What to Do with Electrical Waste Heat

The answer to how to handle the waste heat that electrical systems give off used to be to eliminate it. With enough air conditioning power, any amount of heat can be eradicated. For advanced manufacturing equipment and technology, however, air conditioning isn’t usually a viable option. Not only is it cumbersome and expensive, but blasting cold air to eliminate hot air within an enclosure can produce condensation that damages the equipment your trying to protect. Heat exchangers offer a better answer by collecting waste heat and transferring it away from sensitive equipment. However, it’s what you can do with that energy once it’s collected that make heat exchangers even more beneficial.

Managing Waste Heat Better

The thermal management concepts behind heat exchanger technology are more scientifically advanced than air conditioners, yet much simpler to put into practice. While air conditioners eliminate hot air, heat exchangers simply manage the heat by moving it away from sensitive electrical components. This can be achieved in a number of ways according to each application’s unique needs, such as through natural/forced convection, conduction, phase-change cooling, or a combination of these methods. In many instances, the collected heat is dissipated as the cooling fluid cycles through the heat exchangers. In others, it can be redirected and utilized as thermal energy for other purposes.

Using Waste Heat as Energy

One of the most impactful examples of this can be found in facilities that utilize waste water treatment processes. Treating waste water requires the introduction of various types of microbes, which eliminate toxins and other harmful substances in the water. To survive and complete their work, these microbes need to operate within certain temperatures, which can be effectively and efficiently maintained using waste heat that has been collected and managed through heat exchangers. Rather than eliminating waste heat, heat exchangers allow you to turn it into free energy.

To learn more, call Noren Thermal, Inc. in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.