Air-to-Air Heat Exchangers Pros
Air-to-Air Heat Exchangers Pros: Low maintenance, inexpensive Cons: Cannot cool below ambient
Efficient, cost-effective cooling can be realized through heat pipe assembly systems. These air-to-air heat exchangers remove waste heat from sealed electrical panels and enclosures to protect sensitive electronic components without exposing them to harsh, dirty environments outside the cabinet. Heat pipes in air-to-air heat exchangers work to cool enclosures by using evaporative cooling to transport thermal energy from one place to another via the evaporation and condensation of a coolant. Heat pipes transfer heat through a “phase change” of the coolant, similar to a compressor-based air conditioner, except that they have no moving parts. Heat pipes are typically constructed of a metal container (aluminum, copper, etc.) that holds a liquid (water, acetone, etc.) under pressure. The inner surface of the tube is lined with a porous material that acts as a wick. When heat is applied to the outer area of the tube, the liquid inside the tube boils and vaporizes into a gas that moves through the tube seeking a cooler location where it condenses. Using capillary action, the wick transports the condensed liquid back to the evaporation area. In most applications, a fan is used to move the air over the tubing and to circulate air within the enclosure.
Air-to-air heat exchangers can be used in applications where cooling the electronics to slightly above the outside ambient air temperature is sufficient. Air-to-air heat exchangers will not cool below ambient without the addition of a water supply as in an air-to-water heat exchanger. Another limitation of heat pipes is that they must be tuned to particular cooling conditions. The choice of pipe material, size and coolant all have an effect on the optimal temperatures in which heat pipes work. The operating temperature limits for an air-to-air heat exchanger are only limited by the rating of the fan, which can typically range from -40°F to +160°F. They are also very reliable with the rated life (MTBF) of a typical heat pipe assembly in excess of 300,000 hours.
Efficient, cost-effective cooling can be realized through heat pipe assembly systems. These air-to-air heat exchangers remove waste heat from sealed electrical panels and enclosures to protect sensitive electronic components without exposing them to harsh, dirty environments outside the cabinet. Heat pipes in air-to-air heat exchangers work to cool enclosures by using evaporative cooling to transport thermal energy from one place to another via the evaporation and condensation of a coolant. Heat pipes transfer heat through a “phase change” of the coolant, similar to a compressor-based air conditioner, except that they have no moving parts. Heat pipes are typically constructed of a metal container (aluminum, copper, etc.) that holds a liquid (water, acetone, etc.) under pressure. The inner surface of the tube is lined with a porous material that acts as a wick. When heat is applied to the outer area of the tube, the liquid inside the tube boils and vaporizes into a gas that moves through the tube seeking a cooler location where it condenses. Using capillary action, the wick transports the condensed liquid back to the evaporation area. In most applications, a fan is used to move the air over the tubing and to circulate air within the enclosure.
Air-to-air heat exchangers can be used in applications where cooling the electronics to slightly above the outside ambient air temperature is sufficient. Air-to-air heat exchangers will not cool below ambient without the addition of a water supply as in an air-to-water heat exchanger. Another limitation of heat pipes is that they must be tuned to particular cooling conditions. The choice of pipe material, size and coolant all have an effect on the optimal temperatures in which heat pipes work. The operating temperature limits for an air-to-air heat exchanger are only limited by the rating of the fan, which can typically range from -40°F to +160°F. They are also very reliable with the rated life (MTBF) of a typical heat pipe assembly in excess of 300,000 hours.
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