230 Climatic Test Techniques
For Whom Intended Environmental Engineering Specialists (as mandated by MIL-STD-810), environmental test laboratory engineers and technicians, specification writers, equipment designers, and quality and reliability specialists.
Brief Course Description An introduction to climatic testing with an overview of field test measurement and analysis. Test methods and conditions of commercial and military test specifications and standards are discussed.
Primary emphasis is on understanding the physics of each environment, and available measurement and control techniques. The course also covers selection and use of chambers for thermal, vacuum, corrosion and dust-particle testing. It provides an overview of compressors, pumps, blowers, and heating systems. There will be a discussion of liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooling systems and refrigeration equipment. All major MIL-STD-810 environments are covered, including humidity, solar radiation, fungus, salt fog, rain and ice, as well as syn-ergistic, combined environments testing. A class project provides supervised practice in using the course material.
The course is presented as a series of highly-interactive lecture/discussion sessions. Problems for individual and group solution are interspersed throughout the course to act as training aids and to evaluate class progress. Special-interest discussions are encouraged outside of the regular course sessions.
Diploma Programs This course is required for TTi’s Environmental Engineering Specialist (EES), Climatic Test Specialist (CTS) and Mechanical Design Specialist (MDS) Diploma programs. It may be used as an optional course for any other TTi specialist diploma program.
Prerequisites There are no definite prerequisites. However, this course is aimed toward individuals involved in related technical fields.
Text Each student will receive 180 days access to the on-line electronic course workbook. Renewals and printed textbooks are available for an additional fee.
Internet Complete Course 230 features over eleven hours of video as well as more in-depth reading material. All chapters of course 230 are also available as OnDemand Internet Short Topics. See the course outline below for details.
Course Hours, Certificate and CEUs Class hours/days for on-site courses can vary from 14-35 hours over 2-5 days as requested by our clients. Upon successful course completion, each participant receives a certificate of completion and one Continuing Education Unit (CEU) for every ten class hours.
Click for a printable course outline (pdf).
Course Outline
Chapter 0 - Preparatory Segment
- Physics principles and terminology
- Heat and Temperature principles and terminology
- Humidity and Pressure principles and terminology
- Refrigeration principles and terminology
- Pressure and Enthalpy
Chapter 1 - Climatic Testing—The Big Picture
- Definitions and terminology
- Test Tailoring and Specifications
- Life Cycle Environmental Profile
- Environmental Engineering Objectives and Functions
- Dynamic vs. Climatic Environments, Natural Environments
- Induced Environments
Chapter 2 - General Introduction to Climatic Testing
- Safety
- Support Services
- Accuracy of Test Instrumentation Calibration
- Environmental Simulation
- Test Conditions and Tolerances
- Test Item Operating & Non-Operating, Test Sequence
- Test Procedure Selection, Conditions
- General Test Performance Guidance
- Interrupted Tests
- Post-Test Data, Failure Criteria
Chapter 3 - The Temperature Environments
- Temperature Scales
- Heat Transfer
- Heat Energy
- Temperature Measurement, Sensors
- Specific Heat of Common Materials
- Convective Heat Transfer
- Conduction
- Thermal Characteristics of Materials
- How the Temperature Environment is Measured
- Effects of High and Low Temperature Environments
- Temperature Cycling and Temperature Shock
- Thermal Shock
- Facilities for Temperature and Temperature Cycling
- Heating and Cooling
- Mechanical Refrigeration
- Liquid Nitrogen and CO2
- Producing and Controlling the Temperature Cycling Environment
- Determining the Characteristic Response of a Device Under Thermal Test
- Evaluation and Certification of Performance, Calibration
- Detailed Temperature Test Procedures
Chapter 4 - The Pressure (Altitude) Environment
- Definitions: Absolute, Differential, Gage and Head Pressures
- Conversion factors
- Effects of Low, High Pressure
- Pressure Head Basics
- Air Flow Velocity and Air Pressure
- Pressure Drop Measurement
- Test Facilities for Pressure/Vacuum
- Producing And Controlling The Environment, Vacuum Systems, Pumps
- Pressure Measurement
- Sample Pressure/Vacuum (Altitude) Test Procedure
Chapter 5 - The Humidity Environment
- Effects of Humidity
- Dew Point, Measurement of Humidity
- Psychrometric Charts
- Humidity Test Facilities
- Calibration of Test Chamber Instrumentation and Standards
Chapter 6 - The Solar Radiation Environment
- Effects of Solar Radiation
- Solar Radiation Test Facilities
- Sample Solar Radiation Test Procedures
Chapter 7 - The Salt Fog Environment
- Corrosion Mechanisms
- Compatible Couples, Galvanic Series
- Salt Fog Chamber
- Salt Fog (Corrosion) Test Procedures
Chapter 8 - The Rain and Ice Environments
- How the Rain Environment is Measured
- Effects of Rain
- Icing, Freezing Rain Environment
- Effects of Ice
- Rain and Ice Test Facilities: Rain, Drip and Watertightness
- Specifications for Rain Tests
- Sample Rain Test Procedure
Chapter 9 - The Fungus Environment
- Effects of Fungus
- Fungus Test Facilities
- Sample Fungus Test Procedure
Chapter 10 - The Sand and Dust Environment
- How the Sand and Dust Environment is Measured
- Effects of Sand and Dust
- Sand and Dust Test Facilities, Blowing Dust Facility
- Blowing Sand Facility
- Sand and Dust Test Method
- Sample Sand and Dust Test Procedure
Chapter 11 - The Immersion, Splash, Spray and Leak Environment
- Effects of Leakage during Immersion
- Immersion and Leak Test Facilities
- Immersion and Leak Test Procedures
- Explosive Atmosphere Test
Chapter 12 - Combined Environments
- CERT Testing
- Brief Review of Dynamic Environments
- Synergistic Effects
- Test Profile Generation Flow Diagram
- Qualification Test Cycle
Chapter 13 - Test Ethics and Documentation
- Ethics
- Documentation
- Sample Test Log Page
- Student Exercise: Prepare a test log
Appendix A - Closed Loop Refrigeration Example
Appendix C - Published Papers, References
- Specifying Really Big Chambers
- Refrigerant Changes for A/C Systems
- Pitfalls with Environmental Tailoring
- Desert Storm: Lessons Learned on Climatic Design
- References
Student Exercise - Case Study Example
Summary and Conclusion; Final Review
Award of certificates for successful completion
Click for a printable course outline (pdf).
Revised 180913
