Data adquisition system used inside a vacuum chamber

[josorio]

We are evaluating to use the National Instruments CompactRIO to be used inside a vacuum Chamber  (10x-7 Pa) as a data adquisition.

The measured has to be transmited by radio, bluetoo or some other way.

Any recomendation ?   Is the ComapactRIO suitable for this appplication.

Thanks in advance

[Abel_Souza]

Hi Josorio,

You can use a wireless router or a wireless access point to connect cRIO with a wireless network.

https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA00Z000000P8yySAC&l=en-US

Thanks,

Abel

NI Brazil

[maxwellb]

Josorio,

Did you try this?

Has anyone else tried putting DAQ hardware inside a vacuum chamber?

We just bought a CompactDAQ chassis, and when I noticed that it had no fans, I got tempted...

It would be an expensive test, though. NI says that their hardware is only guaranteed to 2000 m altitude.

[davidwest]

did you ever try this?  We are considering putting a cdaq in our vacuum chamber to minimize the number of passthroughs required.  we'll probably get to 10-4 torr.

[maxwellb]

I think it is very likely to work. Shortly after I left my previous employer, they did it with a cRIO and it worked fine. Try to get the widest temperature range rated cDAQ.

[maxwellb]

https://www.ni.com/en-us/support/model.cdaq-9188.html

This one would be the best cDAQ to try because it's rated for 70 C

I should add the disclaimer that this is not supported by NI. The chassis are only rated for 5000 m or about 400 Torr. It may break your cDAQ. But I know it has worked for some people and it is totally worth trying because of how expensive and complicated vacuum feedthroughs can get.

And make sure you keep it away from hot things in the chamber and try to clamp it on to something that is cool and conducts heat well.

[davidwest]

thanks - I have heard a few other stories.  if we try it, I will repost.

[davidwest]

We've been running an 8 slot cDAQ in our vacuum chamber (~10^-3 torr) for about 3 years now. We haven't had any problems.  We made a few modifications (sprayed conformal coating on the main board, put a little thermal grease on the chip to make sure it had contact with the house...)  it's been great.  we can put a whole bunch of thermocouples on test articles in our chamber and just run a single usb/Ethernet through a chamber penetration.