Ambient heat exchangers are like a constant breath of fresh air for modern electrical enclosures. Using natural/forced convection instead of air conditioning methods is as close as electrical components can get to operating in the fresh, open air instead of within an enclosure. Yet, many applications require cooling solutions that go below the ambient temperature outside of the enclosures. Others perform at such high capacities that they need below-ambient cooling to effectively prevent overheating. Today, we briefly examine a few of the common applications for below-ambient heat exchangers, and how they help streamline more demanding thermal management processes.
Food and beverage manufacturing
In the food and beverage industry, thermal management means everything from cooling control panels and equipment to controlling the environment where livestock are kept and facilitating pasteurizing, to name just a few. Many of these applications require specific temperatures that are well below ambient, especially when keeping animals comfortable and keeping food sanitary.
Enclosures in hot climates
Aside from managing livestock and maintaining perishables, below-ambient heat exchangers are also required for enclosures and equipment that operate in extremely hot climates, such as the dessert. The ambient temperatures in such climates often exceed the maximum operating temperatures of most systems, making below-ambient cooling more than necessary.
High-performance electronics
On a smaller (but often more powerful) scale, below-ambient heat exchanger technology is an essential component in much of today’s technological marvels. Cellphones, laptops, smart devices, and more rely on super-powerful but miniaturized electrical components. Because of their size, the power they generate can create high levels of excess heat, and protecting these components from overheating requires thermal management solutions that are just as small and powerful.
To learn more about common applications for below-ambient heat exchangers, call Noren Thermal, Inc. in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.