Effective cabinet coolers: protecting electronics and instrumentation

October 2007 Enclosures, Cabling & Connectors

The Exair Cabinet Cooler is a low-cost, reliable way to cool and purge electronic and instrumentation panels. This product incorporates a vortex tube to produce cold air from compressed air - with no moving parts. The compact cabinet cooler can be installed in minutes through a standard electrical knockout. NEMA 4, 4X and 12 coolers matching the NEMA rating of enclosures are available in many different cooling capacities for large and small control panels.

The vortex tubes in the coolers are constructed of stainless steel. The wear, corrosion and oxidation resistance of stainless steel assures long life and maintenance-free operation. Unlike simple vortex tubes, the Exair units have a factory set cold fraction to stabilise the relative humidity at 45%, thus preventing condensation within the cabinet which is a known problem when using straight vortex tubes.

Exair Cabinet Coolers are available with or without thermostatic control. The continuous coolers are recommended when constant cooling and a continuous positive purge are desirable. The thermostatically controlled systems save air by activating the cooler only when internal temperatures reach critical levels. Thermostatic systems are recommended where heat load fluctuates and continuous purge is not required.

A filtration system, which incorporates a 5 micron filter for dirt and drain water, can be provided. This filter is critical for protection of electronics from water that may be present in the compressed air supply line. A coalescing filter is recommended if oil is present in the supply line.

Operating principle

Compressed air enters the vortex tube powered cabinet cooler and is converted into two streams, one hot and one cold. Hot air from the vortex tube is muffled and exhausted through the vortex tube exhaust. The cold air is discharged into the panel through the cold air distribution kit. The displaced air in the panel rises and exhausts to the atmosphere through the panel air exhaust at a slight positive pressure. Thus, the control panel is both cooled and purged with cool clean air. Outside air is never allowed to enter the panel.

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