Explosion-proof enclosures with active thermal management using sintered elements
First Claim
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1. An enclosure, comprising:
- a housing having a cavity and a first opening in a first wall of the cavity, wherein the first opening comprises first mating threads;
a first filter holder comprising second mating threads that complement the first mating threads, wherein the first filter holder couples to the first opening of the housing by rotating the second mating threads into the first mating threads, and wherein the first filter holder is positioned within the first opening when the first filter holder is threadably coupled to the housing;
a first sintered filter coupled to the first filter holder, wherein the first sintered filter allows heated air to pass therethrough between the cavity and an exterior of the housing;
a first fan positioned within the housing and proximate to the first sintered filter, wherein the first fan, in conjunction with the first sintered filter, creates a pressure differential to force the heated air through the first sintered filter; and
a cylindrical tubing coupled to the first filter holder, wherein the cylindrical tubing is bent to prevent water from entering the cavity,wherein the first sintered filter cools the cavity by passing the heated air to the exterior of the housing.
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Abstract
Enclosures for use in hazardous areas include sintered filters for thermal management. The enclosures include an opening to which a filter holder housing and sintered filter are coupled. The enclosures can also include a second opening to which a vent or a second filter holder housing and sintered filter are coupled. The internal temperature of the enclosures can be actively managed by such a system because air within the enclosure can be displaced to and from the atmosphere through the sintered filters. Air from the atmosphere enters the enclosure via the second opening and exits the enclosure via the first opening.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An enclosure, comprising:
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a housing having a cavity and a first opening in a first wall of the cavity, wherein the first opening comprises first mating threads; a first filter holder comprising second mating threads that complement the first mating threads, wherein the first filter holder couples to the first opening of the housing by rotating the second mating threads into the first mating threads, and wherein the first filter holder is positioned within the first opening when the first filter holder is threadably coupled to the housing; a first sintered filter coupled to the first filter holder, wherein the first sintered filter allows heated air to pass therethrough between the cavity and an exterior of the housing; a first fan positioned within the housing and proximate to the first sintered filter, wherein the first fan, in conjunction with the first sintered filter, creates a pressure differential to force the heated air through the first sintered filter; and a cylindrical tubing coupled to the first filter holder, wherein the cylindrical tubing is bent to prevent water from entering the cavity, wherein the first sintered filter cools the cavity by passing the heated air to the exterior of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An explosion-proof enclosure, comprising:
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a housing having a plurality of walls forming a cavity, a first opening in a first wall of the plurality of walls, and a second opening in a second wall of the plurality of walls, wherein the housing is configured for use in a hazardous area; a first air displacement system comprising a first sintered filter coupled to a first filter holder and a fan positioned within the housing proximate to the first sintered filter, wherein the first filter holder comprises a flange, wherein the flange is coupled to the first opening, wherein the fan, in conjunction with the first sintered filter, creates a pressure differential to force heated air from within the cavity through the first sintered filter to an exterior of the housing; and a cylindrical tubing coupled to the first filter holder, wherein the cylindrical tubing is bent to prevent water from entering the cavity, wherein the first sintered filter cools the cavity by passing the heated air to the exterior of the housing, and wherein the first sintered filter also arrests a flame to contain an explosion within the housing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An explosion-proof enclosure having active thermal management capabilities, comprising:
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a housing having a cavity, a first opening having first mating threads, and a second opening; a sintered filter system comprising a sintered filter and a filter holder, wherein the filter holder comprises second mating threads that complement the first mating threads, wherein the filter holder couples to the housing by rotating the second mating threads into the first mating threads, wherein the sintered filter system allows heated air to pass therethrough between the cavity and an exterior of the housing; an air displacement system coupled to the second opening and sealed to the housing, wherein the air displacement system, in conjunction with the sintered filter, allows the heated air to pass from the cavity through the sintered filter to an exterior of the housing; a control system comprising a sensor and a controller, wherein the sensor is a temperature gauge; and a temperature element coupled to the controller and positioned inside the housing, wherein the temperature element is operable by the control system, and wherein the temperature element comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a heating element and a cooling element, wherein the sintered filter cools the cavity by passing the heated air to the exterior of the housing, wherein the sintered filter arrests a flame to contain an explosion within the housing, and wherein the sintered filter is manufactured using fuse deposition techniques and computational fluid dynamics to control a size and a shape of channels within the sintered filter, wherein the size and the shape of the channels produce a length and a pore size for each flame path to suppress a flame while providing a flow of heated air therethrough.
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Specification