Chromatographic system temperature control system

• US 10,481,136 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2019
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valco Instruments Company LP
• Inventors: Stearns, Stanley D., Cai, Huamin, Bishop, Chris, Simpson, Robert, Cowles, Chris S., Ashworth, Dale, Dailey, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US16/411,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20190265209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3069 electrical resistance used to determine control temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3076 using specially adapted T(t) profile
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/3084 ovens
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/30 of temperature

Abstract

A temperature controller for simultaneously controlling the temperatures of a plurality of heating elements for use in chromatographic analysis including columns, detectors, valves, transport lines and other components.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least two chromatographic components in a chromatographic system, comprising:

determining a power/temperature relationship for a first component;

determining a power/temperature relationship for a second component;

receiving a time/temperature profile for the first component;

receiving an input identifying whether a time/temperature profile for the second component will track an actual time/temperature profile of the first component;

applying power to the first component to alter a temperature of the first component according to the power-temperature relationship for the first component;

obtaining a temperature measurement of the first component;

constructing the actual time-temperature profile of the first component;

adjusting a first component power supplied to the first component to alter the temperature of the first component according to the power-temperature relationship for the first component as determined by the temperature measurement of the first component;

applying a second component power to the second component to alter the temperature of the second component according to one of the power-temperature relationship for the first component and the actual time-temperature profile of the first component;

obtaining a temperature measurement of the second component;

adjusting the first component power supplied to the first component to alter the temperature of the second component according to one of the group of relationships consisting of the power-temperature relationship for the first component and the actual time-temperature profile of the first component as determined by the temperature measurement of the second component.