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Introduction
This Article takes an In-depth look at Environmental Test Chambers
You will learn more about topics such as:
What is an Environmental Test Chamber?
How Does an Environmental Test Chamber Work?
Applications of Environmental Testing Chambers
Types of Environmental Testing Chambers
Components of an Environmental Test Chamber
Benefits of an Environmental Testing Chamber
What is an Environmental Test Chamber?
An environmental test chamber is a chamber that creates atmospheric conditions that can influence the performance, function, and capabilities of assemblies and components. It is a sophisticated instrument that provides data in regard to how a product will react under normal and extraordinary use. Researchers use environmental test chambers to create conditions, such as high humidity, temperature variances, and high or low pressure, to closely examine the reaction of a product.
Environmental testing ensures companies of the quality of their products. Samples are subjected to various tests to measure their reliability and performance. Results can determine if a product has the potential of corroding and rusting or if it produces some form of emissions.
Data accumulated from an environmental test chamber can help:
Analyze the strengths and limitations of a product.
Estimate the lifespan of a product.
Evaluate how a product will react in specific conditions through minute control.
Determine viability materials for manufacturing a product.
How Does an Environmental Test Chamber Work?
To create a range of conditions, test chambers use heaters and refrigerator systems to increase or decrease temperatures. Humidity is created by steam generators to either add or remove moisture. Air dryers can add to humidity ranges to significantly lower the humidity range. Salt water environments are created with a salt spray solution that is forced into the chamber from a compressed air tank.
There are multiple types of temperature testing with a different chamber for each type. Steady testing chambers maintain the same conditions over a long period of time. They have precise temperature control to ensure accuracy of the final readings.
Thermal cycling chambers cycle through preset temperatures to test an item at a number of different temperatures. The cycling process eliminates the need for an operator to adjust and change temperatures as well as prevents any uncertainty in the test results. Since the rate of change is crucial, thermal cycling chambers give researchers the ability to design temperature gradients.
A key feature for environmental test chambers is the range of temperatures they can create. Most chambers have temperatures that range from -80°C or -112°F to +300°C or +672°F. Precision and accuracy in temperature settings is important and has to closely approximate the desired testing temperature.
Applications of Environmental Test Chambers
Environmental test chambers test products for a variety of industries including the auto, electronics, medical, construction, cosmetics, and many others. They are essential to the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industry since those industries are required to abide by FDA regulations.
In microbiology and biology, chambers enable researchers to monitor the effects of humidity, light, heat, and other conditions on plants, insects, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Cells, tissues, organs, and plant growth can be closely examined for climatic influences.
Aerospace uses chambers to test products in a thermal vacuum and create conditions to approximate outer space. This allows producers and scientists to know whether instruments can withstand the absence of an environment and extreme pressure. A critical part of aerospace testing is astronaut support systems such as oxygen supply. Cryogenic equipment can test the effects of extreme low pressure and great heights.
The auto industry tests the effects of hot roads and extreme exposure to the sun. They use driven chambers to create real world conditions of humidity, wind speed, and temperature to check cars under normal and extreme conditions.
A key factor for food products is their shelf life. Test chambers are able to accelerate shelf life conditions by simulating degradation rates and stability changes that are typical in storage conditions. Chemical, microbiological, and physical changes are measured at time intervals until the product degrades. Test chambers can identify food safety and storage conditions to eliminate problems in product development and the viability of packaging.
Leading Manufacturers and Suppliers
Types of Environmental Testing Chambers
There is a wide range of testing chambers that are designed to create the requirements of specific environments. The most common types of test chambers are humidity and temperature, which can be separate or combined. Some of the other types of chambers are altitude, climate, cryogenic, Halt and Hass, pressure, remote, spray, vacuum, and stability to name a few.
Agree Chambers
AGREE is an anagram for Advisory Group on Reliability of Electronic Equipment, a term that was developed by the US military. The first Agree Chambers were designed to comply with military test standards but are now used for a wide range of applications. The specialized design of Agree chambers makes it possible to perform temperature, humidity, and vibration tests to determine the quality and reliability of a product without using separate test chambers.
The multifunctions of an agree chamber makes it possible to adapt to the ever changing testing requirements. They can be used as a temperature test chamber or temperature and humidity test chamber with a heating rate of 3°C up to 20°C (37°F up to 68°F) per minute with large loads. As a vibration test chamber, an agree chamber has an electrodynamic shaker or vibration testing mechanism. They can be customized with side doors, vertical lift height adjustments, and sliding doors. Normally, agree chambers can interface with vibration systems that operate in horizontal and vertical modes.
The wide use of agree chambers is due to the ability to add vibration testing to temperature and humidity testing to create multiple environmental conditions. Electric vehicle manufacturers are able to test their batteries under various temperature and humidity conditions with the added features of uneven surfaces created by the vibration mode.
Altitude Chambers
Altitude test chambers are designed to simulate the temperature, altitude, and vacuum of environmental conditions at different altitudes. Since high altitudes place undue stress on components of spacecraft and aircraft, it is important that they be tested under safe conditions to ensure their effectiveness and reliability. The design of altitude chambers makes it possible to test a wide range of conditions in combination, such as humidity, temperature, altitude, and pressure. Altitude test chambers are capable of recreating conditions that exist at several thousand feet using specially designed test chamber mechanisms, such as vacuum pumps of different sizes.
The conditions that have to be tested for high altitudes include loss of cabin pressure that an altitude test chamber simulates by decompressing in several seconds. The term altitude test chamber refers to high altitudes above the earth and below sea level. High altitude testing involves decompression while below sea level involves increased pressure. Each condition can be damaging to components and instruments.
As with all forms of test chambers, altitude test chambers are required to replicate temperatures found at high altitudes, which includes the use of refrigeration units. Temperature mechanisms on altitude test chambers are capable of producing frigid and hot conditions, depending on the design and requirements of a test. Raised temperatures, combined with moisture creates humidity, which can severely damage technical instruments that are necessary for aircraft flight.
Climate Chambers
Climate chambers create different climatic conditions to see the effects on products. They can prepare a product for further testing or complete a test by creating conditions, such as thermal shock, extreme temperatures, altitude, humidity, radiation, and corrosion. The variability of the tests makes it possible for researchers to closely examine a product's properties and characteristics from multiple perspectives. The technological aspects of climate chambers makes it possible for researchers to minutely change conditions to examine the reaction of products under different conditions.
All climate chambers have common basic elements in order to simulate different environmental conditions. Air circulates over heaters and coolers to create uniform temperature. This forced convection ensures that the created conditions are consistent and do not fluctuate. There are several types of cooling compressors used in climate test chambers and include reciprocating, scroll, screw, and centrifugal. Each type works by compressing refrigerant gas, which increases its temperature and pressure. After being compressed the gas is condensed into a liquid and released through tubes into the test chamber.
Humidity in a climate test chamber is created using a steam generator, atomizer, or water bath. A steam generator uses a heated tank of water while an atomizer produces a fine spray that has been heated by the chamber’s heater. With a water bath, as air is drawn into the plenum of the chamber, it passes through the bath and picks up vapor to create humidity.
The structure and controls of a climate test chamber are similar to those used by all test chambers. A touchscreen interface is used to set the conditions for testing and provide results and data. The interior of the chamber is made of resilient stainless steel that is tightly welded while the exterior shell is made of heavy steel.
Cryogenic Chambers
Cryogenic chambers are designed to create exceptionally low temperatures using liquid nitrogen or helium. They are used to examine the effects of severe environments with temperatures as low as -238°F (-150°C) on products and materials. Cryogenic testing is important to the hydrogen technology market regarding shipping and storing liquid hydrogen.
The tests of cryogenic chambers are designed to examine the static properties of materials including tensile or degree of fatigue of metals, compression, and shear loads at extremely low temperatures to check for fatigue behavior and fractures. Cryogenic chambers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations to meet the needs of testing access, cable routing, test visibility, temperature transitions, and testing setups. In the majority of cases, the transition rate is 212°F (100°C) per minute from one set temperature point to another set temperature point.
Cryogenic testing is critical to the aerospace, oil and gas, petrochemical, electronics, and power generation industries, where extremely low temperatures are used for safe handling of hazardous fluids. Failure of valves and sensors is expected under continued pressure. What is necessary is to determine failure rates and probabilities, which is completed using cryogenic test chambers. Testing is applied to newly manufactured components and welded areas of repaired valves and piping.
Dry Rooms
Dry rooms, also known as dehumidification dry rooms, are a special type of environmental test chamber. They are insulated, hermetically sealed chambers that are leak proof. Their tight seal helps maintain their low humidity in combination with particle filtration. Dry rooms are used in the fabrication of medical devices, lithium battery manufacturing, automotive hybrid manufacturing and the pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing and packaging.
The specifications of a dry room include temperature and humidity control with humidity being less than 20%. When the humidity level is less than 2%, a dry room is referred to as an anhydrous room. Dry rooms are required to have dry air at up to -76deg;F (-60deg;C) to protect products from corrosion. The main concern with the use of dry rooms is the sensitivity of products that are produced that can be affected by humidity.
Companies that produce moisture sensitive or hygroscopic products depend on dry rooms to protect the quality of their products. The exceptionally tight construction of dry rooms is a necessity to reduce the possibility of vapor entering the room. The moisture load determines the requirements for the size of the dehumidification air handling unit system to maintain room requirements and specifications with desiccant systems being the most used.
Environmental Chambers
Environmental chambers, also frequently called environmental test chambers and sometimes called climatic or climate chambers, are test chambers that assess product quality and reliability. In order to do so, chambers replicate certain environmental conditions within an enclosed space, where they monitor and evaluate the long term impact of these conditions on the product inside. Common environmental conditions that chambers simulate include normal and extreme pressures, altitudes, temperatures and humidities. By subjecting products and equipment to extreme environmental conditions and changes, manufacturers are able to catch and correct weaknesses and flaws before they are sent on to their chosen markets.
Environmental Testing
Environmental testing is the measurement of the performance of equipment under specified environmental conditions. The chambers simulate a full range of temperature testing and humidity testing conditions. Some chambers even account for corrosion through the introduction of salt spray into the chamber. Environmental testing chambers include salt spray test chamber, high and low-temperature test chamber, constant temperature and humidity test chamber, ultraviolet aging test chamber, xenon lamp aging test chamber, ozone aging test chamber and ovens. The main function of an environmental test chamber is to see how products handle operating in various environments.
HALT and HASS Testing Chambers
HALT and HASS testing are anagrams for Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT) and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS). During a HALT test, a product is stressed beyond its design parameters to identify weaknesses and flaws. The test is repeated several times to expose a product to an assortment of conditions and environments. HASS testing is completed during production to determine flaws in manufacturing methods using stress tests from HALT testing.
The testing systems for HALT and HASS testing combine extreme temperatures with shock and vibration testing. The process for testing is accelerated to detect defects using individual and combined stress tests that include multi-axis vibrations, rapid temperature cycles, which are applied at increasing intensities that are beyond ordinary use of a product to create early product maturity.
HALT testing exposes product prototypes to a range of extreme temperatures, vibrations, humidity, and radiation testing. The testing helps reduce design time and costs while improving product reliability. The constant repetition of HALT testing makes it possible to find all of the weaknesses of a product prior to production.
To produce a high quality product, it is important to examine production methods to find any flaws, errors, or defects created by the manufacturing process. Using the knowledge from the HALT test, HASS testing is performed during production as a means of evaluating production procedures. The testing includes accelerated stress that exceeds the specifications of a product, which were determined by the HALT testing.
Humidity Chambers
Humidity chambers are designed to simulate different levels of humidity to test the performance of a product at different levels of humidity. Of the various factors that damage products, humidity is the second of the most damaging and causes the greatest amount of deterioration. Finding the levels of humidity that a product can successfully endure helps in the selection of materials and components in its manufacture.
The three methods used to generate humidity are steam, atomizer, and water bath, the same methods that are used by climate test chambers. The humid conditions generated by a humidity test chamber determine a product's ability to withstand corrosion, warping, biological growths, and cracking. Data collected from the testing helps designers make adjustments to products, resolve material issues, and develop cost effective quality products.
Humidity chambers, like climate chambers, are used to determine the ability of a product to endure weather conditions on physical, chemical, and mechanical levels. Their design includes double welded walls, silicone or rubber sealing material, and double walled doors. The control system of a chamber is capable of setting and adjusting constant or variable temperatures with a circulating uniform air supply. The essential part of a humidity chamber is the heater that helps create the humid conditions connected to an overflow control to limit the amount of moisture in the air.
Pressure Chambers
Pressure chambers test products under varying forms of extreme pressure and are able to withstand high and low pressure conditions. The operation of a pressure chamber is carefully monitored to avoid explosions and malfunctions. Pressure chambers simulate static and changing pressures at high altitudes and pressure below sea level. Atmospheric pressures in the chamber can reach as high as 60,000 psi or be reduced to a vacuum.
The purpose of pressure chambers, as with all forms of test chambers, is to test the limits of a product under varying conditions. For a pressure chamber to perform properly, it must be isolated from the outside environment, which is the only way that it is possible to vary pressure values. As with other test chambers, pressure chambers come in various sizes from ones that can sit on a counter to ones that are room size. They are capable of simulating air pressure at altitudes of 30,000 meters up to 50,000 meters (98,425 ft up to 164042 ft).
Although pressure chambers are designed to test the effects of pressure on products, most pressure chambers have the ability to alter other factors in regard to the parameters of testing. One very common extra feature is the addition of temperature, which is a key feature of several test chambers. Along with temperature, other additions for pressure chambers include varying climates and humidity.
Benchtop Test Chambers
Benchtop test chambers have a small footprint but are capable of performing the same types of testing found in larger test chambers. They range in size from 1 cu ft up to 13 cu ft and offer flexibility and control accuracy at a reasonable cost. Benchtop test chambers are ideal for testing small components such as computer components, sensors, and cell phones.
Part of the convenience of benchtop test chambers is their portability, which makes it possible to place them on shelves, tables, and countertops for easy access. In cases where multiple tests are to be performed at the same time, multiple benchtop test chambers may be stacked and operated separately. Benchtop test chambers are capable of replicating temperatures between -70°C up to 190°C (-94°F up to 374°F) and humidity ranges from 10% up to 98% RH.
Benchtop test chambers are known as mini-environmental chambers or small test chambers. They are popular in testing labs, R and D, and manufacturing. The quick and easy access to benchtop test chambers makes it possible to test a sample from production to determine any procedural difficulties or flaws. As with many test chambers, benchtop test chambers have an inner lining of stainless steel with an outer shell made of hardened steel plate. The sealing material of benchtop test chambers is critical since they are placed close to workers. Silicone rubber is the most commonly used.
Refurbished Chambers
Refurbished test chambers are an economical solution when purchasing a test chamber. Regardless of their age, they are capable of performing the same tests as a new test chamber using equipment and components that have been rebuilt and reconstructed. Although the term refurbished may have the connotation of being inferior, companies that refurbish test chambers meticulously examine every aspect of a used test chamber to determine what components can be rebuilt and which ones need to be replaced.
Test chamber manufacturers will reclaim and rebuild their used test chambers for resale but will only refurbish their own products. There are test chamber refurbishing companies that take any brand of test chamber and rebuild it to modern specifications. The quality of the refurbished chambers is the same for both types with the only difference being the brand name.
A critical part of the refurbishing process is the inspection phase when the chamber is examined for contaminants, residue, and damage to the interior and exterior. During inspection, data is collected to determine what aspect of the chamber has to be replaced or repaired and its viability as a used chamber. The refurbishing process includes chemically cleaning components and hardware. A refurbished test chamber costs less than a new chamber but is capable of providing the same test data.
Remote Conditioners
Remote conditioners, known as equipment cooling air units, are designed to reach products in remote enclosures. They are used to test the temperature conditions for products, assemblies, and fixtures. In many cases, remote conditioners are used to test products that do not fit into traditional testing chambers. They have flexible temperature settings for use in secluded locations. As with many chambers,remote conditioners can create temperature variations and humid conditions as a cost effective testing solution.
The testing process for remote conditioners involves delivering conditioned air using a series of insulated ducts from an electrochemically activated (ECA) unit as a closed loop system. The many configurations of remote conditioners are available with a wired range of blower sizes and air flow capacities. They are exceptionally versatile, flexible, and portable and are able to provide temperature and humidity environments to difficult to reach spaces. In most instances, remote conditioners operate as independent, self contained units for manufacturers who produce an assortment of products.
Much like refurbished test chambers, remote conditioners are a cost effective solution to testing processes. They are available with several types of temperature settings and ranges of humidity. The main factors that are used to select a remote conditioner are its temperature range, type of construction, air or water cooling system, and the product to be tested.
Salt Spray Chambers
Salt spray chambers, known as salt fog testing, are designed to test the corrosion resistance of products. The product to be tested is subjected to corrosive solutions applied by a pressure nozzle. The testing provides data regarding the durability of a product’s surface and coatings. The longer a product lasts without corroding, the more durable it is.
The surfaces tested by salt spray chambers include phosphate surfaces, zinc and zinc alloy plating, and electroplated chromium, nickel, copper, and tin. Testing times can be as long as 144 hours or six days. The name of a salt spray chamber is misleading in that the actual test involves the use of a fog or fine mist that accelerates corrosion. The conditions are isolated to maintain a constant temperature to avoid temperature fluctuations with a controlled ph level for the water used.
The wide use of salt spray test chambers is due to its low cost, standardization, repeatability, and quick results. The modern use of salt spray test chambers is to assist in evaluating the effectiveness of paints, electroplating, and galvanizing to compare one type of treatment to another type of treatment. Each type of coating, paint, or plating is given an amount of time that it should last, such as paints must be able to last 96 hours when tested in a salt spray chamber.
Stability Chambers
Stability chambers provide a stable, controlled environment where all variables are held constant as others are modified to test specific effects. They are primarily used to test temperature and humidity ranges. One important function of stability chambers is determining shelf life, which is essential to the pharmaceutical industry. Stability test chambers maintain a set controlled temperature and humidity using heat, cooling, and water to imitate the conditions within a specific space.
Heated air and steam are sent into a stability chamber at a constant and continuous rate. The quality and efficiency of the chamber determines how long it takes to reach the desired conditions. Once the levels are reached, they are maintained for extended periods of time, which can vary from days to weeks to months.
Aside from hot conditions, stability chambers can create cold conditions using fans and cold air.
The International Council of Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) has developed guidelines for stability testing that all manufacturers closely follow. Guidelines Q1A through Q1F give specific detailed standards for stability testing, which are followed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Commission (EC), and Health Canada.
Photostability Chambers
Photostability chambers are used for the testing of drugs, cosmetics, creams, and paints to determine how exposure to the sun will degrade them. They are a form of stability chamber that creates light emissions that meet ICH Q1B standards, which requires that light exposure be maintained for 1.2 million lux hours, the standard illumination or brightness of light. Unlike normal stability chambers that test materials for long periods of time, photostability chambers tests are completed in one week.
Cool white and ultraviolet fluorescent lamps are used in photostability test chambers such that tests can be completed in less than 100 hours. Photostability refers to a compound or an ingredient that will maintain its stability and be unaltered when exposed to sunlight. The concept applies to paints that may discolor or drugs and cosmetics that can be damaged or damaging when exposed to sunlight. The tests are important because the tested compounds come in direct contact with people and may have the purpose of protecting the skin from exposure to the sun.
Photostability chambers can be built expressly for performing photostability testing or be part of a climate, altitude, temperature, or humidity chamber. Chambers that are constructed for the exclusive purpose of photostability testing are usually small due to the nature of the products being tested.
Temperature Chambers
Temperature chambers are the most common type of environmental testing chamber. They create various temperatures to simulate the types of temperatures a product will encounter as well as gauge and evaluate the product’s reaction to different temperatures. A temperature chamber may be used for storage for products that require a stable environment. They test the prolonged effects of different temperatures in order to determine the quality of a product.
Also known as thermal chambers, temperature chambers have control systems that make it possible to manipulate and adjust temperatures in an enclosed space for temperature testing. As with other test chambers, temperature chambers are available as portable benchtop chambers or large walk-in and drive-in chambers. Their internal surface is lined with 304 stainless steel with an exterior made of powder coated steel. The stainless steel inner liner and coated steel exterior are separated by low K factor insulation to ensure the seal of the chamber and control of temperatures.
The prices of temperature test chambers vary from a few thousand dollars for basic units up to twenty or thirty thousand dollars for fully loaded chambers. The wide range of prices are determined by the features of a temperature test chamber with basic chambers being the most inexpensive. The more expensive temperature test chambers are custom designed to meet the requirements of a specific product or application.
Test Chamber Repair
A testing chamber, regardless of its size, is a very precise and delicate piece of equipment that needs to be maintained and repaired in order to provide accurate and complete data. A purchase agreement for most testing chambers includes a schedule for regular maintenance and upkeep. During each cycle, a trained technician does a full assessment of the chamber as well as an evaluation of its components and readings. These timed repairs enable the technician to assess the need for upgrades or replacement of components.
Test Chambers
The term "test chamber" refers to any type of contained space within which different products are placed and tested for their responses to and the long-term effects of any number of changes. Generally, test chambers replicate environmental conditions that a product will likely encounter at some point while working in its intended setting. In this way, they allow a manufacturer to evaluate the product’s durability and general quality, and to recognize and correct potential malfunctions and flaws before the product reaches the consumer market. In addition, through the use of test chambers, manufacturers can gauge and increase the lifespan of their products. Test chambers are popular in a number of industries, including, but not limited to: aerospace, automotives, consumer products, electronics, packaging, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications.
Thermal Shock Chambers
Thermal chambers simulate conditions that have sudden rapid changes in temperature and measure the stress on a product the changing temperatures produce. Various forms of methods are used to change the temperature including liquids or air. Tested items can be immersed in non-toxic, noncombustible, and low viscosity liquids or placed between compartments to produce temperature variations. With the three zone configuration, the product returns to the ambient temperature between shock testings.
In a thermal shock chamber, tested items are put through a series of extremely hot and extremely cold conditions, alternately, to test a products durability, breaking points, and structural stability. The three zones of a thermal shock chamber include hot, cold, and ambient temperatures. The chambers replicate real life conditions such as an airplane taking off in 95o weather and reaching peak altitudes where temperatures are -40o F up to -70o F. Under those conditions, components of the aircraft have to be able to withstand the drastic changes without failing.
During testing, products sit in baskets that travel through the three zones within seconds. The basket has sensors to monitor the environmental conditions of each zone, the temperature of the item being tested, and how quickly the item recovers. In most designs, the third zone is placed between the hot and cold zones.
Vacuum Chambers
Vacuum chambers remove air and pressure from a sealed compartment to evaluate the effects of a vacuum on materials. The use of vacuum chambers is essential for determining a component’s ability to withstand high pressure that is found in outer space and the depths of the ocean. The removal of air and pressure creates an ultra clean environment where the performance of applications can be closely examined.
The process for a vacuum chamber includes the use of a vacuum pump that removes air from the chamber. Unlike other test chambers, the shapes of vacuum chambers vary depending on the material to be tested. With rectangular vacuum chambers, the thickness of the walls have to be carefully checked. Cylindrical bodies are the best form of vacuum chamber for material input and stability. They are available in several diameter sizes. Vacuum chambers are made of metals that can shield against external magnetic fields depending on wall thickness, resistivity, and the permeability of the metals.
The testing of products in a vacuum is a requirement of regulations related to aerospace and defense industries. Spacecraft engineers use vacuum testing for electronics, circuits, lenses, filters, and structural materials of a spacecraft. Vacuum chambers are also used to remove air bubbles from plastic resin that is about to be inserted into a mold.
Walk in Chambers
Walk-in test chambers are large enough for a person to walk in and vary in size with some being as small as a closet while others can be as big as a room or garage. Walk-in chambers perform any of the functions of other environmental testing chambers from thermal shock and salt spray to humidity and temperature testing. They are configured like an insulated box in various designs for different versions of simulated environments. Walk-in test chambers provide ideal conditions for testing large components, assemblies, and equipment.
As with all forms of test chambers, the primary function of walk-in test chambers is to recreate extreme temperature and humidity with high moisture levels. Stability walk-in test chambers are used for long term testing to determine the shelf life of products and expiration dates as well as accelerate the aging process. Walk-in test chambers include salt spray chambers, altitude chambers, vibration chambers, and thermal shock chambers. They provide the ability to test large equipment and assemblies and can be used to test high volumes of smaller parts.
The term walk-in test chamber covers a wide range of varying test chambers, which are differentiated by their size, capacity, and type of testing. The many sizes of walk-in test chambers makes it possible to customize them to fit the needs of unique and unusual products and applications.
Welded Chambers
Welded chambers are welded together to provide a better seal and be able to withstand higher humidity and temperature ranges and high altitude conditions. They are more expensive than typical chambers because of the extra construction. Welded chambers are used for conditions that require extreme temperatures up to 93°C with high humidity and rapid temperature fluctuations.
The strength and durability of welded environmental chambers makes it possible to use them for high altitude testing. They are constructed as one piece to form a hermetically sealed enclosure with a heavy duty steel structural frame. Regardless of their advanced construction, welded chambers can be adapted to meet the needs of specific testing processes.
Anechoic Chamber
Anechoic chamber is a shielded room with radio wave absorbing and radar absorbent material (RAM) on the walls, ceiling, and floor. They have radio frequency signal absorption across a required frequency band to produce a quiet zone. Anechoic chambers can be table sized but are normally room sized with pyramid like shapes on the walls, ceiling, and floor. The floor, over the pyramids, is covered with wire mesh that makes it possible to walk into the chamber. Anechoic chambers are completely isolated from outside noise such that nothing can leak in. In many cases, they are floated on supports to prevent the intrusion of vibrations or noise from the surface below the chamber.
When inside the chamber, the only noise that can be heard is the noise generated by the occupants. The sounds of blood pumping, breathing, movement of joints, and the digestive system can be clearly heard. These noises are always present outside the chamber but are covered by the background noise of the normal environment. The sound stifling materials of the chamber make it possible to detect the most minute sounds.
Aside from suppressing exterior noise, anechoic chambers prevent any noises from inside the chamber from escaping. The suppression level of an anechoic chamber is measured in negative decibels (dB) such as -20 dB or -10 dB. The world record for background noise level is -20.3 dB with -23 dB being the quietest level to be achieved on earth.
Anechoic means non-reflective, which is a chamber without reflections. Anechoic chambers are used to measure the performance of antennas in regard to gain and pattern characteristics.
Cold Room
Cold rooms are used to store products well below the ambient temperature. They make it possible to preserve products for longer periods of time at a very low artificially created temperature for an extended length of time. Cold rooms can be simple walk-in refrigeration units or large warehouses depending on the products, expense, and requirements of the user.
The refrigeration process of a cold room slows the chemical and biological processes of food items, prevents deterioration, and prevents the loss of quality. The shelf life of meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables is radically extended by being stored in a cold room. The temperature of a cold room is dependent on the products and materials being stored with frozen foods being stored at below zero while vegetables and fruits are stored at 0o C (32°F) with subtropical fruits stored at 5°C up to 13°C (41°F up to 55°F).
Cold rooms offer precision control of the temperature of storage units for commercial enterprises that require powerful, reliable, and consistent refrigeration. The strength and durability of cold rooms removes some of the concerns related to the storage of food items that would rot under normal circumstances. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration has stringent requirements in regard to the proper cold storage of food for sale to the public. Manufacturers of cold rooms produce their products in close adherence to those stipulations.
Growth Chambers
Growth chambers have several functions with their main function being an enclosed space where the conditions of growth can be meticulously controlled to study how certain plants grow. They approximate a variety of environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, exposure to the sun’s rays, rain, wind, and vibrations, common conditions simulated in test chambers.
The most common forms of growth chambers are walk-in and reach-in with reach-in chambers being used for scientific experiments such as plant pathology studies and seedling growth. For convenience, growth chambers are available with multiple sections with each section having the capacity to perform an experiment. Much like test chambers, growth chambers come in a variety of sizes and configurations with ones small enough to fit on a counter while others are room size.
Scientists depend on growth chambers to provide conditions that are repeatable and consistent to assist in the discovery process. As with test chambers, growth chambers are made of various types of metal but are different from test chambers in that they have a white enamel finish. As with environmental test chambers and climate test chambers, the airflow of a growth chamber is critical to the creation of the proper conditions with downward and upward being the two basic types of airflow. Air volume and velocity is a critical part of creating consistent test environments.
Drive-In Test Chambers
Drive-in test chambers are a valuable tool for the auto industry. In a large enclosed space, engineers are able to simulate the types of driving conditions that a vehicle will have to endure during its use. Instead of attempting to place vehicles in actual weather conditions, a drive-in chamber enables engineers to manipulate temperature, humidity, vibrations, and road conditions that can be indicative of the stability and performance of a vehicle.
With a drive-in test chamber, manufacturers are able to simulate real world environments that can radically affect the performance of their products. Air and road temperatures, wind, and humidity can easily be recreated and tested against paints, components, and windows. A dynamometer operates a vehicle during testing and revs the engine, spins the wheels, and changes other factors of a vehicle’s operation.
The key to the success of a drive-in chamber is its construction, which has to be able to withstand the stress of the expansion and contraction of the chamber. As with other forms of test chambers, the internal walls of drive-in test chambers are made of sheets of stainless steel with a rugged floor made of steel channels. The floor interfaces with the dynamometer and side panels. The controls of a drive-in test chamber consist of highly sophisticated technologically advanced data collection, reduction, calculation, and reporting components. An application software package operates, manages, and maintains the database for complete and concise data retrieval.
Reach in Chambers
Reach in chambers are larger than benchtop test chambers and are normally mobile with casters or wheels. Like benchtop test chambers, reach in chambers have a small footprint and take up less space than larger environmental test chambers with sizes varying from 10 cubic feet up to over 60 cubic feet.
Regardless of their smaller size, reach in chambers can create conditions with a temperature range of -68°C up to 180°C with an accuracy of ±1.0°C. What makes reach in chambers so valuable is their ability to simulate any form of environmental conditions.
Components of an Environmental Test Chamber
The first consideration when choosing an environmental testing chamber is selecting one that will last, which can be ensured by having an understanding of the chambers internal components. Since different types of chambers perform different functions, there can be a variation in the types of features and structure. Regardless of these differences, all test chambers must have certain basic components to meet regulatory requirements.
Internal Workspace
Internal walls of a test chamber are welded and sealed to prevent leakage. In most cases, they are made of 304 stainless steel due its durability and strength. The configuration and construction of the inner workspace tends to be the same for all types of test chambers with ones that involve pressure and altitude having to be more durable and capable of withstanding the stress of testing.
Door
Doors make it possible to enter and exit the chamber for large chambers and provide access to test materials for smaller chambers. They are made of steel, aluminum, glass, or plastic depending on the type of chamber with steel being the most common. In most cases, doors have small double pane windows that make it possible to observe a process and are sealed with a gasket. The most common form of door is silicone based since silicone can withstand changes in humidity and temperature, which is important when carbon dioxide and nitrogen are used.
Exterior
The outer shell of a test chamber is normally made of hardened steel that is powder coated. Again, there are variations in the complexity of outer shells but most test chambers are made of steel with certain varieties being composed of aluminum or highly resilient plastics. The coating of the exterior shell helps to protect the chamber and increase its longevity and endurance. As with the interior of a test chamber, the exterior can vary in accordance with the types of tests since pressure and altitude tests have higher demands and requirements.
Machine Components
The chambers’ intended applications affect the type of heaters, coolers, condensers, evaporators, controllers, sensors and other modules used depending on the kinds of environments to be produced. Heaters, compressors, refrigeration units, dryers, and other equipment have to comply with the regulations established by the International Standards Organization (ISO) as well as national regulatory agencies.
Insulation
The inner and outer walls of the chamber vary according to the application but are separated by insulation that has a very low K factor of fiberglass, silicone, or mineral wool. It is fire retardant, non-corrosive, and meets health and safety standards.
Sensors and Monitors
Older testing chambers have a simple on and off switch. Recent models have digital monitoring sensors and data recording equipment. Digital controllers allow for setting points and making adjustments to correct errors and disruptions. Sensors are temperature detectors or 100 ohm platinum detectors for the greatest accuracy.
Computer Interface
The computer interface allows for a Mbyte data transfer rate. Circular chart recording offers real time data collection and documents regarding the testing process and is connected directly to the controller.
Safety Features
Each testing chamber should have a set of safety features that include high temperature failsafe control, mechanical heat fuse, high temp limiter, a noise reduction system, and an alternate power source.
Temperature Controls
Aside from their obvious function of controlling hot and cold temperatures, temperature controls have to ensure the even distribution of temperature throughout a temperature chamber such that all parts and surfaces of the chamber are subjected to the same temperature.
The cooling system for a test chamber has the same components as that of an air conditioner, which include a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. Single stage test chambers are capable of achieving a minimum temperature of -40°C (-40°F) while double stage units can reach at least -70°C (-94°F). A mechanical heating system is used for high temperatures and includes heating elements by the ventilation system, all of which are controlled by the computer interface.
Humidity Controls
Humidity controls perform humidification and dehumidification and distribute the humidity uniformly throughout the chamber. An electric humidifier injects steam through holes in the air flow forced by a recirculation fan to ensure aerosol free humification.
Dehumidification uses the cooling system to evaporate the moisture from humidification by lowering the temperature, a method known as the cold finger principle where a lower temperature causes droplets in the air to condense.
Vacuum System
A vacuum system includes valves and gauges with metering valves connected to vacuum pumps that remove particulate matter and moisture laden air. Valves serve as an inlet for gases while bleed and safety valves protect the tested materials and chamber from damage. The gauges of the vacuum system measure and display the pressure of the chamber.
Modern test chambers with a vacuum system are automatically controlled with an electric pump that continuously operates to maintain proper pressure. A solenoid valve, installed between the pump and the chamber, ensures accuracy and efficiency and switches the pump on and off as required.
Windows
Windows for test chambers make it possible to observe a test as it is happening. They have a tinted coating to reduce any heat that could be transferred through the window into the chamber. Windows are made of various materials including glass and clear polymers. They are double paned and tightly sealed.
Airflow
Airflow is an essential part of test chambers and necessitates the use of a motor driven blower or axial fan that evenly distributes air throughout the chamber through a system of ducts. Air in a test chamber needs to be circulated such that it can pass over heaters and coolers, which is referred to as forced convection that simulates real world conditions. Faster airflow helps change the temperature in a test chamber quicker with 1000 feet per minute (FPM) being the limit of fast airflow.
How to Choose an Environmental Test Chamber
Environmental test chambers are a valuable tool that can ensure the quality of a product and its usefulness. The wide selection of types of environmental test chambers necessitates that the chamber to be purchased be carefully selected such that it exactly fits testing needs. Buying a small economical one may be beneficial as a cost savings but may not be robust enough to meet testing demands while purchasing a large chamber may seem ideal but be too complex for the needed tests.
Selecting the correct environmental test chamber to meet the demands of a product and supplying insightful data can be a huge benefit for R and D and product sales. The items to be tested and the types of necessary tests to be performed are the essential factors in choosing the best test chamber for the job.
Test chamber selection criteria include:
Cost - As with all industrial purchases, cost compared to benefits is one of the first considerations when planning to purchase an environmental test chamber. Depending on the needs of an organization, the initial cost of an environmental test chamber may be amortized over its many years of service. Of the different types of environmental test chambers, welded test chambers are the most expensive and are the most robust with a wide array of testing features.
Capabilities - Every test chamber manufacturer supplies reams of data regarding the quality of their products and the tests the products can perform. They supply training, installation, and support to ensure customer satisfaction.
Controller - The controller and its use is critical for analyzing test results, setting alerts, and specifying test conditions. Modern controllers have a computer interface with an LCD screen that provides instantaneous data.
Size - There are several factors that are related to the size of an environmental test chamber, which include the size of the item to be tested as well as whether the chamber will be bench top, reach in, or walk in and the available footprint.
Power - Various environmental test chambers have different power demands with large chambers having the highest demands. Power also is a factor that helps determine where the chamber will be located since being close to a power source can save on the cost of installation.
Options - One of the factors that differentiates environmental test chambers is the number of options they offer. The choice of options makes it possible to customize an environmental test chamber to exactly meet the needs of the testing conditions. Modern environmental test chambers have a computer interface that allows users to check the status of a test from any location.
Options include:
Various types of viewing windows
Chamber interior lighting to observe products
Exceptionally tight seal for non-welded environmental chambers
Emergency shutoff
General purpose interface bus
Ethernet
Shelves
Remote control and interface
Flooring
Benefits of an Environmental Testing Chamber:
Environmental testing chambers have become commonplace in modern manufacturing as a means for verifying the quality of a product. The provided data ensures that the products producers market are in compliance with consumer standards. In aerospace, environmental pollution, and air travel, testing chambers prevent defects and flaws in products for the protection of consumers and the environment.
Design Validation
Test chambers provide information such that makes it possible to adjust and change a product to ensure its performance under normal conditions. Additionally, the life cycle of a product can be determined by using a test chamber, which places it through conditions it will encounter during its use. During R and D development, designs are tested prior to putting them into production. Such a process makes it possible to reject untenable designs and progress with ones that have viability, which is a method that is specifications driven and completed during the R and D phase of product design.
Product Validation
Product validation demonstrates that a product meets the goals established for it and the expectations of customers. The five steps of the validation process are preparation, planning, analysis, reporting, and capture of working products. Product validation has become an important instrument in the successful introduction of products to the market. Part of the process is the collection of data that confirms that a product meets its capabilities and operational expectations.
It is during the first three stages of product validation that test chambers are used to obtain detailed data regarding the behavior of a product. Testing is completed on prototypes under discrete and controlled conditions to ensure accuracy. The use of test chambers guarantees that the product meets the design requirements, specifications, and governmental regulations.
ESS (Environmental Stress Screening)
ESS exposes new products to the stresses they will encounter under normal conditions. The testing process makes it possible to identify and eliminate defects that may become evident during production. ESS is an essential part of manufacturing and is a cost saving method for preventing product failures and customer complaints. Once an ESS test has been completed, the volume of products produced during production will have high reliability.
The ESS method was first introduced for military hardware to reduce the number of defective products used during military operation when such failures could be fatal. Although the process can be completed in several different ways, it has been found that the use of test chambers is the most effective and reliable ESS method since it provides real time data. The screening methods of ESS include the full range of capabilities that test chambers are able to provide.
Product Life Cycle Testing
Product life cycle refers to how long a product will remain on the market from its first introduction until it is no longer sold. It is a managerial and marketing tool that serves as a guide for advertising, pricing, market expansion, and packaging design. Part of test chamber analysis includes rapidly aging products to determine at what point a product will no longer be viable. Each of the different types of test chambers are capable of simulating conditions that age a product. This aspect of test chambers is critical for marketing products and involves testing a product, its packaging, and materials.
Climate Detection
A major part of test chambers is climate detection since many products are produced in one part of the world and sold in many other parts of the world. Handling and shipping of products make them vulnerable to a wide variety of environmental conditions during the manufacturing process, production handling, storage, and implementation, factors that can reduce the value and effectiveness of a product.
Products have to be presented with the highest possible quality. With the instant availability of information, it is crucial that every product on the market perform up to its expectations, which can be assured by thorough testing. Climate testing takes products, components, and systems to the edge of their endurance to ensure their safety and find any potential flaws. Determining failures prior to marketing guarantees the success of a product.
A product may be produced to match the conditions of its manufacturing environment but not be able to meet climatic conditions outside those conditions. Climate testing makes it possible to create all varieties of environments of any location in the world.
Reliability
Product reliability testing helps predict the performance of a product during its life cycle. Additionally, when properly tested, reliability testing makes it possible to determine when a product will fail and under what conditions. It identifies the root cause of failures, which makes it possible for engineers to make corrections, adjustments, and changes.
The various types of tests used to determine reliability include highly accelerated lifetime testing (HALT) and environmental testing. These tests examine compatibility, usage, strengths, and limitations of products, which are used to determine a product's reliability.
The part of reliability testing that involves the use of environmental test chambers is reliability demonstration testing where a product is placed under the most stressful conditions. The testing involves ever increasing levels of complexity and functionality with each stage used to identify the sources of failures.
Safety
In association with reliability testing is the testing of a product to determine how safe it is. With the ever rising concerns for the environment, safety has become of vital importance to companies. In the past, products were placed on the market with the hope that they would not cause any harm. As concerns have grown, the methods for determining the safety of products have rapidly improved and advanced with the addition of test chambers.
Although the safety of consumer products is important, products for commercial and industrial use have to be minutely tested for the safety of workers and working conditions. The ability of environmental test chambers to replicate unsafe conditions in any form makes them ideal for ensuring the safety of workers and consumers.
Conclusion
An environmental test chamber is a chamber that creates atmospheric conditions that can influence the performance, function, and capabilities of assemblies and components.
Environmental test chambers test products for a variety of industries including the auto, electronics, medical, construction, cosmetics, and many others. They are essential to the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industry since those industries are required to abide by FDA regulations.
There is a wide range of testing chambers that are designed to create the requirements of specific environments. The most common types of test chambers are humidity and temperature, which can be separate or combined.
Environmental test chambers are a valuable tool that can ensure the quality of a product and its usefulness. The wide selection of types of environmental test chambers necessitates that the chamber to be purchased be carefully selected such that it exactly fits testing needs
Environmental testing chambers have become commonplace in modern manufacturing as a means for verifying the quality of a product. The provided data ensures that the products producers market are in compliance with consumer standards.
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