Abstract: An exhaust gas heater system for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a housing and a heating element. The housing includes an outer peripheral wall disposed about a central axis and defining an interior hollow space configured to receive exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of the exhaust system such that the exhaust gas flows through the interior hollow space. The heating element is positioned within the hollow space and including a first end and a second end. The heating element includes a first section proceeding in a first direction and a second section proceeding in a second direction. The support structure is configured to extend along a path conforming to a path of the first and second sections.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system includes a plurality of resistive segments connected in electrical series. Each resistive segment defines a material different from a material of an adjacent resistive segment, and the plurality of resistive segments are joined at sensing junctions to define a plurality of sensing junctions along a length of the resistive segments. A temperature deviation is calculated from the plurality of sensing junctions based on electric potential at each of the sensing junctions.

Abstract: An interchangeable coupler for a heater system connects a plurality of resistive heating elements of the heater system to at least one busbar of the heater system. The interchangeable coupler includes a main body including an upper end portion, a lower end portion and an internal cavity extending from the upper end portion toward the lower end portion. The internal cavity defines a lower bore, and the lower end portion includes a plurality of flexible gripping members to deflect outward when a connection pin of a respective resistive heating element of the plurality of resistive heating elements is inserted into the lower bore. The main body includes at least one contact arm to be inserted through at least one slot of at least one aperture of the at least one busbar and rotated to abut a side of the at least one busbar.

Abstract: A heater bundle includes a plurality of heater assemblies, at least one of the heater assemblies including a plurality of heater units, at least one of the heater units defining at least one independently controlled heating zone. A thermal provision is configured to modify a thermal conductance along a length of the at least one heater assembly to compensate for non-uniform temperatures within at least one heater unit. The heater bundle includes a power supply device including a controller configured to modulate power to the independently controlled heating zone through the power conductors based on the determined temperature to provide a desired power output along a length of at least one heater assembly.

Abstract: Methods and systems for predicting at least one temperature along a fluid flow path of a fluid flow system having a heater disposed in the fluid flow path are provided. In one example, a method includes: obtaining at least one input, wherein the at least one input includes a setpoint, a mass flow rate, an inlet temperature, or a combination thereof; calculating a temperature associated with the heater based on a predefined model and the at least one input; and setting a value of the at least one temperature along the fluid flow path to the temperature of the heater.

Abstract: A method for controlling temperature of a heater including a resistive heating element. The method includes applying power to the resistive heating element of the heater at a variable ramp rate to increase temperature of the heater to a desired temperature setpoint. The variable ramp rate is set to a desired ramp rate. The variable ramp rate varies based on a temperature change of the resistive heating element with respect to time, and a control system dynamically adjusts the variable ramp rate to define different rates of ramping the applied power. The method further includes monitoring an electric current flowing through the resistive heating element of the heater, and reducing the variable ramp rate from the desired ramp rate to a permitted ramp rate in response to the electric current being greater than a lower limit of an electric current limit band.

Abstract: A method for enhancing resistance measurements of a load includes obtaining a plurality of sample resistance values of the load, determining an average resistance value based on the plurality of sample resistance values, determining a resistance difference based on the average resistance value and a nominal resistance value associated with the load, updating an offset correction value of a controller in response to the resistance difference being greater than a resistance tolerance, and measuring a resistance of the load based on the offset correction value and one or more electrical characteristics of the load.

Abstract: A temperature sensing system to detect a temperature of a surface includes a sensor assembly and first and second lead wires. The sensor assembly includes a probe head and a temperature sensor disposed within the probe head. The first and second lead wires suspend the probe head such that the probe head abuts the surface. The first and second lead wires comprising different materials. The first and second lead wires are configured to provide multiple degrees of freedom of movement to the probe head and temperature measurements.

Abstract: A hybrid shaft assembly for use in controlled atmosphere chambers, such as by way of example heated pedestals for semiconductor manufacturing, includes a substrate, a hub having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being secured to the substrate with an upper joining layer, and a shaft secured to the lower portion of the hub with a lower joining layer. The shaft comprises a material having a thermal conductivity lower than a material of the hub and a material of the substrate.

Abstract: A heater system for semiconductor processing includes a base, a plurality of gas processing components, and a heater. The plurality of gas processing components are secured to the base. The heater is disposed along a length of the base and between the base and the plurality of gas processing components. The heater is configured to provide heat to the plurality of gas processing components.

Abstract: A heater system includes an integrated heater device. The integrated heater device includes at least one multiportion resistive element having a first portion defined by a first conductive material and a second portion defined by a second conductive material having a lower temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) than that of the first conductive material. The second portion is coupled to the first portion so as to extend along an axis, and the at least one multiportion resistive element is operable as a heater to generate heat and as a sensor.

Abstract: A method for joining ceramic pieces includes placing a layer of titanium on each of a first ceramic piece and a second ceramic piece; placing a layer of nickel on each of the layers of titanium; assembling the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece with the layers of nickel and the layers of titanium between the ceramic pieces; pressing the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece with the layers of nickel and the layers of titanium together; heating the first ceramic piece, the second ceramic piece, the layers of nickel, and the layers of titanium to a joining temperature in a vacuum; and cooling the first ceramic piece, the second ceramic piece, the layers of nickel, and the layers of titanium to create a hermetic seal between the first ceramic piece and the second ceramic piece.

Abstract: In one form, the present disclosure is directed toward a method for controlling temperature of a heater including a resistive heating element. The method includes applying power to the resistive heating element of the heater at a variable ramp rate to increase temperature of the heater to a desired temperature setpoint. The variable ramp rate is set to a desired ramp rate. The method further includes monitoring an electric current flowing through the resistive heating element of the heater, and reducing the variable ramp rate from the desired ramp rate to a permitted ramp rate in response to the electric current being greater than a lower limit of an electric current limit band. An upper limit of the electric current limit band is provided as a system current limit.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit includes a body and an array of pairs of temperature sensors disposed within the body, where each pair of temperature sensors is spaced a distance apart along a primary flow direction of the fluid flow conduit.

Abstract: A standoff assembly for use in terminating a plurality of resistive heaters disposed within a fluid vessel includes a pressure adapter plate, an electrical enclosure adapter plate, and a plurality of conduits. The electrical enclosure adapter plate is spaced apart from the pressure adapter plate to define a dry volume therebetween. The conduits are secured to the pressure adapter plate and the electrical enclosure adapter plate. Each conduit is aligned concentrically with each of the resistive heating elements.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a semiconductor processing system including a gas delivery system, a thermal system, and a fluid flow line includes obtaining a plurality of operational data from the gas delivery system, the thermal system, or a combination thereof and determining a performance characteristic of the fluid flow line based on one or more operational data of the plurality of operational data. The method includes identifying one or more locations associated with the one or more operational data in a reference virtual model and generating a dynamic state model of the fluid flow line based on the reference virtual model, the one or more identified locations, and the determined performance characteristic, where the dynamic state model is a digital representation of the fluid flow line.

Abstract: A method of controlling a thermal system of an industrial process includes monitoring intermediate data, associating the intermediate data with correlation data, wherein the correlation data includes an internal process control input, an external heater control input, the output control, or a combination thereof. The method further includes generating a model that defines a relationship between the intermediate data and the correlation data, identifying a state of the heater system based on the model, and selectively performing a corrective action based on the identified state of the heater system.

Abstract: A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A terminal assembly for a heater system includes a plurality of resistive heating elements arranged in multiple power phases includes a plurality of power busbars, a neutral busbar, and a plurality of interchangeable couplers. Each power busbar corresponds to a power phase of the multiple power phases and is configured to connect a power lead from one of the multiple power phases and a first end of a plurality of resistive heating elements. The resistive heating elements are in electrical communication with the power lead. The neutral busbar is offset longitudinally from the power busbars and configured to receive a second end of the resistive heating elements. The interchangeable couplers are configured to connect at least a subset of the resistive heating elements to at least one power busbar or at least one neutral busbar.

Abstract: A method of controlling a heating system includes providing at least one heater assembly having a plurality of heater units, each heater unit defining an independently controlled heating zone, supplying power to the independently controlled heating zones through a plurality of power conductors that are electrically connected to each of the independently controlled heating zones, determining a temperature, and modulating power supplied to the independently controlled heating zones through the power conductors based on the determined temperature to provide a desired power output along a length of the heater assembly.