Planetary Atmosphere Simulation
Laboratory Features: This laboratory contains the planetary atmosphere simulation system designed to recreate the conditions unique to planetary atmospheres throughout the solar system.
- Alarm system patched into Institute and local EMS facilities switchboard
- One (1) hour fireproof control zone
- All hazardous operations are conducted in fume hood
- Manual emergency alarm activation available both inside and outside the room
- Continuous flow fume hood operation monitored and protected by alarm
- Failure sounds alarm and isolates lab air flow from building HVAC air supply
- Cleanroom warning lamp activates in Lab 374 to notify occupants if room flow has been halted by an alarm condition
- 420 sq. ft. facility
Agilent 7890A Gas Chromatograph (GC) System
- Capillary flow technology (CFT) leak-free oven connections
- Split and splitless flow
- Low thermal mass (LTM) technology
- Multimode inlet (MMI)
- Agilent 7693 Automatic Liquid System (ALS)
- Flame ionization detector (FID)
- Dual simultaneous injection capability
- Fast injection
- 150 sample vial tray
- Single-stroke injection to 50 mL
- Multiple injection capability
- Holds up to 500 mL syringe
- High purity Nitrogen available for instrument purging
- Hydrogen or helium for carrier gas
- All chamber venting done with high purity nitrogen
Agilent G1530A Gas Chromatography (GC) System
- Custom thermal modulator by SwRI for injection peak thermal modulation
- Split and splitless flow
- Flame ionization detector (FID)
- High purity Nitrogen available for instrument purging
- Hydrogen or helium for carrier gas
- All chamber venting done with high purity nitrogen
Trochoidal-focusing Mass Spectrometer
Main chamber environment diagnostics/monitoring include:
- Trochoidal-focusing mass spectrometer
- Ions arrive in same plane
- Fourteen (14) element ion lens control
- Pfeiffer multi-gauge for pressure monitoring
- Equipped with Pfeiffer HiPace 300 turbomolecular pump
- Anest-Iwata scroll pump for roughing pump
Planetary Atmosphere Simulator
System performance parameters:
- Flame and explosion resistant components continuously purged by N2
- Up to five (5) gases flowed and mixed simultaneously
- Programmable gas mixing by partial pressures to ppb levels
- Routine base pressures of < 1 x 10-8 Torr
- Fully-automated and programmable gas control
- Flow, temperature and pressure monitoring and recording
- Built in failsafe mechanisms to protect operations and operator
- Continuous flow fume hood operation monitored and protected by alarm
- Failure sounds alarm and isolates lab air flow from building HVAC air supply
High Pressure Oven
High Pressure Oven features:
- Flame and explosion resistant components continuously purged by N2
- Programmable gas dosing from Planetary Atmosphere Simulator
- Maximum pressure of 100 atmospheres simulates Venus surface pressure
- Maximum oven temperature of 500 degrees C simulates Venus surface temperature
- Fully-automated and programmable gas control
- Flow, temperature and pressure monitoring and recording
- Built in failsafe mechanisms to protect operations and operator
Materials prohibited in chambers: silicone, hydrocarbons, high vapor pressure metals and particulates
Image Gallery
Agilent 7890A Gas Chromatograph (GC) System
Agilent G1530A Gas Chromatography (GC) System
Trochoidal-focusing Mass Spectrometer
Planetary Atmosphere Simulation