The requirement profile for EMC enclosures can be determined using the following check-list.
What interference occurs in this application? (electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic field)
What are the limits of interference which may occur in the application? (field strengths, frequency range)
Can the requirements be met by a standard enclosure or an RF shielded enclosure? (comparison with attenuation diagrams)
A distinction may be made between the following types of coupling influence:
Conducted influence
Field-bound influence – Field influence
Radiation influence.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is the ability of an electrical appliance to operate satisfactorily in its electromagnetic environment without adversely affecting this environment—which may also contain other equipment. High packaging densities in electronic assemblies and ever-increasing signal processing speeds often cause faults in complex electronic equipment, measurement and control systems, data processing and transmission systems and communications technology. These are attributable to electromagnetic influences.
When planning switchgear installations, it is wise to consider the protection of the installers as much as what’s installed. This protection requires tested and standardized structures and wise energy distribution.
Climate control inside your electronics enclosures is key to the survivability of the electronics residing there. Temperature rise in enclosures can be caused by contact problems with live conductors or incorrect dimensioning of switchgear and conductors. Also, when operating a low-voltage switchgear assembly, short-circuit losses occur, leading to a temperature rise in the enclosure’s internal air and, connected with this, inferior heat dissipation via the surface of the installed components and assemblies. This can lead to component damage.
Many people associate product standards with safety, but standardization also has a lot to do with a product’s cost. Rittal created a market breakthrough with the idea of standardizing enclosures for electrical devices. By using models with set dimensions, produced cost-effectively in large batches, Rittal is able to offer price and delivery benefits.
As much as people enjoy warm weather, too much heat can cause our bodies’ systems to decrease our energy outpoint, reducing productivity. Heat is also often an enemy of electrical devices, reducing their efficiency over the long term. In fact, 57 percent of all component failures are due to heat-related issues. Air conditioning offers the fastest way to reduce the high temperatures, humidity, and dust that can lead to electrical equipment failures down the line. Learning how to read an air conditioner performance diagram is your first step toward making smart choices when buying enclosure climate control systems.
People don’t want to live in dirty environments and neither do electronics. Electronic controls and instrumentation are highly sensitive to factors like dust, oil, high humidity, and excessive heat. Maintaining tight control over temperatures inside an electronics enclosure is essential for protecting these devices. System designers can choose from a variety of cooling options, including natural convection, fans, air-to-air heat exchangers, air-to-water heat exchangers, and air conditioners. Each of these technologies offers its own unique style, advantages, and customization options.
Is it just me . . . or is it really hot in here?
Imagine you find yourself locked in a small metal closet with little or no ventilation . . . it wouldn’t take long before you were perspiring profusely and gasping for breath. Well, now imagine that you’re a 19-inch rack stacked with computers and other electronics in that same closet. It wouldn’t take long before excessive heat forced you to shut down completely.
An electronics enclosure is designed to protect electronic components and devices by providing a physical barrier to aggressive media like humidity, water, oil-contaminated air, corrosive vapors, and airborne dust. As threatening as these factors are, the number one enemy of today's high-performance electronic and microelectronic components housed in enclosures is actually excessive heat. As the packing density inside enclosures has increased, so have the importance of heat dissipation and energy efficiency in modern climate control enclosure systems. If exposed to a 10K increase in temperature relative to the maximum permitted operating temperature, an electronic component’s service life can be cut in half and its failure rate doubles. (See the Arrhenius equation below)
Like just about any other category of industrial operating equipment, there’s a unique vocabulary associated with climate control, cabinet ventilation, and enclosure cooling and heating. Learning to speak that language fluently can help you communicate effectively with system designers and contractors, and prevent time-wasting confusion. Here are some of the most commonly used terms you need to know:
