ACTIVE COOLING FOR OPTICAL SENSORS: THE CHALLENGE OF THERMAL MANAGEMENT IN AUTOMATED PRODUCTION.

The malfunction of optical sensors due to overheating can compromise production and cause financial losses for companies.

Optical distance and position sensors based on lasers or cameras are an integral part of today's automated production world. These devices are typically installed in areas with difficult or extreme environmental conditions. Now, imagine the financial losses due to the malfunction of these sensors or cameras due to overheating.

Extreme places with ambient air laden with dust or saline mist, high ambient temperature, mechanical influences such as acceleration forces or vibrations, can complicate or harm effective thermal management.

Laser-based sensors naturally heat up due to their own energy losses. Under adverse operating conditions, sensors tend to overheat, especially if installed in cabinets with a high IP protection class. The energy loss generated must be dissipated to the ambient air to avoid overheating the laser and the consequent production stoppage. The energy loss of camera systems is generally less than that of lasers. However, all optical sensors, regardless of type, must be kept within the operational temperature range defined by the manufacturer.

It is essential to actively cool sensors in areas where the ambient temperature partially or fully exceeds the maximum operating temperature of the equipment. This will prevent malfunction due to overheating and resultant financial losses.

The Europeltier technology offers the best solution for these cases. If the residual heat from the sensor is dissipated to a contact surface, a contact-cooled Peltier Cooler can be applied, which will transfer the heat from that surface to the ambient air, reducing the sensor temperature below the ambient temperature. If the sensor is installed inside a panel or cabinet, its internal air can also be kept below the ambient temperature using an air-to-air Peltier Cooler.

Difficult environmental conditions are generally not a problem for Europeltier Thermoelectric Coolers, as these can be installed in locations with ambient temperatures from -40° C to 70° C, or even higher. The Europeltier Coolers can also be designed with an IP67 or IP68 protection rating, allowing for easy cleaning with water or compressed air.

Another advantage is the ability to stabilize the sensor's temperature with high precision, as Europeltier equipment is developed to cool or heat using the same device.

The EuroPeltier devices are resistant to acceleration forces or vibrations and can be easily adapted precisely to the sensor in its operating condition.

A factory that uses many sensors could alternatively take cold air from a central air conditioning system to the sensors using pipe or hose systems. The downside, in this case, is the difficulty of changing the sensor's position. Moreover, a failure in the air conditioning system would also result in cooling failure for all sensors, whereas a decentralized cooling system using the individual Europeltier would only affect a single sensor in the event of a possible failure.

Europeltier Thermotechnology develops and manufactures Peltier systems for cooling, heating, and dehumidification that can be combined into a single device according to your thermal management needs. From the initial analysis and prototyping to the production of the final product. Contact us, and we will be pleased to discuss all the possibilities of EuroPeltier technology with you.

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