Thermal management of inductively coupled plasma systems.

Abstract

A system for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument includes an ICP instrument, a pump in fluid communication with the instrument via a first conduit, and a microchannel heat exchanger in fluid communication with the instrument via a second conduit and in fluid communication with the pump via a third conduit, the pump configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of the coolant that exceeds a back pressure of the instrument, such that the pressure of the coolant traveling through the second conduit into the heat exchanger is not greater than 5 pounds per square inch (psi) above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet to the heat exchanger.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) instruments, such as ICP-Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) instruments, utilize high temperature plasma to desolvate, vaporize, and ionize chemical samples for qualitative and quantitative testing. Heat dissipation into the instrument must be removed by cooling using heat exchangers.

[0002] One current solution is a chiller that has a refrigeration compressor and a condenser. Thick copper tubing is used to withstand the high pressure of the coolant. High powered (water) pumps are used and there is a lot of heat dissipation. This system is very bulky and highly inefficient as the refrigeration compressor and water pump themselves generate a lot of heat and also need to be cooled. This system generates a lot of heat into the facility where the instruments are located, such as the laboratory.

[0003] Another existing solution uses a recirculator. This system does not use a refrigeration compressor and has less cooling power than chiller solutions. Thick copper tubing is used to withstand the high pressure of the coolant. A high power pump (with excessive heat dissipation) is used to push the coolant at high pressure (e.g., greater than 50 psi). This system is also very bulky and generates significant heat in the laboratory. Recirculators are typically not used today because the cooling capacity is not sufficient for current ICP-MS instruments on the market. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some embodiments of the present technology relate to a system for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument, the system comprising an ICP instrument, a pump in fluid communication with the instrument via a first conduit, and a microchannel heat exchanger in fluid communication with the instrument via a second conduit and in fluid communication with the pump via a third conduit, the pump configured to generate a coolant pump outlet pressure that exceeds a back pressure of the instrument, such that the pressure of the coolant traveling through the second conduit into the heat exchanger is not more than 5 pounds per square inch (psi) above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet to the heat exchanger.

[0005] In some embodiments, the system comprises a fan configured to blow air for cooling of the heat exchanger, and a controller operatively associated with the pump and / or the fan. The controller may be configured to control or regulate operation of the pump and / or the fan to stabilize an internal temperature of the appliance and / or to stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the appliance. The system may further comprise at least one temperature sensor in the second conduit and / or the third conduit, the at least one temperature sensor configured to provide feedback to the controller.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system further comprises an exhaust configured to provide air suction for air cooling of the heat exchanger. The system may further comprise a controller operatively associated with the pump, the controller configured to control or regulate operation of the pump to stabilize an internal temperature of the instrument and / or stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the instrument. The system may further comprise at least one temperature sensor in the second conduit and / or the third conduit, the at least one temperature sensor configured to provide feedback to the controller. The exhaust may be adjustable such that an outlet of the exhaust may be selectively positioned to provide heated air to a room in which the system is positioned or to vent heated air to the outside of the room.

[0007] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a housing, wherein the instrument, the pump, the heat exchanger, the first conduit, the second conduit, and the third conduit are all retained within the housing.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a housing, wherein the pump, the heat exchanger, at least a portion of the first conduit, at least a portion of the second conduit, and the third conduit are retained within the housing, and the instrument is external to the housing and optionally on the housing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the pump has a power consumption of 180 watts or less.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of the coolant such that the coolant traveling through the second conduit and into the heat exchanger is at sub-atmospheric pressure as measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger.

[0011] In some embodiments, the ICP instrument is an ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument or an ICP optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) instrument.

[0012] In some embodiments, the ICP instrument comprises an RF load coil that is not cooled by contact with the coolant.

[0013] In some embodiments, the ICP instrument comprises an air-cooled RF load coil.

[0014] Some other embodiments of the present technology relate to a method of cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument, comprising pumping a coolant from a pump through a first conduit to the ICP instrument to heat the coolant, flowing the heated coolant through a second conduit to a microchannel heat exchanger to cool the coolant, and flowing the cooled coolant through a third conduit to the pump, wherein an outlet pressure of the pump exceeds a back pressure of the instrument, and a pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit to the microchannel heat exchanger is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet to the heat exchanger.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further includes sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or adjusting operation of the pump based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to stabilize an internal temperature of the appliance and / or to stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the appliance.

[0016] In some embodiments, the method further includes sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or adjusting operation of the pump based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to accelerate a warm-up period of the appliance.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes blowing air towards and / or through the heat exchanger using a fan. The method may further include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or regulating operation of the pump and / or the fan based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to stabilize an internal temperature of the appliance and / or stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the appliance. The method may further include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or regulating operation of the pump and / or the fan based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to accelerate a warm-up period of the appliance.

[0018] In some embodiments, the method further includes exhausting heated air from the heat exchanger using an exhaust port. The method may further include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or adjusting operation of the pump and / or an optional second pump associated with the exhaust port based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to stabilize an internal temperature of the appliance and / or stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the appliance. The method may further include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, and controlling or adjusting operation of the pump and / or an optional second pump associated with the exhaust port based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature to accelerate a warm-up period of the appliance. The method may further include selectively directing the heated air into a room in which the appliance is located so as to heat the room or outside the room.

[0019] In some embodiments, the pump outlet pressure exceeds the back pressure of the instrument and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit to the microchannel heat exchanger is sub-atmospheric.

[0020] Some other embodiments of the present technology relate to a cooling system for an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument, the system comprising a pump in fluid communication with the instrument via a first conduit, and a microchannel heat exchanger in fluid communication with the instrument via a second conduit and in fluid communication with the pump via a third conduit, the pump configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of a coolant that exceeds a back pressure of the instrument, such that the pressure of the coolant traveling through the second conduit and into the heat exchanger is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet to the heat exchanger.

[0021] Further features, advantages and details of the present technology will be appreciated by those skilled in the art upon reading the drawings and detailed description of the embodiments which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present technology. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument, according to some embodiments. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of a microchannel heat exchanger of the system of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP instrument according to some other embodiments. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP instrument according to some other embodiments. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP instrument according to some other embodiments. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an experimental setup of a system for cooling an ICP instrument according to some embodiments. [Figure 7A] 13A-13C are perspective views of an experimental setup of a system for cooling an ICP instrument according to some other embodiments. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is another perspective view of the experimental setup of FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ICP device according to some embodiments. [Figure 9] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 11] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The inventors have recognized and understood that conventional cooling systems for ICP instruments are bulky, inefficient, and generate large amounts of heat in the operating environment of the ICP instrument. Furthermore, the inventors have recognized and understood that microchannel heat exchangers can be used to cool an ICP instrument if the water used to cool the ICP instrument is maintained at a low pressure compared to conventional solutions (e.g., less than 30 psi). Cooling an ICP instrument using microchannel heat exchangers according to some embodiments described herein can have multiple advantages, including, but not limited to, ultra-low cost manufacturing and maintenance, highly efficient cooling, and a compact physical footprint.

[0024] 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 10 for cooling an ICP instrument. System 10 includes a cooling system 11 and an ICP instrument 12. In some embodiments, the ICP instrument is an ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instrument or an ICP optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) instrument. In some embodiments, the ICP instrument 12 is an instrument that uses ICP to perform, for example, atomic emission spectrometry or reactive ion etching.

[0025] The cooling system 11 of the ICP instrument 12 includes a pump 14 and a heat exchanger 16. The cooling system 11 may further include a first conduit 18 fluidly connecting the pump 14 and the instrument 12, a second conduit 20 fluidly connecting the instrument 12 and the heat exchanger 16, and a third conduit 22 fluidly connecting the heat exchanger 16 and the pump 14. The pump 14 may be in fluid communication with the instrument 12 via the first conduit 18. The heat exchanger 16 may be in fluid communication with the instrument 12 via the second conduit 20, and the heat exchanger 16 may be in fluid communication with the pump 14 via the third conduit 22. As used herein, a "conduit" may be or include a pipe, tube, hose, etc. used to carry a fluid, such as a coolant liquid.

[0026] A coolant, such as a water-based coolant, is used to cool the instrument 12. The pump 14 can be configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of the coolant that exceeds the back pressure of the instrument 12, such that the pressure of the coolant flowing through the second conduit 20 into the heat exchanger 16 is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure, as measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger. In some other embodiments, the pump outlet pressure is substantially equal to the instrument back pressure, and the pressure of the coolant leaving the instrument is no more than atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi).

[0027] The low water pressure output from the fixture 12 allows the use of fragile thin-walled microchannel heat exchangers that have high heat exchange efficiency, which cannot withstand the high coolant pressures traditionally utilized in ICP fixtures.

[0028] An example of a microchannel heat exchanger 16 is shown in Figure 2. The heat exchanger 16 includes an inlet 17 and multiple thin-walled channels 24 separated by fins 26. The parallel channels 24 allow for coolant liquid flow that allows for efficient heat transfer with near zero back pressure. This allows the pump 14 to be a small, low power water pump with minimal self-heating effects.

[0029] The thin-walled channels 24 of the heat exchanger 16 cannot withstand high water pressure. Microchannel heat exchangers are used, for example, in automotive applications where the car's coolant is not pressurized (i.e., open to atmospheric pressure). The inventors have discovered that microchannel heat exchangers can be used for ICP-MS plasma cooling by matching or substantially matching the water pump output pressure to counter the back pressure of the instrument being cooled so that the water pressure is low to avoid damage or degradation of the microchannel heat exchanger.

[0030] The pump 14 can have a water output pressure that is substantially equal to (i.e., barely exceeds) the ICP instrument and coolant flow requirements, such that the pump outlet pressure minus the instrument backpressure is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi) as measured at the inlet of the heat exchanger. In this way, the following highly efficient and compact components can be used: 1) a microchannel heat exchanger (with parallel microchannels and low backpressure); and 2) a low power (e.g., 140 watt), low heat dissipation water pump to meet typical cooling requirements of 4 L / min or more coolant flow.

[0031] The cooling solution according to some embodiments can dissipate less heat than other cooling solutions for ICP instruments. A typical chiller cooling solution for an ICP-MS consumes 2.5kW to 3.5kW. Some traditionally used recirculation cooling solutions for an ICP-MS consume 840W to 1140W. The recirculation cooling solution uses less power since it does not have refrigeration capacity. In contrast to these other existing cooling solutions, the cooling solution according to some embodiments can consume less than 200W (100W pump and optional 80W fan). As described in more detail below, the fan can be eliminated if the facility provides air cooling through an exhaust vent in the building or laboratory. In some embodiments, the pump consumes less than 180 watts of power.

[0032] Referring again to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the system 10 includes a fan 28 configured to blow air for cooling the heat exchanger.

[0033] 3, in some embodiments, the system 10 includes a controller 30 operatively associated with the pump 14 and / or the fan 28. A first temperature sensor 32 may be in the second conduit 20 (e.g., adjacent to the outlet of the appliance) and / or a second temperature sensor 34 may be in the third conduit 22 (e.g., adjacent to the outlet of the heat exchanger 16). The temperature sensor(s) 32, 34 may provide feedback (e.g., temperature data) to the controller 30.

[0034] Based on data from the temperature sensor(s) 32, 34, the controller 30 can operate or adjust the pump 14 and / or fan 28 to provide "smart cooling." If a cooler instrument is turned on first, the controller 30 can not turn on the pump 14 and / or fan 28 (or not turn on completely) to accelerate the warm-up period of the instrument 12. It is desirable for the system to warm up quickly so that it eventually reaches its equilibrium (operating) temperature. For example, the coolant flow rate or fan speed can be adjusted to regulate the rate of cooling, so that cooling is slow initially (to allow the instrument to warm up) and then increases over time as the equilibrium temperature is reached.

[0035] Additionally, the controller 30 may regulate the pump 14 and / or the fan 28 to stabilize the internal temperature of the instrument 12 during operation. Furthermore, the controller 30 may regulate the pump 14 and / or the fan 28 to stabilize the instrument output coolant temperature.

[0036] In some embodiments, the controller 30 automatically and programmatically regulates the pump 14 and / or the fan 28. Here, the term "automatically" means that an operation can be performed substantially or entirely without human or manual input and can be programmatically commanded or executed. The term "programmatically" refers to operations that are commanded and / or primarily executed electronically by computer program modules, code, and / or instructions.

[0037] 4, in some embodiments, the system 10 includes an (appliance) housing 36 that contains the entire system 10 (e.g., the appliance 12 and the cooling system 11). The encapsulated cooling system 11 can include a fan 28 or can omit the fan and allow heat to escape through an exhaust vent, as described in more detail herein. The encapsulated cooling system 11 can also include the "smart cooling" features described above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0038] 5, in some embodiments, the instrument 12 may be on a bench 38, such as a laboratory bench, and at least a portion of the cooling system 11 may be positioned below the laboratory bench 38. There may be a cabinet or housing 40 that houses at least a portion of the cooling system 11. For example, as shown, the pump 14, the heat exchanger 16, the fan 28 (if used), a portion of the first conduit 18, a portion of the second conduit 20, and the third conduit 22 may be below the bench 38 and / or in the housing 40. In some embodiments, a roughing pump 42 may also be below the bench 38 and / or in the housing 40. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the roughing pump 42 generates the primary vacuum for the system. The cooling system 11 below the bench 38 and / or enclosed within the housing 40 may include the "smart cooling" features described above with reference to FIG. 3.

[0039] Figures 6, 7A, and 7B show an experimental setup using the cooling solution described herein and demonstrating similar cooling capacity to the baseline chiller solution. Figure 6 shows a cooling system 11 used with an ICP-MS instrument 12. The cooling system 11 includes a water pump 14 (e.g., a 12V DC pump), a microchannel heat exchanger 16, and a fan 28 (e.g., a 12V DC fan).

[0040] 7A and 7B show a cooling system 11 for use with an ICP-MS instrument 12. The cooling system 11 comprises a water pump 14 (e.g., a 12V DC pump) and a microchannel heat exchanger 16. In this embodiment, the cooling fan is omitted and can be replaced by an exhaust 44 that provides air suction (e.g., as part of a laboratory or building facility) to allow air flow through the heat exchanger fins for air cooling. This can be a lower cost solution since the fan and DC fan power supply are eliminated. This can also be a quieter solution since there is no fan noise.

[0041] Heat ventilation can be regulated to direct heat indoors to ambient air during cooler months, or outside through facility exhaust vents during warmer months, reducing building heating costs during colder months.

[0042] 8 is a schematic diagram of an ICP instrument 12 showing some system components that are typically cooled by a coolant. An ICP-MS (or other analytical instrument) system that uses liquid cooling must address the effects of coolant flow resistance (often referred to as "back pressure"). Instruments with low flow resistance (i.e., low "back pressure" at the required coolant flow rate) are needed to enable the use of low power consumption and highly efficient cooling systems.

[0043] For ICP-MS, cooling is required for the following key system components: the RF power generator 50, which provides power to the plasma torch through an RF load coil, the mass spectrometer's air-vacuum interface 52, and the RF load coil 54, which transfers RF power from the RF generator to the argon plasma. Other components may also require cooling, for example the turbomolecular vacuum pump.

[0044] For commercial ICP-MS systems, liquid-cooled RF coils are typically used, and the coolant liquid can therefore be recirculated through the three main components of the system, where the RF load coil has large flow restrictions due to its necessarily small mechanical size.

[0045] However, as described in U.S. Patent No. 10,462,890, the RF load coil (also referred to herein as a "LumiCoil") does not require liquid cooling and can be cooled without contact with coolant, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, the load coil is removed from the coolant flow circuit, resulting in a significant reduction in flow resistance, and further enabling the use of a smaller, lower pressure, more energy efficient coolant circulation pump (e.g., pump 14 described herein).

[0046] Furthermore, in a typical ICP-MS instrument, the maximum heat load (due to operation of the plasma source) removed by the cooling system is approximately 2000 Watts total, distributed as follows: 500 Watts from the RF generator, 1000 Watts from the air-vacuum interface, and 500 Watts from the RF load coil.

[0047] However, according to some embodiments, because the RF load coil is not part of the liquid-cooled circuit, the overall heat load removed by the liquid-cooled system is reduced by approximately 25% (500 watts at maximum plasma power). This reduced cooling requirement allows the use of smaller, more energy efficient cooling systems (e.g., those described herein) that would be inadequate for conventional ICP-MS instrument designs of matched plasma power.

[0048] With reference to FIG. 9, some embodiments relate to a method 100 for cooling an ICP instrument. With reference to FIGS. 1-9, the method can include pumping coolant from a pump 14 through a first conduit 18 to an ICP instrument 12 to heat the coolant (block 102 of FIG. 9). The method can include flowing the heated coolant through a second conduit 20 to a microchannel heat exchanger 16 to cool the coolant (block 104). The method can include flowing the cooled coolant through a third conduit 22 to a pump 14 (block 106). An outlet pressure of the pump 14 can exceed a back pressure of the instrument 12, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit 20 to the microchannel heat exchanger 16 is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16.

[0049] In some embodiments, the method 100 may include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit 20 and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit 22 (block 108). The method may include controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature (block 110). In some embodiments, controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature may be to stabilize an internal temperature of the instrument 12 and / or to stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the instrument 12. In some embodiments, controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature may be to accelerate a warm-up period of the instrument 12.

[0050] With reference to Figure 10, some embodiments relate to a method 200 for cooling an ICP instrument. With reference to Figures 1-8 and 10, the method can include pumping coolant from a pump 14 through a first conduit 18 to an ICP instrument 12 to heat the coolant (block 102 of Figure 10). The method can include flowing the heated coolant through a second conduit 20 to a microchannel heat exchanger 16 to cool the coolant (block 104). The method can include using a fan 28 to blow air towards and / or through the heat exchanger 16 (block 202). The method can include flowing the cooled coolant through a third conduit 22 to a pump 14 (block 106). The outlet pressure of the pump 14 can exceed the back pressure of the instrument 12, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit 20 to the microchannel heat exchanger 16 will be no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure as measured at the inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16.

[0051] In some embodiments, the method 200 may include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit 20 and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit 22 (block 108). The method may include controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 and / or fan 28 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature (block 204). In some embodiments, controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 and / or fan 28 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature may be to stabilize an internal temperature of the appliance 12 and / or to stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the appliance 12. In some embodiments, controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 and / or fan 28 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature may be to accelerate a warm-up period of the appliance.

[0052] With reference to FIG. 11, some embodiments relate to a method 300 for cooling an ICP instrument. With reference to FIGS. 1-8 and 11, the method can include pumping coolant from a pump 14 through a first conduit 18 to an ICP instrument 12 to heat the coolant (block 102 of FIG. 11). The method can include flowing the heated coolant through a second conduit 20 to a microchannel heat exchanger 16 to cool the coolant (block 104). The method can include exhausting heated air from the heat exchanger 16 using an exhaust 44 (block 302). The method can include flowing the cooled coolant through a third conduit 22 to a pump 14 (block 106). An outlet pressure of the pump 14 can exceed a back pressure of the instrument 12, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit 20 to the microchannel heat exchanger 16 is no more than 5 psi above atmospheric pressure as measured at an inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16.

[0053] In some embodiments, the method 300 may include sensing a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit 20 and / or sensing a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit 22 (block 108). The method may include controlling or regulating operation of the pump 14 and / or the optional (second) pump 45 (FIG. 7A) associated with the exhaust 44 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature (block 304). In some embodiments, controlling or regulating operation of the (first) pump 14 and / or the optional (second) pump 45 associated with the exhaust 44 based on the sensed first temperature and / or the sensed second temperature may be to stabilize an internal temperature of the instrument 12 and / or to stabilize a temperature of the coolant exiting the instrument 12. In some embodiments, controlling or adjusting the operation of the (first) pump 14 and / or the optional (second) pump 45 associated with the exhaust port 44 based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature may be to accelerate the warm-up period of the instrument.

[0054] The present technology is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the technology are shown. In the drawings, the relative sizes of regions or features may be exaggerated for clarity. However, the present technology may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the technology to those skilled in the art.

[0055] In this specification, the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, but it will be understood that these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section discussed below can also be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of the present technology.

[0056] Spatial terms such as "lower", "below", "bottom", "upper", "top" and the like may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) shown in the figures. It will be understood that the spatial terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device during use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, an element described as "below" or "below" the other element or feature will now be oriented "above" the other element or feature. Thus, the term "lower" can encompass both an upper and lower orientation. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and the spatial descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0057] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural equivalents unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, it will be understood that the terms "comprise," "comprises," "including," and / or "comprising," as used herein, specify the presence of the referenced features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. When an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it will be understood that the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. When the terms "about" or "substantially equal" are used herein, the intended meaning is that the value is plus or minus 5% of the specified value.

[0058] It should be noted that one or more aspects or features described with respect to one embodiment may be incorporated in a different embodiment even if not specifically described in this context. That is, all embodiments and / or all features in any embodiment may be combined in any manner and / or combination. Applicant reserves the right to modify the claims as originally filed or to file new claims accordingly, including the right to amend the claims as originally filed to depend on and / or incorporate features of other claims, even if not originally so claimed. These and other objects and / or aspects of the present technology are described in more detail herein below.

[0059] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this technology belongs. Furthermore, terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant field, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless so defined herein.

[0060] The above is illustrative of the present technology and should not be construed as limiting. Although several exemplary embodiments of the present technology have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications can be made in the exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the teachings and advantages of the present technology. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present technology as defined in the claims. The present technology is defined by the following claims, including equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A system for cooling inductively coupled plasma (ICP) equipment, The aforementioned ICP device, A pump that is in fluid communication with the device via a first conduit, A microchannel heat exchanger that is in fluid communication with the device via a second conduit and in fluid communication with the pump via a third conduit, Equipped with, The pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of coolant exceeding the back pressure of the apparatus, and the pressure of the coolant moving into the heat exchanger through the second conduit is less than or equal to 5 pounds per square inch (psi) of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger.

2. A fan configured to blow air for air cooling of the heat exchanger, A controller operably associated with the pump and / or the fan, Furthermore, The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control or adjust the operation of the pump and / or the fan to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance.

3. The system according to claim 2, further comprising at least one temperature sensor in the second conduit and / or the third conduit, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to provide feedback to the controller.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust port configured to provide air intake for air cooling of the heat exchanger.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising a controller operably associated with the pump, wherein the controller is configured to control or adjust the operation of the pump to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising at least one temperature sensor in the second conduit and / or the third conduit, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to provide feedback to the controller.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein the exhaust port is adjustable to selectively position the outlet of the exhaust port to provide heated air to a room in which the system is located or to vent heated air to the outside of the room.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the apparatus, the pump, the heat exchanger, the first conduit, the second conduit, and the third conduit are all held within the housing.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the pump, the heat exchanger, at least a portion of the first conduit, at least a portion of the second conduit, and the third conduit are held within the housing, and the equipment is located outside the housing and optionally on the housing.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pump has a power consumption of 180 watts or less.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of the coolant, and the coolant moving into the heat exchanger through the second conduit is below atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ICP instrument is an ICP mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) instrument or an ICP emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) instrument.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ICP device comprises an RF load coil that is not cooled by contact with the coolant.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the ICP device comprises an air-cooled RF load coil.

15. A method for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) device, The coolant is pumped from the pump to the ICP device through the first conduit to heat the coolant, The heated coolant is flowed through a second conduit to a microchannel heat exchanger to cool the coolant, The cooled coolant is to be flowed to the pump through the third conduit, Includes, A method wherein the outlet pressure of the pump exceeds the back pressure of the device, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit to the microchannel heat exchanger is 5 psi or less of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger.

16. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, The operation of the pump is controlled or adjusted based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature in order to stabilize the internal temperature of the apparatus and / or stabilize the temperature of the coolant leaving the apparatus. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

17. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, The operation of the pump is controlled or adjusted based on the detected first temperature and / or second temperature in order to accelerate the warm-up period of the aforementioned device. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising using a fan to blow air toward and / or through the heat exchanger.

19. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, The operation of the pump and / or the fan is controlled or adjusted based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature in order to stabilize the internal temperature of the apparatus and / or stabilize the temperature of the coolant leaving the apparatus. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

20. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, Controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or fan based on the detected first temperature and / or second temperature to accelerate the warm-up period of the aforementioned device, The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising exhausting heated air from the heat exchanger using an exhaust port.

22. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, Controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or an optional second pump associated with the exhaust port based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature, so as to stabilize the internal temperature of the apparatus and / or stabilize the temperature of the coolant leaving the apparatus. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

23. Detecting a first temperature of the heated coolant in the second conduit and / or detecting a second temperature of the cooled coolant in the third conduit, Controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or an optional second pump associated with the exhaust port based on the detected first temperature and / or second temperature, in order to accelerate the warm-up period of the apparatus, The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising selectively directing the heated air into or outside the room in which the appliance is located to heat the room.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein the outlet pressure of the pump exceeds the back pressure of the device, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the second conduit to the microchannel heat exchanger is less than or equal to atmospheric pressure.

26. A cooling system for an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument, A pump that is in fluid communication with the device via a first conduit, A microchannel heat exchanger that is in fluid communication with the device via a second conduit and in fluid communication with the pump via a third conduit, Equipped with, The pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of coolant that exceeds the back pressure of the device, and the pressure of the coolant moving into the heat exchanger through the second conduit is less than or equal to 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger.

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