Test apparatus and control method thereof
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10228383-B2
Publication Date
2019-03-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A test apparatus for measuring the temperature of a reactor using a thermochromic pigment, and a method for controlling the test apparatus are disclosed, based on a technology for irradiating light of different wavelengths on a thermochromic pigment accommodated in a reactor and estimating temperature of the reactor using a difference between absorbance values corresponding to the light of the different wavelengths. The test apparatus includes at least one light emitter configured to irradiate light of different wavelengths onto a chamber included in the reactor, a light receiver configured to receive the light that propagates through the chamber, and a controller configured to measure absorbance values of the thermochromic pigment in correspondence to the different wavelengths of the light, to calculate a difference between the measured absorbance values, and to determine a temperature of the reactor in correspondence to the calculated difference between the absorbance values.
Core Innovation
The disclosure provides a test apparatus for measuring a temperature of a reactor. The test apparatus includes a chamber in which a thermochromic pigment is accommodated, and at least one light emitter irradiates light of different wavelengths onto the chamber included in the reactor. A light receiver receives the light of the different wavelengths that propagates through the chamber, and a controller measures absorbance values of the thermochromic pigment corresponding to the different wavelengths of the received light.
The controller calculates at least one difference between a respective pair of the measured absorbance values and determines the temperature of the reactor based on the calculated at least one difference. The disclosure uses an absorbance-difference between paired absorbance values rather than a single absorbance measurement.
The different wavelengths include a first wavelength and a second wavelength with differing temperature sensitivity, where the second wavelength is longer than the first. The disclosure further addresses reducing temperature estimation error caused by mechanical/optical structural deviation between test apparatuses through the absorbance-difference approach, and includes temperature measurement functionality supported by a controller and memory, with optional heater-based control to reach a predetermined temperature.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims: one directed to a test apparatus and one directed to a method for controlling the test apparatus. Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure is centered on thermochromic-pigment absorbance measurement at multiple wavelengths and determining reactor temperature from an absorbance difference between paired wavelengths.
Absorbance-difference multiwavelength thermochromic temperature determination
A test apparatus comprising a chamber accommodating a thermochromic pigment, at least one light emitter irradiating light of different wavelengths onto the chamber, a light receiver receiving the light of the different wavelengths propagated through the chamber, and a controller configured to measure absorbance values corresponding to the different wavelengths, calculate at least one difference between a respective pair of the measured absorbance values, and determine the temperature of the reactor based on the calculated at least one difference.
Absorbance-difference temperature determination by controlling irradiation and measurement
A method comprising irradiating light of different wavelengths onto a chamber provided in a reactor, receiving the light of the different wavelengths that propagates through the chamber, measuring absorbance values of a thermochromic pigment corresponding to the different wavelengths of the received light, calculating at least one difference between a respective pair of the measured absorbance values, and determining a temperature of the reactor based on the calculated at least one difference.
Both independent claims require measuring absorbance values of a thermochromic pigment at different wavelengths, calculating at least one difference between paired absorbance values, and determining the reactor temperature from that calculated difference. Dependent claim refinements in the provided set further constrain the wavelength relationship and specify optional heating control based on a predetermined temperature, while additional dependent aspects add memory storing temperature-versus-absorbance-difference data.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Used to measure and control reactor temperature using a thermochromic-pigment based optical test apparatus, with examples of reactor formats including cartridge, disc, and strip, and optional identification information including barcode/QR code/data matrix/recognition pattern/NFC/RFID with associated temperature and wavelength/absorbance data.
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