Gore Introduces Cooling Filters For Outdoor Electronic Enclosures
Elkton, MD -- W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., announced an addition to its line of telecommunications products for improving system reliability. The new GORE Cooling Filters use ambient air to cool electronic components in outdoor enclosures and Gore's membrane technology to protect sensitive electronics from extreme environments where they may encounter corrosive particles, sand, or salty environments.
Unlike bulky heat exchangers and air-conditioning systems, Direct Air Cooling (DAC) systems with GORE® Cooling Filters have fewer mechanical parts. They are also easier to incorporate into cabinet designs, and require less maintenance. These cooling filters reduce ongoing operating costs because they use less energy than mechanical systems, reduce overall cabinet size saving site rental costs, and significantly improve Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).
According to Dr. Wilson Poon, research associate at Gore, "Using an ambient-air cooling system is really a win-win decision. Not only do these systems significantly reduce initial capital costs and ongoing operating costs, they have also demonstrated better thermal performance and improved protection of sensitive electronics."
The technology behind the GORE® Cooling Filters is based on a proprietary expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane. This microporous membrane allows cool, clean air to flow into the cabinet while screening out harmful contaminants and has a 99.0 percent particle filtration efficiency at the 0.3µm level (1cm/sec). GORE® Cooling Filters incorporate high performance Gore Series 3000 filtration media into a rigid anodized aluminium frame, providing the most reliable protection possible. Cabinets fitted with GORE® Cooling Filters easily pass the most stringent requirements, including IP55 and NEMA 3R.
GORE Cooling Filters can be customized to fit small to large base station units for mobile communication that cover a wide range of wireless infrastructure such GSM, UMTS, WiMAX and LTE. They are also appropriate for wirelined cabinets such as ADSL and power enclosure applications.
A complete turnkey Thermal Management Module incorporating GORE Cooling Filters will soon be available through select contract partners that manufacture enclosures. These turnkey systems will reduce design cycles by eliminating time spent creating custom designs for every cabinet installation. The Thermal Management Module offered by the contract manufacturers will combine GORE Cooling Filters with a rugged, high-performance fan and optimized control logic to provide outstanding, direct-air cooling in a compact, cost-effective package.
"At Gore, we recognize that our customers need both customizable and turnkey options because we appreciate their need for flexibility. When time is of the essence, having the ability to purchase a reliable, cost-effective, pre-packaged system is extremely beneficial for both the OEM and the ECM," said Giuliano Li Puma, Gore's global marketing manager.
SOURCE: W. L.Gore & Associates