As an important equipment carrier in the power system, the outdoor electrical cabinet has a complex operating environment. It is exposed to wind, sun, rain and dust for a long time. It is easy to cause equipment aging, insulation performance degradation, and even failure due to moisture and dust. Therefore, scientific and reasonable moisture-proof and dust-proof design is the key to ensure the long-term stable operation of the electrical cabinet. The following seven design points are proposed from the dimensions of structure, material, ventilation, sealing and maintenance.
The outdoor electrical cabinet should adopt a double-layer door structure, with the outer door protecting rainwater and the inner door isolating moisture to improve the overall sealing. The cabinet material should preferably be stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The former has strong corrosion resistance and is suitable for high humidity environments; the latter has excellent heat dissipation performance and is suitable for high temperature areas. If the budget is limited, the cold-rolled steel plate needs to be galvanized or sprayed to enhance corrosion resistance.
Cable holes, tunnels and wall bushings need to be strictly sealed and filled with waterproof glue or fireproof mud to prevent moisture intrusion. The outlet design should be tilted downward to avoid rainwater backflow. At the same time, a drainage hole is installed at the bottom of the cabinet to ensure that the internal water can be discharged in time.
Natural ventilation combined with mechanical dehumidification is the core strategy for moisture prevention. An oblique downward air inlet is set on the top of the cabinet, and a decorative panel is installed on the outside to block horizontal rainwater. A water baffle is set on the inside to further intercept a small amount of rainwater. The bottom air outlet cooperates with the exhaust fan to form air convection and keep the interior dry. For environments with high humidity, an anti-condensation device or dehumidifier can be installed to automatically adjust the humidity and avoid condensation.
Dust prevention requires controlling dust entry from the source. The air inlet design requires a filter device to block large particles of dust. For sensitive devices, a sealed cabin design can be used, combined with a brush or tower-shaped rubber seal to achieve a local IP6X protection level and reduce the impact of dust on key components.
Introduce temperature and humidity sensors and monitoring systems to monitor the environmental parameters in the cabinet in real time. When the humidity or dust concentration exceeds the standard, the system automatically alarms and prompts the operation and maintenance personnel to deal with it in time.
During the installation process, ensure that the cabinet is placed horizontally to avoid water accumulation caused by tilting. The cable entry port needs to be sealed to prevent moisture from penetrating along the gap. A sealing test should be carried out after construction, such as verifying the protection effect through a smoke test.
Moisture and dust prevention measures need to be accompanied by regular maintenance. For example, clean the air inlet filter, check the aging of the sealing strip, and record humidity data to optimize the protection strategy. For coastal or high-humidity areas, the protection plan can be upgraded, such as adding a dehumidifier or switching to a fully enclosed structure with air conditioning, but the cost and energy efficiency need to be weighed.
Outdoor electrical cabinets can achieve high-efficiency moisture and dust prevention, significantly extending the life of the equipment. In actual projects, the plan needs to be flexibly adjusted according to the specific environment. For example, the dust prevention design needs to be strengthened in desert areas, and the coastal areas need to focus on anti-corrosion treatment. The combination of scientific design and rigorous construction is the core to ensure the stable operation of electrical cabinets.
