Parlez-Vous “Climate Control ”?
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:
Enclosure heaters are used to heat or stabilize the internal temperature of an enclosure in relation to the ambient temperature. They are used to prevent moisture condensation on the equipment inside the enclosure or to maintain minimum temperatures for switchgear and controlgear. They are sometimes used as a frost monitor, such as with pneumatic control devices.
Enclosure fan-and- filter units are designed to dissipate heat from enclosures and to distribute heat evenly in order to discourage condensation. These units are often used in situations with no aggressive media such as humidity, water, oil-contaminated ambient air, corrosive vapors or high levels of dust in the ambient air.
Air/air heat exchangers help dissipate heat from enclosures. Two separate air circuits prevent ambient air from entering the enclosure. That makes them well suited for use in environments contaminated with dust and aggressive media.
Air/water heat exchangers are designed to dissipate heat and keep enclosures at a temperature below the ambient temperature. They are often used in extreme environments, where high temperatures or dirt would otherwise attack the equipment inside the enclosure.
Enclosure cooling units dissipate heat and keep enclosures cooler than the ambient temperature. The ambient air is separated from the air within the enclosure.
A Direct Cooling Package (DCP) is designed to dissipate heat from a specific component. A water-cooled mounting plate dissipates the heat loss directly from the component, and offers the advantage of being completely silent.
Recooling systems supply cold water for use by air/water heat exchangers, DCPs and machines/processes. These systems typically offer precise temperature control and superior performance.
