How To Prevent Laser Condensation In Summer?

Condensation refers to the phenomenon that when the water vapor in the air reaches a saturated state if the ambient temperature continues to drop, the supersaturated water vapor in the air condenses into water and precipitates out. Simply put, when we put an object under a certain temperature, humidity and pressure, gradually reduce its temperature, when the temperature of the object drops below the “dew point temperature” of the environment (that is, the temperature of the surrounding air), the object precipitates and “condenses” Water”), the surface of the object will deposit water and dew, which is condensation. For example, when you walk from an air-conditioned room with glasses to the outdoors in summer, your glasses are foggy, which is also a phenomenon of condensation.

The harm of condensation to the laser

For laser cavities, optical components, and some electronic modules of lasers that require water cooling, if they work in a high temperature and high humidity environment for a long time, condensation will appear on the surface of the object. This will increase the probability of failure of the electronic module immersed in water, and may also cause the lens to be contaminated by water mist and cannot be used or burned.

• Use dew point temperature checklist

When the laser cooling water temperature is set lower than the corresponding dew point temperature in the table below, condensation is likely to occur. Training end-users to use the dew point temperature checklist can effectively reduce the risk of condensation in the environment of the laser and the processing head.

The left side is the current working environment temperature, and the top side is the current working environment humidity. The intersection temperature of the temperature and humidity parameters is the “dew point temperature” in this environment. Therefore, the adjustment principles are as follows:

The low-temperature water should be adjusted within the range of 15-30℃, and should not be lower than the dew point temperature of the environment inside the laser, and should be as close to 25℃ as possible.

Normal temperature water should be adjusted within the range of 5-30℃, and should not be lower than the dew point temperature of the working environment of the laser head, and should be as close to the current ambient temperature as possible. Otherwise, the working environment needs to be improved according to the dew point temperature look-up table.

Note: If the temperature and humidity fluctuate greatly on the day of use, the dew point temperature must be calculated based on the maximum possible value of temperature and humidity, otherwise condensation may still occur and damage the laser and laser output head.

Lasers above 1500 watts must be equipped with an air-conditioned room. If the air conditioner is not installed, it is prohibited to turn on, otherwise, the laser will be 100% dew, and related failures caused by dew will not be covered by the warranty.

Since condensation is an objective physical phenomenon, it cannot be avoided 100%, but we still need to remind everyone that when using the laser: be sure to minimize the temperature difference between the laser’s operating environment and its cooling temperature.

• Water temperature setting

High and low water cooling, set the laser cooling water temperature strictly according to the factory temperature (low-temperature 23℃, high temperature: set according to the external environment)

The cooling water temperature of the laser output head is 2℃-3℃ higher than the ambient temperature.

• Anti-condensation boot operation

Start the total power of the laser (the air conditioner is turned on), and the air conditioner runs for about 30 minutes.

Start the supporting water cooler, wait for the water temperature to rise to the preset temperature, and the laser emits light.
It is recommended that under the premise of ensuring safety, the laser should be powered off at night to keep the air conditioner in continuous operation or install the laser in an air-conditioned room.

• Anti-condensation shutdown operation

The laser stops emitting light and turns off the light-emitting signal and the enable switch.

Turn off the water cooler after 5-10 minutes.

Turn off the air conditioner (total power) after 30 minutes.

• Air conditioning maintenance

In high-temperature environments, in order to ensure that the external air conditioner works normally, clean the air conditioner filter regularly to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.

• Ensure the enclosure is sealed

The case of the fiber laser adopts a closed design and is equipped with a case air conditioner or dehumidifier, the purpose of which is to ensure that the various components in the case are in a relatively stable and safe temperature and humidity environment. If the case is not in a closed state, the high-temperature and high-humidity air outside the case can enter the case. When it encounters internal water-cooled components, it will condense on its surface, causing possible damage. In order to enable the laser to start immediately, the air-conditioned room needs to be sealed to reduce air circulation inside and outside the air-conditioned room. The airtightness of the chassis needs to be checked in the following aspects:

1. Check whether each cabinet door exists and is closed tightly;
2. Whether the lifting bolts on the top are tightened;
3. Whether the protective cover of the unused communication control interface at the rear of the chassis is covered, and whether the used ones are fixed.

The above points are some effective measures to prevent the risk of fiber laser condensation. If you encounter other problems while using the fiber laser cutting machine, you can leave us a message for consultation, and our technicians will reply to you as soon as possible. I hope it can help you.