To carry out complex production processes, sensitive and increasingly high-performance components are installed in enclosures. Selecting the right climate control solution is vital so as to ensure a long service life.
But what is the best climate control method for your system?
Could it be liquid cooling with an air/water heat exchanger, or cooling using a cooling unit or ambient air? Or perhaps you require enclosure heating. A holistic approach is needed to find the appropriate energy-efficient climate control solution for your system, because there are numerous aspects to consider. What are the ambient conditions at your system’s location, for example? Is it humid? Dusty? Hot? And what are the actual requirements in terms of cooling output?
Factors such as the type of installation (free-standing or integrated), the heat dissipation (passive or active) and the permissible noise level also need to be taken into account.
Did you know…
… that correct climate control can significantly lengthen the service life of components located in the enclosure?
The growing packing density in enclosures can lead to a huge increase in the heat loss!
As a general rule of thumb, a 10 °C rise in operating temperature halves the service life and doubles the failure rate.
Field study
Rittal conducted a field study on around 400 installations to investigate how climate control solutions are typically installed in industrial applications. This revealed a large number of failings that could have been prevented through optimum planning with the right tools.
To optimise the performance of climate control solutions, while also minimising their energy consumption, climate control needs to be planned correctly.
Typical failings resulting from incorrect climate control:
- In 64% of installations, the warm components were not located in the air stream between the inlet and outlet of the climate control unit
- 50% of the units examined have a capacity utilisation of less than 20%
- In 93% of installations, no targeted cold-air circulation was envisaged/installed
- 40% of units had heavily soiled filter mats and inadequate maintenance
- In 18% of installations, the climate control unit’s inlet or outlet was obstructed in some way
Overview of types of climate control based on ambient conditions
The different types of climate control have a variety of features and offer a wide range of benefits. Contact us for more information.
Source from Rittal