HIGH TEMPERATURE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURED BY CVD

A PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A DEVELOPMENT MADE IN THE MID 1960'S FOR THE US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, IN WHICH A TEMPERATURE MEASURING DEVICE FOR THE NUCLEAR ROCKET REACTOR WAS MADE AND SUCCESSFULLY TESTED AT TEMPERATURES OVER 2200 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. THE PROGRAM CALLS FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF THE DEVICE, WITH THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO MAKE IT USEFUL IN A HIGH TEMPERATURE OXIDIZING AND EROSIVE ENVIRONMENT. THE DESIGN INCLUDES A TUNGSTEN/TUNGSTEN 25% RHENIUM CO-AXIALTHERMOCOUPLE MADE ENTIRELY BY THE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION PROCESS. THE MINITURIZATION WHICH IS ABLE TO BE EFFECTED BYTHE USE OF CVD ALLOWS FOR MINIMAL INTRUSION OF THE PROBE INTO A WORKING FLUID. THE HIGH STRENGTH POSSIBLE SUGGESTS GOOD LONGEVITY FOR THE DEVICE. A WORKING MODEL WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AND TESTED AT 1900 DEGREES CENTIGRADE IN AIR. OTHER POSSIBLE USES FOR CVD PROCESSING FOR INSTRUMENT DEVICES FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS WILL ALSO BE STUDIED.