Facility 225: 9' X 14' Thermal Vacuum Chamber

 

Description: This is a horizontal loading thermal vacuum test chamber used for thermal vacuum and thermal balance testing, and baking out large test items. Electrical feedthroughs and liquid and gas penetrations are provided at locations on the sides and rear of the chamber. A clean tent covering the door opening provides a Class 10,000 clean area for integrating hardware prior to loading it into the chamber.

 

Mode of Operation: Test items are loaded by crane onto a load cart, which is rolled into the chamber on a rail system. Payload weight can be as high as 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). Access to the chamber is through a clean tent. The use of cleanroom procedures and the wearing of clean garments are required when working in

the chamber.

 

Chamber evacuation is provided by two cryopumps and one turbomolecular pump. Roughing is provided by a blower and rotary piston mechanical pump. Shroud temperature conditioning is accomplished by a recirculating GN2 thermal system, or it may be flooded with LN2.

 

Parameters:

Test pressure:                             <1x10-5 Torr (<2x10-7 psi)

Shroud temperature:

GN2 mode:                                -140°C to +150°C (-220°F to +302°F)

LN2 mode:                                -190°C (-310°F)

Pumping speeds for N2:                         

2 Cryopumps:                            60,000 l/s (127,000 cfm)

Turbomolecular pump:                1,000 l/s (2,120 cfm)

 

 

Physical Characteristics:

Test volume:                                   2.74m dia x 4.27m L (9’ x 14’)

Payload support:                            76” x 144” cart - 1,361 kg (3,000 lb) capacity

Crane capacity:                              4,536 kg (5 ton)

Instrumentation ports:                 6 each 25.4 cm dia (10”), 6 each 12.7 cm dia (5”)

Std. electrical feedthroughs:        61-pin, 37-pin, 7-pin, 4-pin, RF

 

Integral Instrumentation:

Pressure:                             Convectron - atm to 10-3 Torr

                                             Ion gauge - 10-3 Torr to ultimate

Payload temperature:       320 channels

Contamination:                 TQCM, scavenger plate, cold finger, residual gas analyzer

 

Auxiliary Equipment: Portable thermal systems are available to control baseplates, the thermoelectric quartz crystal microbalance (TQCM) and contamination control mirrors.

 

Rental Rate:  Inquire