For electronic and telecommunications installations
Control the internal temperature of enclosures containing sensitive, heat-generating equipment
Sealed enclosures containing heat-generating electronic or telecommunications equipment are notoriously difficult to cool, especially in remote or inaccessible locations. SPC's Enclosure Cooling System overcomes the problem in an imaginative and cost-effective way.
Passive enclosure cooling often functions without the need for any moving parts. Internal heat energy is collected in a thermal store by day. At night, when the external temperature falls below the internal temperature of the enclosure, a heat pipe transfers the energy from the thermal store to the exterior of the enclosure.
The processes of melting, vaporising, condensing, and solidifying continue day after day without the need for human intervention. They maintain internal temperatures within a specified set of design conditions – typically below 40°C.
Phase changes keep pace with internal and external temperatures
During the day, when external temperatures soar, the combined heat load produced by the internal heat-generating equipment and the ambient temperature is at its heaviest.
An internal heat exchanger conducts heat energy to a heat-storing phase-change wax. Once melted, the wax holds its heat energy until the outside temperature falls below that of the installation. An internal fan may be required if the natural movement of air within the enclosure is insufficient to transfer the internal heat load.
As the external ambient temperature falls, a heat pipe containing a liquid-to-vapour phase-change material comes into play. The heat pipe transfers heat energy from the internal thermal store to the external environment, where a radiator dissipates it.
The beauty of the system is that it is entirely self-regulating. So long as external night-time temperatures fall below internal temperatures, the store of daytime heat energy will always be dissipated at night.
For a simple general explanation of the principles behind heat-pipe technology visit the heat pipes page. For an in-depth, tutored explanation, ask about the presentations on heat pipes conducted by SPC as part of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers' Continuing Professional Development programme.
Enclosure cooling works automatically, day in, day out
The benefits of enclosure cooling are huge, in terms of cost-effectiveness and peace of mind. Once installed, a passive cooling system goes on working night and day with virtually no maintenance.
Apart from the fans, there are no moving parts, so very little can go wrong. Your enclosure cooling system will probably outlast the equipment it is protecting.
The phase-change waxes are non-corrosive and non-toxic. There is no noise and no electrical interference. And since the heat pipe is sealed and virtually maintenance-free, it can be installed in hazardous areas.
Best of all, the mechanism consumes no energy, so the running costs, again apart from the fans, are negligible.
Sealed and tested units for specific tasks
The SPC Enclosure Cooling System comes in a range of capacities and control temperatures. By choosing appropriate phase-change materials, we can build an Enclosure Cooling System to cope with a specific set of design conditions and external ambient conditions.
Each assembly is fully factory-tested.
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