The TestEQ rapid decompression test chamber reduces the pressure inside the working volume faster than a normal altitude change, so a test item experiences the pressure-acclimatisation event that follows a loss of cabin pressure at altitude. The chamber is a pressure vessel built for two evacuation rates — rapid decompression and explosive decompression — and is delivered with the temperature, humidity and altitude control of the underlying platform.
Overview
Aircraft cabins, cargo holds and pressurised containers hold a pressure that differs from the air outside. When that pressure is released suddenly, everything inside is exposed to a step change in pressure over a very short time. Ground tests reproduce this event in two severities:
- Rapid decompression — the pressure falls over a defined number of seconds, close to the rate a crew would experience during a controlled emergency descent or a slow leak.
- Explosive decompression — the pressure falls almost instantly, reproducing a structural failure of the pressure boundary.
Both events are defined by the pressure interval and the time taken to cross it. The chamber controls pressure as the primary parameter; altitude is used as the equivalent environmental reference.
Rapid decompression vs explosive decompression
The two test modes use the same pressure interval and differ in the evacuation rate. At the rapid-decompression setting the chamber achieves a 10,000 m pressure differential (2,500 m → 12,500 m) within 15 seconds; at the explosive-decompression setting the interval is crossed in 0.1 seconds or less.
| Parameter | Rapid decompression | Explosive decompression |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure interval | 75.2 kPa ~ 18.8 kPa | 75.2 kPa ~ 18.8 kPa |
| Time to cross the interval | ≤ 15 s (optional) | ≤ 0.1 s (optional) |
| Equivalent altitude change | 10,000 m differential (2,500 m → 12,500 m) within 15 seconds | — |
Both modes are optional configurations of the altitude chamber platform. Rapid decompression is used where the test profile calls for a fast but bounded descent; explosive decompression is used where the pressure boundary fails without warning.
Applications
- Aviation and aerospace equipment, cabin components and instruments
- Airborne electronics, avionics and sensors
- Aircraft seals, gaskets, connectors and pressure-sensitive assemblies
- High-altitude transport containers, packaging and cargo
- Test articles that must survive or keep working after a pressurised enclosure fails
Specifications
The rapid and explosive decompression functions are built on the altitude chamber platform. The pressure interval and times above are the decompression ratings; the values below are the platform ratings that apply to the same chamber.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Pressure interval (rapid decompression) | 75.2 kPa ~ 18.8 kPa, ≤ 15 s (optional) |
| Pressure interval (explosive decompression) | 75.2 kPa ~ 18.8 kPa, ≤ 0.1 s (optional) |
| Pressure differential | 10,000 m (2,500 m → 12,500 m) within 15 seconds |
| Altitude simulation | Sea level to 43,000 m (110–0.1 kPa) |
| Temperature range | −70 °C to +180 °C |
| Humidity range | 10 % to 98 % RH |
| Chamber capacity | 0.125 to 8.9 m³ (customisable) |
| Noise | ≤ 68 dB |
| Patent number | CN202310792763.3 |
Chamber dimensions, capacity and the decompression profile are set to the test item and the required standard. Detailed parameters require discussion with the sales team, because the achievable decompression time depends on chamber volume, the item inside and the vacuum and valve configuration.
Mechanical explosion test chamber
The mechanical explosion test chamber integrates temperature, humidity and altitude control with explosive decompression in one unit. It was developed together with Beijing Qingyun Aviation to bring a mechanical explosion test chamber with combined temperature-humidity-altitude functionality and explosive decompression into service.
Standards
Chambers are configured for test programmes based on MIL-STD-810, RTCA DO-160 and IEC 60068.
Pressure interval, decompression time, temperature and humidity are matched to the test item and the applicable standard. To configure a rapid-decompression or explosive-decompression profile for a specific product, contact us with the specimen and the required conditions. Related: Altitude (Low-pressure) Test Chamber , Thermal Vacuum Chamber , Four-Combined Environmental Test Chamber .