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PAPST draws on its 20 Years experience in the UK to provide Individual Cooling Solutions for Individual Users
This year, PAPST plc celebrates its 20th Anniversary in the UK with the launch of a major initiative to establish the company as the leading supplier of customised cooling solutions for individual users. The company is already the leading supplier of fans and cooling services in the UK and is launching its "Individual Cooling Solutions for Individual Users" initiative to provide customers with a broader range of services and solutions.
Based in Andover, Hampshire, the company's UK facilities include a substantial 14,000 sq.ft. facility complete with its own engineering, manufacturing and test areas and enjoys close co-operation with the German parent company with its extensive design, development and test facilities including advanced anechoic test chambers.
The PAPST name has been synonymous with engineering excellence in the design of fans and cooling solutions for over 50 years. With its headquarters in St. Georgen, Germany, the company has a string of innovations to its credit. PAPST pioneered the development of the external rotor motor, DC fans with integrated electronic commutation, and variable speed fans with built-in intelligence.
The importance of effective cooling
Excessive temperature accounts for 55% of all electronic equipment failure. In fact, it causes more failures than vibration, humidity and dust combined!
With effective thermal management planning early in the equipment design, nearly all of these failures could be avoided.
The most common causes of overheating
In part, overheating occurs as a result of the ongoing drive towards miniaturisation. Electronic systems are getting faster, chips are becoming more powerful, and everything is being crammed in to ever-smaller spaces. The power dissipation of some telecom chips can now exceed 100 Watts!
Another problem arises from the mechanical design of systems. The heat generated by components travels via the component mounting into the air-filled interior of the system, and then via the cabinet casing to the outside ambient environment. Clearly, anything which restricts the movement of air within the system - electronic cards, cabling, disk drives, clogged air filters etc. - affects the pressure gradient between the inside and outside of the cabinet. As fan performance figures are usually based on freely ventilated systems, it’s easy to overlook the potentially disastrous effect of mechanical restrictions on system cooling and to under-specify the cooling requirements.
Some systems are housed in standard enclosures fitted with standard cooling arrangements. At best, the cooling provided is an adequate compromise. At worst, it’s fatal to system reliability. After all, such enclosures are designed without prior knowledge of the system that they are to house.
A final example of the challenges encountered in thermal design concerns the external environment. Any equipment that’s operated outside of a controlled environment may be subject to extremes of temperature. In such circumstances, cooling requirements will vary greatly between day and night, summer and winter, or the geographic location of the system.
How PAPST can help you reap the benefits of optimised cooling
PAPST has the experience, the breadth of products and the expertise to help with the design of optimised cooling solutions. Such solutions, whether based on standard or customised cooling components, deliver substantial benefits including:
- Lowest lifetime cost
- Lowest noise emission
- Lowest energy consumption
- Lowest environmental impact
- Highest system reliability
Whether to chose a standard or custom solution
Despite the infinite variety of system designs, PAPST will often be able to supply a standard product to achieve the desired cooling.
There are 250 product families in the PAPST range, and the company currently ships over 2500 different models of fan to customers.
Many factors need to be taken into account in establishing the most appropriate cooling solution. These include:
- The maximum permissible temperature in critical areas of your system
- The total heat generated by active components
- The range of ambient temperatures to which your system may be exposed
- The efficiency of air flow throughout your system
- The available space
- The noise levels which can be tolerated
The types of standard fan available
With respect to their air flow characteristics, fans fall into four main categories:
- Axial fans are used where high airflow under low pressure is needed. These are the most commonly used fans. An intelligent version, the Variofan, varies its speed between 30 °C and 50 °C in a linear fashion in order to minimise noise and energy consumption.
- Radial fans produce lower airflow than axial types, but under higher pressure. They’re used where obstacles within the system can restrict airflow and variable speed versions are again available.
- Mixed-flow fans are a new technology and use new impeller and venturi designs to achieve high pressure and high airflow.
- Cross-flow or tangential fans provide a curtain of air over a wide area using a cylindrical blade construction with the motor at one end.
To summarise, PAPST makes fans for every conceivable application in electronic cabinet cooling. Sizes range from sub-miniature to 220mm square. Airflow can be anywhere from 6 cubic metres per hour, right up to 640 cubic metres per hour. You can choose from 5, 12, 24, 36 and 48 Vdc types, or AC versions. But even with all these standard options, a degree of customisation will often pay dividends.
When a custom solution is better
Many of today’s more demanding applications are best satisfied using a custom cooling solution, but the reasons for choosing this route vary widely. Sometimes it’s to reduce manufacturing costs through special fixings or connectors. It may to achieve lower noise levels. Or there may even be a need for comprehensive remote monitoring and control systems to facilitate planned maintenance or eliminate downtime in a critical application.
Whether you decide to use a standard or custom solution, PAPST engineers have the experience, expertise and facilities help you achieve the highest cooling performance matched to the lowest cost of ownership.
Custom cooling for individual applications: some of the options
In truth, the number of custom options available from PAPST is infinite and the examples shown on these pages simply demonstrate the diversity of solutions, which can be provided.
PAPST can provide all of the design and engineering services and then deliver a complete cooling system. Alternatively, PAPST engineers can work in partnership with your own designers and engineers, adding resource just where you need it.
The main types of customisation fall into 3 broad categories: fixings and interconnection, housings and mechanical assemblies, and electronic monitoring and control. Many solutions combine elements from each category.
Custom fixings and interconnection minimise assembly time
The simplest of customisation options can save you time and expense in manufacturing. Most standard fans come with plain fixing holes in the corners. The optional variations include:
- Larger plain hole sizes
- Threaded brass or steel inserts in a choice of five thread sizes
- Tapped holes for use with bolts or self tapping screws
- Clip fixings to eliminate the need for screws
- Connection leads cut to length or extended
- Additional earth leads
- Special lead types
- Special sleeving on leads, or secondary sleeving, to cope with extremes of temperature, or to comply with specific industry standards
- Custom connections: wire, crimp, solder tags, push-on connectors e.g. Molex types etc.
From fitting finger guards to building multi-fan units, PAPST can design and manufacture for you, or build assemblies to your own design.
Fan trays can be standard ‘U’ sizes for 19” racks, or custom sizes and shapes. The choice is endless.
Electronic monitoring and control
In some applications, simply running the right fan at its specified operating voltage and speed will provide a suitable cooling solution. In others, it may be important to minimise noise, to save energy, extend system life, or to vary the cooling system’s operation to take account of varying environmental conditions.
PAPST can help you assess the optimum solution for your application, however complex it may be. Some fans can have monitoring and control functions built into the motor housing. Other requirements can be met using two established systems from PAPST. The System 3000 is modular and consists of separate monitoring and control units that can be used individually or in combination. It’s hardware link configurable. The System 5000 consists of four separate units that can be integrated in various combinations to suit the application. This system is software programmable.
These are just some of the ways in which monitoring and control systems can be used:
- Fans can be precisely controlled to switch on and off at pre-determined temperatures or to vary their speed in line with a pre-programmed temperature gradient
- High temperature alarms can be provided, with shut down options for critical temperatures
- Remote monitoring of fan speed can be used to assess the condition of bearings as part of a preventative maintenance programme
- Fan assemblies can be arranged into independent zones, each zone having separately controlled operating parameters
- Special control signals can be used to switch on heating or refrigeration units in extreme environments where fans alone cannot provide adequate temperature control
At the same time, it will improve system reliability and extend its life.
Applications Casebook: how customised cooling has saved time, energy and expense in these applications.
BENSON & HEDGES JORDAN GRAND PRIX TEAM
The problem
How to keep 750 bhp Mugen-Honda Formula One engines cool on the starting grid. Vibration, heat and the tough environment of a Formula One starting grid make exceptionally severe demands on any equipment used there. Nevertheless, an overheated engine is not an option!
The solution
PAPST provided a solution consisting of standard fans fitted to a special housing designed by the Jordan team. The fans were rugged 6-inch AC models which blow air across the engines or, in exceptionally hot conditions, blow dry ice across them.
The benefits
Rugged PAPST fans have done their job without faltering, despite the unusually tough environment, giving the Jordan team one less thing to worry about!
MARKS & SPENCER
The problem
M&S was suffering from high failure rates in its AC fans used to distribute air in cooling cabinets. Loss of revenue could occur through loss of food, or through having a cabinet out of action while repairs were carried out. Temperature monitoring was present, but by the time the temperature rose too high, it was already too late.
The solution
PAPST fitted low voltage, moisture protected (IP54) fans with stainless steel bearings. The fans are housed in a custom assembly complete with electronic monitoring and power supply unit. The monitoring still includes an over-temperature alarm but also features a pre-failure signal which measures the operating speed of the fans. This gives advance warning of potential problems.
The benefits
Catastrophic fan failures have been completely eliminated, ensuring that the maximum sales space is available at all times. Maintenance costs have been dramatically reduced. An added benefit has been a two-thirds reduction in energy consumption – and costs!
3Com
The problem
3Com was looking for a way to get more effective cooling into their ever smaller, yet more powerful communications equipment.
The solution
PAPST and 3Com worked hand-in-hand throughout the project to optimise the thermal design of the system. PAPST testing facilities in the UK and Germany were used to prove proposals, resulting in a fan with modified lead assemblies being supplied.
The benefits
By working with PAPST early in the project, 3Com not only achieved the most effective thermal management solution, thereby maximising system reliability, they also achieved significant noise reduction over earlier systems.
CONTROL TECHNIQUES DRIVES
The problem
The company’s compact variable speed drives for electric motors utilised the system cases as heatsinks. No standard fan would fit the units and there was also a need to minimise manufacturing costs by enabling the fans to be fitted to the units using robots.
The solution
PAPST produced a special fan with a unique motor and impeller design to solve the problem. Modified power input connectors simplify connection to the supply rail and a special mounting bracket makes best use of the available space whilst enabling the fan to be inserted into the unit by robot. The fan has stainless steel bearings and moisture protection.
The benefits
Control Techniques were able to deliver a highly competitive, reliable product to the market through minimising production costs without compromising the performance of their drives.
Why PAPST fans are different, and better!
All fans are not the same. PAPST DC fans are fitted with electronically commutated, external rotor motors.
CAD techniques, including software simulation of air movement, are used to design optimally profiled impellers which deliver maximum airflow with minimal noise.
Most importantly, PAPST has paid particular attention to the design of the bearing systems in fans. Ball bearings are still used in applications at extremes of temperature where the longest possible service life is demanded. However, PAPST has pioneered the use of advanced bearings, the overall performance of which is comparable to ball bearing types in all but the most extreme applications. PAPST Sintec bearings are smaller than ball bearing equivalents, have lower noise throughout their operating life, and are more resilient to shock.
Finally, all PAPST fans conform to the European standard EN 60335-1 or EN 60950, plus those of UL (Underwriter Laboratories) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association). They also conform to VDE (Association of German Electrical Engineers).
PAPST plc: local expertise and service in the UK
PAPST plc is based in Andover, Hampshire. The UK company was founded 20 years ago and today has a 14,000 sq.ft. facility with its own engineering, manufacturing and test areas. It works in close co-operation with the German parent company.
PAPST plc undertakes engineering design, product assembly, design and management of metalwork fabrication, test and evaluation. All work is carried out under BS EN 9001.
PAPST plc customers include some of the world’s major electronics, telecommunications and automobile companies. They’ve found that a partnership with PAPST plc is the ideal way to ensure that equipment cooling is developed in the most effective and reliable way, whilst ensuring the lowest lifetime cost of the system.
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