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Message ID: 190     Entry time: Thu Aug 3 17:47:51 2023
Author: Aiden 
Type: Update 
Category: VAC 
Subject: VAC Heating System Update 

Did some further testing to determine if it was within reason to increase the temperature of the chamber. I used a thermometer and pulled back some insulation to test many points on the chamber. Mainly focused on the barrel and the bottom lid of the chamber to see if it was possible to increase the temperature of just the PID controller that is powering the bottom half of the chamber.

Found that the barrel of the chamber seems to be hotter than what the sensor is saying, 125 C. Found many points on the barrel that reached 140 C. I believe this is because the sensor is taped on top of the heater tape rather than in between the aluminum and the heater tape.

Also measured many points on the bottom lid as it has the same configuration the top did before it damaged the insulation. It seemed to be consistently at 150 C but I was able to find a couple points that were hotter around 160 C. These hotter spots were most likely the heater folds. There is not much we can do about this as removing the insulation for fixing would required a very invasive procedure to do it safely.

Then moved to the stainless steel tube that connects the RGA and Turbo pump lines. This tube was around 150 C but many points on it were hotter around 160 C. Before another bake I think some of the tape around the tube may need to be pulled back and relocated to avoid damaging insulation while also providing more heat to the main body of the chamber.

Measured a couple more points on the cross that connects the RGA and the full range gauge and found it to be around 130-140 C which means this section could be hotter as the electronics of the full range gauge can reach 150 C.

Over all I believe that the chamber temperature should not be increased in its current state as the bottom lid is a concern with what happened with the top in the second bake. Some optimizations could be made for a fourth bake however. Moving the temperature sensors to be between the heater tape and chamber. Pulling some of the heater tape from the stainless steel tube and relocating it to the main body of the chamber. Moving the PID temperature sensor on the tube to be on the bottom lid or another hotter spot. These are some changes I would make for a fourth bake but maybe this bake could be the last with how the second bake went.

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