NEXT GENERATION THERMAL CYCLING CHAMBER

摘要

Systems-level thermal testing of satellite communication hardware is traditionally performed under thermal vacuum conditions. It is becoming increasingly accepted to perform assembly level testing of large antennas using ambient pressure chambers to minimize cost and schedule. This paper describes the design, construction, and use of a very large 4m × 4m × 4m (13'×13'×13') thermal cycling chamber (at atmospheric pressure) in Montreal, Canada. This facility was constructed and commissioned over a period of one year,. The final performance is a temperature range of -180°C to +150°C (-292°F to +300°F). Tests performed with this facility will save considerable time and money while maintaining qualification of flight hardware. Also included is a short description of a new software, capable of predicting thermal chamber parameters, such as heating or cooling capability and required purging time to avoid condensation.