What If It’s Too Hot for an Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger?

In most climates, air-to-air ambient heat exchangers are a highly efficient solution for managing electric waste heat. However, they rely on the ambient temperature being below the maximum operating temperature of the equipment inside the electrical enclosure. When the ambient temperature outside is too hot for an air-to-air heat exchanger to work, an air-to-water  heat exchanger can still help you avoid having to rely on a more costly air conditioning system. While air-to-air coolers transfer heat to keep the air just above ambient, air-to-water units are able to keep the air inside the electrical cabinet below ambient temperatures in particularly hot climates.

Below Ambient Air-to-Water Heat Exchangers

In an air-to-air heat exchanger, the waste heat generated within an electrical enclosure is transferred away from sensitive circuits. The heat may be exchanged through materials with high thermal conductivity or moved through the closed loop system using small fans for forced convection. By keeping the heat away from the electrical equipment, the heat exchanger can stop the air’s temperature from rising inside of the cabinet.

When the ambient air is already hot, however, simply removing the heat may not offer enough protection. For more successful results, air-to-water heat exchangers utilize phase-change technology to cool electrical cabinets based on the temperature of the fluid—usually water. When water absorbs enough heat, or energy, it evaporates. When it releases the energy, it condenses back into liquid. Within a heat pipe, water absorbs waste heat as it evaporates, and is then condensed when the fluid moves away from the electrical components. The air inside of the electrical cabinet can be cooled to the temperature of the water, allowing the heat exchangers to achieve lower-than-ambient temperatures.

Below-Ambient Cooling with Air-to-Water Heat Exchangers

With air-to-water cooling technology, you can enjoy the benefits of heat exchangers even when electrical enclosures require below ambient cooling. To learn more, call Noren Thermal, Inc. at 650-322-9500, or toll-free at 866-936-6736. Located in Menlo Park, CA, Noren proudly produces all of our products in the United States and delivers them to clients nationwide.