Environmental testing chamber and air-conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional environmental testing laboratories face challenges in performing optical measurements with high precision due to fluctuations in atmospheric conditions and temperature differences between measurement targets or devices and the laboratory environment, leading to variability in surface shape and structure dimensions.
Innovation Solution
An environmental testing laboratory is designed with a supply and discharge port system for air-conditioned air, a flow passage, and flow straightening members to stabilize airflow and prevent thermal convection, ensuring the measurement target and optical measurement device maintain consistent temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If air-conditioning control is used to stabilize atmospheric conditions, then measurement precision is improved, but temperature fluctuations of measurement target and device occur due to thermal convection
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental testing laboratory is divided into a measurement space and a flow passage part. The measurement space houses the measurement target and optical measurement device, while the flow passage part handles air-conditioned air flow. This segmentation isolates the measurement environment from thermal convection caused by air-conditioning, preventing temperature fluctuations of the measurement target and device while maintaining atmospheric pressure conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the environmental testing laboratory are given different functions and environmental characteristics. The measurement space maintains stable temperature and atmospheric pressure for precision optical measurement, while the flow passage part allows air-conditioned air to flow at controlled speeds. This local differentiation enables simultaneous achievement of thermal stability for measurement and effective thermal convection control.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If thermal convection is allowed to occur, then air-conditioning efficiency is improved, but temperature stability of measurement environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The laboratory is segmented into a measurement space with stable temperature composition and a flow passage part where air-conditioned air flows. This segmentation allows thermal convection to occur in the flow passage part for air-conditioning efficiency while the measurement space maintains temperature stability through isolated positioning at the center and controlled air flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Air-conditioned air acts as an intermediary medium, flowing through the flow passage part and supply/discharge ports rather than directly contacting the measurement target and optical measurement device. This intermediary flow path enables heat dissipation and air-conditioning efficiency while preventing direct thermal convection from affecting the measurement environment's temperature stability.
3Ease of operation
If measurement is performed in atmospheric pressure environment, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to atmospheric condition fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The environmental testing laboratory controls key parameters including temperature, humidity, and air flow speed within specific ranges. By maintaining air flow speed between 0.1 to 10 m/s and controlling temperature fluctuations, the system achieves measurement precision comparable to vacuum conditions while operating in atmospheric pressure, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The environmental testing laboratory creates a controlled atmospheric environment that acts as an inert medium for optical measurement. By stabilizing temperature, humidity, and air flow, the atmosphere becomes predictable and non-interfering, allowing precision optical measurement in atmospheric pressure without the need for vacuum conditions, thereby improving ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables precise optical measurements by stabilizing the refractive index and temperature of the measurement environment, reducing variability and enhancing measurement accuracy in atmospheric pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
thermal convection inside the environmental testing laboratory
Implementation Method 2
radiant heat from the walls and the floor
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental testing laboratory includes a supply port allowing air-conditioned air at a predetermined temperature supplied through the supply port at a predetermined speed, a discharge port facing the supply port and allowing the air be discharged through the discharge port, a flow passage disposed between the supply port and the discharge port and allowing the air to pass through the flow passage part, an installation part disposed at a center of the flow passage and allowing a measurement target in the installation part, and a flow straightening member which is disposed between a sidewall surface of the flow passage part and the installation part and which is configured to straighten an airflow of the air-conditioned air. The sidewall surface of the flow passage part and the first flow straightening member are disposed in parallel with the airflow of the air-conditioned air from the supply port to the discharge port.