Some of the differences between heat exchangers and air conditioners are obvious, such as the reduced energy and overall costs that come with implementing the more streamlined thermal management solutions. However, the specific ways in which heat exchangers differ from more traditional solutions aren’t always as obvious. For example, the reason why they don’t require as much energy or as high of a cost to operate is because of the specific differences in how they approach electrical thermal management.
Prevent overheating without chilling
Traditionally, air conditioners achieved electrical thermal management by circulating chilled air through the interior of an electrical enclosure. The goal is to prevent the waste heat that the electrical components generate from collecting into potentially hazardous heat pockets. By contrast, heat exchangers address the problem of overheating by removing heat from near electrical components as soon as it’s generated. This keeps the enclosure cooled to well below the application’s maximum operating temperature without needing to chill the enclosure itself.
Use eco-friendly cooling fluids
Air conditioners utilize Freon as a coolant to chill the air that they generate. Not only is Freon potentially hazardous to people and the environment, but it also needs to be refilled routinely or the cooling unit will stop producing chilled air. This places a burden on applications that rely on air conditioners to remain properly cooled, which heat exchangers eliminate through the use of cooling fluids such as water. That makes heat exchangers more eco-friendly and more efficient.
Transfer collected waste heat
The way in which heat exchangers collect and transfer waste heat not only saves companies money, but also creates a number of thermal management opportunities that further boost productivity. For example, heat exchangers allow certain applications, such as wastewater treatment, to utilize electrical waste heat instead of dissipating it into a heat sink or other area.
To learn more about what heat exchangers can do that air conditioners can’t, call Noren Thermal Solutions in Taylor, TX, at 866-936-6736.