Electronic controls are the heart of modern industrial processes. However, increasing power densities and compact housings present companies with major challenges: heat, contamination, and adverse environmental conditions can lead to failures. In this article, you will learn why conventional cooling methods are often no longer sufficient and how vortex technology offers a safe and efficient solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Power density has steadily increased in recent years, while electrical and electronic enclosures have become ever more compact. More densely packed components make circuits smaller and faster, but leave little room for heat dissipation. Today, industries such as manufacturing, food processing, chemicals, water treatment, oil refining, and petrochemicals rely heavily on microprocessors, PLCs, and frequency converters. This increases the importance of effective cooling to reliably protect control systems. However, densely packed control cabinets and enclosures impede air circulation, raise internal temperatures, promote thermal runaway, and ultimately lead to more frequent control system failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thermal tests have shown that natural convection cooling is no longer sufficient for today's smaller, high-power-density enclosures. Heat dissipation through forced convection (fan cooling) is the most commonly used cooling method. Forced air cooling systems enable heat transfer rates up to ten times higher than those achievable with natural convection and radiation. However, even these rates are insufficient in many industrial environments, where ambient temperatures often exceed 32 \u00b0C (90 \u00b0F).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To reduce the temperature inside control cabinets and prevent failures of high-density controllers, the internal temperature of the enclosure must be lowered below room temperature. Studies by control system manufacturers have shown that for every 10\u00b0C (18\u00b0F) increase, production downtimes double, increasing the failure rate of electronic components by 40 percent. Most electronic component manufacturers specify maximum operating conditions of 40\u00b0C (104\u00b0F) and 90 percent relative humidity for proper operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The constant drive to make electronics more cost-effective and compact while simultaneously increasing speed and complexity has created a significant design problem. For enclosures in typical environments (e.g., NEMA 12, 4, or 4X), designers usually choose forced-air fan cooling or refrigerant air conditioning because fans are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. Unfortunately, the factory air drawn in by fans is often contaminated with oil aerosols or other impurities, coating the surfaces of delicate and expensive printed circuit boards. Disadvantages of refrigerant-based air conditioning include limited operating temperatures, large footprint, maintenance requirements, and high purchase costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For enclosures in hazardous locations, cooling solutions are limited to a few technologies. While refrigerant-based models can be built for such environments, they are very expensive and require extensive maintenance. Vortex cooling offers a safe and reliable alternative to the problems associated with conventional cooling methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A vortex case chiller uses a vortex tube to convert filtered compressed air into cooled air without refrigerant or direct electricity. The vortex tube generates hot and cold air by passing the compressed air through a generation chamber, where it is centrifugally forced at high speed (1,000,000 rpm) along the inner walls of the tube to a control valve. A small portion of the hot, high-speed air escapes through the control valve. The remainder of the now slower airflow is recirculated through the center of the high-speed stream, releasing heat as it passes through the generation chamber before finally exiting as cool air at the opposite end. Because a vortex tube contains no moving parts, the systems are reliable, safe, and require little maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cold air out<\/strong> The generated cold air is directed into the enclosure at low pressure and velocity, while the warm air is expelled to the outside via an integrated relief valve. The relief valve, baffles, and the seal between the cooler and the enclosure ensure that the integrity of NEMA-approved enclosures is maintained in normal operating environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vortex cooling is also the ideal solution for enclosures in potentially explosive atmospheres, as it is inherently safe when used in environments with temperature classifications of T4 or higher. No electrical connections are required, and there are no moving parts that could generate electrical charges. The only potential ignition source is the hot surface at the hot air outlet. Provided the compressed air temperature does not exceed 49\u00b0C (120\u00b0F), specially designed and certified vortex enclosure coolers are approved for Class I, II, and III Division 2 (ATEX Zones 2 and 22), as well as Class 1, Div 1 (Groups A, B, C, D), Class 2, Div 1 (Groups F and G), and Class III sites (ATEX Zones 1 and 21), and can be used in conjunction with an approved purge system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cooling air drawn into the housing is filtered and dried to a particle size of 5 micrometers before entering the vortex cooler. This creates a clean, cool, and controlled environment inside the housing, ensuring reliable operation of the electronics. An additional benefit: The vortex cooler generates a slight positive pressure within the housing, which keeps out dust and dirt. For use in potentially explosive atmospheres, a purge system ensures that a safe housing pressure is maintained even when the vortex cooler is not in operation. An integrated check valve ensures that the housing remains sealed even when the cooler is inactive and that the purge system maintains the housing pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vortex coolers are available with cooling capacities up to 5,000 BTU\/h (1,465 W). All models for standard applications are UL-certified and controlled by an adjustable electric or mechanical thermostat. Recently introduced electric models are completely self-contained, plug-and-play, can be mounted on the top or side, and maintain the enclosure's NEMA 4\/4X protection rating. Models for hazardous locations are UL-approved or ATEX-certified and are controlled by a fixed mechanical thermostat that maintains enclosure temperatures between 24 and 38 \u00b0C (75 to 100 \u00b0F). The high-pitched whistling sound typical of vortex tubes has been eliminated in all newer models through various sound-dampening techniques, reducing noise levels to as low as 62 dB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Compact, multifunctional electronic controllers, variable frequency drives (VFDs), servo drives, and PLCs are extremely sensitive to heat and contamination. Excessive heat can cause components to overheat, digital displays to malfunction, controllers to exhibit deviations, and fuses to trip below their rated capacity. This often results in production downtime due to machine standstill or interruptions in the production chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vortex coolers offer an effective solution. By employing an internal vortex tube that transforms factory compressed air into a clean, dry, cold, low-pressure airflow distributed throughout the enclosure, these systems provide efficient, safe, and reliable protection for electronics against heat- and dirt-related problems, in both normal and potentially explosive environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PS: This article, including illustrations and graphic examples, is also available as a PDF download!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CLICK HERE FOR THE PDF<\/a> Elektronische Steuerungen sind das Herzst\u00fcck moderner Industrieprozesse. Doch steigende Leistungsdichten und kompakte Geh\u00e4use stellen Unternehmen vor gro\u00dfe Herausforderungen: Hitze, Verunreinigungen und ung\u00fcnstige Umgebungsbedingungen k\u00f6nnen zu Ausf\u00e4llen f\u00fchren. In diesem Beitrag erf\u00e4hrst du, warum herk\u00f6mmliche K\u00fchlmethoden oft nicht mehr ausreichen und wie die Vortex-Technologie eine sichere und effiziente L\u00f6sung bietet. Die Leistungsdichte ist in den letzten…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
compressed air inside<\/strong>
Vortex generation chamber<\/strong>
Hot air coming out<\/strong>
Control valve<\/strong>
Vortex tube technology<\/strong>
A vortex tube generates hot and cold air currents by rotating compressed air and can produce temperatures up to 38 \u00b0C below the inlet temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nReliable protection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFrequently Asked Questions about Vortex Coolers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Yes, specially designed and certified vortex enclosure coolers are approved for use in potentially explosive atmospheres when used in conjunction with an approved purge system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Yes, vortex coolers operate reliably in extreme temperatures and dirty, harsh environments. If the compressed air supply is properly filtered and dried, a vortex cooler can cool the incoming compressed air by 22 to 28 \u00b0C (40 to 50 \u00b0F) or more. Be careful not to run the compressed air lines too close to the furnace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
No, unfortunately that wouldn't be efficient. The fan would continue to draw warm, humid air into the case. The humidity would condense on the significantly cooler vortex cooler components, resulting in harmful water droplets. You need to remove the fan and filter and seal the openings in the case to prevent ambient air from entering. The fan can be installed inside the case, if needed, to circulate the cool air.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Since vortex coolers have no moving parts, they are reliable and require little maintenance. It is only necessary to replace the elements in the compressed air filter at regular intervals. If the filter becomes clogged, the pressure at the vortex cooler decreases, reducing air consumption and cooling performance. Models with a mechanical thermostat (including NEMA 12, NEMA 4\/4X, HazLoc, ATEX, and ProtEx) require an operating pressure of 6.2 to 6.9 bar (90 to 100 psi), so keeping the compressed air filter clean is crucial.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
For this situation, a model suitable for potentially explosive atmospheres is required. Even if the components are safe within a purged and pressurized enclosure, the vortex cooler must be able to meet the panel's classification and division requirements. Additionally, the spark arrestor may need to be enlarged to accommodate the additional cooling airflow from the vortex cooler, ensuring the desired enclosure pressure is not exceeded.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Are you interested in Vortec products? CLICK HERE<\/a>, to get to our shop. <\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"