Temperature control system

A temperature control system comprising:

• an enclosure defining a zone to be temperature controlled;
• primary temperature conditioning means for changing the ambient temperature within said zone;
• temperature sensing means for producing a temperature signal dependent on localized temperature within said zone;
• controller means for controlling said temperature conditioning means in response to said temperature signal produced by said sensing means;
• error detection timing means for monitoring said temperature signal and for producing error signals in response to predetermined continuous abnormal output levels thereof above or below a predetermined range for a predetermined time period;
• auxiliary temperature conditioning means disposed in a close heat transfer relationship with said sensing means and selectively energizable during a test period to substantially alter said localized temperature sensed by said sensing means without substantially changing said ambient temperature within said zone;
• and
• fault means for producing fault signals in response to the absence of said abnormal output levels of said temperature signal during said test periods.

A temperature control system comprising:

• an enclosure defining a zone to be temperature controlled;
• primary temperature conditioning means for changing the ambient temperature within said zone;
• temperature sensing means for producing a temperature signal dependent on localized temperature within said zone, said sensing means comprising a plurality of sensors disposed in spaced apart locations within said zone, each producing a temperature signal;
• controller means for controlling said temperature conditioning means in response to said temperature signal produced by said sensing means;
• error detection means for monitoring said temperature signal, and for producing error signals in response to predetermined abnormal output conditions thereof;
• auxiliary temperature conditioning means comprising thermoelectric means disposed in intimate heat exchanging contact with said sensing means and selectively energizable during a test period to substantially alter said localized temperature sensed by said sensing means without substantially changing said ambient temperature within said zone, said auxiliary temperature conditioning means comprising a plurality of thermo-electric modules each in intimate heat exchanging relationship with a different one of said sensors;
• and
• fault means for producing fault signals in response to given defective output conditions of said temperature signal during said test periods.