Not surprisingly perhaps, manufacturer teams often default to air cooling for their electrical enclosures using fans and filters. But while air cooling can be a viable solution, it has its limitations and these should be understood before it’s installed.
Plus, of course, it’s also worth remembering that what constitutes a suitable cooling system now may need to be adapted in future to accommodate future changes in circumstances.
Air cooling is relatively self-explanatory. Cooler outside air is passed across the enclosure’s warmer internal components.
Unsurprisingly, air cooling will not work if the temperature in the production facility exceeds the maximum allowable temperature (setpoint) inside the enclosure, which is why we typically see a spike in equipment failures during the height of summer.
In addition, if fans are employed, they can draw dust into the enclosures. The dust can get into wire connections or internal component fans and either prevent thermal exchange, or block and short wiring connections. Filter mediums (or mats) remove particulates before they enter the enclosure but these should be replaced on a regular basis to prevent them getting clogged up and to ensure a good air flow is maintained.
Active Cooling allows the internal enclosure temperature to be taken below that of the local environment temperature even in the height of summer.
Cooling Units encompass a refrigerant-based compressor circuit which modulates its performance based on the current air temperature characteristic within the enclosure and ambient environment.
The ambient and internal air are never mixed, reducing the amount of pollution entering the enclosure and attacking electrical equipment.
The cooling units have filter mediums (or mats) to remove particulates before they enter the unit, but (as with air cooling) these should be regularly replaced to prevent them getting clogged up and to ensure that good air flow and cooling performance is maintained.
Again, much like with the air cooling systems, regular maintenance of cooling units is strongly recommended.
Liquid cooling is much more effective than air at removing waste heat and reducing temperatures within enclosures.
An ‘air-to-water heat exchanger’ is used to transfer heat from inside the enclosure and into a flow of water. The exchanger is connected to an industrial chiller and the chiller cools the heated water to take it down to a reasonable temperature before delivering it back to the heat exchanger. Because of this, the internal enclosure temperature can be taken below that of the local environment, even in the height of summer.
Liquid cooling is an extremely desirable solution when the ambient environment is strongly polluted or the heat loads within the enclosure are raised to an extreme level due to the type of equipment within.
Much like the air cooling, regular maintenance of liquid cooling systems is strongly recommended.
Each of these cooling options—air, active, and liquid—has its strengths. But choosing the right one isn’t always obvious. It depends on a range of factors, including:
That’s where RiAssure comes in.
RiAssure is a FREE, cooling review at your premises by our trained staff.
It’s a no-obligation, honest assessment based on a visual inspection of your existing enclosures and cooling equipment allowing us to offer best practice suggestions to protect your systems.
We’ll provide you with a written report identifying any high risk components and enclosures, as well as recommended actions.
We may advise you to have a more advanced investigation. In which case, we’ll provide you with a quote to do so.
Our advanced investigation varies by facility but might include using data loggers and or thermographic equipment to gather data, as well as taking pictures of your existing equipment, undertaking a review of your enclosures, and calculating the potential energy savings and ROI if you installed new/updated cooling equipment.
Conclusion: A Strategic Imperative
Inadequate cooling represents a significant, yet often underestimated (and clearly under-reported) threat to the reliability and efficiency of UK manufacturing production lines.
Unfortunately, climate change means that it’s likely that manufacturers will need to increase their investment in robust and energy-efficient cooling solutions in future.
By acknowledging the risks, and implementing proactive thermal management strategies led by experts (such as the RiAssure team), manufacturers will be able to protect critical assets, minimise costly downtime, and support sustained operational efficiencies.
Predictive maintenance technology, AI, and data analytics can all help manufacturers get early notification of impending overheating issues.
Meanwhile, deploying effective climate management equipment is a necessary strategic investment in the resilience and profitability of your business’s future.