PHENIX LN2 CIRCULATION SYSTEM
12, May 2017

ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8980
Open Date: 11/05/2017
Closing Date: 22/06/2017 13:00:00

 

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 17.126.01
Prog. Ref.: TEC Test Center
Budget Ref.: E/0700-04 – TEC Test Center
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU+CA+SI
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Ground Segment / Development and Construction of Space Segment / Assembly Integration and Test / Other
Techology Domains: System Design & Verification / System Verification and AIT / Advanced AIT Methods
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: Mechanical Engineering Department
Division: ESTEC Test Centre Division
Contract Officer: van Hilten, Linda
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 12/05/2017
Update Reason: Modified a Clarification(English version) 1

The ESA ETSEC Space Test Centre includes a complete portfolio of test facilities to simulate the environmental conditions which are experienced by a spacecraft during its launch and early operation phase. One of the thermal vacuum test facilities is Phenix, a medium size thermal vacuum chamber which allows to expose payloads, mechanisms, or complete medium sized spacecraft to a thermal environment comparable to space conditions. The test chamber is a stainless steel cylinder with a diameter of 4.5m and a length of 11m accessible by the main door on its front side. The chamber’s high vacuum (typically in the low 10-7 mbar range) is achieved using multiple pumping systems and a SIEMENS S7-400 Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The temperature regulation is based on an open loopsystem for gaseous Nitrogen mixture for a temperature range from -170°C to +100°C and an open loop liquid nitrogen supply for shroud temperatures below -180°C. This current configuration causes a significant LN2 release into its exhaust system when operated in LN2 mode.The purpose of the present activity is, based on the results of a previously performed feasibility study, to design, build and install a closed loop LN2-system and to complement the existing Phenix thermal control unit with the new system. The goal is to eliminate the exhaust of LN2 into the chimney and reduce the overall LN2 consumption when the facility is operated in LN2 mode.

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