Main Risks in Low-Temperature Environments
When laser equipment operates or is stored in environments below 5°C, it can easily cause core components like the laser and external optical path lenses to malfunction due to the low temperature, or lead to freezing in the water-cooling pipes. In severe cases, this may result in deformation or rupture of the internal piping in the water-cooling system. If the equipment is started after pipe rupture, leaking coolant may cause circuit short circuits and corrode precision optical components. To avoid unnecessary losses, please add antifreeze or take other anti-freeze measures for your equipment in a timely manner.
Winter Anti-freeze Measures for Laser Equipment (Water-cooled)
- Environmental Temperature Maintenance: Ensure the operating/storage environment temperature remains above 5°C by installing air conditioning or heating facilities.
- Maintain Water Circulation: If the ambient temperature is below 0°C and conditions permit, it is recommended to keep the water chiller running 24 hours a day to ensure continuous flow of cooling water and prevent freezing.
- Drain the Coolant: When the equipment is shut down for a long time or there is a risk of power outage, be sure to completely drain the coolant from the water chiller and store it in an environment above 5°C.
- Add Antifreeze: When the temperature may drop below 5°C, add special laser equipment antifreeze to the machine promptly.
Recommendations for Antifreeze Use
- Timing and Ratio: Add antifreeze before the temperature drops below 5°C. The mixing ratio of antifreeze with pure water/distilled water is typically 3:7 (i.e., 30% concentration). Excessively high concentration may corrode or block the pipes.
- Draining and Cleaning: When the temperature remains consistently above 5°C, the antifreeze must be completely drained, and the cooling system should be flushed multiple times with pure water or distilled water. After confirming no residue remains, refill with conventional cooling water.
Regular Inspection and Maintenance
- Coolant: Regularly check the coolant level and condition to ensure it is sufficient.
- Cooling System: Regularly inspect water pipes, joints, and valves to ensure there are no signs of leakage, blockage, or aging.
- Filters and Radiators: Regularly clean dust from the surfaces of filters and radiators to ensure smooth water flow and effective heat dissipation.
Precautions for Starting Up in Winter
- Confirm Environment: Ensure the equipment's ambient temperature is between 5-35°C.
- Check for Freezing: Before starting up, check whether the water-cooling pipes are frozen. If frozen, strictly prohibit forced startup.
- Natural Thawing: If freezing is present, use air conditioning or other facilities to raise the ambient temperature to between 5-35°C and let it sit for more than 4 hours to thaw naturally. Do not use violent de-icing methods to avoid damaging the equipment hardware.
- Preheat the Equipment: After confirming no ice remains, start the water chiller alone first to allow its internal temperature to rise. Only start the laser after the water chiller temperature reaches about 22°C.
- Laser Preheat: After starting the laser, first set the energy level below 30%, and perform idle light output for about 10 minutes for preheating before proceeding with normal production operations.
The above guidelines aim to help you effectively perform winter maintenance on water-cooled laser equipment. Hubei Buva Technology Co., Ltd. as a high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, and sales of laser engineering application equipment, is committed to providing continuous support for the stable operation of your equipment.
