Gas purging of electronics enclosures to permit using them in hazardous areas is in some quarters considered either a lost art or black magic. Purge kits haven't changed much for years, up until now. Here's a really radical take on purging enclosures from Applied Analytics Inc.
From the press release:
This week, AAI unveiled the ePurge X, a next-generation solution for air-purging electronic enclosures. Unlike conventional purge controllers, this new offering is entirely solid state and much more in line with the design of AAI's highly automated process analyzers. The ePurge X is slated to be available both to distributors and the general public in March.
"When you glance through the brochure, you'll immediately notice the form factor," says Andy Burgess, senior mechanical engineer, AAI. "The ePurge X has an ultra-slim profile that barely protrudes from the surface of the enclosure. It also has half as many components to install as the purges that are currently available."
AAI is also introducing an entirely new concept with the utility-saving feedback feature. The ePurge X uses a digital mass flow sensor to monitor the flow rate of purge gas through the enclosure. Along with the differential pressure, this flow value allows the ePurge X to provide data on instrument air consumption by specifying the exact demand that will keep the enclosure safely pressurized without wasting any extra utilities. "In an industry of safety devices that have no inherent return on investment, we are offering a product that can pay for itself within five years in utility savings alone," says Yoav Barshad, President, AAI. "Writ large across all the air-purged enclosures in a typical industrial site, this is nothing less than a killer feature."
