In applications with high-power lasers, it is necessary to control the temperature of the laser oscillator and the optical system independently of each other. Whereas two cooling and temperature control units were previously required for this, SMC now offers a solution in the HRL series that can control temperatures separately. The combination of two cooling and temperature control units in one housing minimizes the cabling effort - for example, only one power supply is required for two channels and the footprint is reduced by more than a fifth (22 percent). The size of the HRL series is almost the same as that of a single cooling and temperature control unit (such as the HRSH series).

To ensure that the devices in the HRL series deliver their best performance safely and reliably, they are equipped as standard with options such as a deionized water filter, bypass valve and a control system for electrical conductivity. As laser applications require cooling with deionized water, the cooling can be adapted to the water specification of a laser. Thanks to the bypass valve, pressure fluctuations can be compensated for and the specific electrical conductivity of the circulating medium can be freely adjusted via the touch panel.

According to the manufacturer, another highlight is the integrated triple inverter control for the compressor, fan and pumps using a frequency inverter: this adjusts the motor speed of the three components to each other depending on the load, thus reducing power consumption by almost a third (30 percent) compared to a system without a frequency inverter. In addition, the waste heat generated by the compressor is used to heat the circulating fluid. This eliminates the need to install an additional heating element, thus saving space and costs.

The HRL series comprises three models with cooling capacities of 9, 19 and 26 kilowatts and temperature stability of plus/minus 0.1 degrees Celsius (channel 1, adjustable temperature range: 15 to 25 degrees Celsius, e.g. for laser oscillators). In all variants, the second, separate cooling circuit provides a cooling capacity of one kilowatt, while the temperature stability is plus/minus 0.5 degrees Celsius (channel 2, adjustable temperature range: 20 to 40 degrees Celsius, for example for optical laser system).

All models are equipped with a serial interface and can be operated via a touch panel, making it easy to connect the HRL cooling and temperature control units to control systems. Advanced control functions such as test display, self-diagnosis and 38 types of alarm codes ensure safe operation.

In general, the HRL series can be used in all laser applications where two different heat sources need to be tempered - such as an oscillator and an optical system, for example in automotive and semiconductor production as well as in the medical or optical industry. as