Moisture control systems for electrical enclosures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10448525-B2
Application number	US-201615278986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A moisture control system for an electrical enclosure can include a control module. The system can also include a drain assembly coupled to the control module, where the drain assembly is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, where the drain assembly is configured to remove, based on instructions received from the control module, liquid from the cavity to the ambient environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A moisture control system for an electrical enclosure, wherein the moisture control system comprises:
a controller; and
a drain assembly coupled to the controller, wherein the drain assembly is disposed, at least in part, within a cavity formed by the electrical enclosure, wherein the drain assembly comprises:
a plurality of drain assembly components that forms a path for removing liquid from within the cavity to an ambient environment outside the electrical enclosure; and
an electro-mechanical device disposed outside the path, wherein the controller is configured to operate the drain assembly in an active cleaning mode by cycling the drain assembly for the purpose of maintaining clearance in the path to allow the liquid to traverse the path from within the cavity to the ambient environment outside the electrical enclosure.

2. The moisture control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the controller operates the drain assembly based on the at least one parameter measured by the at least one sensor.

3. The moisture control system of claim 1 , wherein the drain assembly further comprises at least one drain solenoid, wherein the controller selectively provides power to the at least one drain solenoid to operate the drain assembly between a closed drain state and an open drain state.

4. The moisture control system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one drain solenoid of the drain assembly comprises two drain solenoids that form a push-pull configuration for a shaft of the drain assembly.

5. The moisture control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a vent assembly coupled to the controller, wherein the vent assembly is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the vent assembly is configured to allow ambient air to flow therethrough to the cavity, thereby reducing a pressure within the cavity, wherein the controller operates the vent assembly between a closed vent state and an open vent state.

6. The moisture control system of claim 5 , further comprising:
at least one sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one sensor measures at least one parameter within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the controller operates the vent assembly based on the at least one parameter measured by the at least one sensor.

7. The moisture control system of claim 5 , wherein the vent assembly comprises at least one vent solenoid, wherein the controller selectively provides power to the at least one vent solenoid to operate the vent assembly between the closed vent state and the open vent state.

8. The moisture control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) disposed against a thermally conductive component within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the TEC is coupled to the controller, wherein the TEC operates to alter at least one parameter within the cavity.

9. The moisture control system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a dew point, a temperature, and a humidity, and wherein the TEC operates, based on instructions from the controller, to lower the at least one parameter, at least locally, of the thermally conductive component within the cavity of the electrical enclosure.

10. The moisture control system of claim 9 , wherein the thermally conductive component, when cooled by the TEC, promotes formation of the liquid within the cavity of the electrical enclosure.

11. The moisture control system of claim 10 , further comprising:
at least one sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the at least one sensor measures the at least one parameter within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the controller operates the TEC based on the at least one parameter measured by the at least one sensor.

12. The moisture control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises:
a hardware processor;
a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and
a control engine that executes the plurality of instructions using the hardware processor to operate the electro-mechanical device of the drain assembly.

13. The moisture control system of claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises a plurality of algorithms, wherein the controller operates in one of a plurality of modes using the plurality of algorithms.

14. An electrical enclosure comprising:
an enclosure body that forms a cavity;
an enclosure cover coupled to the enclosure body, wherein the enclosure cover, when coupled to the enclosure body, encloses the cavity; and
a moisture control system disposed, at least in part, within the cavity, wherein the moisture control system controls at least one condition within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the moisture control system comprises:
a controller; and
a drain assembly coupled to the controller, wherein the drain assembly is disposed, at least in part, within the cavity of the electrical enclosure, wherein the drain assembly comprises:
a plurality of drain assembly components that forms a path for removing liquid from within the cavity to an ambient environment outside the electrical enclosure; and
an electro-mechanical device disposed outside the path, wherein the controller is configured to operate the drain assembly in an active cleaning mode by cycling the drain assembly for the purpose of maintaining clearance in the path from within the cavity to the ambient environment.

15. The electrical enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the ambient environment is a hazardous environment.

16. The electrical enclosure of claim 15 , wherein a portion of the drain assembly forms a flame path that complies with at least one standard applicable to the enclosure body and the enclosure cover, when coupled to each other, in the hazardous environment.

17. The electrical enclosure of claim 14 , further comprising:
at least one electrical device disposed within the cavity, wherein the at least one electrical device is vulnerable to an abnormal level of the at least one condition.

18. The electrical enclosure of claim 14 , further comprising:
a power supply that provides power to the controller and the drain assembly.

19. The electrical enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a network manager to report a status of the moisture control system.

Assignees

• Manahan Joseph Michael
• Taylor Jesse Wade
• Freer Benjamin Avery
• Iannce Stephan P
• Aldrich Alvah B
• Ledgerwood Adam Douglas
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Manahan Joseph Michael
• Taylor Jesse Wade
• Freer Benjamin Avery
• Iannce Stephan P
• Aldrich Alvah B
• Ledgerwood Adam Douglas

Classifications

• H05K7/20

  Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating · CPC title

• H05K5/0213 Primary

  Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof · CPC title

• H05K5/0212 Primary

  Condensation eliminators · CPC title