Heat exchanger for outdoor equipment enclosures

摘要

A cooling system for an outdoor equipment enclosure includes a nested columnar heat exchanger used in combination with a diverter for controlling the flow of outdoor air. The heat exchanger includes an interior column coupled to a upper exhaust fan for drawing outside air upward through the enclosure. An outer column, formed to surround the interior column, provides a path for interior air flow. The diverter is positioned between the main equipment compartment and an underlying battery compartment. During the period of time that the outdoor air is warmer than the air in the battery compartment, the diverter guides the outdoor air directly into the heat exchanger. When the outdoor temperature drops, the diverter closes off this path and instead forces the outdoor air through the battery compartment and then into the heat exchanger, thereby cooling off the batteries as well as lowering the temperature in the main equipment enclosure.