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 Art

[0001] Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instruments, such as ICP mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) instruments, utilize high-temperature plasmas to desolvate, vaporize, and ionize chemical samples for qualitative and quantitative testing. Heat dissipation to the instrument needs to be removed by cooling using a heat exchanger.

[0002] One current solution is a chiller having a refrigeration compressor and a condenser. Thick copper tubes are used to withstand the high-pressure coolant. A high-output (water) pump is used, and there is a lot of heat dissipation. This system is very bulky, and the refrigeration compressor and the water pump themselves generate a lot of heat and also need to be cooled, so it is highly inefficient. This system generates a lot of heat in facilities such as laboratories where the instrument is located.

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

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some embodiments of this technology relate to a system for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument. The system comprises the ICP instrument, a pump fluidly communicating with the instrument via a first conduit, and a microchannel heat exchanger fluidly communicating with the instrument via a second conduit and also fluidly communicating with the pump via a third conduit. The pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of coolant exceeding the back pressure of the instrument, and the pressure of the coolant moving into the heat exchanger through the second conduit is measured at 5 pounds per square inch (psi) of atmospheric pressure at the inlet to the heat exchanger. below This is the result.

[0005] In some embodiments, the system comprises a fan configured to blow air for air cooling of the heat exchanger, and a controller operably associated with the pump and / or the fan. The controller may be configured to control or regulate 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. 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 port configured to provide air intake for air cooling of the heat exchanger. The system may further comprise a controller operably associated with the pump, the controller configured to control or regulate the operation of the pump to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or the 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. The exhaust port may be 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.

[0007] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a housing in which the apparatus, the pump, the heat exchanger, the first conduit, the second conduit, and the third conduit are all housed within the housing.

[0008] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a housing in which 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 fixtures are located outside 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, and the coolant moving through the second conduit into the heat exchanger is below atmospheric pressure when 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 emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) instrument.

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

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

[0014] Some other embodiments of this technology relate to a method for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument. The method includes pumping a coolant from a pump to the ICP instrument through a first conduit 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. The outlet pressure of the pump 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 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger. below This is the result.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further includes 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, and controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature in order to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or stabilize the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance.

[0016] In some embodiments, the method further includes 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, and controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature to accelerate the warm-up period of the device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the method further includes using a fan to blow air toward and / or through the heat exchanger. The method may further include 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, and controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or the fan based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance. The method may further include 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, and controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or the fan based on the detected first temperature and / or the detected second temperature to accelerate the 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 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, and 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 detected second temperature to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance and / or stabilize the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance. The method may further include 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, and 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 detected second temperature to accelerate the warm-up period of the appliance. The method may further include selectively directing the heated air either into or outside the room in which the appliance is located to heat the room.

[0019] In some embodiments, 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 below atmospheric pressure.

[0020] Some other embodiments of this technology relate to a cooling system for an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrument. The system comprises a pump that fluidly communicates with the instrument via a first conduit, and a microchannel heat exchanger that fluidly communicates with the instrument via a second conduit and also fluidly communicates with the pump via a third conduit. The pump is configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of coolant exceeding the back pressure of the instrument, and the pressure of the coolant moving into the heat exchanger through the second conduit is measured at 5 psi of atmospheric pressure at the inlet to the heat exchanger. below This is the result.

[0021] Further features, advantages, and details of the present technology will be understood by those skilled in the art by reading the drawings and the following detailed description of the embodiments, which merely illustrate the present technology.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) device according to some embodiments. [Figure 2] It is an enlarged partial view of the microchannel heat exchanger of the system in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP device according to some other embodiments. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP device according to some other embodiments. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram of a system for cooling an ICP device according to some other embodiments. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of an experimental configuration of a system for cooling an ICP device according to some embodiments. [Figure 7A] It is a perspective view of an experimental configuration of a system for cooling an ICP device according to some other embodiments. [Figure 7B] It is another perspective view of the experimental configuration in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram of an ICP device according to some embodiments. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing a method according to some embodiments. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing a method according to some embodiments.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] The inventors recognized and understood that conventional cooling systems for ICP instruments are bulky and inefficient, generating a large amount of heat in the operating environment of the ICP instruments. Furthermore, the inventors recognized and understood that ICP instruments can be cooled by using a microchannel heat exchanger, provided that the water used to cool the ICP instruments is maintained at a lower pressure compared to conventional solutions (e.g., less than 30 psi). Cooling ICP instruments using a microchannel heat exchanger according to some embodiments described herein can have several advantages, including, but are not limited to, extremely low manufacturing and maintenance costs, highly efficient cooling, and a compact physical footprint.

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 10 for cooling an ICP instrument. System 10 comprises 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 emission spectrometry (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 device 12 comprises a pump 14 and a heat exchanger 16. The cooling system 11 may further comprise a first conduit 18 that fluidly connects the pump 14 and the device 12, a second conduit 20 that fluidly connects the device 12 and the heat exchanger 16, and a third conduit 22 that fluidly connects the heat exchanger 16 and the pump 14. The pump 14 can be in fluid communication with the device 12 via the first conduit 18. The heat exchanger 16 can be in fluid communication with the device 12 via the second conduit 20, and the heat exchanger 16 can be in fluid communication with the pump 14 via the third conduit 22. As used herein, “conduit” may be or may include pipes, tubes, hoses, etc., used to carry fluids such as coolant.

[0026] A coolant, such as an aqueous coolant, is used to cool the device 12. The pump 14 can be configured to generate a pump outlet pressure of coolant that exceeds the back pressure of the device 12, and the pressure of the coolant flowing into the heat exchanger 16 through the second conduit 20 is 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet to the heat exchanger. below In some other embodiments, the pump outlet pressure is substantially equal to the back pressure of the instrument, and the pressure of the coolant leaving the instrument is less than or equal to atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi).

[0027] The low water pressure output from apparatus 12 allows for the use of fragile, thin-walled microchannel heat exchangers with high heat exchange efficiency. Microchannel heat exchangers cannot withstand the high coolant pressures conventionally used in ICP apparatuses.

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

[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 found that microchannel heat exchangers can be used for ICP-MS plasma cooling by matching or substantially matching the water pump output pressure to counteract the back pressure of the equipment under cooling, so that the water pressure is low enough to avoid damage or deterioration of the microchannel heat exchanger.

[0030] Pump 14, when the pump outlet pressure minus the appliance back pressure is measured at the heat exchanger inlet, has a pressure of 5 psi at atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi). belowTo that end, the water output pressure can be substantially equal to (i.e., hardly exceed) the ICP equipment and coolant flow rate requirements. In this way, a low-power (e.g., 140 watts) low-heat-dissipating water pump can be used to meet the following highly efficient and compact components, namely, 1) a microchannel heat exchanger (with parallel microchannels and low back pressure), and 2) a coolant flow rate of 4 L / min or more, which is a typical cooling requirement.

[0031] Cooling solutions in some embodiments can dissipate less heat than other cooling solutions for ICP equipment. A typical chiller-based cooling solution for an ICP-MS consumes 2.5 kW to 3.5 kW. Some conventionally used recirculation-based cooling solutions for ICP-MS consume 840 W to 1140 W. Recirculation-based cooling solutions consume less power because they do not have refrigeration capacity. In contrast to these other existing cooling solutions, cooling solutions in some embodiments can consume less than 200 W (100 W pump and an optional 80 W fan). As described in more detail below, the fan can be eliminated if the facility provides air cooling through building or laboratory exhaust vents. In some embodiments, the pump consumes less than 180 watts.

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

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

[0034] Based on data from temperature sensors (which may be multiple) 32, 34, the controller 30 can operate or adjust the pump 14 and / or fan 28 to provide "smart cooling". If a colder appliance is turned on first, the controller 30 may not turn on (or not turn on at all) the pump 14 and / or fan 28 to accelerate the warm-up period of the appliance 12. It is desirable that the system warms up quickly to eventually reach its equilibrium temperature (operating temperature). For example, the coolant flow rate or fan speed may be adjusted to control the cooling rate. This results in cooling being slow initially (to warm up the appliance) and then increasing over time as it reaches the equilibrium temperature.

[0035] In addition, the controller 30 can adjust the pump 14 and / or fan 28 to stabilize the internal temperature of the operating appliance 12. Furthermore, the controller 30 can adjust the pump 14 and / or fan 28 to stabilize the appliance output coolant temperature.

[0036] In some embodiments, the controller 30 automatically and programmatically adjusts the pump 14 and / or fan 28. Here, the term “automatically” means that the operation can be performed substantially or entirely without human input, i.e., manual input, and can be programmed or executed. The term “programmatically” refers to the operation that is electronically programmed and / or primarily executed by computer program modules, code, and / or instructions.

[0037] Referring to Figure 4, in some embodiments, the system 10 comprises a (appliance) housing 36 that houses the entire system 10 (e.g., the appliance 12 and the cooling system 11). The enclosed cooling system 11 may include a fan 28, or it may omit a fan and dissipate heat through an exhaust port, as described in more detail herein. The enclosed cooling system 11 may also have the “smart cooling” features described above with reference to Figure 3.

[0038] Referring to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the apparatus 12 may be located on a bench 38, such as a laboratory bench, and at least a portion of the cooling system 11 may be located 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, heat exchanger 16, fan 28 (if used), portion of the first conduit 18, portion of the second conduit 20, and third conduit 22 may be located below the bench 38 and / or within the housing 40. In some embodiments, the roughing pump 42 may also be located below the bench 38 and / or within the housing 40. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the roughing pump 42 generates the main vacuum of the system. The cooling system 11 located below the bench 38 and / or enclosed within the housing 40 may have the “smart cooling” features described above with reference to Figure 3.

[0039] Figures 6, 7A, and 7B show experimental configurations demonstrating cooling capabilities similar to baseline chiller solutions using the cooling solutions described herein. Figure 6 shows a cooling system 11 used with an ICP-MS instrument 12. The cooling system 11 comprises 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] Figures 7A and 7B show a cooling system 11 used 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, a cooling fan is omitted and replaced by an exhaust port 44 (e.g., as part of a laboratory or building facility) that provides air intake to allow airflow through the heat exchanger fins for air cooling. This may be a lower-cost solution because the fan and DC fan power supply are eliminated. This may also be a quieter solution because there is no fan noise.

[0041] Thermal ventilation can be adjusted to direct heat into the ambient air during colder periods, or to direct it outside through the building's exhaust vents during warmer periods. This reduces the building's heating costs during the colder seasons.

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

[0043] In the case of ICP-MS, the following key system components require cooling: the RF power generator 50 that supplies power to the plasma torch via the RF load coil, the atmosphere-vacuum interface 52 of the mass spectrometer, and the RF load coil 54 that transmits RF power from the RF generator to the argon plasma. Other components, such as the turbomolecular vacuum pump, may also require cooling.

[0044] In commercial ICP-MS systems, liquid-cooled RF coils are typically used. Therefore, the coolant can be recirculated through the RF load coils, which have significant flow limitations due to their inherently small mechanical size, making them a viable option for the three main components of the system.

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

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

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

[0048] Referring to Figure 9, several embodiments relate to a method 100 for cooling an ICP instrument. Referring to Figures 1 to 9, the method may include heating the coolant by pumping it from a pump 14 to an ICP instrument 12 through a first conduit 18 (block 102 in Figure 9). The method may also include cooling the coolant by flowing the heated coolant through a microchannel heat exchanger 16 through a second conduit 20 (block 104). The method may also include flowing the cooled coolant to the pump 14 through a third conduit 22 (block 106). The outlet pressure of the pump 14 may 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 may be 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16. below This is the result.

[0049] In some embodiments, method 100 may include detecting a first temperature of heated coolant in a second conduit 20 and / or detecting a second temperature of cooled coolant in a third conduit 22 (block 108). The method may also include controlling or adjusting the operation of pump 14 based on the detected first and / or detected second temperatures (block 110). In some embodiments, controlling or adjusting the operation of pump 14 based on the detected first and / or detected second temperatures may be done to stabilize the internal temperature of the appliance 12 and / or the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance 12. In some embodiments, controlling or adjusting the operation of pump 14 based on the detected first and / or detected second temperatures may be done to accelerate the warm-up period of the appliance 12.

[0050] Referring to Figure 10, several embodiments relate to a method 200 for cooling an ICP instrument. Referring to Figures 1-8 and Figure 10, the method may include heating the coolant by pumping it from a pump 14 to an ICP instrument 12 through a first conduit 18 (block 102 in Figure 10). The method may include cooling the coolant by flowing the heated coolant through a microchannel heat exchanger 16 through a second conduit 20 (block 104). The method may include using a fan 28 to blow air toward and / or through the heat exchanger 16 (block 202). The method may include flowing the cooled coolant to the pump 14 through a third conduit 22 (block 106). The outlet pressure of the pump 14 may exceed the back pressure of the instrument 12, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the microchannel heat exchanger 16 through the second conduit 20 may be 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16. below This is the result.

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

[0052] Referring to Figure 11, several embodiments relate to a method 300 for cooling an ICP instrument. Referring to Figures 1-8 and Figure 11, the method may include heating the coolant by pumping it from a pump 14 to an ICP instrument 12 through a first conduit 18 (block 102 in Figure 11). The method may also include cooling the coolant by flowing the heated coolant through a microchannel heat exchanger 16 through a second conduit 20 (block 104). The method may also include exhausting heated air from the heat exchanger 16 using an exhaust port 44 (block 302). The method may also include flowing cooled coolant to the pump 14 through a third conduit 22 (block 106). The outlet pressure of the pump 14 may exceed the back pressure of the instrument 12, and the pressure of the heated coolant flowing through the microchannel heat exchanger 16 through the second conduit 20 may be 5 psi of atmospheric pressure when measured at the inlet 17 to the heat exchanger 16. below This is the result.

[0053] In some embodiments, method 300 may include detecting a first temperature of heated coolant in a second conduit 20 and / or detecting a second temperature of cooled coolant in a third conduit 22 (block 108). The method may also include controlling or adjusting the operation of an optional (second) pump 45 associated with pump 14 and / or exhaust port 44 (Figure 7A) based on the detected first temperature and / or detected second temperature (block 304). In some embodiments, controlling or adjusting the operation of an optional (second) pump 45 associated with pump 14 and / or exhaust port 44 based on the detected first temperature and / or detected second temperature may be for the purpose of stabilizing the internal temperature of the appliance 12 and / or stabilizing the temperature of the coolant leaving the appliance 12. In some embodiments, controlling or adjusting the operation of an optional (second) pump 45 associated with the (first) pump 14 and / or exhaust port 44 based on a detected first temperature and / or a detected second temperature may be done to accelerate the warm-up period of the appliance.

[0054] This technology is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the technology. In the drawings, the relative sizes of areas or features may be exaggerated for clarity. However, the technology can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure thorough and complete and to 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 used merely to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another. Thus, the first element, component, region, layer, or section considered below may also be called the second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of this Art.

[0056] Spatial terms such as “below,” “downward,” “bottom,” “upward,” and “upper” can be used herein to facilitate descriptions of the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature(s) shown in the figure. It will be understood that spatial terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is turned upside down, the element described as “below” or “downward” of another element or feature will now be oriented “upward” of the other element or feature. Thus, the term “downward” can encompass both upward and downward orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (by rotating 90 degrees or in other orientations), and spatial descriptive terms used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0057] Where used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, where used herein, the terms “include,” “equip,” “contain,” and / or “equip” identify the presence of the feature, integer, step, operation, element, and / or component being referred to, but not to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Where an element is referred to as “connected” or “combined” with another element, it is understood that the element may be directly connected to or directly combined with the other element, or there may be an intervening element. Where used herein, the terms “and / or” include any combination and all combinations of one or more of the related items listed. Where used herein, the terms “about” or “substantially equal” mean 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 in one embodiment can be incorporated into a different embodiment, even if they are not specifically described in relation thereto. That is, all features in all embodiments and / or any embodiments can be combined in any way and / or combination. The applicant reserves the right to modify the initially filed claims, or to file new claims accordingly, including the right to modify the initially filed claims to rely on and / or incorporate features of other claims, even if they were not originally claimed in that manner. These and other purposes and / or aspects of the Art are described in detail below herein.

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

[0060] The above is illustrative of the Art and should not be construed as limiting. While several exemplary embodiments of the Art have been described, those skilled in the art will readily understand that many modifications are possible in exemplary embodiments without substantially departing from the teachings and merits of the Art. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the Art as defined in the claims. The Art is defined by the following claims, which include equivalents:

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 supply 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 the detected 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, Controlling or adjusting the operation of the pump and / or the fan 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 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 the detected 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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