AutoVimation has released a multi-stage climate control concept enabling camera systems to be used in adverse environments. Heating and cooling modules, which can be mounted easily to the outside of autoVimation's protective enclosures, extend the operating range of cameras, thus improving the reliability of image processing systems.
Climate control begins with passive cooling: autoVimation's patented heat guide/quick lock brackets ensure optimal heat dissipation from the camera to the enclosure. The latter thereby acts as a heat sink, giving off heat to the ambient air via its surface. This allows for cameras to be used at ambient temperatures up to 10°C above the limit listed by the manufacturer.
For camera systems that are used at ambient temperatures of more than 50°C, or in environments with a large amount of radiant heat, autoVimation now also offers water cooling modules. The cooling module, which is connected to an external water cooling system via a closed water circuit, is simply attached to the outside of the camera enclosure, thereby efficiently dissipating the heat.
Various cooling systems, which optionally also include temperature and flow monitoring with an emergency shutdown, are available for different ambient temperatures. Depending on the model, these cooling systems provide a performance between 775 and 3,000W.
Several cooling modules can be connected to the industrial cooling units, allowing users to cool three or more cameras at the same time. By request, autoVimation also develops customer-specific cooling systems, for example if a heating cartridge must be included. The cooling systems can be retrofitted to all protective enclosures with a dovetail profile.
The new heating systems are also easy to retrofit: they are attached at any side of the protective enclosures. In order to prevent overheating, autoVimation uses a controlled heating element. An IP65 control module installed at a 500mm distance monitors the enclosure's temperature via a PT100 thermal sensor, heating it to a maximum temperature of 20°C. Through the heating element's large surface, the enclosure and camera are warmed evenly, which prevents dew points within the enclosure. Since the heating element has direct contact with the enclosure cover, the front panel is heated as well, which prevents condensation. The 35W heating unit is merely 12mm high.
