Description

Thermal Vacuum Chamber

This is our Universal Process ExploraVAC TVAC thermal vacuum test chamber system, the ultimate environmental simulation system. It offers heated and cooled sample temperature control from -70 to +225 °C, accurate to ± 0.3 °C, on a 23” × 23” high-surface-area thermally isolated platen. This system has turnkey, fully integrated rough and high vacuum systems. It features a large 24 inch cube welded stainless-steel vacuum chamber, a hinged stainless-steel door with viewport, and a volume of 8.0 cubic feet.

The system has a Pfeiffer HiPace 300 turbomolecular pump and an Edwards nXR30i dry roots vacuum pump, to achieve ultimate pressures as low as 10^-7 Torr. As configured, this Universal Process system with the dry pump alone has full pressure control from local pressure to 2 × 10^-2 Torr accurate to the measured gauge value. For altitude simulation, the system has a ceiling of 280,000 feet. When the chamber is crossed over and pumped by the turbomolecular vacuum pump, its pressure simulates that of deep space, in the 10^-7 Torr range and can degas materials even at cryogenic temperatures. Chamber venting is controlled by our smart Ideal Vacuum CommandValve™, which allows chamber pressurization at rates of up to 10 Torr per second, which is more rapid pressurization than an object feels in free fall. The operator can select preferred pressure units in Altitude, Torr, Atmospheres, Bar, Pascals, or PSI. This system includes two Convectron, a micro-ion, and a piezo-electric vacuum pressure gauges to provide feedback to the user and for the logic controller. An internally regulated purge gas port allows introduction of user-selected gases into the chamber for high-purity or oxygen-and-water-free work. A spacious LF-200 side ports are available for user-selected or designed accessories, such as an electronic feedthrough for device monitoring or shock testing, an infrared lamp array for radiant heating or temperature differential tests, or an ultraviolet lamp array for ionizing radiation tests. This Ultimate Universal ExploraVAC system weighs 1303 lb., and requires single-phase 208-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, at 46 Amps.

Universal Testing System

In some cases, it is impossible to know beforehand which tests or features will be necessary for a certain process. In other cases, due to lack of space or funds, a single system must act as a universal testing or process system. For example, an academic aerospace engineering lab may wish to have a single test chamber for performing altitude simulation, environmental testing, and space simulation to qualify all their experimental aircraft, spacecraft, and CubeSat parts and devices. A materials synthesis laboratory may wish to have a single vacuum chamber capable of pyrolyzing, freeze-drying, and degassing nanotubes under high vacuum or measuring mechanical properties at varying temperatures and pressures of a promising new lightweight polymer. Ideal Vacuum’s ExploraVAC Universal Test Chamber System can meet any of these needs. For even faster and deeper cryogenic cooling (down to -170 °C), our XtremeFreez recirculating liquid nitrogen cooling option allows simulation of even colder space temperatures or for thermal shock testing.

See the performance graph PDF download below for all option's performance data.

ExploraVAC Universal Process System Configuration:

24 Inch Cube Welded Stainless Steel Chamber
Stainless Steel Front Chamber Door
Full Vacuum Pressure Control
Purge Ports
Heated and Cooled Platen
Platen Temperature Range: -70°C to +225°C
Platen Ramp Rate: 3.5°C/min heating, 3°C/min cooling
Pfeiffer HiPace 300 Turbomolecular Pump
Edwards nXR30i Dry Roots Vacuum Pump
QTY2 LF-200 Side Ports (Allow for a variety of feedthroughs to be added from either side of the chamber)

The ExploraVAC series of TVAC thermal vacuum chamber process and test instruments create precise environments empowering the operator with complete control over internal chamber pressure and temperature. They are built with innovation in mind. They allow for prototype device exploration in vacuum during the product research and development phase and for precise process control in small batch processing. These thermal vacuum test chamber instruments are designed to allow users to quickly tailor experiments to gather product analysis and diagnostics data as the product is subjected to the extreme stress factors of vacuum and temperature.

ExploraVAC TVAC thermal vacuum test chambers are completely configurable with many available system options (see product configurator above).

ExploraVAC System Configuration Options:

Roughing Pump (dry scroll or dry multi-stage roots, various speeds)
High Vacuum (various speeds)
Full Vacuum Pressure Control
Heated and Cooled Platen
Chamber Wall Heating
Integrated Chamber Lighting
Closed-Loop Refrigerated or LN₂Cryogenic Cooling System
Automated Software Control
Remote Control Operation
Purge Ports, Chamber Shelving, and Much More

A large selection of vacuum chambers is available for ExploraVAC, including welded stainless steel chambers with (internal) cubic sizes (12, 16, 20, or 24 inch) or Ideal Vacuum Cube™ modular chambers with (internal) cubic sizes (9, 12, or 24 inch). Chambers can be configured with aluminum or stainless steel doors, with or without viewports.

The ExploraVAC TVAC system cabinet has a conveniently angled front panel control surface with colored LED pushbutton interface which controls all chamber functions. PID controllers and gauges are installed as required for user selected options. A PLC manages system functions including pump and valve sequencing for efficient pump down cycles and safety interlocks for preventing equipment damage. The front accessible, built-in NEMA style enclosure houses the electronics needed for system operation.

A spacious LF-200 side port is available for user-selected or designed accessories, such as an electronic feedthrough for device monitoring or shock testing, an infrared lamp array for radiant heating or temperature differential tests, or an ultraviolet lamp array for ionizing radiation tests. This system could be customized to obtain any desired rate of rise by adding additional vacuum pumps mounted outside the cabinet.

The back of the cabinet holds a bulkhead feedthrough panel for chamber venting, pump exhaust, and the purge gas option. A digital feedthrough back panel has multiple ports including a DB9 connector for running the system remotely from a workstation or laptop running Microsoft Windows 10 or 11 with our AutoExplor™ software.

The (non-expiring) basic version of AutoExplor (P1012102) allows a user to manually control devices while protecting the system. AutoExplor properly sequences pumps and automatically operates the correct valves for a given request. The user can program pressure and temperature setpoints, ramp rates, soak times, and venting (if the system is equipped with those hardware options). The software provides real-time graphical data streaming so the user can visualize system behavior. AutoExplor maintains an internal preventive maintenance schedule and notifies the user when system service is due. For example, it notifies when scroll pump tip-seal replacements are needed and when sensor calibration is due. This helps keep the system at peak operating performance. It also provides fault and error messages along with specific troubleshooting information in the case of a device failure so that the issue can be corrected as soon as possible.

The premium version of AutoExplor (P1012100) includes all the features of the basic software package (above) and adds automated recipe control, data logging, and log export capabilities. Complex test recipes can be created as a step-by-step process, where each step can control the on/off state, setpoints, and ramp rates of multiple devices. One or multiple end conditions for each recipe step may be set using logical operators. The premium version allows the user to quickly generate environmental TVAC test reports from recipe data log files. Logs can be reviewed to ensure targeted process parameters are achieved. The premium version also includes AutoExplor IP Client, which gives the software the ability to be used as a host that can manage multiple external network clients, and AutoExplor API (application programming interface), which allows a scientist or programmer to integrate an ExploraVac instrument into their existing software test suite without using AutoExplor’s software interface. The premium version must be renewed annually or it reverts to the basic version.

The ExploraVAC series of TVAC pressure and temperature-controlled test chambers are a perfect solution for many product testing requirements.

Sample Applications