Protecting electrical control panels from contaminants in the environment is as important in thermal management as cooling the equipment inside of the enclosure. Anything from moisture to dust particles can cause serious malfunctions or system failure if they’re allowed to enter and interact with sensitive electrical components. Even older forms of electrical cooling, like air conditioning, can achieve this level of protection with reasonable success. However, what about protecting those same components from condensation that forms within the enclosure?
What Causes Condensation?
In the case of air conditioning, for example, some level of condensation is inevitable as the air inside the control panel is constantly chilled below the dew point. As that air interacts with the heat inside of the panel, some of it condenses, forming small droplets of water on the unit. If this condensation reaches the electrical components, than it can cause them to short-circuit, malfunction, or cease to work at all. Other consequences of moisture, like rust, can render a system completely useless. To avoid these consequences, more companies rely on heat exchangers to cool their control panels.
Better Protection with Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers are beneficial for many reasons thanks to their efficient, eco-friendly, and nearly automated processes for transferring heat. They don’t chill the inside of control panels; they redirect the heat so that it doesn’t accumulate into potentially dangerous heat pockets. Many heat exchangers are also designed as closed-loop systems, which provide continuous protection by ensuring proper isolation of the cooling fluid from any sensitive electrical circuits. Their high level of ingress protection also makes heat exchangers viable for many NEMA-class enclosures that require higher-than-usual levels of protection.
To learn about heat exchangers’ ability to prevent condensation inside of control panels, call Noren Thermal, Inc. in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.