Heater bundles for thermal gradient compensation
AssigneeWatlow Electric Manufacturing Company
InventorMark Everly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heater bundle includes a plurality of heater assemblies, at least one of the heater assemblies including a plurality of heater units, at least one of the heater units defining at least one independently controlled heating zone. A thermal provision is configured to modify a thermal conductance along a length of the at least one heater assembly to compensate for non-uniform temperatures within at least one heater unit. The heater bundle includes a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zone through the power conductors based on the determined temperature to provide a desired power output along a length of at least one heater assembly.
Claims26
A heater system comprising:
- a heater bundle comprising:
- a plurality of heater assemblies, at least one of the heater assemblies comprising a plurality of heater units, at least one heater unit being an independently controlled heating zone;
- at least one thermal provision provided on a portion of the at least one heater assembly to change a thermal conductance of the portion of the at least one heater assembly relative to an adjacent portion of the at least one heater assembly;
- a plurality of power conductors electrically connected to the plurality of heater units;
- means for determining temperature;
- and
- a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zone through the power conductors based on the determined temperature to provide a desired power output along a length of the at least one heater assembly.
A heater system comprising:
- a heater bundle comprising:
- a plurality of heater assemblies, at least one heater assembly of the heater assemblies comprising a plurality of heater units, at least one heater unit being an independently controlled heating zone;
- at least one thermal provision provided on a portion of the at least one heater assembly to change a thermal conductance of the portion of the at least one heater assembly relative to an adjacent portion of the at least one heater assembly;
- and
- a plurality of power conductors electrically connected to the plurality of heater units;
- means for determining at least one of heating conditions and heating requirements;
- and
- a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zone through the power conductors based on the at least one of heating conditions and heating requirements to provide a desired power output along a length of the at least one heater assembly.
A heater system comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising a plurality of heater units, at least one heater unit being an independently controlled heating zone;
- at least one thermal provision provided on a portion of the heater assembly to change a thermal conductance of the portion of the heater assembly relative to an adjacent portion of the heater assembly;
- a plurality of power conductors electrically connected to the plurality of heater units;
- and
- a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zone through the power conductors based on at least one of heating conditions and heating requirements to provide a desired power output along a length of the heater assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.