Benefits from using thermal insulation in outdoor control cabinets

Benefits from using thermal insulation in outdoor control cabinets

Control cabinets are perfect solution to arrange differentiated and frequently complicated instrumentation. Usually, it houses electrical, electronic, electromechanical, pneumatic and programmable devices that must be provided with suitable level of operating safety. Therefore, control cabinet must meet all safety standards. When selecting a proper control cabinet consider not only its functionality but also whether it satisfies necessary parameters such as: high IP class, IK mechanical resistance, corrosiveness class and is it fitted with thermal insulation.

Control cabinet and its function

Control cabinet is a special form of enclosure not only for the control and distribution instrumentation but also for protection devices. It is designed to protect these devices against external factors as well as unauthorized manipulation and facilitates access for persons having suitable rights. Because of the control cabinets it is possible to turn on and off all devices and systems at once as well as adjust frequency or intensity of their operation.
Control cabinets serve many functions that is why it is necessary to focus on their individual parameters. One of the most important parameters that decide about control cabinet performance is its thermal insulation.

What is thermal insulation of control cabinets?

Thermal insulation consists in applying layers of materials characterized by low thermal conductivity in order to protect a given object, device or room against unwanted heat exchange with the surrounding. In case of outdoor control cabinets, thermal insulation consists in insulating each wall of the housing with proper insulation material to reduce thermal conductivity – below 0.045 W/mK. This operation provides for reduction of costs related to heating the interior of a control cabinet during winter and to cooling during summer season.

Benefits from using thermal insulation of control cabinets

Instrumentation inside the control cabinet includes sensitive devices requiring proper operating conditions. It is therefore essential to ensure suitable temperature and humidity, because these factors significantly affect effectiveness and proper operation of individual electrical and electronic subassemblies. Outdoor control cabinets are exposed to adverse external conditions, such as: too high or too low temperature, excessive insolation, frost, etc. To provide suitable internal conditions, it seems necessary to apply thermal insulation. Such thermal insulation of outdoor control cabinets represents perfect protection against excessive temperature variations inside the cabinet, affecting efficient functioning of devices inside it.
Therefore, application of thermal insulation in outdoor control cabinet guarantees measurable benefits, such as:
• protection of equipment installed inside the cabinet against adverse environmental conditions, such as: excessive insolation, frost, low and high temperatures;
• significant costs savings related to heating the cabinet interior;
• major improvement of operating capabilities, considering the range of temperatures outside the cabinet, even between -50 and +120 degrees Celsius.
Another benefit is aesthetic appearance of the control cabinet not only on the outside but also inside.

Thermal insulation of control cabinets and its different variants

Thermal insulation of control cabinet should be considered at the ordering stage. Cost of such thermal insulation is not high in relation to the improvement of the cabinet performance. Notice that there is a number of variants of thermal insulation for the outdoor control cabinets that affect its price. The Premium version that includes among other things double jacket of the external and internal walls and filling with insulation wool between the walls is slightly more expensive than Eco version that is equipped with a single jacket.