Spectrometer Thermal Stabilization via Preliminary Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional spectroscopic devices with a lamp house and spectrometer require a significant time for the optical axis to stabilize after the light source is illuminated, leading to prolonged baseline stabilization in chromatograms due to temperature changes and thermal expansion.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating temperature measurement means, heating means, and a control unit to rapidly stabilize the spectrometer's temperature by heating it with both the lamp house and additional heaters until a predetermined detection temperature is reached, and then using a fan to cool the lamp house, reducing the time for optical axis stabilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the fan is stopped immediately after the light source is illuminated to accelerate lamp house temperature increase, then the lamp house temperature rises faster, but the spectrometer temperature distribution and optical axis stabilization still take significant time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelamp house temperatureVSAvoidoptical axis stabilization time

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A heater is installed in the spectrometer to perform preliminary heating action on the spectrometer body before the light source is fully illuminated. This preliminary action accelerates the temperature rise in the spectrometer, reducing the time required for thermal expansion stabilization and optical axis convergence, thereby resolving the contradiction between accelerating temperature increase and reducing stabilization time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the fan operates continuously to cool the lamp house, then the light source temperature remains stable, but the spectrometer temperature stabilization time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight source temperature stabilityVSAvoidbaseline stabilization time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The fan operation is controlled in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The control unit alternates between operating the fan to cool the lamp house and stopping the fan to allow the spectrometer to warm up and stabilize its temperature distribution. This periodic action maintains light source temperature stability while reducing overall baseline stabilization time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The operating parameters of the fan (rotation speed, duty cycle) are dynamically changed based on temperature sensor feedback from both the lamp house and spectrometer. By adjusting these parameters, the system optimizes the balance between cooling the light source and allowing the spectrometer to stabilize, thereby reducing baseline stabilization time while maintaining measurement reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If no additional heating means is provided for the spectrometer, then the device structure remains simple, but the optical axis stabilization time is significantly prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice structureVSAvoidoptical axis stabilization time

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach significantly reduces the time from light source activation to optical axis stabilization in the spectrometer, accelerating temperature distribution and baseline stabilization compared to conventional methods.

Implementation Method 1

the spectrometer 3 is thermally expanded due to the heat generated by the light source 5, and the optical axis changes inside the spectrometer 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

the lamp house 1 is cooled by the fan 21 with certain air volume so as to radiate heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Data Source

PatentUS9459143B2Spectroscopic device

Publication Date: 2016.10.04 SHIMADZU CORP

AI summary

A spectroscopic device includes a lamp house accommodating a light source inside, a spectrometer configured to disperse light from the lamp house, a temperature measurement means for measuring a temperature of the spectrometer, a heating means for heating the spectrometer, a storage means and a control unit. The storage means stores the detection temperature of the temperature measurement means at a time when an optical axis is stable in the spectrometer in a state where the light source is illuminated. The control unit is configured to control operation of the heating means, and to cause the heating means to operate, when the light source is illuminated from a light-off state, until a detection temperature of the temperature measurement means reaches the detection temperature stored in the storage means.