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The Technology of Cooling Part 4: Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions

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1. Air to Water Heat Exchangers

Pfannenberg Air to Water Heat Exchangers use a supplied water source to remove the heat from the electrical cabinet. The heat from the enclosure is transferred to fluid and the heated fluid is then piped away adding no heat to the ambient environment.  Because there is no heat transfer to the ambient environment, there is no need to de-rate the units performance in high ambient conditions.

 

How do I know if a Air to Water Heat Exchanger is the right product for my application?

  • If there is a chilled water supply readily available at the enclosure.
  • If the environment has extreme conditions like extremely high ambients, extremely dirty or caustic, that make other systems not applicable.

Properly sizing a Air to Water Heat Exchanger

To properly size an Air to Water Heat Exchanger you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, available water temperature and the dimensions of the unit and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size cooling units:

Pfannenberg utilizes the DIN standard 35/35 °C when rating our cooling units. Many other companies use 50/50 °C, which provides a higher, non-usable value. Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

Important information when utilizing Air to Water Heat Exchangers for enclosure cooling:

  • The performance of an Air to water Heat Exchanger is directly related to the difference in the water temperature and the air temperature inside the enclosure.
  • To manage condensation, an external condensation evaporator (KVDTX) can be used.
  • The enclosure should be sealed to prevent the inflow of ambient air.
  • Use the door contact switch to impede operation with open doors and consequent excessive accumulation of condensation.
  • Setting the temperature to the lowest setting is not the optimal solution due to the condensation issues. The value we have preset on the cooling unit is a sound compromise between cooling the inside of the enclosure and the accumulation of condensation.
  • Make sure unit is level.

2. Chillers

A chiller uses a refrigeration cycle to remove the collected heat from a circulating liquid. As the liquid moves through a system of tubes and pipes it absorbs the heat generated by equipment and processes.  This generated heat is then transferred by the liquid back to the chiller where it is dissipated. Fluid is cooled and sent back into the system.

 

How do I know if a Chiller is the right product for my application?

  • When higher heat loads that exceed traditional enclosure cooling methods need to be managed.
  • When precise temperature control is required as part of the manufacturing process.
  • Large fluctuations in heat load requirements need to be managed.
  • It allows the source of cooling to be located separately from harsh environments.

 

Selecting the correct Pfannenberg Chiller

Choosing the best packaged chiller to meet the demanding requirements of today’s industrial applications can be complicated. For that reason, Pfannenberg designed a 6 step guide to help you select the best chiller depending on your environment, process and type of application. Click on the picture to open the PDF or use this link!

 

Important information when utilizing Chillers:

  • Chillers can be installed indoors if the area around the unit is relatively clean and the air is temperate.
  • Locating the chiller outside can be a good option and can improve the efficiency of the chiller depending on temperature.
  • Extreme temperatures can cause capacity issues or the need for additional options such as a low ambient package.
  • A chiller should be sized as close to the required capacity based on the desired chilled liquid supply temperature and the highest expected ambient temperature.

3. Combined Chillers and Air to Water Heat Exchangers

liquid_cooling_3D.jpg

When a Liquid Cooling Source is not available on site, use the combination of chillers and air to water heat exchangers to simplify the cooling of your processes, machines and controllers as part of a system based solution.

Via a closed pipeline system that uses a highly economical supply of cooled liquid (e.g. water, glycol or oil) as the cooling medium, temperature can be managed within your process and as the cooling medium for the air conditioning of control cabinets. When cooling cabinets with PWS Air To Water Heat Exchangers the thermal management is 100% independent from the ambient temperatures at the installation location.

Click here for more detailed information about Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions!

A properly selected Thermal Management is key to guarantee the longevity of critical electronics. Pfannenberg place the knowledge and technical expertise of its engineers at your disposal for you to find the best solutions for your requirements.

Find the 3 previous articles of this “Technology of Cooling” serie:

Marine Vienney

The Technology of Cooling Part 3: Cooling with Closed Loop Cooling Units

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Pfannenberg cooling units operate on the principle of the Carnot cycle. This means that the cooling units function as a heat pump that “pumps” the thermal energy transferred from the electronic cabinet (heat dissipated from the components) up to a higher level of temperature (the ambient temperature can reach levels as high as + 55 °C). The air inside the enclosure is cooled down by the evaporator and at the same time dehumidified.

How do I know if a cooling unit is the right product for my application?

  • If the ambient temperature is greater than the target internal temperature of the enclosure, active cooling is required.
  • If indoor NEMA Type 12 applications, NEMA Type 3R/4 outdoor applications and NEMA Type 4/4x stainless steel for washdown applications are required – closed loop cooling can maintain the NEMA Type rating of the cabinet.

Properly sizing a cooling unit

To properly size your cooling units you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, mounting requirements (side, integrated or top mount) and the dimensions of the cooling unit and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size cooling units:

> Pfannenberg utilizes the DIN standard 35/35 °C when rating our cooling units.

> Many other companies use 50/50 °C, which provides a higher, non-usable value. Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

 

 

 

Important information when utilizing cooling units:

  • The refrigeration capacity should exceed the dissipation loss from the installed components by approximately 10%.
  • The enclosure should be sealed to prevent the inflow of ambient air.
  • Use the door contact switch to impede operation with open doors and consequent excessive accumulation of condensation.
  • Use cooling units with maximum clearance between air inflow and air outflow to prevent poor circulation.
  • Make sure that the air inflow and air outflow in the external circuit is not hindered, preventing proper heat exchanging at the condenser.
  • When using top-mounted cooling units, make sure that components with their own fans do not expel the air directly into the cooling units cool air outflow.
  • Make sure unit is level.
  • Setting the temperature to the lowest setting is not the optimal solution due to the condensation issues. The value we have preset on the cooling unit is a sound compromise between cooling the inside of the enclosure and the accumulation of condensation.

In harsh environments involving high temperatures, wash-down requirements, heavy particulate matter or the presence of chemicals capable of damaging components (NEMA 4 or 12 environments), ambient air must be kept out of the enclosure. Pfannenberg Cooling Units seals out the ambient air, cooling and re-circulating clean, cool air throughout the enclosure.

Pfannenberg offers Critical Thermal Management Solutions for Maximum uptime and efficiency.

Find the previous articles of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Filterfans® and Cooling with Closed Loop Air to Air Heat Exchangers.

Read the last part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions

Marine Vienney

The Technology of Cooling Part 2: Cooling with Closed Loop Air to Air Heat Exchangers

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Closed Loop Cooling and particularly Air to air heat exchangers are used when the complete separation between the enclosure and the environment is required and the internal enclosure temperature to be cooled can be higher than the ambient. The air to air units have a rating showing how much heat can be removed based on the difference in the ambient and the internal temperatures. This is traditionally rated on W/°C which is the watts of heat that the unit can remove per temperature difference in °C.

How do I know if an air to air heat exchanger is the right product for my application?

  • If the ambient temperature is lower than the desired temperature inside the enclosure.
  • If a total separation between ambient air and enclosure air is required.

Properly sizing an air to air heat exchanger

To properly size an air to air heat exchanger you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, target temperature rise over ambient and the dimensions of the heat exchanger and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size air/air heat exchangers:

> Pfannenberg utilizes watts of heat that the unit can remove per temperature difference in °C.

> Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

PAI_drawing.jpg

Important information when utilizing air/air heat exchangers:

  • The max ambient is 35 °C (95 °F) and the max internal temperature that the system can take is 45 °C (113 °F).
  • Can be used when the temperature difference is 10 °C.
  • If you apply this temperature difference to the rating of the air to air unit you will get the total amount of heat that can be removed.
  • A unit rated 100 W/°C could remove 1000 Watts (100 x 10) of heat under these conditions.

Closed Loop Cooling with air to air heat exchangers is the most efficient cooling solution as cooling with ambient air is the most economical type of cooling!

Pfannenberg εCOOL Air to air Heat Exchangers feature an energy efficient, minimal maintenance design. Installation and maintenance of these units requires much less time compared to other closed loop Thermal Management solutions.

Click here to read the 1st part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Filterfans®
Click here to read the 3rd part of this “Technology of Cooling” serie: Cooling with Closed Loop Cooling Units

Marine Vienney

Download Pfannenberg’s NEW 2016 Thermal Management Catalog!

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We are excited to announce the release of our NEW NORTH AMERICAN CATALOG. In this catalog we take a Solutions First approach to helping you understand how to choose the best Thermal Management products for your applications.


> New sections for Engineered Solutions and Industry Group Specific Solutions.
> Shared expertise to find the best solution for any type of application and environment.
> Easily determine the correct thermal management products for your application and environment.
> New high resolution detailed product pictures with cut-aways.

 

Get Pfannenberg Catalog

Pfannenberg, Inc. is a global manufacturer of thermal management, water cooling solutions and signaling technology. For more than 60 years, our enclosure cooling products have been helping some of the largest companies worldwide stay cool and safe, protecting and keeping electronic equipment running to avoid costly downtime.

In addition to our thermal management products we also manufacture visual and audible signaling devices for security, industrial fire, building, industrial process, disaster warning, hazardous areas, light art and illumination. Our business philosophy – Protecting man, machine and the environment.

To learn more about how we can help you, contact us today! We have a wide range of expertise to share with you.

 

Topics: Enclosure Cooling, Thermal Management, North America

Marine Vienney

The Technology of Cooling Part 1: Cooling with Filterfans®

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If the installation is in a clean, non-hazardous environment with an acceptable ambient (outside the enclosure) temperature range, a simple forced-air cooling system utilizing outside air is usually adequate. Combined with an air filter, such devices generally meet the heat removal needs of typical electronic equipment and many electrical applications. 

How do I know if a Filterfan® is the right product for my application?

  • If the temperature rise inside the enclosure can be higher than the ambient
  • If multiple configurations are needed. Filterfans® can be located in a number of locations within complex enclosure configurations.

Calculating the required airflow

To properly size a Filterfan® it’s important to understand how static pressure effects the performance of a fan.

Understanding CFM

CMF describes the volume flow rate of compressed air. We can define 3 different CFM:

  • CFM1: Fan Only (unfiltered)
  • CFM2: Filterfan® Assembly (uninstalled)
  • CFM3: Filterfan® Installed on an enclosure with one filtered exhaust assembly
    (Note: Always calculate cooling capacity of Filterfans® with the CFM3 value)

Utilizing Filterfans® for Enclosure Cooling 

  • Always use the Filterfans® to propel the cool ambient air into enclosure.
  • Slight positive pressure builds up inside the cabinet so that only air filtered by the Filterfans® flows into the enclosure.
  • The air propelled into the cabinet displaces the warm air which exits through the exhaust filter.
  • When installing a combination of Filterfans® and exhaust filters, fit the Filterfans® in the lower third of the cabinet and the exhaust filter(s) near the top of the cabinet.

Utilization examples

CFM : Filterfan® + Exhaust Filter CFM : Filterfan® + 2 Exhaust Filters CFM : Filterfan® + intake + Filterfan® Exhaust

 

Part 1 of our Thermal Management Solutions, Pfannenberg’s Filterfans® incorporate modern louvers which enable maximal airflow, hold back dust/flour and water particles, protect the filter medium from damage and can be integrated into the design of the application. Filterfans are an ideal cooling solution when the ambient air is always lower than the temperature required in the electrical enclosure. This assists the natural convection of the air and avoids hot spots withing the enclosure.

Pfannenberg is the inventor of the Filterfan®, with 50 years of experience and continuous development. Trust in the Original

Read the 2nd part of our Thermal Management Tips: Cooling with Closed Loop Air to Air Heat Exchangers

Marine Vienney

Cooling Food & Beverage Applications with Pfannenberg’s DTS/DTT Series

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Innovative, Efficient, Reliable

Whether in washdown locations or control rooms, the DTS Series key internal electronics are positioned away from potentially moist and/or caustic air in food and beverage applications.  The wide condenser fin spacing allows for filterless and maintenance-free operation.  The stainless steel units have an epoxy coating on all exposed copper tubing to compliment the electrostatically-coated condensers. The fans are conformal coated, backward curve impellers that have a standard life of 55,000+ hours, providing the longest life and best air flow in their class.

DTS Series Cooling Units

  • Active condensate management utilizes a PTC heater which eliminates the need for drain line.
  • NEMA Type 4/4X 304 Stainless Steel with #3 polish to repel contaminants in food grade applications and to provide for easy washdown.
  • High Temperature models can operate in ambient temperature models can operate in ambient temperatures up to 140° F (60° C), ideal near industrial ovens or baking lines.
  • Optional cover to protect fan if used in washdown or in high dust/debris areas.

DTT Series Top Mount Cooling Units

  • DTT Series Units provide convenient top mount cooling while eliminating the danger of condensate entering cabinets.
  • Innovative service panel design provides easy to change filters, controls and fuses, decreasing service time and allowing filters to be changed without downtime.
  • Product variety: multiple performance levels available.
  • Easy mounting: quick release mounting frame and quick mount design.

By keeping electronics in enclosures from overheating, Pfannenberg provides an invaluable service to companies, keeping their machinery and processes consistently operating.  By developing and producing products which are designed to save energy and other resources, Pfannenberg operates by their business philosophy – Protecting man, machine and the environment

Topics: Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Food & Beverage

Marine Vienney

Pfannenberg Food & Beverage Applications: Air/Water Heat Exchangers

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The Complete Liquid-Cooled Solution for F&B Industrial Control Enclosures

For over 50 years Pfannenberg has been a leader in thermal management solutions.  From simple Fan Cooling and Packaged Air Conditioners to more complex water cooled applications, our expertise helps ensure industrial electronics operate at peak efficiency and extended service life.

Pfannenberg’s Air To Water Heat Exchangers offer a solutions to fix your thermal management problems in washdown areas of the plant or areas with high amounts of particulate . The sealed cabinet provides contaminant-free component cooling without adding heat to the local environment.  It provides an excellent economic solution where plant water is available or when used in conjunction with a process chiller.  It’s sealed design and available stainless steel, NEMA Type 4/4X construction provides a maintenance free solution with no exposed fans or maintenance of filters required.

Typical Food and Beverage Applications:

  • Ingredient Mixers
  • Product Cooling/Drying
  • Packaging Automation Equipment
  • Inspection Machines
  • Oven Controls

For applications which require local enclosure cooling using a remotely located source of refrigeration, PWS Series Air To Water Heat Exchangers provide the perfect solution.  Paired with our CC or  EB Series Chillers, the air to water heat exchanger provides a total cooling solution that manages process and/or control enclosure heat gain and effectively removes it from the processing area.  Single source responsibility for the complete system ensures properly matched components that are engineered to work together – and to provide a custom fit to the most complex food processing equipment.

Topics: Air To Water Heat Exchangers, Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Water Cooling, Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage

Marine Vienney

Liquid Cooling Solutions for Commercial Bakery Electrical Enclosures

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Are the VFDs in your Commercial Bakery failing due to high amounts of flour and moisture entering your electrical enclosure?

Pfannenberg is your proven partner for complex thermal management problems in the baking industry. High security classes of equipment and corrosion-resistant construction materials resist even the most difficult ambient conditions.

Looking for another energy savings solution? Pfannenberg’s PWS Air To Water Heat Exchangers are ideal for cooling your electrical components. Designed for maintenance free operation in the most demanding areas of a plant.

Click here to download the NEW Pfannenberg Bakery Flyer!

Also, be sure to visit us at IBIE 2016 in Las Vegas, NV — October 8th-11th at Booth #9247!

Topics: Air Water Heat Exchangers, Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, North America, Water Cooling, Food & Beverage

Marine Vienney

The Advantages of Air To Water Heat Exchangers for Thermal Management in Harsh Environments

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Money-saving approach yields longer service life while conserving energy.

Control Panel Cooling Technique Helps Mitigate Hydrogen Sulfide Corrosion Problems with Wastewater Pumping Systems

Air To Water Heat Exchangers provide an energy efficient and reduced manintenance method for cooling electrical control panels.

Enclosure Cooling Units offer a straightforward active-cooling technique for pump control panels, however, they are not necessarily the best choice for all installation locations. Dirt, dust, and other airborne contaminants can clog condenser coils; while corrosive gasses in the environment can lead to premature failures.On the other hand, Air To Water Heat Exchangers can satisfy the same requirements without circulating ambient air within the housing, thereby eliminating the clogging and corrosion problems associated with airborne contamination.

A common threat to organic wastewater handling and treatment systems is the presence of hydrogen sulfide gas. Not only is this gas toxic to humans, but it also contributes heavily to corrosion problems in pipes, structures, instrumentation, and electrical systems. Lift stations and pumping systems are particularly vulnerable as H2S sour gas readily attacks copper used in wires, electrical contacts, and cooling units used on motor control centers (MCC’s).

Electronics cooling is vital for MCC’s containing the variable frequency drives (VFD’s) that are used to maintain efficient operation by conserving energy through regulating the speed at which pumps operate. Since VFD’s generate a considerable amount of heat, it is necessary to employ an active enclosure cooling technique in order to keep VFD’s operating within acceptable temperature limits. The absence of effective cooling will quickly allow VFD’s to overheat, shut down, or even catastrophically fail. In addition to being an economic loss, such outages disrupt production and affect the efficiency of plant operations.

Effective electrical enclosure cooling for environments where H2S gas is present must utilize a closed loop technique to ensure that sour gas is not introduced into the enclosure where it could harm wiring, electrical connections, switches, and other components. In fact, for many installations it is advantageous to deploy an air or nitrogen purge system which creates a positive pressure within the enclosure in order to keep undesirable ambient elements, including sour gas, outside of it. As opposed to an open loop system that uses fans to draw ambient air into and push heat out of the enclosure, a closed loop system maintains isolation of the ambient air and permits the NEMA rating of the electrical enclosure to be maintained. Examples of closed loop cooling equipment for electrical enclosures include cooling units (also known as enclosure air conditioners or enclosure AC) and Air To Water Heat Exchangers.

Cooling units offer the advantage of a being a plug and play solution – they simply hang onto the outside of the enclosure and are connected to power already available inside the enclosure. However, these compressor-based refrigeration systems consume a fair amount of energy and require periodic maintenance. Additionally, to endure the sour gas environment, exposed copper pipes and condenser coils must be treated with a conformal coating – which is not necessarily standard. Over time, the need to clean condenser coils – which may require partial disassembly of the cabinet – can lead to scratched paint, compromised coatings, and eventual corrosion.

Air To Water Heat Exchangers offer several advantages making them the preferred method for closed-loop, electrical enclosure cooling. Acquisition and operating expenses are significantly lower than those of a compressor-based cooling unit.

Additionally, this product is virtually maintenance free and since there is no ambient air circulation within the unit, there is no risk of H2S sour gas corrosion to internal components.

There are, however, two challenges with acquiring and implementing these units:

  • The units must be specified as the solution of choice with the MCC or pump system integrator.
  • The units must be connected to a viable source of clean water or coolant to circulate through the heat exchanger coil.

Another viable implementation is to consider retrofitting cooling units with air-to-water heat exchangers. This modification can be readily accomplished without difficulty since some units share the same enclosure cut-out. For dissimilar cutouts, an adaptor plate may be required to reduce the size of the opening.

Click here to download the Case study in PDF

Need more information on Pfannenberg’s PWS Air to Water Heat Exchangers? Click here and discover all the advantages of this product!

Topics: Air To Water Heat Exchangers, Enclosure Cooling, Thermal Management, Water Cooling, Water Treatment, Wastewater Treatment

Marine Vienney

The Technology of Cooling: Cooling with Closed Loop Cooling Units

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Pfannenberg Cooling Units operate on the principle of the Carnot cycle. This means that the cooling unit functions as a heat pump that “pumps” the thermal energy transferred from the electronic cabinet (heat dissipated from the components) up to a higher level of temperature (the ambient temperature can reach levels as high as + 55 °C). The air inside the enclosure is cooled down by the evaporator and at the same time dehumidified.

How do I know if a cooling unit is the right product for my application?

> If the ambient temperature is greater than the target internal temperature of the enclosure, active cooling is required.
> If a NEMA Type 12 to 4x rating is required – closed loop systems can maintain the NEMA Type rating of the cabinet.

Properly sizing a cooling unit:

To properly size a cooling unit you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, mounting requirements (side, integrated or top mount) and the dimensions of the unit and enclosure.

{PC = PD – PR }
> Pc [ Watt ]: Refrigeration capacity of a cooling unit.
> PD [ Watt ]: Dissipation Loss: Thermal power generated inside a cabinet by the dissipation loss of components.
> PR [ Watt ]: Radiant heat gain/loss: Heat transfer through the skin of the enclosure (insulation factor not included).

{PR = C x A x ∆T }
> C [  W/m2 °C ]: Coefficient of heat transmission.
> A [  M2 ]: Surface area of electronics cabinet.
> ∆T [ °C ]: Difference in temperature between the ambient air and the air inside the electronics cabinet.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size cooling units:

Pfannenberg utilizes the DIN standard 35/35 °C when rating our cooling units. Many other companies use 50/50 °C, which provides a higher, non-usable value.

Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

To properly size your Cooling Units you can also use Pfannenberg’s PSS Software which will guide you through the sizing process, to calculate the correct product for your application.


Important information when utilizing cooling units:

  • The refrigeration capacity should exceed the dissipation loss from the installed components by approximately 10%.
  • The enclosure should be sealed to prevent the inflow of ambient air.
  • Use the door contact switch to impede operation with open doors and consequent excessive accumulation of condensation.
  • Use cooling units with maximum clearance between air inflow and air outflow to prevent poor circulation.
  • Make sure that the air inflow and air outflow in the external circuit is not hindered, preventing proper heat exchanging at the condenser.
  • When using top-mounted cooling units, make sure that components with their own fans do not expel the air directly into the cooling unit‘s cool air outflow.
  • Make sure unit is level.
  • Setting the temperature to the lowest setting is not the optimal solution due to the condensation issues. The value we have preset on the cooling unit is a sound compromise between cooling the inside of the enclosure and the accumulation of condensation.

Click here to discover our complete range of Cooling Units!

Topics: Enclosure Cooling, Cooling Units, Thermal Management