2 Methods for Transferring Heat Efficiently

Organizations that have relied on air conditioning for their electrical thermal management needs have long wished for more efficient technology, both in terms of energy consumption and reliability. For many of them, heat exchangers have been the most optimal solution, and their secret lies in replacing air conditioning with more natural methods of transferring heat. While heat exchangers come in a variety of types, many of them utilize one of two highly efficient methods, natural/forced convection and latent heat of vaporization.

Natural/Forced Convection

Convection is the most common and simplest form of transferring heat, and involves moving excess waste heat away from sensitive electrical equipment before it can cause damage. The principle of a convection-based heat exchanger is to use air to carry heat away from electrical circuits. The heated air naturally moves toward the cooler area of the heat exchanger (natural convection), and cooler air circulates back towards the electrical circuits. Small fans (forced convection) may be implemented to keep the air flowing through the heat exchanger.

Latent Heat of Vaporization

In some applications, phase-change cooling may provide more effective results than natural and forced convection. Phase-change cooling is the process of harnessing a cooling fluid’s latent heat of vaporization to transfer excess waste heat. When the fluid, usually water, is near the waste heat, it evaporates, absorbing the thermal energy with little or no change in temperature. The evaporated fluid is transferred to another area of the heat exchanger, where it releases the heat it has absorbed and converts back into liquid.

Learn More About High-Efficiency Heat Exchangers

Using more natural and more efficient methods to transfer heat, heat exchangers offer a better solution than more traditional methods in most of today’s modern applications. To learn more, call Noren Thermal, Inc. at 866-936-6736. Now located in Taylor, TX, Noren proudly produces all of our products in the United States and delivers them to clients nationwide.