Why do you need to climate control a control cabinet?
Electronic components achieve the longest service life by operating in a temperature range of – 20 ° C to + 45 ° C, but thermal stress (rapid changes in temperature) results in a shorter lifespan. That is why switch cabinets must be air-conditioned.
Heat shortens the lifespan and results in total failure. It is therefore necessary to distribute the heat generated by the electronic components. In the worst case scenario, the ambient temperature is also very high, which requires active cooling.
Cold and fluctuating temperatures lead to an accumulation of moisture. When applications are exposed to extremely low temperatures up to – 40 ° C, the electronics in a control cabinet must first heat up before activation.
If the humidity is high (eg 90%), condensation can already occur with a temperature drop of only 2 ° C (eg from + 40 ° C to + 38 ° C).
The main requirements that air conditioning systems must meet for traffic engineering are :
- compact design
- good manageability
- low energy consumption
- low-maintenance operation
- long lifespan
- high access protectionFor mobile applications such as on boats, trains or electric vehicles, vibration resistance and suitability for use in any position are additional requirements.
ELMEKO heater
… keeps your electronics at the right temperature!
ELMEKO heaters protect components in a control cabinet against extremely low temperatures and thus prevent that temperature changes or a higher degree of humidity result in condensation in the control cabinet.
The SL 250, SL350, SL500 and SL 650 models with a thermal output of 250W to 650W at + 20 ° C have the same compact housing. This simplifies the design of the control cabinet and speeds up replacement of the heater if the thermal performance requirements change, for example when the control cabinet is moved.
The SH series with a thermal output of 10 W to 1000 W is available with optional PTC heating elements or fixed resistors. Special designs for the engineering of applications in traffic infrastructure are possible. The SH 250L, SH 500L and SH 1000L variants are equipped with fans for optimized temperature distribution in the control cabinet. This is particularly applicable for outdoor applications such as on ships and signage.
The 30W to 50W SF models and 10W to 45W SM models are very compact. Due to their optimized profile, they deliver good thermal performance and have a low surface temperature. The SM 100L variant also has an integrated fan, despite dimensions of only 60mm x 60mm in diameter.
ELMEKO coolers
.. for reliable air conditioning!
PK 30 to PK 300 models are thermoelectric coolers that deliver compact, reliable and power-saving air conditioning solutions.
Unlike conventional coolers that use compressor technology and coolant, the ELMEKO coolers work with modern Peltier technology. This innovative process is based on semiconductors and allows the cooler to be placed in any position as well as for mobile use in applications with many vibrations.
When power flows directly through a Peltier element, one side of the device cools while the other side heats up. This effect can be used for air conditioning.
ELMEKO PK-series coolers are available with a cooling capacity of 30W to 300W. They are housed in a robust metal housing, protected up to IP65. These systems can also be used for cooling the batteries in an electric vehicle.
ELMEKO dehumidifiers
… to prevent condensation!
To ensure that condensation is safely discharged from a housing, ELMEKO has developed the compact dehumidifier PSE 30 LP. It works at temperatures up to + 65 ° C and requires considerably less energy than conventional control cabinet air conditioning systems.
Depending on the environmental conditions, the dehumidifier only needs to work for a short time to remove the condensation from a well-sealed cabinet. As long as no humidity is present, the device remains in standby mode. This is different with a conventional switch cabinet heater. This stays on continuously to keep the temperature permanently above the dew point. For example, with electric locomotives that are switched off in the depot, dehumidifiers ensure a reduction in the humidity in the control cabinet. This eliminates the risk of condensation before the power is turned off.
Air in the control cabinet flows over the cold surface of the PSE device. Humidity precipitates on the device and the collected condensation is pumped out through a diaphragm pump. This is also not a problem in cases that are exposed to many vibrations.
The PSE 30 LP dehumidifier works in any position and is therefore intended for use on trains or ships. The device can be mounted in a 135mm x 85mm hole at any point of the control cabinet wall and requires a mounting depth of only 99mm.
Mounting in the control cabinet wall or in the control cabinet itself has no effect on the degree of protection of the cabinet. The dehumidifier operates on 24VDC, has a power of 56W and only weighs 1.6 kg.
The combined use of the ELMEKO heating elements, coolers and dehumidifiers allows a reliable operation of modern traffic engineering systems, even under the most extreme conditions. It ensures at all times that the air in the control cabinet is not too cold or too warm, but above all it is dry. Exactly the right climate for sensitive electronics.
