Warmer temperatures are quickly approaching, which may seem like a welcome change for personal reasons, but in a processing line, the increased temperatures can wreak havoc on sensitive components found in an electrical control panel.
EXAIR Corporation will be hosting a FREE webinar titled “Intelligent Solutions for Electrical Enclosure Cooling” on May 23, 2018 at 2:00 PM EDT.
(click on the photo to register – it’s FREE!)
By attending this interactive session, you will learn the difference between the 3 most common NEMA ratings for electrical control panels found in an industrial setting, NEMA Type 12, 4 and 4X. We’ll provide examples of traditional, yet unreliable, methods of cooling and the concerns associated with using these types of devices.
Next we will explain how ignoring heat related issues can cause machines to shut down due to failed electrical components, resulting in lost production and increased maintenance costs, negatively affecting a company’s bottom line.
In closing, we’ll show how using an engineered, compressed air operated solution can reduce downtime by providing a low cost, maintenance-free way to cool and purge control panels with no moving parts.
When compared to air-to-air heat exchangers and refrigerant based air conditioners, Cabinet Cooler systems win hands down.
Companies generally do not have issues with their control panels until the heat of summer. As the ambient conditions get warmer, the temperatures inside electrical panels also rise. Sensitive electronics start to malfunction and shut down. A telecommunication company was having the same issues. They operated an ultra-broadband access service. When the temperature alarms triggered, the system would shut down and reset. This on and off cycling concerned the engineers in damaging and reducing the life of the electronics inside the telecommunications control box.
They contacted EXAIR as a possible supplier to retrofit their cabinets in critical areas. They started the conversation with a list of some stringent requirements. They indicated that they were looking at other options like a refrigerant panel and an air-to-air heat exchanger. The challenge was on…
Conditions:
Power Consumption: 350 Watts
Maximum Ambient Temp: 150 Deg. F (65 Deg. C)
Cabinet Location: Very limited space
Requirements:
Retrofitting capability and ease of installation to existing cabinets
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. 22mm knockout hole, about 30 minutes to install and weighs 0.5Lbs (0.2Kg).
Refrigerant Type: Poor. Large panel cut outs, roughly 4 hours of installation, and weighs about 30Lbs (13.6Kg)
Heat Exchanger: Poor. Large panel cut outs, roughly 2 hours of installation, and weighs 16Lbs. (7.3Kg)
Fit into tight spaces
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. For this application, it is 5.2” (131mm) high and 1.17” (30mm) diameter.
Refrigerant Type: Poor. 22” (560mm) X 12” (305mm) X 8.5” (216mm). But also need additional room for air flow.
Heat Exchanger: Good. Roughly 11” (279mm) X 16.5” (419mm) X 3.5” (89mm). But also need additional room for air flow.
Able to handle high ambient condition
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. We have a HT version for conditions up to 200 Deg. F (93 Deg. C).
Refrigerant Type: Poor. Limited to about 125 Deg. F (52 Deg. C) maximum.
Heat Exchanger: Good. Limited to 160 Deg. F (71 Deg. C) maximum
Keep internal temperature at or below 95 Deg. F (35 Deg. C)
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. With the high ambient temperature, it has very little effect on the cooling capacity.
Refrigerant Type: Poor. The refrigerant will not work with the high ambient unless a water-cooled condenser is used. Added cost.
Heat Exchanger: Poor. This unit will not be able to keep the temperature below ambient temperatures.
Low maintenance (or maintenance free)
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. No moving parts!!! With filtered compressed air, just put it into the panel and let it run. No PM required.
Refrigerant Type: Poor. Minimum quarterly cleaning of condenser, changing the condenser filter, do electrical checks on compressor and fans, and refrigerant leak checks.
Heat Exchanger: Good. Electrical checks on fans.
Long life span
EXAIR Cabinet Cooler: Excellent. 5 year warranty with units lasting over 10 years.
Refrigerant Type: Poor. With high ambient conditions, the compressors and fans can short cycle causing premature failure.
Heat Exchanger: Good. The fans can quit allowing electronics to heat up.
Refrigerant Type: Poor. Base unit is near $1,500.00
Heat Exchanger: Good. Base unit is near $1,000.00
Overall, in this scenario, there is no comparison. The EXAIR Cabinet Cooler can be mounted in minutes and start supplying cool air to the electrical components. With no maintenance required and no moving parts, you can get many years of service. Simple, quick, and easy made EXAIR Cabinet Cooler the correct choice. All Cabinet Cooler systems are available with a UL Listed NEMA 12, NEMA 4, or NEMA 4X rating. They are CE compliant and available in 316SS for highly corrosive applications. If you have electrical heating issues like the telecommunication company, you can contact one of our Application Engineers for help.
