Explosion-proof Housing Cooling Flow Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing explosion-proof housings face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat generated by electrical or electronic components, leading to impaired functionality due to insufficient cooling, and existing solutions are structurally complex and costly.

Innovation Solution

An explosion-proof housing design featuring a fan arrangement that creates a vertical cooling flow along a lateral housing wall without the need for additional explosion-proof measures, utilizing an internal and external heat sink separated by the housing wall, with blind holes for heat-conducting elements to enhance heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the housing interior is encapsulated to prevent explosive environments, then explosion protection is improved, but heat dissipation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexplosion protectionVSAvoidheat dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The housing wall acts as an intermediary thermal conduction path between the encapsulated interior and the external environment. Heat-conducting elements embedded in the housing wall provide controlled thermal bridges that allow heat dissipation while maintaining the explosion-proof encapsulation integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the thermal parameters of the housing wall by incorporating heat-conducting elements with specific thermal conductivity properties. This allows optimization of heat transfer through the wall while preserving the sealing integrity required for explosion protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If additional cooling devices are added to improve cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling function is merged with the housing structure itself. The housing wall serves dual purposes: maintaining explosion-proof encapsulation and providing thermal conduction paths for heat dissipation. This eliminates the need for separate, complex cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing structure provides its own cooling capability through the integrated heat-conducting elements. The system uses the natural temperature difference between the interior components and the external environment, combined with the thermal conduction properties of the housing wall, to achieve passive cooling without additional active cooling devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Temperature

If ducts or lines are routed through the housing wall, then heat dissipation is improved, but explosion protection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidexplosion protection
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing wall material itself serves as the intermediary for heat transfer, eliminating the need for separate ducts or lines that would penetrate the wall. Heat-conducting elements are embedded within the wall structure, providing thermal pathways without creating openings that would compromise explosion protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Temperature

If heat-conducting elements are added to improve heat transfer, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Heat-conducting elements are strategically positioned at specific locations within the housing wall where thermal conduction is most needed. This localized approach improves heat transfer efficiency without requiring comprehensive modification of the entire housing structure, thereby limiting the increase in overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design achieves effective cooling without additional explosion protection measures, allowing for more powerful components in a given volume and ensuring even temperature distribution, enabling the arrangement of heat-sensitive components throughout the interior.

Implementation Method 1

the fan arrangement in the interior causes a cooling flow directed vertically downwards along a housing wall section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

heat-conducting elements (34) are arranged in order to improve the heat transfer between the housing wall section (22) and the inner cooling body (24) and the external heat sink (30)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal Conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

the fan arrangement causes a cooling flow (S) directed vertically downwards along a housing wall section (22)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection Cooling: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2909901B1Explosion-proof housing with a ventilator
Publication Date: 2020.12.09 R STAHL SCHALTGERATE GMBH
  • EP2909901B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2909901B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2909901B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an explosion-proof housing (10), in particular, of protection-type design "pressure-resistant enclosure". An interior (13) of the housing (10) is entirely sealed off from the surroundings (13) by housing walls (11). Electric and electronic components (14) are arranged in the interior (13). In order to cool these components, a ventilator (18) is arranged in the interior (13) and induces a cooling flow S in the interior (13). The heat transfer of the gas present in the interior (13) is thereby improved along at least one cooling body (24, 30) and/or along at least one housing wall (11) outwards towards the surroundings (12). Furthermore, the build-up of gas layers with different temperatures is avoided in the interior (13).