Environmental test equipment

Abstract

To suppress occurrence of temperature unevenness between the vicinity of an introduction inlet and the vicinity of a derivation outlet within a test area at a time of low temperature exposing.SOLUTION: An environment test device 10 comprises: a test tank 12 that has a test area TA; a high temperature tank 14; a low temperature tank 16; an airflow generation unit 33 that generates an airflow in the test area TA from a low temperature introduction inlet 22a introducing cooling air to the test area TA from the low temperature tank 16 toward a low temperature derivation outlet 22b deriving air to the low temperature tank 16 from the test area TA; and a gas jacket 35 that flows a cooling gas so that an area closer to the low temperature derivation outlet 22b than the low temperature introduction inlet 22a of a wall surface 37a defining the test area TA is more cooled in comparison with an area closer to the low temperature introduction inlet 22a than the low temperature derivation outlet 22b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an environmental test apparatus including a test tank, a high-temperature tank, and a low-temperature tank.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, there is known an environmental test apparatus including a test tank having a test area, a high-temperature tank that generates hot air, and a low-temperature tank that generates cold air, capable of performing a high-temperature exposure in which a sample is exposed to a high-temperature environment and a low-temperature exposure in which the sample is exposed to a low-temperature environment. In this type of environmental test apparatus, as shown in FIG. 9, a high-temperature tank 92 is adjacent to one side of a test tank 91 having a test area TA where a sample is placed, and a low-temperature tank 93 is adjacent to the other side of the test tank 91. Then, during high-temperature exposure, while heating air in the high-temperature tank 92, heated air is circulated between the space in the high-temperature tank 92 and the test area TA, and during low-temperature exposure, while cooling air in the low-temperature tank 93, cooled air is circulated between the space in the low-temperature tank 93 and the test area TA. Thereby, the sample placed in the test area TA can be alternately placed in a high-temperature environment and a low-temperature environment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the heat-insulating wall 94 that partitions the low-temperature tank 93 and the test tank 91, there are formed an inlet 94a for introducing low-temperature air from the low-temperature tank 93 and an outlet 94b for discharging air from the test area TA into the low-temperature tank 93. During low-temperature exposure, an air current is formed in the test area TA from the inlet 94a toward the outlet 94b. For this reason, there is a possibility that temperature unevenness may occur between the vicinity of the inlet 94a and the vicinity of the outlet 94b in the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and an object thereof is to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness between the vicinity of the inlet and the vicinity of the outlet in the test area during low-temperature exposure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, an environmental test apparatus according to the present invention includes a test tank having a test area, a high-temperature tank for heating air for heating the test area, a low-temperature tank for cooling air for cooling the test area, an air current generation unit that generates an air current in the test area from an inlet for introducing cooling air from the low-temperature tank to the test area toward an outlet for discharging air from the test area to the low-temperature tank, and wall surface cooling means for flowing a cooling gas so that a region closer to the outlet than the inlet in the wall surface partitioning the test area is cooled more than a region closer to the inlet than the outlet.

[0007] In the environmental test apparatus according to the present invention, the airflow generated by the airflow generation unit is an airflow in the direction from the inlet to the outlet within the test area. Therefore, during low-temperature exposure when cooling air is introduced from the low-temperature tank into the test area, the cooling air introduced into the test area from the inlet flows from the inlet toward the outlet. For this reason, without the wall cooling means, in the test area, the area near the inlet is more likely to be cooled than the area near the outlet. Therefore, among the walls partitioning the test area, a wall cooling means for flowing the cooling gas so that the area closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more than the area closer to the inlet than the outlet is provided, whereby in the test area, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a difference in the degree of cooling between the area near the outlet and the area near the inlet. Moreover, since the wall cooling means cools the wall of the test area, the air in the test area is also cooled accordingly along with the wall cooling. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area during low-temperature exposure.

[0008] The wall cooling means may be configured to flow the cooling gas in the direction from the outlet toward the inlet along the wall partitioning the test area.

[0009] In this aspect, since the wall cooling means flows the cooling gas in the direction from the outlet toward the inlet along the wall partitioning the test area, the cooling gas that has cooled the area near the outlet of the wall cools the area near the inlet. Therefore, even when the cooling air introduced into the test area from the inlet flows from the inlet toward the outlet during low-temperature exposure, it is possible to cool the area near the outlet of the wall more than the area near the inlet of the wall, and thus it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area during low-temperature exposure.

[0010] The wall cooling means may be arranged at least around the periphery of the test area in a region closer to the outlet than the inlet, and may include a gas jacket through which the cooling gas flows.

[0011] In this aspect, as the cooling gas flows through the gas jacket, among the wall surfaces partitioning the test area, the region closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more than the region closer to the inlet than the outlet.

[0012] The gas jacket may have an inlet through which the cooling gas flows into the gas jacket. In this case, the inlet may be located closer to the outlet than the inlet.

[0013] In this aspect, the cooling gas before cooling the wall surface flows into the gas jacket through an inlet closer to the outlet than the inlet. Therefore, among the wall surfaces partitioning the test area, the region closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more.

[0014] The gas jacket may have an outlet through which the cooling gas flows out from the gas jacket to the test area. In this case, the outlet may be located at least closer to the inlet than the outlet.

[0015] In this aspect, when the cooling gas flows through the gas jacket from the inlet to the outlet, the cooling gas flows from the outlet side to the inlet side. Therefore, among the wall surfaces partitioning the test area, the region closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more.

[0016] The wall surface cooling means may include a wind guide plate that causes the cooling gas to flow along the wall surface in a direction from the outlet to the inlet.

[0017] In this aspect, due to the presence of the wind guide plate, the cooling gas flows along the wall surface partitioning the test area in a direction from the outlet to the inlet. Therefore, the cooling gas that has cooled the region near the outlet of the wall surface cools the region near the inlet. Therefore, since the region near the outlet of the wall surface can be cooled more than the region near the inlet, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area during low-temperature exposure.

[0018] The wall cooling means may be arranged to be in thermal contact with or along the wall surface in at least a region closer to the outlet than the inlet, and may include a heat transfer tube through which the cooling gas flows.

[0019] In this aspect, as the cooling gas flows through the heat transfer tube, among the wall surfaces partitioning the test area, the region closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more than the region closer to the inlet than the outlet.

[0020] The test area may be provided with an outlet for discharging the air in the test area to the outside by the cooling gas.

[0021] In this aspect, when shifting from a state where the air temperature in the test area is high due to high-temperature exposure in which the heated air obtained in the high-temperature tank is introduced into the test area to low-temperature exposure in which the cooled air obtained in the low-temperature tank is introduced into the test area, the high-temperature air can be discharged from the outlet by the cooling gas. Therefore, compared with a configuration in which high-temperature air flows into the low-temperature tank when starting low-temperature exposure, the cooling load in the low-temperature tank can be reduced.

[0022] The outlet may be opened between high-temperature exposure in which the heated air obtained in the high-temperature tank is introduced into the test area and low-temperature exposure in which the cooled air obtained in the low-temperature tank is introduced into the test area.

[0023] In this aspect, before low-temperature exposure is performed, the high-temperature air in the test area during high-temperature exposure is discharged to the outside, so the time required to shift from high-temperature exposure to low-temperature exposure can be shortened.

[0024] The wall cooling means may blow the cooling gas onto a region of the wall surface partitioning the test area that is closer to the outlet than the inlet.

[0025] In this aspect, since the cooling gas is blown onto the area of the wall surface that partitions the test area and is closer to the outlet than the inlet, that area is cooled by the cooling gas. Therefore, even when the cooling air introduced into the test area from the inlet flows from the inlet toward the outlet during low-temperature exposure, it is possible to hardly cause a situation where the area near the outlet of the wall surface is difficult to cool. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness in the air within the test area during low-temperature exposure.

Effect of the Invention

[0026] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness between the vicinity of the inlet and the vicinity of the outlet within the test area during low-temperature exposure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0029] (First Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, an environmental test apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes a test tank 12 that partitions a test area TA, a high-temperature tank 14 for heating the inside of the test area TA to a high temperature, and a low-temperature tank 16 for cooling the inside of the test area TA to a low temperature. This environmental test apparatus 10 is configured as a thermal shock test apparatus that alternately exposes a sample placed in the test area TA to low-temperature air and high-temperature air to apply a thermal load to the sample.

[0030] The high-temperature tank 14 is adjacent to the upper side of the test area TA, and the low-temperature tank 16 is adjacent to the lower side of the test area TA. However, the positional relationship among the high-temperature tank 14, the test area TA, and the low-temperature tank 16 is not limited to this. In short, the high-temperature tank 14 and the low-temperature tank 16 only need to be adjacent to the test area TA.

[0031] The test tank 12, the high-temperature tank 14, and the low-temperature tank 16 are formed in a hollow shape by a heat-insulating wall. The heat-insulating wall includes a high-temperature side partition wall 21 that partitions between the high-temperature tank 14 and the test tank 12, and a low-temperature side partition wall 22 that partitions between the low-temperature tank 16 and the test tank 12. That is, the high-temperature side partition wall 21 is a heat-insulating wall that forms one surface (top surface) of the test tank 12, and the low-temperature side partition wall 22 is a heat-insulating wall that forms the other surface (bottom surface) of the test tank 12 facing the one surface.

[0032] The high-temperature side partition wall 21 is provided with an inlet (high-temperature inlet 21a) and an outlet (high-temperature outlet 21b) for communicating the test area TA and the space in the high-temperature tank 14 with each other. The high-temperature inlet 21a and the high-temperature outlet 21b are each opened and closed by a damper 24. In FIG. 1, a configuration in which the damper 24 is arranged in the high-temperature tank 14 is shown, but the damper 24 may be arranged in the test area TA.

[0033] The low-temperature side partition wall 22 is provided with an inlet (low-temperature inlet 22a) and an outlet (low-temperature outlet 22b) for communicating the test area TA and the space in the low-temperature tank 16 with each other. The low-temperature inlet 22a and the low-temperature outlet 22b are each opened and closed by a damper 24. In FIG. 1, a configuration in which the damper 24 is disposed in the low-temperature tank 16 is shown, but the damper 24 may be disposed in the test area TA.

[0034] In the high-temperature tank 14, a heater 26 for heating air and a blower 27 for circulating the heated air between the inside of the high-temperature tank 14 and the test area TA are provided. In the low-temperature tank 16, a cooler 28 for cooling air, an auxiliary heater 29, a dehumidifier 30, and a blower 31 for circulating the cooled air between the inside of the low-temperature tank 16 and the test area TA are provided. When the blower 31 in the low-temperature tank 16 operates, the cooled air in the low-temperature tank 16 is blown out from the low-temperature inlet 22a into the test area TA, and in the test area TA, an air flow from the low-temperature inlet 22a toward the low-temperature outlet 22b is generated. That is, the blower 31 disposed in the low-temperature tank 16 functions as an air flow generation unit 33 that generates an air flow flowing from the low-temperature inlet 22a toward the low-temperature outlet 22b in the test area TA.

[0035] The test area TA is provided with a gas jacket 35 that forms a circulation space FS for circulating a cooling gas. The gas jacket 35 is disposed in the test area TA so as to follow a heat insulation wall 37 that partitions the test area TA. That is, the gas jacket 35 is disposed around the test area TA.

[0036] The gas jacket 35 forms a circulation space FS between it and the heat insulation wall 37. That is, the gas jacket 35 is disposed so as to form a gap with a predetermined width between it and the heat insulation wall 37. Therefore, when the cooling gas flows through the circulation space FS, the cooling gas flows through the circulation space FS while contacting the heat insulation wall 37.

[0037] The gas jacket 35 is formed in a rectangular box shape with one side open. Specifically, the gas jacket 35 is formed along the top surface, bottom surface, left and right side surfaces, and the side surface on the back side among the wall surfaces 37a facing the test area TA in the heat insulation wall 37 that partitions the test area TA. On the other hand, the gas jacket 35 does not extend along the front surface where a schematic door for opening and closing the test area TA is provided among the wall surfaces 37a that partition the test area TA. That is, since a door for opening the test area TA for inserting and removing the sample is provided on the front surface on the near side in FIG. 1, the gas jacket 35 does not have a portion along the side wall on the front side of the test tank 12. When the door is provided only on a part of the front surface, the gas jacket 35 may also be provided at a part other than the door on the side wall on the front side.

[0038] In the gas jacket 35, communication holes 35a are provided at positions corresponding to the high-temperature inlet 21a, high-temperature outlet 21b, low-temperature inlet 22a, and low-temperature outlet 22b so as not to block them. The communication hole 35a corresponding to the high-temperature inlet 21a penetrates the gas jacket 35 in the thickness direction so that the test area TA and the high-temperature inlet 21a communicate with each other. The other communication holes 35a are also formed so as to penetrate the gas jacket 35 in the thickness direction.

[0039] A gas source 39 for introducing a cooling gas into the flow space FS is connected to the gas jacket 35. The gas source 39 includes a tank 39a in which the cooling gas is stored, a pipe 39b connected to the tank 39a, and a valve 39c provided in the pipe 39b. As the cooling gas, for example, liquid nitrogen gas or liquid carbon dioxide gas is used. In addition, when the test area TA is heated to a temperature much higher than room temperature during the high-temperature exposure in which high-temperature air is supplied from the high-temperature tank 14 to expose the sample to a high temperature, air may be used as the cooling gas. In this case, the gas source 39 may include a pipe 39b connected to the gas jacket 35 and a blower (not shown) for sending air into the pipe 39b.

[0040] The pipe 39b penetrates through the heat insulation wall 37 that partitions the test area TA, and the tip of the pipe 39b opens into the flow space FS. The part where the tip of the pipe 39b opens serves as the inlet 35b for allowing the cooling gas to flow into the gas jacket 35. This inlet 35b is located closer to the low-temperature outlet 22b than to the low-temperature inlet 22a. More specifically, the inlet 35b is located on the heat insulation wall 37 that constitutes the left side surface of the test area TA in FIG. 1. Note that a plurality of inlets 35b for allowing the cooling gas to flow into the gas jacket 35 may be provided. Also, the inlet 35b may not be provided on the heat insulation wall 37 that constitutes the left side surface in FIG. 1. That is, the inlet 35b T As long as the cooling gas flows through the gas jacket 35 such that the region of the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA and is closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than to the inlets 21a, 22a is preferentially cooled over the region closer to the inlets 21a, 22a than to the outlets 21b, 22b.

[0041] Further, the gas jacket 35 is provided with an outlet 35c for allowing the cooling gas that has flowed through the flow space FS to flow out into the test area TA. The outlet 35c is located closer to the low-temperature inlet 22a than to the low-temperature outlet 22b. More specifically, the outlet 35c is located on the right side surface in FIG. 1 of the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA, that is, on the side surface opposite to the side surface where the inlet 35b is disposed. In the flow space FS, the cooling gas flows from the inlet 35b toward the outlet 35c.

[0042] Note that the outlet 35c is not only arranged on the right side surface in FIG. 1 of the wall surface 37a, but may also be formed on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the back side surface. Further, if the outlet 35c is located closer to the low-temperature inlet 22a than the low-temperature outlet 22b, it may be located on the top surface, the bottom surface, and the back side surface instead of on the right side surface. Also, the outlet 35c is not limited to one, and a plurality of outlets may be provided. Further, the outlet 35c does not necessarily open into the test area TA. For example, it may open so as to discharge the cooling gas to the outside of the test tank 12 through the heat insulating wall 37.

[0043] The introduction of the cooling gas into the flow space FS is performed, for example, during the low-temperature exposure when the cooling air obtained in the low-temperature tank 16 is introduced into the test area TA. That is, the valve 39c of the gas source 39 is opened during the low-temperature exposure. During the low-temperature exposure, as shown in FIG. 2, the low-temperature inlet 22a and the low-temperature outlet 22b are opened by the damper 24, and the high-temperature inlet 21a and the high-temperature outlet 21b are closed by the damper 24. Therefore, the cooling air blown out from the blower 31 in the low-temperature tank 16 is introduced into the test area TA through the low-temperature inlet 22a, and this cooling air flows from the region on the right side of the figure where the low-temperature inlet 22a is located toward the region on the left side of the figure where the low-temperature outlet 22b is located. Therefore, in the low-temperature partition wall 22 and the high-temperature partition wall 21, the portion on the left side is slightly less likely to cool than the portion on the right side of the figure.

[0044] On one hand, the cooling gas supplied from the gas source 39 to the flow space FS in the gas jacket 35 flows in the flow space FS in the direction from the inlet 35b to the outlet 35c. Since the inlet 35b is located near the low-temperature outlet 22b and the outlet 35c is located near the low-temperature inlet 22a, the cooling gas flows along the wall surface 37a (the high-temperature partition wall 21 and the low-temperature partition wall 22) that divides the test area TA in the direction from the outlets 21b, 22b to the inlets 21a, 22a. At this time, since the cooling gas flows while cooling the wall surface 37a, its temperature gradually rises. As a result, in the low-temperature partition wall 22, the region closer to the low-temperature outlet 22b than the low-temperature inlet 22a is cooled more than the region closer to the low-temperature inlet 22a than the low-temperature outlet 22b. Also, since the positional relationship between the low-temperature inlet 22a and the low-temperature outlet 22b is the same as the positional relationship between the high-temperature inlet 21a and the high-temperature outlet 21b, in the high-temperature partition wall 21 as well, the region closer to the high-temperature outlet 21b than the high-temperature inlet 21a is cooled more than the region closer to the high-temperature inlet 21a than the high-temperature outlet 21b. Therefore, during low-temperature exposure, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area TA. That is, the gas jacket 35 functions as a wall surface cooling means 41 for flowing the cooling gas so that the region of the wall surface 37a that divides the test area TA and is closer to the low-temperature outlet 22b than the low-temperature inlet 22a is cooled more than the region closer to the low-temperature inlet 22a than the low-temperature outlet 22b.

[0045] Note that the introduction of the cooling gas may be performed at the stage of shifting from high-temperature exposure in which the heated air obtained in the high-temperature tank 14 is introduced into the test area TA to low-temperature exposure. At the time of this shift, since all the dampers 24 are closed, no air flow occurs in the test area TA. However, during the subsequent low-temperature exposure, in the low-temperature partition wall 22 and the high-temperature partition wall 21, the left-side part is slightly less likely to cool than the right-side part in the figure. Therefore, by preferentially cooling the region on the side of the outlets 21b, 22b, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, the airflow generated by the blower 31 of the low-temperature tank 16 becomes an airflow in the direction from the inlets 21a and 22a to the outlets 21b and 22b within the test area TA. Therefore, during low-temperature exposure when cooling air is introduced from the low-temperature tank 16 into the test area TA, the cooling air introduced into the test area TA from the low-temperature inlet 22a flows from the low-temperature inlet 22a toward the low-temperature outlet 22b. For this reason, without the wall surface cooling means 41, in the test area TA, the area near the inlets 21a and 22a is more likely to be cooled than the area near the outlets 21b and 22b. Therefore, by providing the wall surface cooling means 41, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a difference in the degree of cooling between the area near the outlets 21b and 22b and the area near the inlets 21a and 22a within the test area TA. Moreover, since the wall surface cooling means 41 cools the wall surface 37a of the test area TA, the air within the test area TA is also cooled accordingly with the cooling of the wall surface 37a. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air within the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0047] Moreover, in this embodiment, since the wall surface cooling means 41 causes the cooling gas to flow in the direction from the outlets 21b and 22b toward the inlets 21a and 22a along the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA, the cooling gas that has cooled the area near the outlets 21b and 22b of the wall surface 37a cools the area near the inlets 21a and 22a. Therefore, even when the cooling air introduced into the test area TA from the low-temperature inlet 22a flows from the low-temperature inlet 22a toward the low-temperature outlet 22b during low-temperature exposure, it is possible to cool the area near the outlets 21b and 22b of the wall surface 37a more than the area near the inlets 21a and 22a, and thus it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air within the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0048] Also, in this embodiment, as the cooling gas flows within the gas jacket 35, the area of the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA and is closer to the outlets 21b and 22b than the inlets 21a and 22a is cooled more than the area closer to the inlets 21a and 22a than the outlets 21b and 22b.

[0049] In this embodiment, the positional relationship between the low-temperature inlet 22a and the low-temperature outlet 22b is the same as that between the high-temperature inlet 21a and the high-temperature outlet 21b. However, the positional relationship between the low-temperature inlet 22a and the low-temperature outlet 22b may be opposite to that between the high-temperature inlet 21a and the high-temperature outlet 21b. That is, the high-temperature inlet 21a may be located on the left side of FIG. 1 and the high-temperature outlet 21b may be located on the right side of FIG. 1. Even in this case, since the cooling gas flows through the gas jacket 35 from the low-temperature outlet 22b side toward the low-temperature inlet 22a side, the region near the low-temperature outlet 22b in the low-temperature side partition wall 22 and the high-temperature side partition wall 21 can be cooled more effectively.

[0050] In this embodiment, the gas jacket 35 is provided over the entire range of the low-temperature side partition wall 22 and the high-temperature side partition wall 21, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the gas jacket 35 may be arranged in the vicinity of the low-temperature outlet 22b and may be formed to have a size that does not extend to the vicinity of the low-temperature inlet 22a. In this case, the outlet 35c opens toward the side surface of the test tank 12 on the low-temperature inlet 22a side at the end of the gas jacket 35 on the low-temperature inlet 22a side. Therefore, the cooling gas that has flowed through the flow space FS in the gas jacket 35 flows along the wall surface 37a in the direction in which the low-temperature inlet 22a is located. Even in this case, the region near the outlets 21b and 22b in the low-temperature side partition wall 22 and the high-temperature side partition wall 21 can be cooled more effectively than the region near the inlets 21a and 22a. Note that the outlet 35c does not necessarily have to open toward the side surface of the test tank 12 on the low-temperature inlet 22a side, and may open toward the center of the test area TA at the end of the gas jacket 35 on the low-temperature inlet 22a side.

[0051] (Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0052] In the environmental test apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, it is different from the first embodiment in that a discharge port 43 is provided in the test tank 12. The discharge port 43 is an opening for discharging the air in the test area TA to the outside of the test tank 12, and is provided in the heat insulating wall 37 that constitutes the side surface facing the outlet 35c in the gas jacket 35 among the heat insulating walls 37 that partition the test area TA. Therefore, when the cooling gas flows out from the gas jacket 35 into the test area TA, the air in the test area TA is discharged to the outside by this cooling gas.

[0053] Therefore, in this embodiment, when shifting from the high-temperature exposure in which the heated air obtained in the high-temperature tank 14 is introduced into the test area TA and the temperature in the test area TA is high to the low-temperature exposure in which the cooled air obtained in the low-temperature tank 16 is introduced into the test area TA, the high-temperature air can be discharged to the outside from the discharge port 43 by the cooling gas. Therefore, compared with the configuration in which the high-temperature air flows into the low-temperature tank 16 when starting the low-temperature exposure, the cooling load in the low-temperature tank 16 can be reduced.

[0054] In addition, in FIG. 4, the pipe 39b connected to the tank 39a is configured to branch into two, but it is not limited to this configuration. Similar to the first embodiment, the pipe 39b may be connected to the gas jacket 35 without branching into two.

[0055] The descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, but the description of the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment.

[0056] (Third Embodiment) FIG. 5 shows the third embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0057] In the first embodiment, a gas supplied from a gas source 39 different from the cooling air obtained in the low-temperature tank 16 is used as the cooling gas, whereas in the third embodiment, the cooling air obtained in the low-temperature tank 16 is used as the cooling gas, which is different from the first embodiment. Since the cooling air is used as the cooling gas, the timing for allowing the cooling gas to flow into the flow space FS of the gas jacket 35 is when shifting from high-temperature exposure to low-temperature exposure.

[0058] The gas jacket 35 is formed in a rectangular tube shape so as to form a space (flow space FS) between the high-temperature side partition wall 21 and the low-temperature side partition wall 22, and an outlet 35c of the gas jacket 35 is opened at one end in the tube axis direction. The outlet 35c is arranged at a position closer to the inlets 21a, 22a than the outlets 21b, 22b in the high-temperature side partition wall 21 and the low-temperature side partition wall 22. The inlet 35b of the gas jacket 35 is arranged at a position closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a in the high-temperature side partition wall 21 and the low-temperature side partition wall 22. Also, a damper 45 for opening and closing the inlet 35b is provided. When the gas jacket 35 extends to the side surface on the low-temperature inlet 22a side in the test tank 12, the outlet 35c may be provided at a position adjacent to the side surfaces on the inlets 21a, 22a side of the test tank 12, similar to the configuration of FIG. 1. Further, an auxiliary blower 46 for assisting the flow of the air current is provided at the inlet 35b, but the auxiliary blower 46 can be omitted.

[0059] In this configuration, the cooling air (cooling gas) sent out from the blower 31 in the low-temperature tank 16 flows into the flow space FS of the gas jacket 35 through the inlet 35b located near the low-temperature outlet 22b, and flows out into the test area TA through the outlet 35c located near the inlets 21a, 22a. Thereby, among the wall surfaces 37a partitioning the test area TA, the area closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a can be preferentially cooled. Moreover, different from the first embodiment, the gas source 39 becomes unnecessary.

[0060] Note that although descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, the descriptions of the first and second embodiments can be applied to the third embodiment.

[0061] (Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0062] In the first embodiment, the wall surface cooling means 41 includes a gas jacket 35 that forms a flow space FS through which a cooling gas flows. In contrast, in the fourth embodiment, the wall surface cooling means 41 does not form a distinct flow space FS, but includes a wind guiding plate 48 that guides the cooling gas in a predetermined direction. The wind guiding plate 48 guides the cooling gas introduced into the test area TA through an inlet 37b at the tip of the pipe 39b in the heat insulating wall 37.

[0063] The wind guiding plate 48 is formed of a plate-shaped member bent into a predetermined shape, and has a low-temperature side guiding portion 48a that guides the cooling gas from the inlet 37b for introducing the cooling gas into the test area TA from the pipe 39b of the gas source 39 toward the low-temperature outlet 22b of the low-temperature partition wall 22. Further, the wind guiding plate 48 has a high-temperature side guiding portion 48b that guides the cooling gas from the inlet 37b toward the high-temperature outlet 21b of the high-temperature partition wall 21.

[0064] Due to the presence of the low-temperature side guiding portion 48a, a part of the cooling gas flows in the test area TA along the low-temperature partition wall 22 from the low-temperature outlet 22b side toward the low-temperature inlet 22a side. Further, due to the presence of the high-temperature side guiding portion 48b, the other part of the cooling gas flows in the test area TA along the high-temperature partition wall 21 from the high-temperature outlet 21b side toward the high-temperature inlet 21a side.

[0065] Note that holes may be formed in the low-temperature side guide portion 48a of the air guide plate 48 so as not to prevent the air in the test area TA from flowing toward the low-temperature outlet 22b during low-temperature exposure. Further, holes may be formed in the high-temperature side guide portion 48b of the air guide plate 48 so as not to prevent the air in the test area TA from flowing toward the high-temperature outlet 21b during high-temperature exposure.

[0066] In this embodiment, due to the presence of the air guide plate 48, the cooling gas flows from the outlets 21b and 22b toward the inlets 21a and 22a along the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA. Therefore, the cooling gas that cools the region near the outlets 21b and 22b of the wall surface 37a cools the region near the inlets 21a and 22a. Accordingly, since the region near the outlets 21b and 22b of the wall surface 37a can be cooled more than the region near the inlets 21a and 22a, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0067] Note that the descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, but the descriptions of the first to third embodiments can be incorporated into the fourth embodiment.

[0068] (Fifth Embodiment) FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0069] In the fifth embodiment, the wall surface cooling means 41 includes a heat transfer pipe 50 through which the cooling gas flows. The heat transfer pipe 50 is disposed in the heat insulating wall 37 that partitions the top surface, bottom surface, back side (the back side in FIG. 7), and left and right side surfaces (the left and right side surfaces in FIG. 7) of the test area TA, and is in thermal contact with the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA. That is, the heat transfer pipe 50 crawls along the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA within the heat insulating wall 37. Note that a part of the heat transfer pipe 50 may not be in thermal contact with the wall surface 37a.

[0070] The heat transfer tube 50 is connected to the pipe 39b at the heat insulation wall 37 on the side close to the low-temperature outlet 22b, and opens as an outlet 50a for discharging the cooling gas into the test area TA at the heat insulation wall 37 on the side close to the low-temperature inlet 22a. The connection port between the heat transfer tube 50 and the pipe 39b functions as an inlet 50b for allowing the cooling gas to flow into the heat transfer tube 50. Note that the outlet 50a does not necessarily have to open into the test area TA. In this case, the heat transfer tube 50 may be drawn out of the test tank 12 through the heat insulation wall 37 and configured to discharge the cooling gas to the outside of the test tank 12.

[0071] The heat transfer tube 50 is formed to meander on the top surface, bottom surface, and the side surface on the back side. For this reason, the cooling gas flows through the heat transfer tube 50 from the region closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a to the region closer to the inlets 21a, 22a than the outlets 21b, 22b while meandering on the front side and the back side in FIG. 7. Therefore, as the cooling gas flows through the heat transfer tube 50, among the wall surfaces 37a that partition the test area TA, the region closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a is cooled more than the region closer to the inlets 21a, 22a than the outlets 21b, 22b.

[0072] Note that, as shown in FIG. 7, the heat transfer tube 50 is provided along the wall surface 37a excluding the side surface on the front side, but it does not have to be provided over all of these. For example, the heat transfer tube 50 may be arranged along the left side surface where the inlet 50b is provided and along the wall surface 37a in the region closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a on the top surface, bottom surface, and the back side surface. That is, the heat transfer tube 50 only needs to be arranged in at least the region closer to the outlets 21b, 22b than the inlets 21a, 22a among the wall surfaces 37a that partition the test area TA. The heat transfer tube 50 does not have to meander. For example, at the upper edge, lower edge, and back edge of the left side surface where the inlet 50b is provided, it may branch into a plurality, and a plurality of heat transfer tubes 50 may extend along the top surface, bottom surface, and the back side surface.

[0073] Further, the heat transfer tube 50 may not be provided inside the heat insulation wall 37, but may be arranged along the wall surface 37a outside the heat insulation wall 37 (inside the test area TA). When the heat transfer tube 50 is arranged inside the test area TA, it is desirable that the heat transfer tube 50 is in thermal contact with the wall surface 37a, but part or all of the heat transfer tube 50 may not be in thermal contact with the wall surface 37a.

[0074] The descriptions of other configurations, operations, and effects are omitted, but the descriptions of the first to fourth embodiments can be incorporated into the fifth embodiment.

[0075] (Sixth Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows the sixth embodiment of the present invention. Here, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0076] The sixth embodiment is different from the first to fifth embodiments in that the wall surface cooling means 41 has a nozzle 52 for blowing a cooling gas.

[0077] The pipe 39b of the gas source 39 penetrates the heat insulation wall 37 of the test tank 12 and extends into the test area TA. The nozzle 52 is provided at the tip of this pipe 39b. The nozzle 52 is arranged to blow the cooling gas into a region of the low-temperature partition wall 22 that is closer to the low-temperature outlet 22b than to the low-temperature inlet 22a.

[0078] Note that the nozzle 52 may be arranged to blow the cooling gas from a region close to the low-temperature outlet 22b toward a region close to the low-temperature inlet 22a. Also, although not shown in the figure, a nozzle 52 for blowing the cooling gas may be added to the high-temperature partition wall 21.

[0079] In this embodiment, since the cooling gas is blown onto the region of the wall surface 37a that partitions the test area TA and is closer to the low-temperature outlet 22b than the low-temperature inlet 22a, this region is cooled by the cooling gas. That is, the wall surface cooling means 41 is configured to cool the region of the wall surface 37a closer to the outlets 21b, 22b more than the region closer to the inlets 21a, 22a. Therefore, even when the cooling air introduced into the test area TA from the low-temperature inlet 22a flows from the low-temperature inlet 22a toward the low-temperature outlet 22b during low-temperature exposure, it is possible to make it difficult to cause a situation where the region near the low-temperature outlet 22b of the wall surface 37a is difficult to cool. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of temperature unevenness of the air in the test area TA during low-temperature exposure.

[0080] In addition, although the description of other configurations, operations, and effects is omitted, the descriptions of the first to fifth embodiments can be incorporated into the sixth embodiment. In the first to fifth embodiments, a plurality of inlets 35b, 37b, 50b may be provided. In this case, the flow rate of the cooling gas flowing into each of the inlets 35b, 37b, 50b may be controlled. In that case, a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the wall surface 37a may be provided, and the flow rate may be controlled according to the detection value of this temperature sensor.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0081] 10: Environmental test apparatus 12: Test tank 14: High-temperature tank 16: Low-temperature tank 21a: High-temperature inlet 21b: High-temperature outlet 22a: Low-temperature inlet 22b: Low-temperature outlet 33: Airflow generation unit 35: Gas jacket 35b: Inlet 35c: Outlet 37: Heat insulation wall 37a: Wall surface 41: Wall surface cooling means 43: Outlet 48: Air guide plate 50: Heat transfer tube TA: Test area

Claims

1. A test tank having a test area, A high-temperature tank for heating air for heating the test area, A low-temperature tank for cooling air for cooling the test area, An air flow generating unit that generates an air flow in the test area from an inlet for introducing cooling air from the low-temperature tank into the test area to an outlet for discharging air from the test area to the low-temperature tank, Among the wall surfaces partitioning the test area, a wall surface cooling means for flowing a cooling gas so that a region closer to the outlet than the inlet is cooled more than a region closer to the inlet than the outlet, An environmental test apparatus comprising the same.

2. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface cooling means is configured to flow the cooling gas in a direction from the outlet toward the inlet along the wall surface partitioning the test area.

3. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall surface cooling means is disposed at least around the test area in a region closer to the outlet than the inlet and includes a gas jacket for circulating the cooling gas.

4. The gas jacket has an inlet for flowing the cooling gas into the gas jacket, The environmental test apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the inlet is located closer to the outlet than the inlet.

5. The gas jacket has an outlet for flowing the cooling gas out of the gas jacket into the test area, The environmental test apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outlet is located at least closer to the inlet than the outlet.

6. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall surface cooling means includes a wind guide plate for flowing the cooling gas in a direction from the outlet toward the inlet along the wall surface.

7. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall surface cooling means is disposed in contact with the wall surface thermally or along the wall surface at least in a region closer to the outlet than the inlet and includes a heat transfer pipe for circulating the cooling gas.

8. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the test area is provided with an outlet for discharging the air in the test area to the outside by the cooling gas.

9. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the discharge port is opened between a high-temperature exposure for introducing the heated air obtained in the high-temperature tank into the test area and a low-temperature exposure for introducing the cooled air obtained in the low-temperature tank into the test area.

10. The environmental test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface cooling means blows the cooling gas onto a region of the wall surface that partitions the test area and is closer to the discharge port than the inlet port.

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