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Vital, but sadly also, the most underestimated parts of enclosure design are temperature control and heat reduction. Please consider all the outside variables that could restrict natural airflow through the enclosure and thus warm it. To avoid future problems associated with temperature, thermal control must be included in the initial designs of electrical enclosures.
How Electrical Components are Impacted by Temperature
An elevation will impact the electrical components inside the enclosure in internal temperature. Generally, electrical equipment operates best at temperatures between 40ºC (105ºF) and 50ºC (122ºF). The components’ lifespan will shorten as their internal temperature rises.
While excessive heat can cause a leak in the integrated circuits of microprocessors, it will not generate any long-term impairment. Due to the highly maintained heat, industrial control systems and components using capacitors are more likely to suffer shorter lifespans.
Why do Industrial Control Panels Heat up?
Industrial control panel enclosure temperatures are influenced by how quickly heat is produced inside the panel and how quickly it is released. The increased use of electronic and microprocessor-controlled electrical control equipment will cause the control systems to produce more heat.
The rising usage of electrical equipment, which also produces waste heat, will worsen this situation. Lastly, the enclosure will heat up more frequently if the control panel contains much equipment and little room.
What does Inadequate Cooling Lead to?
The capacity of electrical control systems to work effectively at high temperatures varies. Most of the time, the equipment’s producers will rate it for use in hot conditions, but it is advised that you stay within that range because exceeding it will cause damage to the device. The device’s lifespan will shorten, and unacceptable set point drift may be experienced with sensitive equipment like precision-measuring devices, power supplies, and controllers. High temperatures can cause some microprocessor-controlled equipment to malfunction. However, if the temperature returns to normal, they might begin to operate as planned.
How to Keep Enclosures Cool
Passive Cooling Convection is a component of passive cooling. The enclosures must be constructed with strategically positioned vents to permit hot air to leave and be replaced by cooler air because heat always flows from a higher-temperature substance to a lower-temperature material. Using this technique effectively keeps electrical enclosures cool. However, the location of the enclosure will determine if it is feasible. It only functions in situations where the temperature of the outside air is continuously lower than that of the air inside the enclosure. To stop dirt or dust from penetrating the enclosure, air filters may be needed to be attached to the vents.
Active Cooling
This consists of two techniques:
Forced Convection: When passive convection is not an option, you can use blowers and fans to do the task. Like the principle of convection, the fans circulate the air more quickly within the enclosure, thereby enhancing cooling. While filters can be utilized to keep the enclosures clean, they do not provide any defense against severe changes in humidity.
Air Conditioning/Heat Exchangers: Closed-loop cooling may be used if convection is ineffective at cooling the enclosure or if environmental conditions like humidity start to cause problems. Heat exchangers can adequately reduce the temperature in cold regions where humidity may affect the design. Moreover, air conditioners are most effective for cooling electrical enclosures housed in warmer regions.
Other Cooling Alternatives Ventilation fans are among them; they can cool down an enclosure. This is an excellent alternative if the outside temperature is lower than the intended enclosure temperature. Always keep in mind that fans can only remove heat. They do not continually chill the enclosure. If you utilize fans, make sure they are always equipped with filters.
Traditional beliefs that electro-mechanical equipment can survive relatively high temperatures frequently sway the debate concerning enclosure cooling in the wrong direction. This belief neglects the impact that high temperatures have on the functionality of current electrical and electronic equipment. The truth is that most industrial electrical equipment is not designed to endure the extreme heat that can accumulate inside enclosures during hot weather or in hot industrial settings. Premature failure is a typical result of this.
How does Temperature Impact?
Before the widespread use of electronics, companies commonly generated motors and other electro-mechanical equipment with insulation temperature ratings that surpassed 130ºC (265ºF), and high electrical enclosure temperatures were not a grave issue. Despite the introduction of transistorized electronic drives in the 1980s, it took several decades for power electronics to become widely used. However, sadly, these devices are not as durable as many engineers mistakenly believed.
Manufacturer’s Specifications for Electrical Equipment
The maximum recommended temperature for equipment is often between 40ºC and 50ºC (105ºF to 122ºF), notwithstanding the possibility of designing electrical equipment that can endure high temperatures. It is evident that enclosure temperatures must be kept below 40ºC (105ºF), as evidenced by a review of manufacturer catalogs.
How does temperature affect Equipment’s Lifespan?
The impact of temperature on an electrical device’s lifespan is a second, equally significant factor. For instance, a capacitor used in many electronics may have a lifetime of 32 years at 45ºC, 16 years at 55ºC, and just four years at 80ºC. The Arrhenius Equation is used to compute this. The equation demonstrates how crucial it is to maintain electrical equipment enclosure temperatures as low as is feasibly practicable.
What Practical Effects does High Ambient Temperature Have?
Another factor to remember is that integrated circuits’ leakage currents rise as digital electronic control circuits warm up, leading to unstable operation above a specific temperature. Severely impacted by this are PLCs, computers, and equipment with microprocessors. These incidents rarely cause irreversible damage but negatively affect industrial control systems.
What Options do We Have to Cool Enclosures?
Various cooling methods are available to prevent electronic equipment from overheating, depending on an enclosure’s size and heat load. Using cooling fans to improve air circulation and, as a result, lower enclosure temperatures is the simplest way. This approach relies on the surrounding air’s temperature, and the enclosure temperature will be higher. This method is not advised for areas with high ambient temperatures or electrical enclosures that are substantially loaded.
The best way to maintain the temperature of a sealed enclosure housing electronic equipment is to deploy an air-to-air heat exchanger, an air-to-water heat exchanger, or an enclosure air conditioner. Given the constrained capacity of air-to-air heat exchangers, an enclosure air conditioner is often a preferable alternative.
Air Flow Considerations
Ensure you install electronic components carefully, following the manufacturer’s instructions, leaving enough space between units, and clearing any obstructions from the inside air passageways. Verify that all electronic devices are kept at or below the recommended maximum temperatures. Never overlook the reality that some parts of an enclosure will be hotter than others. Installing booster fans to ensure adequate air circulation and baffles to distribute cold air to crucial areas may be essential, depending on the size of an enclosure and the design of the electrical equipment.
Maintaining Equipment Cool Increases Its Lifespan
Electronic devices will remain cool and operate without problems if you regulate the temperatures in your electrical enclosure. Contact Thermal Edge if you require technical assistance, and let our technical experts assist you in making the right decision to keep your equipment cool.
The Effects of Heat on Expected Lifespan
The period between the installment of a product unit and a component failure inside that unit is referred to as the “Expected Lifetime,” It is an estimate based on many environmental factors, including temperature. The unit’s indicated working range, but not the upper limit, is considered when calculating the estimated lifetime. The equipment’s estimated lifetime remains unaffected when used below that operating temperature. Long-term use of the equipment at a greater temperature raises the failure rate, which lowers the anticipated lifetime. According to the Arrhenius effect equation, heat causes electronic components to break down faster, doubling the failure rate for every ten °C increase in operating temperature. Heat impacts any electronic component’s durability; this tendency is not exclusive to Emerson equipment.
The graph below shows a hypothetical device’s projected lifetime loss for each ten °C increase in operating temperature for a hypothetical period spanning 12.5 to 200 years.
Filter fans may malfunction due to inadequacy when trying to combat the intense heat inside the enclosure.
It would help if you strengthened your electronic equipment with Panel Type Air Conditioners to prevent high thermal loads from damaging it. Doing so will prolong their service life and save the cost and time associated with component replacement.
The inside temperature of the enclosure is maintained at a consistent level by cooling units, regardless of the outside temperature. The air route fulfills specific needs. Two different circuits stop dust entry into the enclosure. Best enclosure and climate control options.
Its compact design allows you to use the available space best.
Our control devices make choosing the ideal enclosure climate control option considerably simpler.
Beat the Heat!
Downtime resulting from electrical component overheating is a significant problem for every production, especially in the summer.
Therefore, remember to adhere to your preventative maintenance cycles and regularly check the performance of your cooling devices.
Are your systems prepared for the hot weather?
The most significant time to get ready for and limit summer weather’s harmful impacts on your electrical enclosures, such as heat, debris, and moisture, is now.
It is easy to solve the problem: preventative maintenance and proper equipment setup.
Panel air conditioners may do more than just cool. Their closed-loop design also combats internal temperature while protecting the device from external contaminants like dust and grime. As a result, they maintain the panel’s internal temperature at the ideal level and purify the internal air. Consequently, they increase the lifespan of your electronic items and inhibit their failure in the panel.
