Adaptive temperature controller

• US 8,772,680 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• 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:
  US14/085,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: 219/490, 219/497, 219/499, 219/501, 219/504, 219/505, 338/22.R, 374/1, 374/100, 374/102
• 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 system 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 to control and maintain the temperature of a chromatographic column assembly during heating of said chromatographic column assembly, comprising:

said chromatographic column assembly including a circular coil of a fused silica chromatographic column and a metal wire, said fused silica chromatographic column and said metal wire maintained adjacent within said coil, said coil wrapped in a heat conductive outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller having

a device for measuring resistance,

said device for measuring resistance recording measurement of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal wire, and

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal wire by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to 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 wire 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 wire;

said metal wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current.

2. The adaptive temperature controller of claim 1 wherein said wire is composed of nickel.

3. The adaptive temperature controller of claim 1 wherein said wire is composed of an alloy containing nickel.

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

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

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

7. A method for operation of an adaptive temperature controller system to control and maintain the temperature of said chromatographic column assembly during heating of a chromatographic column assembly, said adaptive temperature controller system including:

a chromatographic column assembly, said chromatographic column assembly including a coil of a fused silica chromatographic column and a metal wire, said fused silica chromatographic column and said metal wire maintained adjacent within said coil, said coil wrapped in a heat conductive outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller having

a device for measuring resistance,

said device for measuring resistance recording measurement of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal wire, and

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal wire by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to 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 wire 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 wire;

said metal wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current;

comprising;

said adaptive temperature controller identifying the normalized resistance characteristic of said metal wire;

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

said adaptive temperature controller receiving the temperature of said metal wire;

said adaptive temperature controller receiving a resistance at a temperature associated with a temperature input of said metal wire;

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

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

said adaptive temperature controller receiving an instruction to alter the temperature of said metal wire 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 wire based on said responsiveness of resistance of said metal wire to heat said chromatographic column.

8. A method for operation of an adaptive temperature controller system to control and maintain the temperature of a system component during heating of said system component, for use with an electrically-conductive material to heat a system component, said adaptive temperature controller including:

a chromatographic column assembly, said chromatographic column assembly including a coil of a fused silica chromatographic column and a metal wire, said fused silica chromatographic column and said metal wire maintained adjacent within said coil, said coil wrapped in a heat conductive outer jacket; and

an adaptive temperature controller having

a device for measuring resistance, said device for measuring resistance recording measurement of two members of the group consisting of power, current and voltage through said metal wire;

said device for measuring resistance determining resistance of said metal wire by application of Ohm'"'"'s Law to 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 wire 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 wire;

said metal wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire 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 wire based on the output of one of the group of power, voltage or current;

comprising;

heating said metal wire;

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

receiving said temperature as a temperature input;

determining the resistance of said metal wire at said temperature;

deriving a resistance characteristic curve for said metal wire from said identification of said resistance at the temperature received;

receiving an instruction to alter the temperature of said metal wire;

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

causing the voltage or current associated with the instruction to be applied to said metal wire to heat said chromatographic column.