare two different panel cooling solutions: our Cabinet Coolers and air-air heat exchangers.

An air-to-air heat exchanger does its job by swapping heat between the air inside the enclosure and the outside ambient air. For these systems to work well, there has to be a temperature difference between the two air volumes. A closed-loop system keeps exchanging heat to maintain a specific internal temperature. Most air-to-air units use a heat pipe for heat exchange, which is a device that transfers heat by turning a refrigerant liquid into vapor when one end of the pipe is in a hot area. The heated vapor then moves to the other end of the pipe, where it’s cooler. There, the vapor condenses back into a liquid (releasing latent heat) and heads back to the hot end of the pipe, repeating the cycle.

So, how does our system stack up against the exchanger? First off, as we mentioned, the efficiency of a heat exchanger is closely linked to the temperature difference (ΔT) between the cabinet’s interior and the surrounding environment. The smaller the ΔT, the less effective the cooling becomes. If the temperature in your facility starts to climb, like during the summer, you could face more problems. You can boost cooling with bigger air-to-air heat exchangers, but they might end up being larger than the enclosure itself!

How the EXAIR Cabinet Cooler System Works

EXAIR Cabinet Coolers work based on the temperature difference (ΔT) between the cold air they generate (usually around 20°F) and the target internal temperature of the enclosure (typically 95°F). Changes in the surrounding temperature won’t impact the cold air produced by the Cabinet Cooler. With our systems, the cooling power is solely determined by the amount of compressed air supplied, which in turn affects the volume of cold air generated. This allows us to significantly boost the cooling capacity without increasing the overall size, which is already much smaller compared to an air-to-air unit. Plus, our systems can operate at ambient temperatures that exceed the desired internal temperature. Our High Temp models can handle environments up to 200°F, something that an air-to-air heat exchanger simply can’t do.

Secondly, dirt in the surrounding environment can affect the cooling efficiency of an air-to-air heat exchanger. For the air-to-air unit to effectively dissipate heat, the heat pipe needs to connect with the outside environment. This opens up the chance for the ambient end of the heat pipe to get covered in contaminants like dust. This dust acts as an insulation barrier between the heat pipe and the surrounding air, which reduces the heat pipe’s ability to condense the vapors inside. Because of this, most air-to-air systems utilize filters to keep the heat pipe separate from the ambient environment. However, when these filters get clogged, it limits access to ambient temperatures, which in turn decreases the cooling capacity of the air-to-air unit.

From right to left: Small NEMA 12, Large NEMA 12, Large NEMA 4X

EXAIR’s NEMA 12 and NEMA 4/4X Cabinet Coolers are designed to be dust and oil-tight. Plus, since there are no moving parts that can wear out, and no need for direct contact with the ambient air for cooling, dirty environments are not an issue. As long as clean, moisture-free compressed air is provided (which can be ensured with a filter separator), EXAIR Cabinet Coolers can operate maintenance-free for many years.

Lastly, air-to-air heat exchangers can be quite large. These bulky systems can be a hassle when space is limited around the enclosure. Additionally, the time and modifications needed to install a large air-to-air unit can lead to further complications. As previously mentioned, EXAIR’s Cabinet Coolers have a small footprint that remains consistent regardless of cooling capacity, and the installation process is also very simple.

As you can see, there are many advantages to choosing an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler over an air-to-air heat exchanger. If you have any questions about how an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler can solve problems in your facility, feel free to give me a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_AW

Stay Safe!!! Hazardous Location Cabinet Coolers

Published on by jasonkirbyLeave a comment

HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems are specifically designed and certified for use in purged electrical enclosures located in classified environments. These systems are approved for Class I Division I, Groups A, B, C, and D, as well as Class II Division I Groups E, F, and G, and Class III areas. EXAIR’s HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems have undergone rigorous testing by UL, ensuring compliance with the strict UL standards applicable to these environments.

Cabinet Cooler Systems offer an economical and dependable solution for cooling purged electric control panels in various environments. Utilizing Vortex Tube technology, these systems can generate up to 5,600 Btu/Hr without any moving parts, resulting in a low-maintenance option for cooling HazLoc purged cabinets.

EXAIR’s HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems distinguish themselves from competitors by receiving UL classification for Division I environments. These systems, which are thermostatically controlled for optimal efficiency, also feature UL-listed solenoids suitable for hazardous settings. Designed for quick installation on purged enclosures, EXAIR Cabinet Cooler Systems require minimal maintenance and are built to perform reliably in the most challenging industrial conditions.

EXAIR offers Hazardous Location Cabinet Cooler Systems in eight distinct cooling capacities, ranging from 1,000 Btu/Hr to 5,600 Btu/Hr. This variety enables you to select the optimal system tailored to your cooling requirements while minimizing compressed air waste. These Cabinet Cooler Systems effectively shield your electronic equipment from heat, dirt, and moisture, ensuring uninterrupted operation of your processes. They present a cost-effective alternative to cumbersome, high-maintenance coolant-based air conditioning systems and are designed for straightforward installation.

Components are prone to failure, sensors may provide inaccurate readings, controls can drift, and displays can become unreliable. EXAIR HazLoc Cabinet Coolers effectively address these issues, helping to maintain productivity and prevent costly shutdowns and the need for new components. If you have questions about HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems, or anything regarding EXAIR and our products, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Jason Kirby
Application Engineer
Email: jasonkirby@exair.com
Twitter: @EXAIR_jk

The 30-Day Guarantee Gives You Confidence.

Published on by Al WooffittLeave a comment

When you make a purchase, you want to have confidence that the solution that you’ve spent money on is going to work. With many of the applications that we discuss with customers, the solutions are tried and tested. If your electrical panel is getting too hot, then an EXAIR Cabinet Cooler is exactly what you need. If there’s static on your assembly line, a Gen4 Static Elimination product is the way to go. And if you need to blow off excess water from an extruded pipe, a Super Air Wipe is the perfect fix.

There are plenty of situations where the solution isn’t clear-cut. We believe our products can make a difference, but with so many variables, it’s impossible to just plug everything into a formula and predict the exact outcome. The only way to know for sure is to test. That’s where EXAIR’s 30-day unconditional guarantee comes into play. Every one of our cataloged products is covered by this guarantee. Once you buy one of these items, you have a month to really test it out; change the angle, tweak the operating pressure, or swap out shims. If you manage to find the right setup to fix your issue, awesome! If not, we’ll gladly take it back and give you a full refund! The only thing you need to cover is the shipping to return it to us.

A great example of where testing is key is our Line Vacs. There are several factors to consider: the bulk density of the material, its size, whether it’s abrasive, the desired conveyance rate, and the distance for conveyance – both vertical and horizontal. By using the data we’ve gathered from our controlled in-house tests, we’re going to be able to give you a solid recommendation on which model will suit you best. However, to truly understand how our Line Vac will perform with your specific material and operational conditions, it needs to be put through its paces at your facility. When you buy from us, you get 30 days to try it out risk-free.

At EXAIR, we want to ensure you are getting the best possible solution. Our 30-day unconditional guarantee is one way that we make that a reality. If you would like to discuss how our products can help with your application, give us a call!

Al Wooffitt
Application Engineer

Send me an Email
Find us on the Web
Like us on Facebook
Twitter: @EXAIR_AW

Banner Image by Bruno from Pixabay