Custom Polyimide Heaters For Cryogenic ChambersA major scientific research laboratory received a grant to study the effects of sun under specific atmospheric, physical and chemical conditions. The study required a cryogenic chamber for freezing specimens within a narrow temperature range. The variable test conditions would result in a rapid temperature decrease beyond the test parameters and compromise the test results. In order to stabilize the cryogenic chamber temperature, the physicists needed a method to add controlled heat.Durex application engineers worked closely with the research laboratory physicists. By knowing the dynamic cooling effect of test conditions, it was determined that the heating solution would require a very fast uniform response. Our recommendation was to heat the walls of the cryogenic chamber with polyimide heaters due to minimum mass and distributed watt density, which provide a uniform temperature throughout the cryogenic chamber. The engineers modeled the thermal profile using computational analysis tools in order to determine the optimum wattage and heat pattern. By understanding the application parameters and using computational design tools, Durex engineers designed custom polyimide heaters that provided fast and uniform temperature response. As the scientists anticipated, the electric heater performance was critical in providing a stable temperature profile within the cryogenic chamber. The study is continuing at the time of this writing.
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