Thermal Shock Chambers are a variety of test chambers that provide an extremely rapid temperature shock to test a product for reliability. Items normally tested for this would include aerospace parts and electronic assemblies. Almost all consumer electronics nowadays are also tested to ensure that they are reliable when released into the field.
A Thermal Shock Chamber normally consists of two zones, hot and cold. The product being tested is moved between the two zones using a transfer mechanism. This transfer mechanism can be operated electrically or pneumatically (will require compressed air supply). The product is placed in a basket and moved using the transfer mechanism.
Although most Thermal Shock Chambers have two test zones, some also have three. The third zone serves either as an ambient zone or is another hot zone when the chamber is configured as a "double capacity" system. Double capacity have two hot zones and two test baskets which move from zone to zone with two test loads instead of one (thus "double capacity").
Mechancial refrigeration compressors are typically used to provide cooling for Thermal Shock Chambers. However, LN2 or CO2 can also be used, but this can become costly over time. Both gas cooled and mechanically refrigerated chambers usually have a temperature range of -70C to +170C. The hot zone is heated using electrical heating elements.
The compressors used in Thermal Shock Chambers need to be large enough to ensure that the product being tested recovers in a given time once it is transferred from the hot zone to the cold zone. The heating elements for the hot zone also need to be large enough to ensure that the product temperature recovers in a given time when it is moved from the cold zone to the hot zone. For example, a small thermal shock chamber with a test basket about 10x10x10 could have two 5hp compressors in a cascade configuration to accomplish this. Obviously there will be a limit to the size of the test load which can be tested using these size compressors.
Since the size of the compressors used for most Thermal Shock Chambers tend to be on the large side, they are typically water cooled or remote air cooled. Should the compressors on their own not be large enough to cool the cold zone, LN2 or CO2 Boost can be added. However, using LN2 or CO2 can become expensive over time if the chamber is used often and therefore mechanical refrigeration is normally preferred. If LN2 or CO2 use is not an issue, then one could purchase a chamber that only uses these gasses and no mechanical refrigeration at all.
Here is a list of some of the most well know chamber manufacturers currently supplying Thermal Shock Chambers: Tenney, Despatch, Associated Environmental, Ransco, Blue M and Thermotron. - 15437
A Thermal Shock Chamber normally consists of two zones, hot and cold. The product being tested is moved between the two zones using a transfer mechanism. This transfer mechanism can be operated electrically or pneumatically (will require compressed air supply). The product is placed in a basket and moved using the transfer mechanism.
Although most Thermal Shock Chambers have two test zones, some also have three. The third zone serves either as an ambient zone or is another hot zone when the chamber is configured as a "double capacity" system. Double capacity have two hot zones and two test baskets which move from zone to zone with two test loads instead of one (thus "double capacity").
Mechancial refrigeration compressors are typically used to provide cooling for Thermal Shock Chambers. However, LN2 or CO2 can also be used, but this can become costly over time. Both gas cooled and mechanically refrigerated chambers usually have a temperature range of -70C to +170C. The hot zone is heated using electrical heating elements.
The compressors used in Thermal Shock Chambers need to be large enough to ensure that the product being tested recovers in a given time once it is transferred from the hot zone to the cold zone. The heating elements for the hot zone also need to be large enough to ensure that the product temperature recovers in a given time when it is moved from the cold zone to the hot zone. For example, a small thermal shock chamber with a test basket about 10x10x10 could have two 5hp compressors in a cascade configuration to accomplish this. Obviously there will be a limit to the size of the test load which can be tested using these size compressors.
Since the size of the compressors used for most Thermal Shock Chambers tend to be on the large side, they are typically water cooled or remote air cooled. Should the compressors on their own not be large enough to cool the cold zone, LN2 or CO2 Boost can be added. However, using LN2 or CO2 can become expensive over time if the chamber is used often and therefore mechanical refrigeration is normally preferred. If LN2 or CO2 use is not an issue, then one could purchase a chamber that only uses these gasses and no mechanical refrigeration at all.
Here is a list of some of the most well know chamber manufacturers currently supplying Thermal Shock Chambers: Tenney, Despatch, Associated Environmental, Ransco, Blue M and Thermotron. - 15437
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A good source of Thermal Shock Chambers are refurbished systems. Temperature Humidity Chambers are yet another type of environmental chamber that can be obtained used and refurbished.
