Many industries rely on electronic components such as drives and displays to perform vital roles in process manufacturing. They include:

• Industrial automation.
• Petrochemical.
• Food and beverage manufacturing equipment.
• Paper manufacturing.
• Steel manufacturing and forming.
• Water purification.

Other industries such as machine tools, wastewater treatment, robotics, telecommunications, medical instrumentation, transportation and security imaging and detection equipment also rely on electronics to manage, monitor and control key functions.

In any of these industries, effective enclosure cooling is essential to secure the effective performances of electronic components. The table below indicates the maximum operating temperatures for specific devices.

It is generally accepted that operating temperatures above this range reduce life expectancy. Every 10°F rise in temperature shortens the average reliability of electrical/electronic components by 50 percent. Below are examples of components typically found in electrical enclosures.
 

Device Maximum Recommended Air Temperatures for Operation Cautionary Notes
Variable-Frequency Drives 104°F (40°C) Operation above this temperature typically requires de-rating a larger drive or risking premature failure.
Variable-Frequency Drives with External Heat Sinks
122°F (50°C) Operating above this temperature typically requires de-rating a larger drive or risking premature failure.
Human Machine Interface (HMI), Touchscreens and Flat Screen Displays 122 to 140°F (50 to 60°C) Manufacturers of HMI specify a maximum operating temperature for their products. A few smaller devices are available that operate as high as 158°F (70°C).
 HD Televisions  104 to 122°F (40 to 50°C) 90°F (32°C) is recommended for normal life expectancy.
Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) 122 to 176°F (50 to 80°C) Most devices are not certified to function properly beyond their maximum operating temperatures.
Computers and Server Racks Internal air temperature 104°F (40°C) In a loaded PC with standard cooling, operating temperatures can easily exceed the limits. The result can be memory errors, hard disk read-write errors, faulty video and other problems not typically recognized as heat related.
  With cooling fans 130°F (55°C)  


In a loaded PC with standard cooling, operating temperatures can easily exceed these limits. The result can be memory errors, hard disk read-write errors, faulty video and other problems not typically recognized as heat related. Nearly all server racks require cooling.

Related: Increasing Electrical Component Reliability with Enclosure Cooling