HUMIDITY CHAMBER

Humidity Chamber

The Advanced Composites Division (ACD) is equipped with state-of-the-art environmental test facility. This test facility is an independent part of the developmental and certification aspects of components for aerospace, non-aerospace, composites and spin-off products.

Composite materials, when exposed to natural environment absorb moisture resulting in the reduction in matrix dominated properties. This reduction is taken into account in design which is arrived at by conducting mechanical tests at elevated temperatures on moisture saturated specimens. Under ambient conditions, the moisture uptake by coupons is very slow and depending on the conditions there could be desorption. In order to overcome this, specimens are put through a process called assisted accelerated ageing in which specimens are exposed to controlled moisture and temperature in a specially designed environmental chamber. This will reduce the time required to saturate the material with moisture.

Specifications:

Inner Dimension            : 3 m (L) x 1.5 m (D) x 1.5 m (H)

Temperature                  : Ambient to 100°C

Temperature Accuracy  : ± 1°C

Humidity                         : 20 to 99 % RH

Humidity Accuracy         : ± 1 % RH

Rate of Heating              : 3°C/ Minute

Major clients of this facility : 

• Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

• Center for Airborne Systems  (CABS)

• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

• DRDO