Temperature control device and temperature control method
AssigneeThermtest Inc.
InventorsDale Hume, James Kozlowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A temperature control device and a temperature control method for use in measuring thermal properties of materials at high and low temperatures are disclosed herein. The temperature control device is configured for controlling a temperature of a test volume inside a test cell and is capable of providing both extremely high and low test volume temperatures over a wide temperature range. The temperature of the test volume is controlled using opposing heating and cooling by controlling a supply of thermal energy to the test cell from a heating subsystem while simultaneously removing thermal energy from the test cell using a cooling subsystem.
Claims20
A temperature control device for use in measuring thermal properties of materials, comprising:
- a test cell for receiving a sample to be measured;
- a heating subsystem configured to supply thermal energy to the test cell;
- a chill cell surrounding at least a portion of the test cell and the heating subsystem;
- a thermal break separating the chill cell from the test cell and the heating subsystem, wherein the chill cell is configured to remove thermal energy from the test cell through the thermal break when cooled, and the thermal break is configured to allow a controlled amount of heat transfer between the chill cell and the test cell;
- a cooling subsystem configured to cool the chill cell;
- and
- a controller configured to control the heating subsystem to supply thermal energy to the test cell while thermal energy is simultaneously removed from the test cell using the cooling subsystem, to control a temperature of a test volume inside the test cell to a set temperature.
A temperature control method executed at a temperature control device used for measuring thermal properties of materials, comprising:
- receiving a set temperature of a test volume inside a test cell for measuring a thermal property of a sample when placed inside of the test cell;
- determining a measured temperature of the test volume;
- determining a difference between the set temperature and the measured temperature of the test volume;
- and
- while a chill cell surrounding at least a portion of the test cell and separated from the test cell by a thermal break is being cooled by a cooling subsystem to remove thermal energy from the test cell through the thermal break, controlling supply of thermal energy to the test cell from a heating subsystem until the temperature of the test volume is equal to the set temperature, wherein the thermal break is configured to allow a controlled amount of heat transfer between the chill cell and the test cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.