A method for cooling and pressurizing a laser imaging head includes the steps of: providing the imaging head with components including a laser source, a light valve for modulating light from the laser source, and optics for transferring an image to a medium; enclosing the imaging head within a non-hermetically sealed enclosure; and providing a flow of cooled air at a predetermined cool air temperature and at a controlled positive air pressure into the sealed enclosure through an inlet from a vortex tube operating from compressed air, wherein the cooled air flow and the predetermined cooled air temperature are controlled by the vortex tube to maintain an operating temperature of the components within the imaging head within a predetermined operating range, and wherein the positive air pressure is maintained within the sealed enclosure with respect to ambient air pressure outside of the sealed enclosure due to the controlled flow of cooled air entering the sealed enclosure.