Hybrid system increases cooling efficiency

As well as being more energy efficient than existing cooling solutions, Blue e+ systems use state of the art technologies, packaged to deliver greater flexibility, safety and ease of handling.

Key to the efficacy of the Blue e+ is Rittal’s innovative patented hybrid system. "The hybrid system increases energy efficiency significantly,” says Steffen Wagner, Rittal’s head of climate control product management.

"It uses a clever combination of a compressor cooling device and a heat pipe to take maximum advantage of passive cooling. The compressor only kicks in when passive cooling becomes insufficient to meet demand.”

Blue e+ units are reported to be six times more efficient than a conventional cooling unit at a part-load of 15% in heat-pipe mode. At a part-load of 65%, in hybrid mode, with both the compressor cooling device and heat pipe in operation, Blue e+ is four times more efficient than a conventional unit.

The energy efficiency of the compressor cooling is also very high. DC motors power both the fans and the compressor, while inverter technology adjusts the compressor and fan speeds so the cooling output matches demand at any one time.

"Initial tests have shown that thanks to the high energy efficiency of new cooling units, energy savings of up to 75% are possible,” says Wagner.

Multi-voltage input for the grids

All Blue e+ units have multi-voltage capability and so are suitable for all standard power networks worldwide.  Input voltages range from 110V (single phase) to 480V (three-phase) at grid frequencies of 50 or 60Hz.

Superior 

Demand based cooling eliminates both thermal stress and any temperature fluctuations within the enclosure. This, in turn, increases the service life of the cooling units and enclosure components and also means higher process reliability.

The Blue e+ range has cooling capacities that extend to up to 6000W (the maximum available from the preceding Blue e unit is 4000W) and it can be used in ambient temperatures ranging from -30 to +60°C.

Easy handling 

Standardised communication interfaces ensure easy integration into a production plant’s control systems.  The 4.3" TFT touchscreen display presents users with key information at a glance, while system messages are plain text and multi-lingual. Moreover, a variety of protocols permit real time data transfer via the Ethernet interface.  

What’s more, all Blue e+ units are identical across all markets which means that spare parts are easier to get hold of.