Calorimeter and sample container for a calorimeter
Inventors
Göpfert, Beat • von Tscharner, Vinzenz
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11480534-B2
Publication Date
2022-10-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system comprising a calorimeter for measuring a heat flux of a sample comprising a recipient space for a sample container containing a sample, a heat sink, a first heat transducer whereby the first heat transducer comprises a heat receiving surface in contact with the sample container when the sample container is positioned in the recipient space and a heat absorbing surface in contact with the heat sink. A second heat sink is provided, whereby the second heat sink has a second heat receiving surface in contact with the heat sink and a second heat absorbing surface in contact with the sample container, when the sample container is positioned in the recipient space.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a calorimeter system for measuring a heat flux of a sample in an isothermal/thermally controlled measurement. The calorimeter includes a recipient space and a removable sample container positioned in the recipient space, together with a heat sink, a first heat transducer, and a second heat transducer.
The first heat transducer has a first heat receiving surface in contact with the sample container and a first heat absorbing surface in contact with the heat sink. The second heat transducer has a second heat receiving surface in contact with the heat sink and a second heat absorbing surface in contact with the sample container when the sample container is positioned in the recipient space. An insulating member insulates the recipient space in any location other than the location of the first and second heat transducers, thereby forcing directed heat flow between the sample container and the heat sink through the transducer locations.
The sample container is structured with container walls, a connecting element, and a top opening connected to a sample space, and at least one container wall contour is adapted to side walls of the recipient space such that the container walls remain in contact with the side walls during a measurement period. The arrangement further emphasizes recipient space geometries such as v-shaped or u-shaped recipient spaces and an antiparallel first/second transducer configuration with transducer connectors and conduits leading to a detecting unit to generate an output voltage representing heat flux, enabling detection of very small heat flux for chemical/physiological processes.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims that define a calorimeter system, a corresponding removable sample container, and a method for measuring heat flux using the same arrangement.
Calorimeter system with directed heat flow via insulating member
A calorimeter for measuring a heat flux of a sample with a recipient space, a heat sink, a first heat transducer in contact with the sample container and the heat sink, a second heat transducer in contact with the heat sink and the sample container, and an insulating member insulating the recipient space in any location other than the location of the first and second heat transducers.
Sample container with walls maintaining contact with recipient-space side walls
A sample container comprising a sample space formed by first and second container walls, a connecting element, and a top opening connected to the sample space, where the contour of at least one of the first or second container walls is configured to adapt to the side walls of the recipient space so that the container walls remain in contact with the side walls during a measurement period.
Method measuring heat flux using the transducer-contact and adaptive-contour container arrangement
A method for measuring a heat flux of a sample using the calorimeter, heat sink, first and second heat transducers, and a sample container whose wall contour adapts to the side walls of the recipient space so the container walls remain in contact during a measurement period.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage centers on measuring sample heat flux with first and second heat transducers arranged between the sample container and a heat sink, insulating the recipient space elsewhere, and using a sample container whose wall contours remain in contact with recipient-space side walls during measurement.
Stated Advantages
Enables measurement of very small heat flows for chemical/physiological processes.
Documented Applications
Measuring heat flux related to metabolism and bacteria in a sample.
Measuring heat flux related to chemical reactions and cell activity in a sample.
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