c Condensation Tester
The QCT Tests:
•
•
•
•
•
•
The QCT simulates the damaging effects of outdoor
moisture attack by condensing warm water directly onto
the test specimen. It is fast, easy to use and affordable.
The QCT uses 100% condensing humidity to
simulate and accelerate damage caused by rain
and dew on metals, paints, and organic materials.
It accelerates over natural exposures by increasing
moisture temperature. The QCT has automatic controls
to regulate the condensation rate, and allow the cycle
to go from wet to dry in a pre-programmed exposure
sequence. The QCT replaces water immersion and
ordinary (non-condensing) humidity tests.
The Cleveland Society for Paint Technology
designed the QCT after four years of study. It was
originally called the “Cleveland Condensing Humidity
Cabinet”. Since 1965, hundreds of laboratories
throughout the world have successfully used the
QCT for research and quality control, including paint,
automotive and appliance manufacturers, oil producers,
chemical companies and researchers.
Blistering & water resistance of paint & wood
preservatives
Paint pre-treatments
Surface cleanliness of metals
Mold control additives
Electrical insulations & components
Waxes, polishes, adhesives
How Does the QCT Work?
AIR OUT
AIR IN
AIR IN
AIR OUT
CO
NV
EC
TI
ON
C
The QCT tester accelerates outdoor moisture attack,
because it supplies controlled amounts of “aggressive
water” to the test surface under temperature-controlled,
cyclic or constant conditions.
The water in the bottom of the test chamber is heated
to generate hot vapor. The vapor mixes with air and fills
the chamber, creating 100% relative humidity. Because
the test panels are the actual roof of the test chamber,
the panels are cooled down by the room air on the outer
sides. The resulting temperature difference causes
the vapor to condense on the underside of the panels.
This condensate is distilled water, which is saturated
with dissolved oxygen. A small amount of water vapor
escapes through vapor diffusion channels on each side
of the QCT unit. Air continually replaces the escaping
water vapor, standardizing the proportions of the air
mixture.
Condensation occurs first as microscopic droplets.
They coalesce into larger and larger drops until they
finally run off. Under constant conditions, this droplet
Effects of Outdoor Moisture
cycle will repeat, providing an excess of
condensate to the test surface. Constant
Water is a common enemy to most
COOL
COOL
condensation develops strong osmotic
ROOM AIR
materials. It causes metals to corrode,
ROOM AIR
pressure across a coating, tending to
organics to decompose, and
TEST
TEST
PANELS
PANELS
pull pressure into the coating. Drying
structures to disintegrate.
off the test specimen relieves this
Condensation is water that
SATURATED
pressure. One hour of drying
WARM AIR
has been distilled from
& WATER VAPOR
will remove most of the water
S
impure water, mixed with
T
N
RE
from a 23-hour condensation
UR
the atmosphere, and
WARM CONDENSATION
ON PANEL
cycle. These dry-off periods
saturated with oxygen.
are representative of many
Rain, dew, and fog are
service conditions. Transition
all natural examples of
back and forth from wet to
condensation. This type
VAPOR DIFFUSION
dry is much more important
CHANNEL
of moisture has also been
DRY-OFF
AIR DUCT
than the length of dry-off time.
called “aggressive water”,
HOT WATER
When a material is dry, very
because it carries oxygen
little deterioration occurs. A
with it as it contacts
HEATER
drying time of one to two hours
a material or diffuses
is usually enough for cyclic
through a coating.
BASE CABINET
operation.
Cycles
Variable Exposure Cycles
Thetouser
is able
to program the QCT to create static,
rogram the QCT
create
static,
100%
condensing
dity or to cycle
between
hot humidity or to cycle between hot
condensation
and dry-off. The temperature’s range
ff. The temperature’s
range
o
o
perature toextends
as high from
as 70room
C temperature to as high as 70 C
o
F). The
system allows for the selection of almost
ows for the(158
selection
of almost
any
desired
exposure cycle through an automatic
osure cycle
through
anwet/dry
automatic
cyclic
timer.
The cycle options range from the subtle
options range
from
the subtle
of an almost
visible dewwetness
a few degrees
aboveinvisible dew a few degrees above
temperature, to a continuous, high-temperature,
continuous,room
high-temperature,
running condensate.
Freezing
accelerates some failures. For a freeze/thaw
sure
some
failures.
For a freeze/thaw
Cycles
cycle,
manually
remove
epanels
to program
thethe
QCTQCT
to create
static,
from
while
wet panels from the QCT while wet
cycle
between hot freeze.
immediately
.humidity or toand
dry-off. The temperature’s range
Consult theo appropriate test procedure for the
test procedure
mate
temperature
to as highfor
as 70 C
for your application.
application.
em
allows for exposure
the selectioncycle
of almost
y exposure cycle through an automatic
cycle options range
subtle
Fastfrom
andtheVersatile
QCT Tester Conforms with: QCT Tester Conforms with:
ost invisible dew a few degrees above
•
Screen
paints
for
blister
resistance
a Testing Moisture
ster
resistance
over
a
• Resistance
ASTM D4585,
• ASTM over
D4585,
of Testing Moisture Resistance of
to a continuous, high-temperature,o
o
weekend at 55 C (130oF). coatings with Controlled Condensation
e. F).
30
coatings with Controlled Condensation
erates
some failures.
For a freeze/thaw
• inEvaluate
oil-based rust inhibitors
in less Paints and Varnishes—
ust
inhibitors
less
• ISO-6270-1, Paints and Varnishes—
• ISO-6270-1,
o
o
move
panels
fromthan
the QCT
wetat 38oC (100oF) and rate
120while
hours
C
(100
F)
and
rate
Humidity (Continuous Condensation)
Humidity
(Continuous
Condensation)
eeze.
of mill-applied
onlyPart
a day.
appliedtest
oilsprocedure
ineffectiveness
only aforday.
• ofBS
3900, Part F9, Determination of Resistance
• oils
BS in
3900,
F9, Determination
Resistance
propriate
the
• Test
and (Continuous Condensation).
tyyour
of application.
cold-rolled
andsurface reactivity of cold-rolled
to Humidity (Continuous Condensation).
to Humidity
galvanized steel in hours.
ours.
ile
QCT
Tester and
Conforms
Test
wood finishes for
moisture
mold with:
or
moisture•and
mold
Summary
Summary
or blister resistance over a
•
ASTM
D4585,
Testing Moisture Resistance of
resistance (mount painted side down).
ainted
C (130oside
F). down).
coatings
Controlled
Condensation
• device
The QCT
•painted
Thewith
QCT
is a useful
and reliable
for is a useful and reliable device for
• wood
Use
as a “blister box” •for ISO-6270-1,
wood
” forrust
painted
sed
inhibitors
in less
Paints and Varnishes—
measuring
the
resistance of coated or treated metal
o
o
measuring
the
resistance
of
coated
or
treated
metal
finishes
up).(Continuous Condensation)
at 38side
C (100
F) and
rate (mount painted side
nted
up).
Humidity
surfaces
to
deterioration
by condensing water
surfaces
to
deterioration
by
condensing
water
f mill-applied oils in only a day.
• BS 3900, Part F9, Determination of Resistance
vapor.
activity of cold-rolled and
vapor.(Continuous Condensation).
to Humidity
elto
in hours.
• for
There
are many
InstallEasy to Use, Simple to Install
• There are many additional areas
utilizing
the additional areas for utilizing the
hes for moisture and mold
Summary
Cleveland
Condensing Humidity Cabinet because
Cleveland
Condensing
Humidity
Cabinet
because
The
QCT provides
unt painted
sideor
down).
nstant
blister
corrosion
testing. instant blister or corrosion testing.
• The QCT
is ease
a useful
and
reliable device
for ability
of
its
ease
of operation and its ability to simulate
of
its
of
operation
and
its
to
simulate
er
box”
for
painted
wood
Just
in and add water.measuring
Place the
unit anywhere
water. Place
theplug
unit itanywhere
the resistance of coated or treated metal
the
destructive
effect of condensing water vapor,
t painted sideinup).
the
destructive
effect
of
condensing
water
vapor,
lab, or plant. The
heat
and water by
vapor
ant. The heatyour
and office,
water vapor
surfaces
to deterioration
condensing water
which
occurs
in
nature or during commercial use of
which
occurs
in
nature
or
during
commercial
use
of
vapor.
by the
QCT is about
the same as that produced
about the produced
same as that
produced
many
metallic
articles.
mple to Install
•
There
are
many
additional
areas
for
utilizing
the
many
metallic
articles.
by one additional person in the room.
n in the room.
Cleveland Condensing Humidity Cabinet because
des
instant
blister
or corrosion
testing.
test panels
on a QCTof may
be inspected as often
QCT
may
be The
inspected
as
often
its ease of operation and its ability to simulate
add water. Place the unit anywhere
as you want,
without
alteringthe
test
conditions.
Just
removewater vapor,
ering
test
conditions.
Just
remove
destructive
effect of
condensing
or plant. The heat and water vapor
occurs in nature or during commercial use of
thesame
panel
put a blank in which
its place.
nk
place.
CTin
is its
about
the
as and
that produced
person in the room.
on a QCT may be inspected as often
ut altering test conditions. Just remove
a blank in its place.
many metallic articles.
Q-Lab Corporation
b Headquarters
struments Division
Q-Lab Headquarters
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& Instruments
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eland,
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© 2006 Q-Lab Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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