Multiple Chamber Test System Thermal Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiple chamber test systems for highly accelerated life testing (HALT), highly accelerated stress screening (HASS), and highly accelerated stress audits (HASA) face inefficiencies due to underutilized vibration table surfaces, leading to higher costs and energy consumption, as well as challenges in maintaining thermal uniformity across multiple test chambers.
Innovation Solution
A multiple chamber test system with a single cabinet containing multiple test chambers, each with a vibration table and temperature-controlled air circulation, utilizing a tangential blower fan system and flow control devices to ensure balanced air distribution and separate pneumatic actuator exhaust from the test chamber air, allowing independent control of air circulation components for each chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single large vibration table is used to support multiple devices under test, then the test chamber volume increases, but the utilization of the vibration table surface decreases and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single large vibration table into multiple separate vibration tables, each supporting one or more devices under test. This segmentation allows each table to be fully utilized for its designated devices while maintaining an efficient overall system configuration that reduces unnecessary chamber volume and energy consumption.
2Productivity
If a single large vibration table is used, then the test chamber volume increases, but the accessibility to the vibration table surface decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the large vibration table into multiple smaller tables positioned at different locations within the test chamber, the patent improves accessibility to each table surface. Operators can more easily reach and work with devices on smaller, more accessible tables rather than a large table with difficult-to-reach portions.
3Productivity
If multiple test chambers are provided within a single cabinet, then the throughput increases, but the difficulty of maintaining thermal uniformity across chambers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides multiple separate test chambers within a single cabinet, each chamber being thermally independent. This segmentation allows each chamber to maintain its own thermal environment while the cabinet structure provides overall containment, enabling high throughput without compromising thermal uniformity within each individual chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Each test chamber is equipped with its own thermal control system including heating elements, cooling elements, and air circulation components that are specifically configured for that chamber. This local quality approach ensures that each chamber maintains the required thermal uniformity independently, while the overall system provides high throughput through multiple simultaneous testing locations.
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 enhances the utilization of test chamber space, reduces energy consumption, and maintains thermal uniformity across all test chambers, thereby improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the testing process.
Implementation Method 1
a fan is of a tangential blower type design... the fan can have a width that is equal or about equal to the width of the plenum assembly or a portion of the plenum assembly. The air output by the fan is passed to an outlet portion of the plenum assembly
Implementation Method 2
heating and/or cooling elements are disposed. Air is drawn through the intake plenum, across the heating and/or cooling elements
Implementation Method 3
heating and/or cooling elements are disposed. Air is drawn through the intake plenum, across the heating and/or cooling elements
Implementation Method 4
one or more flow control devices can be included. More particularly, a flow control device or element can be disposed within or in communication with the outlet plenum, to facilitate a balanced distribution of air to the multiple test chambers
Implementation Method 5
for embodiments in which air powered actuators or hammers are employed, a table air enclosure can be included to prevent the actuator exhaust air from mixing with the temperature controlled chamber air
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple chamber test system is provided. The multiple chamber test system includes a plurality of test chambers that each include a vibration table. In addition, each of the test chambers is provided with thermally controlled air from a common source. An output plenum for providing thermally controlled air to the test chambers may include a flow control device, to provide the same or similar thermal conditions in each of the test chambers. Where pneumatic actuators are used to impart movement to the vibration tables, the exhaust air from the actuators can be prevented from mixing with the thermally controlled chamber air.