• • • SAFETY IN ENGINEERING • • •
Another way of preventing overheating is by making sure your resistor’s cooling system is up to scratch. The principal methods of dissipating heat are water cooling and convection cooling, which is also known as air cooling. The two types of convection cooling are natural and forced convection which require minimal maintenance and are cost-effective to run. However, the bulkiness of the fans used mean they are not suitable for space-limited applications. Additionally, a fan’s reliance on ambient temperatures reduces its effectiveness in warmer environments, putting resistors at greater risk of overheating. Water cooling not only requires less space and energy, but it also offers a more efficient solution for dissipating heat in applications with high continuous power requirements. Since liquid has a higher density than air, it also has a higher capacity for carrying heat.
Maintenance matters While equipping your resistors with the right protection is essential, the importance of proactive maintenance in extending their lifespan should not be overlooked. Even well-protected systems can encounter dust and particulate contamination during their lifetime. Scheduling regular inspections of your setup allows you to identify early signs of moisture, dust or dirt and mitigate any risks to the lifespan and performance of your resistors. The proactive maintenance routine should include removing any particulates that have accumulated on the
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resistor, using a suitably designed brush or air cleaning method. Additionally, you should continually monitor the operating environment and temperature of your application to ensure that the protection you have put in place is effective in safeguarding against damage. Particularly important for custom resistors that employ a unique design or engineering technique, the financial and time investment of recommissioning,
designing and delivering a replacement, is something end-users wish to avoid if at all possible.
Ignoring the need to maintain resistors not only worsens their performance but can affect the safety and functionality of the entire system. Putting the right systems in place and undertaking regular proactive maintenance ensures resistors work effectively now and well into the future.
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