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As costs associated with renewable energy continue to drop, the alternative energy industry is experiencing rapid growth. Consumers and business owners are shifting towards greener sources of energy in the form of solar, wind, hydropower and other renewables.
With alternative energy growing in importance, it’s now critical that design engineers provide safe and reliable protection for the advanced electrical components used to operate wind turbines and solar panels. NEMA enclosures are not all created equal, and careful consideration of enclosures is needed to ensure optimal performance.
Below, we’ll discuss the most viable sources of renewable energy today and which electronic enclosures are best suited to meet the specific needs of each alternative energy application:
Solar energy has been picking up momentum in the last couple of years as it becomes more affordable, accessible and easier for homeowners to install. In fact, a record 8.5 gigawatt of utility solar projects were procured within the first six months of 2018.
The demand for solar energy isn’t slowing down—especially in Europe, where countries such as Germany are leading the world in producing solar energy. As solar power costs continue to fall, energy produced by the sun is expected to provide nearly 50 percent of the world’s total energy.
Solar power refers to energy produced by the sun. There are two different types of solar power plants: PV plants and solar thermal plants. Both take raw energy from the sun and convert it into electricity, albeit in different ways.
If you live in a sunny state, you’re probably familiar with solar panels. Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which convert sunlight (solar energy) into electricity.
Solar panels get most of the attention, but many homeowners install solar thermal systems into their homes as well. On a much larger scale, a solar thermal plant uses heat and electricity generated by the sun to generate steam, which drives a turbine to produce electricity.
From solar power inverters to switchboards, solar power plants contain various electrical equipment that must be protected. To ensure optimal operation of equipment, the electronic enclosure must be durable enough to withstand weather hazards, UV radiation, temperature extremes and potential sea spray from coastal environments.
Outdoor electronic enclosures are recommended for solar power plants—more specifically, non-metallic enclosures. Non-metallic enclosures designed from materials such as durable, polycarbonate plastic provide a wide variety of benefits that make them well-suited for solar power applications.
Plastic enclosures are lightweight, affordable, corrosion-resistant, durable and easily modified to meet the specific design needs for the application at hand. A weatherproof and waterproof enclosure is recommended for solar power applications, as they can provide the needed protection against rain, sleet and snow, as well UV radiation protection.
While solar, wind and hydropower often dominate the headlines, biomass energy has quietly offered a large source of renewable energy since the beginning of time.
Biomass is the name for a wide range of organic materials which can be used to produce energy. This can include forestry products, energy crops (i.e., miscanthus, switchgrass and sorghum) and agricultural byproducts such as straw or corn stover.
In a biomass power plant, biomass products are burned and used to heat a boiler. The boiler creates steam, which drives a turbine. The turbine powers a generator, which then creates electricity.
Biomass can also be converted to a gas called biogas or into liquid biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel) to serve industrial and commercial markets. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), only 5 percent of total primary energy usage in the U.S. came from biomass fuels.
While this may not seem like much, keep in mind that there are over 100 biomass facilities in the U.S. and many more in Europe. As technology advances and biomass becomes less expensive, it is expected to play a key role in energy consumption in the future.
Engineers in a biomass power plant must take multiple factors into consideration when selecting an electronics enclosure. First and foremost, biomass power plants can be susceptible to fire and explosion.
Biomass plants use wood chips, pellets, methane, sawdust, forestry and other materials that are highly flammable. When stored in a pile before burning, it can result in spontaneous fires and heat due to dry conditions.
Combustible dust explosions are a problem that many power plants face, including biomass facilities. This dust acts as a fuel source which creates potential explosion hazards.
Installing an explosion-proof enclosure is critical in hazardous situations such as these. Therefore, NEMA enclosures with a rating of 7 or 10 are well-suited for biomass plants as they are built to contain internal explosions. These enclosures will also add a degree of protection against harsh chemicals in a biomass plant.
Hydropower is currently the most efficient way to produce electricity, converting up to 90 percent of available energy into electricity. Hydropower is also able to provide emergency power quickly during major blackouts and disruptions to the electric grid.
This, in addition to its low cost and environmentally-friendly qualities, make hydropower one of the best alternative energy sources in the world. According to the World Energy Council, hydropower currently supplies 71 percent of renewable electricity globally.
The United States is a large producer of hydropower, trailing just behind China, Canada and Brazil. Hydropower facilities are located all over the U.S. and range from small systems to supply towns with power to large plants such as dams.
Hydroelectric power, or hydropower, refers to the conversion of water into electricity. In large hydropower systems, a dam stores water into a reservoir where it spins rotors on a turbine. The turbine is connected to an electromagnetic generator which generates electricity. Transmission lines conduct this electricity from the facility to consumers.
Hydropower plants use a wide range of electrical equipment to modulate flow rates and power output. Electrical systems include everything from circuit breakers and switch boxes to remote monitoring control systems and water tank regulators.
To protect this valuable equipment, it’s important to consider their location. If electrical equipment is outdoors, located in a moist atmosphere or submersed underwater, housing electrical components inside a waterproof enclosure is crucial.
NEMA 6P-rated enclosures are water-resistant and can be submersed in water–making them a good choice for hydropower facilities. Additionally, design engineers should consider the material of the enclosure. NEMA 6P-rated plastic enclosures will not deteriorate in water.
Ensuring that your NEMA 6P-rated enclosure is watertight is key to protecting your valuable electrical equipment and keeping operations running at peak efficiency. Keep in mind that if you modify your NEMA 6P enclosure with cutouts, it will lose its rating. However, this can be easily restored with waterproof cable glands.
Wind energy is one of the most economical renewable energy sources we have today. Not only do they take up much less land compared to solar energy, but a single wind turbine can power 600 homes.
According to the Department of Energy, the total wind capacity is projected to reach 404.25 GW (gigawatts) across 50 states by 2050. To put that in perspective, that’s an increase of nearly 344 GW from 2013.
We’ve been using wind turbines for thousands of years. While early wind turbines left much to be desired, today’s advanced technologies are powering us to a cleaner future.
Wind turbines are most often installed on private land. They have two or three giant aerodynamic propeller blades which are connected to a rotor, which is subsequently connected to a generator inside the main shaft.
When wind turns the blades, it also turns the rotor, turning kinetic energy into mechanical energy. The rotor drives the generator, which generates electricity. The electricity travels as a direct current (DC) down the interior of the tower to the base.
Once at the base, a converter transforms it into alternating current (AC). A transformer located inside the wind farm raises the voltage for transport, sends it to the substation and feeds it into the power grid for consumers.
Weather and weight will be the two most important factors to consider when selecting an enclosure for wind power applications. A lightweight, weather-resistant enclosure is ideal for wind energy applications.
Wind turbines are exposed to harsh environments that require rugged protection for electrical components. Weather elements, including rain, sleet and snow, require a NEMA rating of at least 4, while wind turbines in marine environments may need added protection from corrosion with a NEMA 4X-rated enclosure.
For a lightweight, yet rugged construction, consider an enclosure made from polycarbonate. NEMA 4x plastic enclosures molded from flame-retardant ABS plastic are lightweight, yet rugged enough to withstand tough indoor environments.
Key fob enclosures may be another wind power consideration for design engineers. Wind turbines often use remote computer monitoring systems that relay information such as wind speed and temperature. In such instances, key fob enclosures can be a convenient method to house these remote devices.
Geothermal energy is already heating many homes in the United States and across the world. It’s also poised to play a significant role in the future as our technology continues to advance.
Supporting this projection is Bill Gates, who has long stressed the importance of this clean energy source. Gates recently added a geothermal startup to his clean energy fund to convert more of the earth’s heat into a green source of energy.
Geothermal energy systems are designed to use the earth’s natural temperature to heat and cool homes, reducing heating and cooling costs for homeowners. In addition to cost-savings, homeowners are also attracted to geothermal energy because it doesn’t burn fossil fuels to generate heat.
Heat from the earth warms water that is stored in underground reservoirs. When the water gets hot, it breaks through the earth’s crust in the form of steam.
Previously, we were limited to taking advantage of this energy where it came from the earth naturally. Today, geothermal technologies have advanced significantly, and we can now extract energy from the earth to heat and cool residential homes.
In residential homes, there are a few different ways to install a geothermal system. Many homeowners use ground heat exchangers to pump fluid through a closed-loop system. Loops are buried within the soil and circulate refrigerant fluid through the ground to heat the home.
In dry steam geothermal power plants, the process is fairly straightforward. Underground steam flows to a turbine, which drives a generator to produce electricity.
In both dry steam geothermal power plants and residential geothermal, heat and outdoor elements will be the two main considerations when choosing an electronics enclosure. Outdoor enclosures are designed to offer a degree of protection against dust, dirt, water and other harsh environments.
Outdoor enclosures can be made from stainless steel, aluminum, plastic and other durable materials. Because geothermal energy involves the use of hot fluid and steam, an enclosure material that can withstand high temperatures is critical.
Aluminum enclosures have significant benefits, one of which is their ability to endure heat. Thus, NEMA aluminum enclosures are an ideal choice for protecting electrical components in geothermal systems.
As alternative energy becomes more affordable and necessary, design engineers will need to discover new ways to protect their advanced electrical equipment. Polycase offers a wide range of high-quality enclosures designed to meet the needs of various industry applications.
At Polycase, we manufacture electronic enclosures that are built to last. Molded from ASB polycarbonate plastic, our cost-effective and dependable products are made to withstand high-temperatures, natural elements and tough environments.
We offer full customization services to ensure that your enclosure will meet the specific needs of your application. With our advanced CNC machining equipment and over 65 years of experience in the electronics industry, we can machine connectors, wires, vent holes and more to fully customize your enclosure.
Our state-of-the-art CNC machining allows us to design the ideal enclosure for nearly any industry. Have questions or comments? Get in touch with us and let’s discuss your next project!