Ventilated enclosures are generally used to protect a wide array of different devices by preventing solid and liquid contaminants from entering and damaging contents, while still allowing for the free flow of gases. Ventilated enclosures offer a cost-effective solution to improve gasket life as well as the seals that are used within the enclosure.
Ventilated enclosures come with a number of advantages including effective pressure equalization that is able to address changes in both temperature and altitude.
Ventilated enclosures also provide tight protection against dust and water, as well as protection from solvents, oils and other types of low-surface energy liquids.
Another major advantage of ventilated enclosures is their ability to transmit sound for microphone and speaker acoustic applications.
These advantages are available with ventilated enclosures able to be used in a large array of different business markets, including automotive, medical electronics, outdoor electronics, and consumer electronics. All these markets come with very different environments that need to be taken into account within the design and application of ventilated enclosures in order to achieve full protection.
Automotive
Automotive applications come with a number of environmental challenges and unique requirements in regards to performance.
Lighting includes decorative lighting as well as fog lamps and front and rear headlamps. Such applications can encounter condensation and fogging and may need the venting to avoid a build-up of heat within the lighting enclosure. Swings in temperature caused by the lights being turned off and on may also need venting to avoid the enclosure’s seals deteriorating due to pressure differences. Effective ventilated enclosures provide the airflow that is required to dissipate such heat and remove any moisture vapour from within the enclosure to cut down on fogging and ensure optimum lighting performance.
Medical electronics
Ventilated enclosures for medical electronics include the likes of hearing and sensor applications in addition to battery systems, all of which come with their own performance requirements. Ventilated enclosures can be used to protect AED devices, pumps, meters, hearing aids and monitors from liquids and dust.
Outdoor Electronics
Telecommunication devices are everywhere these days, and will only become more prevalent still with the development of new and even more efficient technology. Telecommunication devices need ventilation enclosures to dissipate heat and equalize pressure while ensuring continued environmental protection. Ventilation enclosures can protect against liquids even in high-pressure spraying conditions and high temperatures because of their robust design.
Consumer electronics
Ventilation enclosures in consumer electronics include the likes of acoustic applications, as well as other functions.
Ventilation enclosures are often used to make mobile devices waterproof at the speaker and microphone locations. Such devices can include the likes of tablets, cameras, smartphones and wearable technology. These ventilation enclosures need to allow for the effective transmission of sound through the vent whilst preventing the buildup of pressure in the microphone cavity or speaker. Ventilated enclosures also prevent dust and liquid from building up on the speaker or microphone.
Enclosures are simple but vital, and it is crucial to ensure that a ventilated enclosure of the right type is chosen for a particular application in order to ensure you are receiving all of its inherent benefits.
