NHC testing offers a comprehensive range of services for research, development, testing and demonstration of high and low pressure applications.
Our operating procedures, test equipment, recording and monitoring are regularly audited and re-approved to ensure the highest standards. Considerable investments in the variety and capacity of test vessels within NHC testing have been made over the past 5 years, making our facilities amongst the biggest in the world. All our test equipment and chambers can be precisely controlled and monitored giving incredibly accurate test results. The variety of chambers mean we can pressure test a wide range of equipment of all shapes and sizes such as subsea control modules, umbilicals, valves, actuators, ROV and submersible vehicles, buoyancy control devices and underwater housings. We have full instrumentation and logging facilities on site as well as craneage.
Specification
- Altitude Testing
- Diving Equipment Testing
- Gas Leak Detection
- Hyperbaric Testing
- Nitrogen/Helium Testing
- Submersible Testing and Trials
- Subsea Cable Testing
- Subsea Umbilical Testing
- Subsea Valve Testing
- Subsea Winch and Wire Testing
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| Work Chamber |  |
| Work chamber showing access door |  |
| Work chamber showing access door Submarine testing within work chamber |  |
| Manned trials |  |
| Valve testing within work chamber |  |
The National Hyperbaric Centre’s deep equipment chamber is again similar to its other chambers but has a much higher pressure rating, down to an impressive 8000m and again is ideal for power supplies, cable assemblies, small electrical housings, underwater cameras and lights in a wet, dry or gas filled environment.
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National Hyperbaric Centre also has several smaller chambers, including our 220bar chamber, capable of pressure testing to 2200m. With internal access of 860mm wide and 1800mm deep this chamber is ideal for valve, actuator, pump, flow metre and cable assemblies including connections and penetrators.
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This medium equipment chamber has a working pressure of 200bar and is ideal for pressure testing power supplies, cable assemblies, small electrical housings, underwater cameras and lights. One of the features of this chamber is its 6 multi-way penetration ports which allows easy access for monitoring equipment testing.
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A viewport jig for high pressure testing of acrylic viewports used in saturation diving complexes and submarines is available at the NHC.
The use of acrylic plastic viewports has been standard for many years, however the development of polarised light testing has shown that there are various misconceptions about them. Acrylic viewports which are used under pressure are subjected to an increased rate of yield, giving them a slight permanent deformation and inbuilt stress. It is generally agreed that acrylic viewports should be replaced after 10 years of service.
Referring to IMCA guidance D047, viewports should be certified before use:
- “Viewports should be subjected to proof stress testing and relevant certification provided
before installation.” - “All viewports in a pressure system need to be rated to the design pressure of the system.”
- “Viewports which are not marked or properly documented should not be used.”
All viewport tests are independently witnessed by a class society. Successfully tested viewports are marked with indelible ink - date of examination.
Facilities:
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Hydro testing of viewports
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Accepts flat or conical acrylic viewports used for diving chambers and submarines
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Designed with an interchangeable core to allow various sizes and shapes of viewport testing
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150bar/1500msw
Our world-class facilities and capabilities are ready to support your next project.
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