Date of Award

5-8-2023

Degree Type

Capstone Project

First Advisor

Bahram Nassersharif

Abstract

Team 8, or Dust X8 was tasked by FM Approvals with the challenge of designing a test system with the capabilities to cover test samples ranging in size from 75-320 mm in 200 mm of dust (diatomaceous earth) on all sides of the specimen. This system was to be designed to support “dust blanketed surface temperature” testing and installed in the FM Approvals Testing facility in Norwood, MA where tests relevant to the certification of equipment for use in class II explosive atmospheres is conducted. Ideally, this test system needed to provide ease of loading and unloading, a simple pluggable interface to connect samples in the chamber with the test equipment in the control room, capability to cover and uncover test samples with diatomaceous earth from outside the chamber to minimize contact with the dust, and to be in alignment with standards IEC 60079-0 and IEC 60079-31, which determine the worst case surface temperature of the equipment while under power and blanketed on all sides by diatomaceous earth at a thickness of at least 200 mm. Team 8 studied the scope of temperature testing and what specifications such a chamber would require. From this literature search, the team advanced to a patent search and used this information to begin brainstorming design specifications and concepts. Using decision analysis tools, the team was able to filter multiple designs, material choices, and the rank importance of the customer requirements. The result of this process proved the team's final design concept to be a cost-effective test chamber that supports “dust blanketed surface temperature” testing and meets the customer's requirements. It was also found through competitor analyzes that such a product is not yet commercially available.

Comments

Team Name: Team 8: Dust X8

Company Sponsor: FM Approvals

Sponsor Representatives: Cheryl Gagliardi, James Almeida

Document Reference: URI-MCE-402-008-2023

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