Environment testing apparatus capable of controlling condensation amount, and control method therefor

• US 8,359,906 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Espec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Espec Corporation
• Inventors: Shimada, Tetsuya, Sakami, Shinichirou, Sakane, Kouki
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, JAMEL E
• Application Number:
  US13/055,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 73/77, 73/73
• US Class Current: 73/77
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/221 to avoid the formation of condensate, e.g. dew
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/002 Test chambers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2874 related to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2881 related to environmental aspects other than temperature, e.g. humidity or vibrations

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an environment testing apparatus capable of achieving, on the surface of a test object, a stable condensation status with less variation in the condensation amount than that of already existing-art. The environment testing apparatus 100 includes a regulator 4. On the basis of a signal from a condensation amount sensor 9, the regulator 4 controls the temperature of a cooling/heating plate 6 between a deviation-added value of the wet bulb temperature obtained from the wet bulb 11, and a deviation-added value of the dew-point temperature inside the test chamber 1.

Claims

1. An environment testing apparatus, comprising:

a test chamber into which a test object is placed;

a wet bulb and a dry bulb disposed inside the test chamber, which obtain the temperature and the humidity of the air inside the test chamber;

an air-conditioner which conditions the air inside the test chamber to predetermined temperature and humidity, based on signals from the wet bulb and the dry bulb;

a cooling/heating unit accommodated inside the test chamber, which has a top surface for disposing thereon the test object and cools or heats the test object;

a condensation amount sensor to be placed on the test object; and

a controller which controls the condensation amount on the surface of the test object based on signals from the condensation amount sensor, by varying a temperature instruction value for the cooling/heating unit between a deviation-added value of a wet bulb temperature obtained by the wet bulb and a deviation-added value of a dew-point temperature of the test chamber.

2. The environment testing apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the condensation amount on the surface of the test object by switching the temperature instruction value among one of the deviation-added value of the wet bulb temperature, a value of the temperature of the wet bulb, and the deviation-added value of the dew-point temperature.

3. The environment testing apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the condensation amount on the surface of the test object by switching the temperature instruction value between the deviation-added value of the wet bulb temperature and the deviation-added value of the dew-point temperature.

4. A method of controlling an environment testing apparatus including:

a test chamber into which a test object is placed;

a wet bulb and a dry bulb disposed inside the test chamber, which obtain the temperature and the humidity of the air inside the test chamber;

an air-conditioner which conditions the air inside the test chamber to predetermined temperature and humidity, based on signals from the wet bulb and the dry bulb;

a cooling/heating unit accommodated inside the test chamber, which has a top surface for disposing thereon the test object and cools or heats the test object; and

a condensation amount sensor to be placed on the test object,

the method comprising the steps of;

conditioning the air inside the test chamber to predetermined temperature and humidity by operating the air-conditioner;

measuring a condensation amount on the surface of the test object based on signals from the condensation amount sensor; and

controlling the condensation amount on the surface of the test object so as to approximate the condensation amount to a predetermined amount, based on the condensation amount thus measured, by varying a temperature instruction value for the cooling/heating unit between a deviation-added value of a wet bulb temperature obtained by the wet bulb and a deviation-added value of a dew-point temperature of the test chamber.