Helping cameras keep a cool head: Water cooling system for protective enclosures from autoVimation

autoVimation presents a modular water cooling system suitable for all in-house protective camera enclosures with a dovetail profile. The system greatly extends the permissible temperature range – approximately between 0-50 °C – for most machine vision systems which is not at all sufficient for many applications. Depending upon the camera type with the new water cooling system, the ambient temperature can now be between -20 and +120 °C. In combination with an external insulation a maximum temperature of +200 °C is now possible. Even if the camera is not operated outside its permissible temperature range, the use of a water cooling system can be beneficial, as reduced temperatures minimize image noise and extend the lifespan of the camera sensor and other components. The easy-to-retrofit cooling systems consist of a water cooling module installed on top of the camera enclosure that absorbs waste heat and a re-cooling unit connected through tubes that then brings the heated water back to room temperature. The re-cooling unit is available in two versions: an inbuilt module for integration into switching cabinets or PCs, and a stand-alone unit with a temperature monitoring function that can cool up to five connected camera enclosures, thereby allowing for an especially cost-efficient operation. The systems are designed for industrial indoor applications with high ambient temperatures where a cooler space for the re-cooling unit is available within a 5 m distance from the camera. All parts are very compact, robust, and safe. Thanks to the use of standard components, they are also cost-saving. A closed water circuit ensures a safe, clean, and virtually maintenance-free operation. At low or strongly fluctuating temperatures, the cooling systems can also be used as heating units. Switching between cooling and heating operation is not required, since the system automatically adjusts the enclosure temperature to match the ambient temperature around the re-cooling unit. It can reach respective cooling and heating performances of 120 and 50 W.

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