RFH -> Cooling -> avoiding fire and failure

[MASEngr]

I have a new PLC system that requires a fair bit of cooling. All the components dissipate 170W, worst case. (one hundred seventy watts) There's a DL-06, a few VFDs, and 4 5W safety controllers.

Here's where it gets tricky:
1. The cooling system has to be NEMA4 / IP66, since we're near the ocean.
2. There's no compressed air available, so vortex is out.
3. The cooling has to be small. The width can't be more than 6".
4. The outdoor temperature is up to 40C. (Heh, I can't use the word formed by amb + ient)
5. The components will start failing at 55C, so a limit of 50C is required.
6. The system is outdoors.
7. The system will be moving, so water cooling is out.

Some easy bits:
1. There's a large aluminum plate that can be used to remove a small amount of heat. (5' x 3')
2. There's a large plate on the front as well, although the users may be touching it, and it might get hot in the sun.

What in the world can I order that will let me cool this system off?

Thank you.

 

[leitmotif]

Is this that ramp? Most ramps I have seen have one end tied to shore and other (moving end) connected to ship.
Why cant you use flexible hose to supply water to the cabinet then use readiators inside to cool components? What is sea water temp at the dock. Or braze solder whatever tubing to backwall of cabinet on the exteriorer (yeah I know I cant spell that XXXX word) to prevent leak damage??

You could use dry ice, liquid nitrogen OR
a small hermetic heat pump.
When you do this look in ASHRAE for relative humidity and dew point values to prevent condensation problems.

If you do not shade it (forget might - it WILL get hot in the sun) then I think you should consider solar radiation contribution to your total heat load.

Dan Bentler

 

[MASEngr]

Yes, this is "that ramp" - thanks for remembering. It's still in progress. The PLC code is done, the electronics have been designed, parts are on order, and RFQs are out for the custom components, like the enclosure and the power track. We're planning to have it installed by the end of the summer. It's quite exciting.

The ramp is between the pier and the floats on a jetty, and the carriage is moving between the two points. At present, the design is to house the electronics inside the carriage - that means I've got just two mains lines, one RS-485 line (4 wires in one bundle), and 2 estops in the moving parts. If I house the electronics on shore, I'm looking at more than 40 x 16AWG lines plus other problems.

There is an awning over the system, so it won't get lots of direct sunlight.

I guess I could run a cold water line in the same track as the power, but I've spent a lot of time and money keeping water OUT. Before I did that, I'd get a big honking compressor and run a vortex cooler. (Which I thought were perfect until I saw the amazingly large air requirements!)

 

[rdrast]

We use a lot of these around here:
http://www.norenproducts.com/Compact_Cabinet/air-to-water.html