The ACS product range already includes chambers for thermal shock tests of either the air-air type or the liquid-liquid type, where the medium used to cause the thermal shock between a hot and a cold environment is the same.
It's the first time that ACS has introduced the mixed type for the realisation of a highly customised product. It has entailed the study of technical solutions different from those used in other thermal shock machines and specific to solve the problems arising from the coexistence of two environments with different fluids.
The specimens are placed inside a basket with an internal volume close to 1 m3. Movement occurs vertically through electric actuators between the two environments, in a cyclic manner.
The start and loading environment is located at the top: it maintains the specimens at a temperature between -40°C and +120°C by forced circulation of temperature-controlled air.
The arrival environment is located at the bottom: it consists of a tank in which a mixture of water and glycol is kept at a temperature of between 0°C and +5°C.
The two environments must remain separate, so the basket is equipped with a floor and a ceiling, both insulated, which act as a separator depending on where the basket is located. The water is kept at a constant level and at a level that covers all the specimens when the basket is immersed.