Advanced TITUS
The Advanced Tubular Furnace with Integrated Thermal Analysis Under Space Conditions – Multi–Purpose Platform
Concept of Advanced TITUS MPP
Tubular furnace with 9 separated heater segments, diagnostic and functional modules supporting the following experimentation techniques:
- Bridgman and gradient freezing methods
- travelling heater method
- isothermal processing
The facility is sub-divided into an experiment and electronic modules. The electronic module is accommodated in the board rack and attached to the furnace module. The Advanced TITUS was developed for the International Space Station ISS.
The Advanced TITUS MPP – Multi-purpose Platform has been designed for a wide spectrum of material science experiments like:
- crystal growth, diffusion
- differential thermal analysis (DTA)
- physical chemistry
- microgravity measurements etc.
Aerostatic damping system to reduce the board effects (vibrations, micro-accelerations, etc.).
Basic (furnace) version
| Heater | Individually controlled | 2 wide, 7 narrow zones | |
| Max temperature (°C) | 1300 (optionally 1500) | ||
| Temperature resolution (K) | ‹ 0.01 | ||
| Temperature stability (K) | ±0.05 – 0.03 | ||
| Temperature setting accuracy (K) | ‹±1 | ||
| Gravitation | 3-axis measurement | ||
| Frequency range of measurement | 0.01 … 10 Hz | ||
| Measuring frequency (selectable) | 1/60 … 200 Hz | ||
| Measuring resolution | ‹ 5 µg | ||
| Sample | Feeding velocity (mm/h) | 0.01 to 21 | |
| Positioning accuracy (mm) | ±0.01 | ||
| Max. Temperature (°C) | 1 250 | ||
| Temperature gradient (K/cm) | 30 – 70 | ||
Facility Parameters
| Dimensions: | |||
| Electronic module | Volume (mm) | 750 x 600 x 300 | |
| Mass (kg) | 20 | ||
| Experiment module | Volume (mm) | 1100 x 400 x 400 | |
| Mass (kg) | 30 | ||
| Voltage: | |||
| Voltage (volts) | 28 ±2 | ||
| Max. power (watts) | 700 | ||
| Average power (watts) | 400 | ||
- The heater assembly includes 9 symmetrically arranged segments: 2 wide segments with 3 narrow ones in between and 2 narrow ones at each end – as shown above.
- Each heater segment is individually temperature controlled – two thermocouples per segment are provided for measurement, control, and safety provisions.
- A sample feeding drive is provided for both sample positioning and feeding. The feeding velocity covers the range from 0.01 to 20.8 mm/h, an additional fast positioning gear shall provide velocities of 2, 40 and 800 mm/min (feeding length is 480 mm).
