Patent · US Expired

Accelerated degradation evaluation method and apparatus

US6772536B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
6References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 2002
Grant dateAug 10, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF26B5/04
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the physical strength and ability of a solid sample, to resist breakdown into fines after repeated cycles of hydration and regeneration of temperatures in excess of 100° C. The test samples are evaluated using an accelerated degradation apparatus that subjects the sample to a predetermined number of timed cycles of wetting/drying under heat and vacuum, and the weight-percent of any fines produced by the degradation of the sample are measured and recorded after a prescribed number of cycles. Specific values are used for predicting potential useful service life, in years of samples from different commercial manufacturers of the same class of product; the resulting data can be used by manufacturers for more effective quality control of production batches.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.