Custom 15.4 m³ Walk-In Climatic Chamber for MTC Movitech

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Il Disgelo designed and built for MTC Movitech a custom 15.4 m³ Walk-In climatic chamber, intended for thermal-climatic testing of automotive components and systems.

The solution was developed with an extended temperature range from −40 °C to +120 °C, relative humidity control and a structure prepared for future performance upgrades, including higher temperature change rates and specific configurations for carrying out test cycles such as PV1200.

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Developed Solution

The chamber is built with modular prefabricated panels, an AISI 304 stainless-steel interior and 120 mm multilayer insulation designed to minimize heat losses to the outside.

The floor is thermally insulated and reinforced to support loads up to approximately 4500 kg, while the main access can be configured with either a single-leaf or double-leaf manually operated door.

The system was also designed with an upgrade-oriented architecture, allowing the air-treatment system, refrigeration unit, humidification system and dry-air supply to be enhanced according to future testing requirements.

The solution is designed to ensure:

• thermal and climatic testing of automotive components;
• temperature range from −40 °C to +120 °C;
• relative humidity control;
• stability and repeatability of test conditions;
• reinforced floor for heavy DUTs and test equipment;
• dedicated air treatment inside the chamber;
• remote air-cooled condenser to reduce heat and noise in the test area;
• upgrade capability up to 5 K/min;
• possibility of extending the climatic operating range;
• provision for a dedicated dry-air system for PV1200 cycles;
• cycle programming and management through CliMaLogic®;
• data logging and CSV export;
• remote supervision and connection to external systems via Ethernet, VNC Viewer and Modbus TCP/IP.

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Main Technical Data

• usable volume: approx. 15.4 m³;
• internal dimensions: 2800 × 2200 × 2500 mm;
• approximate external dimensions: approx. 3040 × 2440 × 3500 mm;
• temperature range: −40 °C to +120 °C;
• temperature accuracy: ±0.5 °C over time;
• base configuration temperature change rate: approx. 0.5 °C/min in heating and cooling;
• available temperature change rate upgrade: up to 5 K/min;
• allowable heat dissipation at −40 °C: approx. 1 kW;
• relative humidity: 20% to 95% RH according to the climatogram;
• humidity accuracy: ±1% to ±3% RH;
• approximate chamber weight: approx. 2700 kg;
• floor load capacity: up to approx. 4500 kg;
• clear door opening: approx. 2000 × 2000 mm;
• insulation: 120 mm multilayer;
• interior: AISI 304 stainless steel;
• installed power: approx. 34 kW in the base configuration;
• refrigeration unit: semi-hermetic compressor;
• refrigeration compressor power: approx. 10 HP in the base configuration;
• condensation: remote air-cooled condenser;
• humidification: steam generator;
• power supply: 400 V ±10%, three-phase + neutral + earth;
• control: PLC with CliMaLogic® software;
• programming: up to 500 programs with 20 steps each;
• data logging: CSV export via USB;
• communication: Ethernet, VNC Viewer and Modbus TCP/IP.

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Result

The project enabled MTC Movitech to implement a versatile Walk-In climatic chamber designed to evolve together with the laboratory’s future requirements, combining a large test volume with thermal-climatic control, high load capacity and upgradeable performance.

The provision for upgrades up to 5 K/min, an extended climatic operating range and integration of dry-air systems for PV1200 cycles makes the solution suitable for increasingly complex validation programs without requiring complete replacement of the system.