Chell's Gas Handling Range Helps Develop Jets, Turbines and Race Cars

Chell Instruments has a number of gas handling solutions which are helping manufacturers and operators develop and maintain aero-engines, turbo-machinery and F1 cars alike. The trusted manufacturer of pressure, vacuum and gas flow measurement and control solutions has a range of products which deliver reliable and leak free connections, even in the harshest and most sensitive environments. When testing safety critical or high performance technology in these applications, it’s essential to use equipment that can withstand extreme environments. Chell Instruments makes robust measurement and control equipment for the world’s leading engineering companies. It has designed its compact needle valves and pneumatic quick-connectors to deliver excellent leak integrity and reliable service under the most challenging conditions. CMV Needle Valves Chell’s engineers originally developed its mechanism range of stainless-steel needle valves specifically for mass spectrometry applications. However, their extremely smooth and repeatable gas delivery, with precision flow control ranging from 0-20sccm to 0-3slpm over three ranges, makes them ideal for delicate instruments that require stable and finely controllable gas delivery. As such, clients now use them in gas analysers, chromatographs and many other high pressure and high-vacuum applications. As Nick Broadley, Managing Director at Chell Instruments, explains: “Over the last 40 years we have initially developed many of our products to meet specific customer requirements. However, once they have proved successful we have gone on to put them into production.” The stainless steel needle valves come with Perlast® perfluoroelastomer body seals and a Fluorosint® orifice seal, making them highly corrosion resistant. They are available in a range of standard fittings but Chell is also happy to provide customised fittings when required. For extra piece of mind, the firm uses a helium vacuum leak tester to test all its valves. Quick-disconnects When speed of disconnect/reconnect and safety are of the essence, Chell’s range of single and multi-way pneumatic line quick-disconnects provide the integrity and reliability engineers need. The firm has designed and tested them to ensure they can withstand high temperature, high vibration environments. They complement Chell’s industry leading range of pressure instruments. Chell’s steel quick-disconnect (SQDC) range is suitable for temperatures ranging from -55° to 325°C. It can connect between 8 and 32 gas lines and has a unique locking mechanism that resists vibration. As Nick Broadley explains: “We originally designed the SQDC for a leading aero-engine manufacturer that had to cut off and replace up to 300 pneumatic lines during each engine test. The SQDC made it easy for them to disconnect and re-connect multiple lines, which helped speed up the reconfiguration process and save a vast amount of money and time. The SQDC range has revolutionised R&D testing of aero engines, yet is adaptable and innovative enough to suit a range of applications. Chell also offers the AS range of single-way pneumatic self-sealing quick-disconnects, which are suitable for pneumatic instrumentation lines along with robust, reliable, multiple pneumatic connections for pressure scanning tubing. Their small size makes them ideal for wind tunnel, automotive and flight test applications where space is limited. “Our customers rely on our equipment to test high performance technology,” says Nick Broadley. “That’s why we insist they are designed by engineers for engineers. This gives our clients the confidence that they’ll always deliver the performance, durability and reliability that’s required.” For more information about Chell’s range of gas handling solutions contact 01692 500555 or visit www.chell.co.uk/gas-handling

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