Facility 238:  12' X 15' Cryo & Turbo Vacuum 

 

Description: This is a vertical loading thermal vacuum test chamber used for thermal vacuum and thermal balance testing, and baking out spacecraft hardware.  A bracket containing stainless steel tubes is available for hanging thermal blankets. Ports for electrical feedthroughs, liquid/gas feedthroughs, and viewing are located around the perimeter of the chamber. A clean tent at the chamber entrance provides class 10,000 cleanliness conditions.

 

Mode of Operation: Test articles are normally loaded through the top of the chamber using the building crane; however, small payloads can be transported through the personnel entrance. In some cases, special fixtures must be designed due to the uniqueness of the test article support system. Once installed, the payload is connected to the ground support equipment via feedthroughs. 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.

 

Initial chamber evacuation is provided by two rotary piston mechanical pumps, with three cryopumps and a turbomolecular pump for high vacuum pumping. All four pumps are isolated from the chamber by sliding gate main valves.

 

Parameters:

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

Shroud temperature:

            GN2 mode:                        -120C to +115°C (-184°F to +239°F)

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

Pumping speeds for N2:

            3 cryopumps                      90,000 l/s (190,700 cfm)

            Turbomolecular pump     2,000 l/s (4,237 cfm)

 

Physical Characteristics:

Test volume:               3.4 m D x 4.3 m H (11’2” x 14’2”)

Personnel door:          1.5 m (5’) diameter

Payload support:        Floor level - 1.2 m (4’) square platform – 1950 kg (4300 lb) cap.

                                      Side wall - hard points at 1.8 m and 3.7 m (6’ and 12’) levels

Crane capacity:           4,536 kg (5 ton)

Crane hook height:     4.06 m (13’4”) to dome stop, 4.16 m (13’8”) to top flange

Viewport dimensions:                   23 cm (9”) diameter

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:               360 channels

Contamination monitors:        TQCM, scavenger plate, cold finger, res. gas analyzer

 

Auxiliary Equipment: Heater racks and thermal conditioning units (TCUs) are available to control auxiliary heater panels, cryopanels and baseplates.

 

Rental Rate:  Inquire