Liquid chromatography thermal system with thermal status detection

A method for determining a status of a thermal chamber in a liquid chromatography system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computer system, a first temperature measurement from a first temperature sensor located in the thermal chamber;
• receiving, by the computer system, a second temperature measurement from a second temperature sensor;
• receiving, by the computer system, power information related to power utilized by an engine;
• analyzing, by one or more processors of the computer system, the first and second temperature measurements and the power information;
• determining, by the one or more processors, whether ice has formed on the heat sink based on the first and second temperature measurements and the power information;
• and
• determining, by the one or more processors, a status of the thermal chamber based on the analyzing the first and second temperature measurements and the power information.

A liquid chromatography sample manager comprising:

• a sample delivery system configured to provide a sample to a liquid chromatography column located downstream from the sample delivery system;
• a thermal chamber housing the sample delivery system;
• an engine configured to control the temperature in the thermal chamber;
• a heatsink operably connected to the engine;
• a first temperature sensor within the thermal chamber;
• a second temperature sensor;
• a computer system configured to receive temperature information from each of the first and second temperature sensors, the computer system comprising:
• one or more processors;
• one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors;
• and
• one or more computer readable storage devices coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more storage devices contain program code executable by the one or more processors via the one or more memory devices to implement a method for controlling temperature in the thermal chamber, the method comprising:
• receiving, by the computer system, a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor;
• receiving, by the computer system, a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor;
• receiving, by the computer system, power information related to power utilized by the engine;
• analyzing, by the one or more processors, the first and second temperature measurements and the power information;
• and
• determining, by the one or more processors, a status of the thermal chamber based on the analyzing the first and second temperature measurements and the power information.