Calorimeter with multiple heat sinks and an amplifier
Inventors
Göpfert, Beat • von Tscharner, Vinzenz
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11639877-B2
Publication Date
2023-05-02
Expiration Date
Abstract
A calorimeter for measuring a heat flux of a sample comprises a container, a first heat sink and a second heat sink whereby the sample is arranged in the container. The first heat sink and the second heat sink are arranged at a distance from each other on the container. The first heat sink comprises a first heat transducer element and the second heat sink comprises a second heat transducer element. Each of the first and second heat transducer elements comprise a heat receiving surface and a heat absorbing surface for generating an electromotive force equivalent to the heat flux to or from the respective heat sink to be sent to a detecting unit for obtaining an electrical potential representing the heat flux leaving or traversing the container.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an isothermal microcalorimeter architecture for measuring a heat flux of a sample. A thermally insulated container holds the sample and provides two spatially separated heat sinks arranged at a distance from each other on the container. Each heat sink carries a heat transducer element with a heat receiving surface and a heat absorbing surface configured to generate an electromotive force equivalent to heat flux to or from the corresponding heat sink.
The two heat transducer elements generate electromotive forces that are sent to a detecting unit to obtain an electrical potential representing the heat flux leaving or traversing the container. The detecting unit transforms the electromotive forces into an output voltage in which the output voltage is proportional to the heat flux. The detecting unit includes an amplifier and resistors, including a first resistor R1 and a second resistor R2, with a ratio of resistances configured to adjust the output voltage when the temperature of the first heat sink and the second heat sink and the container is the same.
The disclosed detecting concept cancels non-zero standby effects due to the Seebeck effect by using an antiparallel mounting/connection scheme and related electrical compensation, so that an output reflects true sample heat flux when both heat sinks and the container are at the same temperature. The disclosure further describes detection of heat sources in the sample by measuring deviation from expected heat flux, including cases where the first and second heat sinks operate at different temperatures due to an energy source in the sample producing or absorbing heat flux, and it states relevance to screening biological processes.
Claims Coverage
The partial document provides two independent claims: a calorimeter for measuring heat flux with two spaced heat sinks, and a method for detecting presence of an energy source in a sample by measuring deviation from expected heat flux. Across these, the core inventive coverage includes converting heat-flux-proportional electromotive forces from two spatially separated transducers into an output voltage proportional to heat flux, with adjustment under equal-temperature conditions.
Two spaced heat sinks with transducer-generated electromotive force proportional to heat flux
A calorimeter for measuring a heat flux of a sample with a container, a first heat sink and a second heat sink arranged at a distance from each other on the container, each heat sink comprising a heat transducer element with a heat receiving surface and a heat absorbing surface configured to generate an electromotive force equivalent to the heat flux to or from either the first heat sink or the second heat sink to be sent to a detecting unit for obtaining an electrical potential representing the heat flux leaving or traversing the container.
Detecting unit converting electromotive forces into an output voltage proportional to heat flux with resistance ratio adjustment under same temperatures
Electromotive forces generated by the first and second heat transducer elements are transformed into an output voltage in the detecting unit, wherein the detecting unit comprises a first resistor R1 and a second resistor R2, and wherein the ratio of resistances of the first resistor R1 and the second resistor R2 is configured to adjust the output voltage if the temperature of the first heat sink and the second heat sink and the container is the same, wherein the output voltage is proportional to the heat flux.
Measuring deviation from an expected heat flux to detect presence of an energy source
A method of detecting presence of an energy source in a sample arranged in a container of a calorimeter by generating an electromotive force equivalent to a measured heat flux, providing the electromotive force to a detecting unit to obtain an electrical potential representing the measured heat flux leaving or traversing the container, and measuring a deviation from an expected heat flux to the measured heat flux to detect the presence of the energy source in the sample.
Overall claim coverage centers on measuring heat flux using two spatially separated heat sinks whose heat transducer elements generate electromotive forces equivalent to heat flux and whose detecting unit converts these electromotive forces into an output voltage proportional to heat flux. The claims further require adjusting the output voltage when the first heat sink, second heat sink, and container are at the same temperature and, for the method claim, detecting an energy source by measuring deviation from expected heat flux.
Stated Advantages
Reduced electronics complexity.
Simple manufacture.
Rapid measurement time, down to ≤2–4 hours and up to 8 hours.
Potential screening of biological processes without reference samples, using single initial calibration.
Documented Applications
Screening biological processes such as microorganism metabolism and pathogens, without reference samples (single initial calibration).
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