504 results about "Thermal mass" patented technology

An integrated system for baking and chilling wafers includes a heater for heating a wafer to an elevated temperature, a chiller for cooling the wafer, and a shuttle operatively connected to the heater and the chiller for transferring the wafer between the heater and the chiller. The chiller further includes a low thermal mass wafer support for providing support to a bottom surface of a wafer and a chill plate coupled to the low thermal mass wafer support for cooling the wafer. The low thermal mass wafer support has a higher thermal conductivity in the plane parallel to the bottom surface of the wafer than in the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the wafer. The low thermal mass wafer support can further include a plurality of proximity pins for supporting the wafer.

An optical fiber structure having a holey fiber arranged in a holey outer support structure made up of holey tubes encased in a thin walled outer jacket. The holey fiber may have a solid core surrounded by a holey cladding having a plurality of rings of holes. With the invention it is possible to produce robust, coated and jacketed fibers with microstructured core features of micrometer size relatively easily using existing fiber fabrication technology. This improvement is a result of the outer holey structure which reduces the thermal mass of the supporting structure and makes it possible to reliably and controllably retain small hole features during the fiber fabrication process.

A system for forecasting predicted thermal loads for a building comprises a thermal condition forecaster for forecasting weather conditions to be compensated by a building environmental control system and a thermal load predictor for modeling building environmental management system components to generate a predicted thermal load for a building for maintaining a set of environmental conditions. The thermal load predictor of the present invention is a neural network and, preferably, the neural network is a recurrent neural network that generates the predicted thermal load from short-term data. The recurrent neural network is trained by inputting building thermal mass data and building occupancy data for actual weather conditions and comparing the predicted thermal load generated by the recurrent neural network to the actual thermal load measured at the building. Training error is attributed to weights of the neurons processing the building thermal mass data and building occupancy data. Iteratively adjusting these weights to minimize the error optimizes the design of the recurrent neural network for these non-weather inputs.

A device and method are provided for use with a noninvasive optical measurement system, such as a thermal gradient spectrometer, for improved determination of analyte concentrations within living tissue. In one embodiment, a wearable window is secured to a patient's forearm thereby isolating a measurement site on the patient's skin for determination of blood glucose levels. The wearable window effectively replaces a window of the spectrometer, and thus forms an interface between the patient's skin and a thermal mass window of the spectrometer. When the spectrometer must be temporarily removed from the patient's skin, such as to allow the patient mobility, the wearable window is left secured to the forearm so as to maintain a consistent measurement site on the skin. When the spectrometer is later reattached to the patient, the wearable window will again form an interface between the spectrometer and the same location of skin as before.

The invention comprises a system for calculating a value for the effective thermal mass of a building. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system. One or more processors receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than the control system and compare the temperature measurements from the first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC control system and said outside temperature measurements. The processors then calculate one or more rates of change in temperature at said first location.

A method and apparatus is provided for determining an effective thermal mass of a patient. The effective thermal mass is employed to determine a gain factor used in a feedback control system controlling patient temperature. The method begins by inducing hypothermia or hyperthermia in at least a selected portion of the patient with a device having a heat transfer surface. Next, power is transferred between the device and the patient. A change in temperature over time, which arises in the selected portion of the patient, is measured while performing the step of inducing hypothermia or hyperthermia. Finally, an effective thermal mass is calculated based on the measured power and the measured temperature change over time.

Discloses herein are ablative catheters and methods of use. The catheters can include a cooling chamber for circulating cooling fluid within the catheter tip to reduce hot spots within the catheter tip and / or to reduce the formation of coagulum. A proximal cooling chamber can be positioned proximally to a thermal mass for cooling a proximal portion of the catheter. In addition, or alternatively, a distal cooling chamber can be positioned for cooling a distal portion of the catheter tip. The cooling fluid can flow the ablative catheter in an open, closed, or open and closed loop.

Buildings or facilities containing energy consuming or energy generating devices may be optimized for efficient energy usage and distribution. Energy consumption or generation by a building or components may be controlled by a system comprising a building model for predicting behavior of the building given predicted future conditions and possible control inputs. An optimization component running an optimization algorithm in conjunction with the building model may evaluate the predicted building behavior in accordance with at least one criterion and determine a desired set of control inputs. Commercial building thermal mass may be harnessed to continuously and optimally integrate large commercial building HVAC operations with electric grid operations and markets in large metropolitan areas. The service may be deployed using scalable, automated, web-based technology.

Integrated circuit (IC) packages employing two-phase microchannel heat exchangers for cooling the packages' IC dies and cooling systems employing the same are disclosed. The heat exchangers include thermal masses having a plurality of microchannels formed therein. In one set of configurations, the IC die is thermally coupled to a pair of microchannel heat exchangers disposed on opposite sides of the die. Top-side microchannel heat exchangers include a thermal mass having a plurality of open microchannels having wall bases that are hermetically sealed with the top surface of the die, thus forming a plurality of closed microchannels. Alternatively, a separate microchannel heat exchanger is thermally coupled to an IC die and operatively coupled to the IC die via coupling to a substrate on which the IC die is mounted. Bottom-side heat exchangers include substrates and chip carriers having microchannels formed therethrough that are thermally coupled to the IC die. The cooling systems employ a plurality of microchannel heat exchangers to cool selected electronic components.

An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing an assembly, a heated cover and an internal computer. The assembly is made up of a sample block, a number of Peltier thermal electric devices and heat sink, clamped together. The sample block temperature is changed exclusively by the thermoelectric devices controlled by the computer. The sample block is of low thermal mass and is constructed of silver. The Peltier devices are designed to provide fast temperature excursions over a wide range. The heat sink has a perimeter trench to minimize edge losses and is adjacent to a continuously variable fan. A perimeter heater is used to improve the thermal uniformity across the sample block to approximately ±0.2° C. A heated platen pushes down onto the tube caps to apply a minimum acceptable force for seating the tubes into the block, ensuring good thermal contact with the block. The force is applied about the periphery of the tube caps to prevent distortion of the caps during thermal cycling. The platen is heated to provided thermal isolation from ambient conditions and to prevent evaporation from the surface of the sample into the upper portion of the sample tube. A control algorithm manipulates the current supplied to the thermoelectric coolers such that the dynamic thermal performance of the block can be controlled so that pre-defined thermal profiles for the sample temperature can be executed. The sample temperature is calculated instead of measured using a design specific model and equations. The control software includes calibration diagnostics which permit variation in the performance of thermoelectric coolers from instrument to instrument to be compensated for such that all instruments perform identically. The block / heat sink assembly can be changed to another of the same or different design. The assembly carries the necessary information required to characterize its own performance in an on-board memory device, allowing the assembly to be interchangeable among instruments while retaining its precision operating characteristics. The instrument has a graphical user interface. The instrument monitors the thermoelectric devices and warns of changes in resistance that may result in failure.

Two-phase microchannel heat exchangers for cooling integrated circuit (IC) dies and cooling systems employing the same are disclosed. The heat exchangers include thermal masses having a plurality of microchannels formed therein. In one set of configurations, the IC die is coupled to a thermal mass having a plurality of open microchannels such that a hermetic seal is formed between the die and the bases of the microchannel walls, thus forming a plurality of closed microchannels. In another set of configurations, a separate microchannel heat exchanger is thermally coupled to an IC die and operatively coupled to the IC die via coupling to a substrate on which the IC die is mounted. The microchannel heat exchangers may be employed in a closed loop cooling system includes a pump and a heat rejecter. The microchannels are configured to support two-phase heat transfer using a working fluid such as water.

A controlling method for adjusting concentrations of, for example, individual cylinder's exhaust gas constituents to provide engine functions such as catalytic converter diagnosis, increased overall catalytic converter efficiency and rapid catalyst heating, before and / or after initiating closed loop fuel injection control, using a selected temperature sensor location within a low thermal mass catalytic converter design.

A cryoprobe system utilizing a monolithic, insulated, hand-held thermal mass having an exposed tip for cryosurgical applications and the like, as well as a heat extraction base configured to interface with the thermal mass to quickly and efficiently reduce the heat of the thermal mass to cryogenic temperatures. The heat extraction base of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is configured to interface with the tip of the thermal mass, such that the tip plugs in securely to the base, to permit an efficient thermal transfer of heat from the thermal mass through the base via a heat exchange system communicating with the base which employs a low temperature cryo-refrigeration unit. The cryo-refrigeration unit may comprise a single low temperature cooling unit to reduce the temperature of the base to around minus one hundred degrees Centigrade utilizing off-the-shelf cryogenic refrigeration methods, or may utilize a series of more conventional refrigeration units in a primary and secondary heat extraction arrangement, which method may further utilize thermocouple or Peltier effect device assist to further reduce the temperature of the heat extraction base to the required temperature. Also claimed is the method of cryosurgery employing the device(s) of the present invention.

A shipping container is described for use with methods for monitoring and controlling shipment of a temperature controlled material and determining the remaining useful life of a Thermal Source contained within the shipping container. The container comprises an inner enclosure adapted to carry one or more commodities during shipment, a bladder conformed to the inner surface of the inner chamber, or a plate upon which commodities are place, and instrumented with at least one transducer and at least one processing device configured to receive measurements from the at least one transducer. The processing device communicates the measurements to a networked device upon detecting the presence of a network. The networked device may transmit commands to the processing device that causes the processing device to adjust a configuration parameter.

A house air conditioning system that operates with outside air. The air conditioning system closes the house and uses air conditioning, when the outside temperature is lower than the inside house air temperature the air conditioning system is turned off, the house or building is opened to the outside and the cooler outside air is drawn through the house using fans. In the morning, before sunrise, the fans will draw outside cool air in from the outside to cool the thermal mass of the house and then closes the house as the outside air heats to trap the cool air within the house to delay air conditioning operation and reduce the overall amount of AC runtime energy required to cool the house. This system can also operate in reverse to heat the home. The system uses multiple sensors and control mechanism to ensure optimal energy savings.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for environmental system controls are provided. A number of human subjects present within a space is determined, which may include counting the human subjects and / or determining a thermal mass of the human subjects. An impact upon an environmental factor by the present human subjects upon the space is determined. Environmental conditioning equipment is controlled based on the determination.

The nature of this invention encompasses the creation of a capillary gas chromatography (GC) column assembly and a thermal modulator used to heat or cool the column assembly in a very thermally and chromatographically efficient manner. The GC column assembly described herein consists of capillary GC column material, such as fused silica or metal capillary tubing, which is constrained to lie in a flat, ordered, spiral pattern and then encased between two thin opposing surfaces. The resulting column assembly is flat, dimensionally stable and can be very efficiently thermally modulated. The resulting column assembly also takes up very little space, has very little thermal mass, and can be easily and accurately manufactured. The column assembly can be adapted for chromatographic use by affixing it to the surface of a thermal modulator described herein by means of adhesive force or by mechanical compression, and then by attaching the free ends of the exposed column material to the input and output ports of the chromatographic device. The temperature of the thermal modulator and capillary column assembly is to be controlled by the chromatographic device or by standalone temperature controlling electronics. The thermal modulator described herein contains an element for temperature modulation of the capillary column assembly to which it is attached and a temperature sensing element for providing accurate temperature feedback to the controlling electronics. The overall result of this when coupled to a chromatographic device is maximally efficient chemical separations in a small space with minimal power consumption.

A controlling method for adjusting concentrations of, for example, individual cylinder's exhaust gas constituents to provide engine functions such as catalytic converter diagnosis, increased overall catalytic converter efficiency and rapid catalyst heating, before and / or after initiating closed loop fuel injection control, using a selected temperature sensor location within a low thermal mass catalytic converter design.

A thermal storage unit having at least one conduit around which a cast is made is provided. The thermal storage unit uses conventional piping or tubing to create conduits that economically maximize the surface area of flow in contact with the thermal mass by proving multiple passes for the fluid through the cast. This enables the thermal storage unit to economically provide heat storage as well as effective heat delivery and pressure containment for a fluid flowing through the conduit.

A thermal storage unit having at least one conduit around which a cast is made is provided. The thermal storage unit uses conventional piping or tubing to create conduits that economically maximize the surface area of flow in contact with the thermal mass by proving multiple passes for the fluid through the cast. This enables the thermal storage unit to economically provide heat storage as well as effective heat delivery and pressure containment for a fluid flowing through the conduit.

A method and system for dynamically controlling operation of a dishwasher during a cleaning cycle. The method includes detecting a plurality of conditions in the dishwasher during operation, evaluating the plurality of detected conditions to determine a dynamic control response, and sending a signal representing the dynamic control response to at least one component of the dishwasher. The plurality of detected conditions can include some or all of a rate of change of a wash water temperature, an approximate surface area and thermal mass of a plurality of dishes loaded in the dishwasher, an amount of wash water added to the dishwasher and a status of a full flow filter. The control system includes means for detecting a plurality of conditions in the dishwasher during operation, means for evaluating the plurality of detected conditions to determine a dynamic control response, and means for sending a signal representing the dynamic control response to control at least one component of the dishwasher.

A forehead thermometer includes: a main body having a probe formed on a front portion of the main body, a thermal-mass sleeve concentrically formed in a central hole of the probe, a Fresnel lens formed on a front end portion of the probe for focusing an incoming infrared temperature signal as emitted from the temperature sensing area on a patient's forehead to an infrared sensor secured to a bottom portion of the sleeve, an electronic circuit connected with the sensor and secured in the main body, and a lamp connected to the circuit and formed in the main body juxtapositioned to the sensor for projecting light forwardly to be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the Fresnel lens and the sensor for optically aiming a reference target area approximating the temperature sensing area for quickly locating the temperature sensing area for hygienically measuring a patient's body temperature.

Some embodiments discussed herein include a semiconductor having a source region, a drain region and an array of fins operatively coupled to a gate region controlling current flow through the fins between the source region and the drain region. The semiconductor also has at least one cooling element formed at least in part of a material having a heat capacity equal to or larger than the heat capacity of the material of the source region, drain region and array of fins, the cooling elements being in close vicinity to fins of the array of fins electrically isolated from the fins of the array, the source region and the drain region. Other embodiments are also disclosed

Thermally adjustable surgical tools include a conductor and a ferromagnetic material. The ferromagnetic material may be quickly heated when subjected to high frequency alternating current through the conductor. The ferromagnetic material may also cool rapidly because of its relatively low mass and the small thermal mass of the conductor. The thermally adjustable surgical tools may be used to sculpt, melt, break and / or remove biological material. The thermally adjustable surgical tools may also include balloon catheters which can heat fluid to thereby treat biological material.

An integrated mass flow sensor is manufactured by a process of carrying out a micro-machining process on an N or P-type silicon substrate with orientation <100>. This mass flow sensor comprises an upstream thin-film heater, an downstream thin-film heater, and a pair of thin-film heat sensing elements, and a thermally isolated membrane for supporting the heaters and the sensors out of contact with the substrate base. This mass flow sensor is operated with three sets of circuits, a first circuit for measuring a flow rate in a first range of flow rates, a second circuit for measuring a flow rate in a second range of flow rates, and a third circuit in a differential configuration for measuring a flow rate in said first range of flow rates or said second range of flow rates, to significantly increase range of flow rate measurements and provide an optional for concentration measurement, while maintains a high degree of measurement accuracy.

Optical methods and devices for the thermal detection and imaging of infrared, sub-millimeter, millimeter and high energy radiation, wherein the thermal mass of the detector is minimized by the use of microscopic photoluminescent temperature probes having a weight mass which can be of the order of 10−11 grams or smaller. Used for detection of high energy radiation, including quantum calorimetry, said temperature probes allow non-contact measurements free of electrical sources of noise like Johnson noise or Joule heating.