Climate-controlled test chambers are indispensable tools in a wide range of industries. They enable the simulation of real environmental conditions and allow precise control of various environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, sunlight and vibration. These controlled environments play a critical role in evaluating how products respond to different climates, including extreme cold, high temperatures, low or high humidity and more. Climate-controlled test chambers are widely used in industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food for accelerated ageing tests, durability tests, performance tests and quality control. In this article, we will explore how Clitec is at the forefront of improving the energy efficiency of climate-controlled test chambers through the use of absolute humidity control and deep learning techniques.

Air-conditioned test chambers: A closer look

A climate-controlled test chamber is essentially an isolated room with one mission: to create accurate and controlled environments that mimic different climatic conditions. These conditions can include extreme cold, high temperatures, low or high humidity and more. These chambers serve as the ultimate stage for evaluating the performance, reliability and durability of products under these diverse climatic scenarios. Manufacturers rely on climate-controlled test chambers to identify potential problems and improve product quality before they reach the market, and Clitec is at the forefront of this industry.

The main purpose: accuracy and consistent testing

The main objective of climate-controlled test chambers is to enable accurate and consistent testing of products under different climatic conditions. They create controlled environments that simulate real-life conditions in a repeatable and controlled way. These chambers allow manufacturers to test how their products perform under extreme conditions, assess their resistance to temperature, humidity, light, vibration and other environmental influences, and identify potential design flaws or weaknesses. Clitec’s dedication to this goal is reflected in its innovative solutions.

How do climate-controlled chambers work?

Air-conditioned chambers work with a refrigeration system based on an evaporative cooling process. This system consists of key components such as a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an evaporator and an expansion valve. The refrigerant compressor raises the gaseous refrigerant to high pressure and temperature levels. This compressed gas then interacts with ambient air or water in the condenser, releases heat and turns into a liquid. Clitec’s advanced systems play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability of this process.

The liquid refrigerant evaporates when its pressure in the expansion valve drops, it absorbs heat and cools the environment in the process. This cycle ensures that climate-controlled chambers constantly maintain the desired temperature and humidity conditions, a performance that Clitec has perfected over the years.

Temperature control

The heating system in air-conditioned chambers usually uses electric heating elements that bring the air inside the chamber directly to the desired temperature. These heating elements are controlled by thermostats or controllers such as programmable logic controllers (PLC) to ensure precise temperature control. Clitec’s cutting-edge technology and expertise are essential to achieve this level of control.

Humidity control

For humidity control, climate-controlled chambers use humidification systems that use data from humidity sensors to add or spray water vapor. These systems regulate the humidity in the chamber and maintain the desired values. Various devices, including ultrasonic humidifiers, steam boilers or steam generators, can be used to add water vapor. Sensors continuously monitor humidity levels and add water vapor when necessary to achieve the desired humidity conditions, and Clitec’s expertise ensures that this process runs smoothly and accurately.

Dehumidification

In many cases, air-conditioned chambers use dehumidification systems based on cold. These systems circulate cold liquid into the evaporator in the test room to remove moisture from the air by cooling the air below the dew point. The moisture condenses into water. This effectively reduces the humidity in the chamber. Clitec’s innovative solutions have helped to optimize this dehumidification process.

The role of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) in energy efficiency

Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is a type of recurrent neural network (RNN) that has found application in various areas of machine learning and deep learning. It excels at tasks that require the modeling of sequences with long-term dependencies, which is ideal for time series data as found in climate-controlled test chambers.

LSTM uses a complex architecture with memory cells and control elements that allow it to capture long-term dependencies and effectively learn patterns in sequential data. These controls include the input gate, the output gate and the forget gate, which regulate the flow of information and allow the model to selectively retain or discard information from previous time steps.

LSTM to improve energy efficiency with Clitec

LSTM has already been successfully used in various areas to improve energy efficiency and climate operations. For example, it has been used in building energy management systems, smart grids and climate forecasting. In the context of climate-controlled test chambers, LSTM can be used to model and predict temperature, humidity and other climatic variables, ultimately leading to more accurate and efficient control of chamber temperature. Clitec’s commitment to innovation ensures that the integration of LSTM runs smoothly and effectively.

Conclusion

Clitec, a leader in climate-controlled test chambers, has led the way in improving energy efficiency and precision in these critical tools across a wide range of industries. By leveraging absolute humidity control and the power of deep learning through LSTM, Clitec has set a new benchmark for optimizing product testing and environmental controls. Their commitment to innovation and sustainability is reflected in their solutions, making climate-controlled test chambers not only more efficient but also more environmentally friendly. As we move towards a greener and smarter future, Clitec is at the forefront of creating the tools that will get us there.

Quote

Bekiroglu, E. and Karaca, H. (2023) ‘Improving energy efficiency in climatic test chambers with deep learning and absolute humidity methods’, 2023 11th International Conference on Smart Grid (icSmartGrid) [Preprint]. doi:10.1109/icsmartgrid58556.2023.10171071.