What it is

The Espec EXT series is a line of liquid-nitrogen-cooled extreme thermal cycling chambers that bring HALT-class thermal speed to applications that do not need repetitive-shock vibration. EXT chambers change temperature up to 100 °C per minute, with a 70 °C/min ramp possible across their full −100 to +200 °C range, using open nichrome-wire heating and liquid-nitrogen injection cooling. A single EXT chamber delivers extremely fast cycling and short product-recovery times, extending traditional thermal-shock testing to larger products and more extreme stress, and can later be retrofitted with a Qualmark repetitive-shock vibration table for full HALT capability.

• Temperature range −100 to +200 °C (optional −100 to +250 °C)
• Thermal ramp rate 70 °C/min across the range; heating 60 to 100 °C/min
• Five interior sizes: 12, 32, 52, 112, and 224 cu ft (EXT2.0 through EXT8.0)
• Nichrome-wire heating; liquid-nitrogen injection cooling
• Allen-Bradley PLC controller with PC and Typhoon Manager software
• Four thermocouple input channels; eight event relays
• Stainless-steel interior; adjustable leveling feet

What it is used for

EXT chambers cover the fastest end of thermal cycling work:

• Extreme thermal cycling — very fast hot and cold cycling for accelerated stress
• Thermal shock alternative — fast cycling and recovery for larger products than a shock chamber allows
• HALT program support — dedicating one system to thermal profiling alongside HALT testing
• Harsh-environment margin testing — with the 250 °C option, for oil-field and space applications
• Future HALT expansion — retrofit with a Qualmark repetitive-shock vibration table

How it works

Nichrome-wire heating. Open-element heating produces heating rates of 60 to 100 °C per minute.

Liquid-nitrogen cooling. LN2 injection through a proportional control valve, optional on the EXT2.0, provides step-change cooling to maximize LN2 performance. The extreme-cycling profile uses controlled ramping on heating and a step change on cooling.

Control. An Allen-Bradley PLC controller with a PC and Typhoon Manager software, four thermocouple input channels, and eight event relays.

Why engineers pick it

HALT-class thermal speed without vibration. Up to 100 °C/min heating and a 70 °C/min ramp across the full range, when repetitive-shock vibration is not required.

Fast cycling for large products. Short recovery times extend thermal-shock-style testing to larger and more extreme test articles.

Upgrade path to HALT. Retrofittable with a Qualmark repetitive-shock vibration table.

Extended-range option. A −100 to +250 °C modification for the harshest oil-field and space applications.

Options

• QDaq data acquisition — dynamic charting and analysis for up to 32 thermal channels
• Proportional control valve upgrade for the EXT2.0
• 250 °C high-temperature modification — extends the range to −100 to +250 °C
• Dewar tank manifold kit for sites without a dedicated LN2 system, including SuperFlex vacuum-jacketed hoses and mounting hardware
• Oxygen sensor for safety
• Product thermocouple with strain relief

Configuring and ordering

Choose the size (EXT2.0 through EXT8.0) for your workspace and load, then add the LN2 supply option, the extended-range modification, and the data acquisition that fit your program. Note that every model requires a liquid-nitrogen supply, from 1.8 GPM at 65 psi on the EXT2.0 up to 13.6 GPM on the EXT8.0, and that the EXT2.0 runs single-phase while the larger sizes require three-phase service.

Per-model dimensions, power, and LN2 requirements are in the Specifications tab. Select your configuration on this page. For LN2 infrastructure planning, the 250 °C modification, or a future HALT retrofit, contact W5 Engineering and we will configure and quote it with you.