Development of a computer-controlled instrumentation for a thermal vacuum chamber
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Authors
Hengst, Michael
Subjects
Advisors
Date of Issue
1995-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
This thesis documents the development of a computer instrumentation system capable of controlling a Tenney® Space jr. thermal-vacuum chamber (TVAC).
The project was performed to achieve more precise temperature control of the chamber through the use of an integrated computer and software solution rather than using the TempTenn controller which was originally installed in the TVAC. Three objectives were to be achieved: Automated data acquisition, automated temperature control and ease of use. The system uses a 486DX-4 1 00MHz personal computer with the National Instruments® SCXI hardware and LabVIEW software to perform data acquisition, to control the TVAC functions and to present a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Temperature measurements are acquired by the system to indicate the environment as well as to control the test. The automated temperature control allows the system to maintain a target temperature from -65°C to 175°C with an accuracy of ±3 °C. Furthermore the system allows to store data to a disk. A very convenient GUI was provided for ease-of-use and visual presentation of the data acquisition. This project was designed and built for environmental testing of components and subsystem modules at pressures as low as 10⁻⁷ torr. The modified thermal-vacuum chamber will be especially useful in the forthcoming tests related to the PANSAT small satellite project of the Space Systems Academic Group (SSAG) at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Type
Technical Report
Description
The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the US Government.
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
NPS-SP-95-003
Sponsors
Unversitaet der Bundeswehr Muenchen
Funder
Format
v, 196 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.