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Thermoelectric Cooling Environment Guide

Drawing showing how Thermoelectric Cooling works

Determining the correct cooling solution for an electronic enclosure can be challenging, especially when it is subjected to harsh environments. Severe environmental elements can be hazardous and potentially damaging to sensitive equipment. Our thermoelectric air conditioners utilize a closed loop design which removes heat from inside of a fully sealed enclosure without air exchange to the ambient environment. This design protects your electronics by circulating cooled air inside of the enclosure, while simultaneously dissipating the heat to the outside, without pulling any outside contaminants into your enclosure.

These robust NEMA 4X air conditioners are constructed for indoor or outdoor use and provide protection against, dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, hose directed water and corrosion. Some common applications and environments where our thermoelectric air conditioners are well suited include:

  • Dusty/Sandy -Typically outdoor military or security applications in desert locations such as the Middle East protecting communications, telecom, or surveillance equipment.
  • Humid- Damp, moist environments that contain a high amount of water vapor. Outdoor applications subjected to high humidity include fire panels in Florida and oil well control systems in Louisiana. Common high humidity indoor applications include paper mills and food processing facilities.
  • High Ambient Temperatures - High ambient temperatures of 120F and above, both indoor and outdoor. Some examples of high ambient temperature outdoor applications are border security sensors and controls, time lapse photography systems, oil field controls and kiosks in hot climates. Indoor applications include plant floors in hot climates, foundries and steel mills. EIC offers high ambient models for these types of applications.
  • Extreme Cold- Primarily outdoor applications for equipment exposed to low ambient temperatures down to -10C. Our HC model thermoelectric air conditioners are outfitted for both heating and cooling. These are ideal for locations where cooling is required during the day or in the summer but heating is required overnight or in the winter. Application examples include air traffic controls and remote ballistic missile site security systems where large temperature swings are the norm and electronic temperatures must be tightly controlled. For ambient temperatures as low as -40C, Mil Spec fans are available.
  • Caustic- Usually indoor industrial environments with heavy chemical wash-down such as waste water treatment plants, meat processing facilities, or paper mills.
  • Corrosive- Commonly outdoor coastal and shipboard installations, with exposure salt fog or sea water. Applications include weather stations, and communication & radar systems.
Our NEMA 4X thermoelectric air conditioners successfully protect your equipment from corrosion, dirt, dust, rain, and even high pressure wash down. Although there aren’t any required options in order to maintain the NEMA 4X standard, we have options available for additional protection including:
  • Rain Shroud- These shield the hot side fans exposed to the ambient environment providing an additional degree of protection against the formation of ice, debris build up or vandalism. Standard construction is type 304 stainless steel with mounting fasteners. It is also available in type 316 stainless steel for extreme applications.
  • High Ambient Models- Ideal for extreme temperatures, this option is designed for 170F temperatures (This excludes the 161 Series 3,200 BTU unit).
  • Mil Grade Fans- Our standard industrial-grade fans are used in ambient temperatures of -10C to 60C. We also offer Mil-Std fans which are specially constructed and have operating temperatures ranging from -40C to 100C.
  • Black Epoxy- Additional level of protection against corrosion on the hot-side of the air conditioner which can be applied to the exposed aluminum heatsinks or to the entire AC. This extra coating is tested for 1000+ hours of salt spray resistance (ASTM B117).
  • Type 316 Stainless Steel- We use Type 304 stainless steel in all of our standard products which carries sufficient protection against corrosion in most environments. The presence of molybdenum in type 316 stainless steel increases corrosion resistance which makes it ideal for coastal, high salt environments and locations where caustic wash down is required or chemical processing is taking place. All or our thermoelectric air conditioners and a variety of optional equipment can be fabricated from type 316 stainless steel.

Many industries rely on EIC Solution’s NEMA 4X thermoelectric air conditioners to protect their sensitive equipment under the harshest environmental conditions. Integrating an air conditioner into your enclosure design can reduce the risk of equipment failure. EIC Solution’s compact, solid state air conditioners are used in a multitude of industries because they are extremely reliable, require little to no maintenance and ensure sensitive electronics will continue to function in the harshest environments. If you’d like to discuss your particular application or get more information please contact one of our knowledgeable sales engineers at 800-497-4524 or visit our website at eicsolutions.com