Adaptive temperature controller

• US 8,642,931 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Valco Instruments Company LP
• Inventors: Stearns, Stanley D., Cai, Huamin, Cowles, Chris S.
• Primary Examiner(s): JENNISON, BRIAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/257,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 219/490, 219/497, 219/499, 219/501, 219/504, 219/505, 338/22.R, 374/1, 374/102, 374/106
• US Class Current: 219/490
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/30 of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/2401 using a heating element as a sensing element
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0247 For chemical processes

Abstract

The adaptive temperature controller includes a device for measuring resistance, an electrically-conductive material, a power supply, and a device for controlling power. In operation, the controller determines the resistance of material at one or more temperatures and therefore determines the resistance of the material through a range of operating temperature. Based on such determination so long as voltage and power are known, the resistance of the material, and therefore its temperature, are known. As a result the voltage or power may be instantly varied to produce near infinite control over material temperature.

Claims

1. An adaptive temperature controller system for chromatographic analysis, comprising:

a chromatographic column, said chromatographic column having a fused silica tube encircled by metal electroplated to the exterior of said fused silica tube, said chromatographic column having a polyamine outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller having

a device for measuring resistance,

said device for measuring resistance recording measurements of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal of said chromatographic column;

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to the recorded measurements of said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a device for determining responsiveness of resistance,

said device for determining responsiveness of resistance determining the change in said resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column relative to change in said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a power supply,

said power supply in electrical communication with said metal of said chromatographic column;

said metal of said chromatographic column altering temperature based on said electrical communication from said power supply; and

a device for controlling the output of said power supply,

said device for measuring resistance outputting said determination of the resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column to said device for controlling the output of said power supply;

said device for determining responsiveness of resistance outputting said determination of the change in said resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column relative to change in said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage to said device for controlling the output of said power supply;

said device for controlling the output of said power supply determining the thermal coefficient of resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column based on the output of said device for measuring resistance and a temperature input;

said device for controlling the output of said power supply controlling the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current.

2. The adaptive temperature controller system of claim 1 further comprising a fan to induce air flow about said chromatographic system component.

3. The adaptive temperature controller system of claim 1 wherein said adaptive temperature controller communicates with a computer.

4. The adaptive temperature controller system of claim 2 wherein said adaptive temperature controller communicates with a computer.

5. A method for operation of an adaptive temperature controller system, said adaptive temperature controller system including:

a chromatographic column, said chromatographic column having a fused silica tube encircled by metal electroplated to the exterior of said fused silica tube, said chromatographic column having a polyamine outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller, said adaptive temperature controller including

a device for measuring resistance,

said device for measuring resistance recording measurements of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal of said chromatographic column;

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to the recorded measurements of said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a device for determining responsiveness of resistance,

said device for responsiveness of resistance determining the change in said resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column relative to change in said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a power supply,

said power supply in electrical communication with said metal of said chromatographic column, said metal of said chromatographic column altering temperature based on said electrical communication from said power supply;

a device for controlling the output of said power supply,

said device for measuring resistance outputting said determination of the resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column to said device for controlling the output of said power supply,

said device for determining responsiveness of resistance outputting said determination of responsiveness of resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column to said device for controlling the output of said power supply;

said device for controlling the output of said power supply determining the thermal coefficient of resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column based on the output of said device for measuring resistance and a temperature input; and

said device for controlling the output of said power supply controlling the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current,

the method comprising;

identifying the material of which said metal of said chromatographic column is composed;

said adaptive temperature controller identifying the normalized resistance of said material of which said metal of said chromatographic column is composed and the responsiveness of resistance of said material;

permitting the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column to stabilize at a predetermined temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving the resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column at temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller determining a scale factor to be applied to the normalized resistance characteristic by comparison of the normalized resistance characteristic to the said resistance at said temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving an instruction to alter the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column to a particular temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller determining the voltage or current associated with the temperature instruction received; and

said adaptive temperature controller causing one of the group of voltage and current associated with the temperature instruction to be applied to said metal of said chromatographic column based on said responsiveness of resistance of said material to heat said chromatographic column.

6. A method for operation of an adaptive temperature controller, said adaptive temperature controller system including:

a chromatographic column, said chromatographic column having a fused silica tube encircled by metal electroplated to the exterior of said fused silica tube, said chromatographic column having a polyamine outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller having

a device for measuring resistance,

said device for measuring resistance recording a plurality of measurements of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal of said chromatographic column;

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to the recorded measurements of said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a device for determining responsiveness of resistance,

said device for determining responsiveness of resistance determining the change in said resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column relative to change in said two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage;

a power supply,

said power supply in electrical communication with said metal of said chromatographic column,

said metal of said chromatographic column altering temperature based on said electrical communication from said power supply;

a device for controlling the output of said power supply,

said device for measuring resistance outputting said determination of the resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column to said device for controlling the output of said power supply,

said device for determining responsiveness of resistance outputting said determination of responsiveness of resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column to said device for controlling the output of said power supply;

said device for controlling the output of said power supply controlling the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current,

comprising;

heating said metal of said chromatographic column;

permitting the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column to stabilize at a predetermined temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving said temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller determining the resistance of said metal of said chromatographic column at said temperature;

said adaptive temperature controller deriving a resistance characteristic curve for said metal of said chromatographic column from said identification of said resistance at said temperature received;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving an instruction to alter the temperature of said metal of said chromatographic column;

said adaptive temperature controller determining the resistance associated with the said instruction from said resistance characteristic curve; and

said adaptive temperature controller causing the voltage or current associated with the instruction to be applied to said metal of said chromatographic column based on said responsiveness of resistance of said material to heat said chromatographic column.