High refrigeration factors, a compact and lightweight design, and attractive industrial styling are the distinguishing features of Rittal Thermoelectric Coolers (RTC). The latest generation of our Peltier cooling units now offers even greater benefits: Heating and cooling in one unit. What is more, a user-friendly software package offers an extensive array of diagnosis and monitoring tools, coupled with simple parameterisation.

When electronics are exposed to rapidly changing ambient temperatures, alongside effective cooling, it is often necessary to heat the enclosure as well in order to achieve climate control. This prevents the potentially hazardous scenario of the temperature falling below the dew point, and ensures that the electronics inside the enclosure remain operational even at low ambient temperatures. The RTC from Rittal can now take care of both of these functions: Heating and cooling in one and the same climate control unit. The unit switches automatically between heating and cooling mode.

Optimum values to suit most applications are preset in the factory: Cooling function setpoint 35°C and heating function setpoint 5°C. If the setpoint is exceeded or undercut, cooling or heating mode will cut in.
 

In order to achieve cooling outputs of greater than 100 W per enclosure with the benefits of Peltier technology, the RTCs are designed to support gap-free baying, either longitudinally or horizontally. Unlike compressor cooling units, with Peltier technology the angle of the RTC is non-critical. Only the need for reliable condensate drainage limits the angle of tilt to around 45 degrees. One new feature is that each unit supports the operating modes stand-alone (default setting), master or slave. The master RTC can control up to four slaves. This ensures that the climate control units operate in accordance with the cooling strategy of the master. The master communicates with its slave units via an RJ 45 interface.

The RTC has an internal memory in which all relevant operating data is saved. This data can easily be evaluated using the software supplied with the unit. This can also be used to parameterise the units - for alternative setpoints and alarm settings for cooling and heating, and for master/slave operation. To this end, the RTC may be connected to a laptop using a USB interface.

The speeds and capacity utilisation levels for both external fans, the internal fan, and the ambient and internal temperature of the enclosure are displayed as the current operating data. An elapsed-time meter lists the values for total runtime, cooling and heating mode. A status display contains information on the current operating mode and, where applicable, displays error or alarm messages.