These chambers can create extreme pressures and are also able to handle these changing pressures without losing their functionality. Testing products before launching them in the market is necessary to avoid accidents and helps manufacturers determine any modification required.

Working of Pressure Chambers

Pressure chambers are isolated from the environment to create atmospheric pressure values for testing. The altitude achieved in pressure chambers is about 30,000 meters, but sometimes it also goes up to 45,000 meters to attain maximum pressure. There are pressure gauges in these chambers to control pressure, but it is important to monitor it to avoid any accidents.

The dimensions of these pressure chambers vary a lot, and it depends on the size of the predictor to be tested. Some of these are like benchtop chambers, used for testing smaller objects; however, walk-in chambers almost the size of a room are also available for human testing.

Standard pressure chambers are bound to perform only functions related to pressure, but most of the others can alter other parameters, such as:

• Thermostatic: These chambers control pressure as well as temperature.
• Climatic: These chambers control temperature, pressure, and humidity.

Types of Pressure Testing Methods

Generally, two types of pressure testing methods are used in industries to check for any leaks or other defects in the product. These are:

Hydrostatic Pressure Testing

Hydrostatic pressure testing is a process for testing tanks and pipes for leaks. It is also used to determine the product’s ability to withstand the crushing pressures of ocean depths in the case of marine products. A hydrostatic test is done by filling or pressurizing the vessels or pipes and then closely monitoring the pressurization level for any changes. If the pressure is low, there is a leak in the vessel or pipe. The vessel is generally filled with water which may be dyed sometimes to help in detecting leaks by giving visuals. The sectors that use hydrostatic pressure testing are oil and gas, marine industry, defense, nuclear, and energy.

Pneumatic Pressure Testing

Pneumatic pressure testing is also a procedure used to determine faulty, leaky pipes or joints and other operational issues. Pneumatic pressure testing uses air, nitrogen, or any other inert gasses to determine if the pipes are competent enough to withstand pressures for normal usage. Pneumatic pressure testing is done by inserting gas in the pipes and shutting all the valves except one to insert the gas in it. The pressure is built up in the pipe, and monitored if there is any fault in the pipeline.

Types of Pressure Chambers

There are three types of pressure chambers that are used in industries for testing purposes. These are:

Benchtop Testing Chambers

Benchtop testing chambers are shelf-size chambers used for testing smaller products. These are about 0.5 cubic feet to 5.5 cubic feet in size.

Reach-in Testing Chambers

These chambers are about 4 -70 cubic feet in size and are used to test bigger products, such as those found in the automotive industry.

Walk-in Testing Chambers

Walk-in chambers are also called drive-in chambers. These are bigger, almost the size of a big room. Most of the time, these chambers are used for testing on human beings or aeronautical products etc.

Applications of Pressure Chambers

• Pressure chambers are widely used in many industries such as aerospace, piping, automobile, marine, and many more.
• These are used for detecting faults in the products before launching them in markets.
• Faulty and leaky pipelines are detected before working with the help of these chambers.
• Human beings who are to work in outer space and underwater are also tested using pressure chambers.
• Faults and defects are detected easily in automobiles, marine, and space equipment to avoid any mishap.
• The oil and gas industry also uses pressure chambers to determine leaky gas pipelines.

Choosing the Correct Pressure Chamber Supplier

For the most positive outcome when purchasing a pressure chamber from a pressure chamber supplier, it is important to compare several companies using our directory of pressure chamber suppliers. Each pressure chamber supplier has a business profile page highlighting their areas of experience and capabilities, along with a contact form to directly communicate with the supplier for more information or request a quote. Review each pressure chamber business website using our patented website previewer to get an idea of what each company specializes in. Then, use our simple RFQ form to contact multiple pressure chamber businesses with the same form.