Altitude chambers, also called hypobaric chambers, are widely used in many industries such as aeronautics, military, aerospace, and automotive to test the critical nature of products. These chambers are also used to test the human body’s response to changing temperature and pressure. This technique is used in training for pilots or astronauts to avoid any accidents in the future.

Working of Altitude Chambers

Altitude test chambers are designed in a way that can replicate the conditions of high altitudes within a room. Extreme temperature and pressure conditions are created in these chambers for testing products as well as the response of the human body. These chambers work by using a vacuum to suck out all the air at a constant rate, thus lowering the air pressure.

Altitude chambers are able to replicate extreme temperature and pressure conditions, about 10-8 Torr levels of change. They are capable of achieving pressure conditions of up to 100,000 feet above sea level. Altitude testing chambers come in a variety of sizes, from bench-top containers to drive-in chambers, depending on the type of product to be tested.

Proper design and maintenance of these chambers is required, as they create such a strong vacuum that there is danger of the internal walls collapsing. Therefore, heavy gauge walls should be built for these chambers.

Construction of Altitude Chambers

Altitude test chambers are designed with great precision and accuracy for best performance. These chambers are highly complex and have several subsystems, such as the pumping system, control system, refrigeration system, and the main chamber. Altitude test chambers can also be customized according to the needs of the client.

Size of the Altitude Chamber

The main feature of altitude chambers is the size of the chamber. Its size ranges from 5 cubic feet to 65 cubic feet or even larger. The size of the chamber depends on the material to be tested and how many components are to be tested at one time. For accurate and best performance, it is necessary that the chamber fits well in the given space.

Controls of the Chamber

The performance of the chamber is dependent on the controls. These chambers require good controls to monitor, set, and adjust the many functions this chamber can perform. Computer interferences assess, monitor, and integrate the data given to the chamber.

Racks or Shelves of the Chamber

Racks and shelves inside the chamber hold the products to be tested. These shelves should be be an appropriate size to hold the project in order to complete the testing process.

Refrigeration Unit

A refrigeration unit is needed for controlling and lowering the temperature within the test chamber. The size of this unit depends on the product and the temperature required for the testing process. Depending on the size of the compressor, an air cooled condenser may also be necessary in the refrigeration unit.

Interior and Exterior of the Altitude Chamber

The outer covering of an altitude chamber is made of steel, and the interior is of securely welded stainless steel. For making an altitude chamber airtight, it is insulated with 0.25K factor fiberglass, which is placed between the outer and inner layers of the chamber.

Vacuum Pump

Vacuum pumps are also an important part of these chambers, and the vacuum is set to bring the chamber pressure down. The pump is directly connected to the chamber and pumps through large ports. These vacuum pumps pump at the speed of hundreds of cubic feet per minute.

Interior Lightning

Incandescent lighting is used for lighting up the test chamber. Interior light is important for lighting the chamber to see what’s going on inside and for safety purposes.

Thermal Alarm

A thermal alarm is an important safety measure for altitude chambers. The thermal alarm monitors the level of heat in the chamber and ensures that the heat will not exceed its limit.

Applications of Altitude Chambers

• Altitude chambers are widely used in the automobile and aerospace industries, aeronautical training, and manufacturing.
• These chambers are used to test different industrial products for how well they can work at different altitudes.
• Altitude chambers are used for hypoxia and hypobaric training of pilots and astronauts.
• They are also used for rapid decompression and oxygen system training of people that work at different altitudes.
• Different equipment is also tested in these chambers to understand their capacity.

Selecting the Right Altitude Chamber Manufacturer

To ensure you have the most positive outcome when purchasing an altitude chamber from an altitude chamber manufacturer, it is important to compare several companies using our directory of altitude chamber manufacturers. Each altitude chamber company has a business profile page illustrating their areas of experience and capabilities, and a contact form to directly communicate with the manufacturer for more information or request a quote. Review each altitude chamber business website using our proprietary website previewer to quickly learn what each business specializes in. Then use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple altitude chamber companies with the same form.