Abstract: Ceramic structures such as catalyst supports or combustion exhaust filters that incorporate combinations of high temperature phase change materials, and methods for determining the thermal history of such ceramic structures, by disposing the phase change materials on or within the structures and subsequently detecting the presence or absence of phase changes in the materials after exposure to high temperatures.

Abstract: A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe includes an immovable portion having a cooling structure defined therein for cooling the heat pipe. A movable portion is capable of moving relative to the immovable portion. A receiving structure is defined between the immovable portion and the movable portion for receiving the heat pipe therein. A concavo-convex cooperating structure is defined in the immovable portion and the movable portion for ensuring the receiving structure being capable of precisely receiving the heat pipe. Temperature sensors are attached to the immovable portion and the movable portion to detect a temperature of the heat pipe. An enclosure encloses the immovable portion and the movable portions therein to provide a thermally stable environment for the heat pipe during test.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for measuring thermal diffusivity using the flash method. The apparatus includes: a laser generator 60 for generating a flash beam 30; a measurement sample 10 having graphite layers 20 formed on front and rear surfaces thereof, through which the flash beam 30 passes; an infrared sensor 70 disposed at the rear of the measurement sample 10 for measuring a temperature and time at the rear surface of the measurement sample 10 from heat 40 dissipated from the measurement sample 10; and operation means 80 for performing an operation based on an output signal of the infrared sensor 70.

Abstract: A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe includes an immovable portion having a cooling structure defined therein for cooling a heat pipe requiring to be tested. A movable portion is capable of moving relative to the immovable portion and has a cooling structure therein for cooling the heat pipe. A receiving structure is located between the immovable portion and the movable portion for receiving the heat pipe therein. At least one temperature sensor is attached to at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion. The least one temperature sensor has a detecting section exposed in the receiving structure for thermally contacting the heat pipe in the receiving structure to detect a temperature of the heat pipe.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement with a mounting rack and at least one assembly provided with a housing encapsulation and mounted on the mounting rack, wherein the mounting rack and the assembly have contacting means which are thermally connected to each other. Suitable measures are provided with which the quality of the heat dissipation is identified at the correct time.

Abstract: To assess relative degradation resistance of different materials, one or more samples of each of the materials is irradiated with a beam of laser. The laser is chosen or tuned such that the laser beam has no wavelength sufficient to cause a photochemical reaction in material samples but the degree of irradiation is sufficient to degrade each material. A measure of degradation of each material sample is determined in consequence of the irradiation. The relative degradation resistance of each material is ranked based on these measures of degradation. In one approach, each sample may be irradiated until about the same pre-selected laser energy has been absorbed by the sample. In another approach, each sample may be irradiated for about the same time, while maintaining the irradiated portion of the sample at a same pre-selected temperature.

Abstract: Temperature aware testing enables computation of thermal test vectors that are applied, via a tester, to a Device Under Test (DUT) to place various internal elements of the DUT at respective temperature operating points. The respective temperature operating points are selected to sensitize the DUT to measurements of selected temperature-dependent critical parameters, including frequency, leakage current behaviors, voltage drops, power profiles, thermal gradients, and absolute temperature. In operation, the thermal test vectors are applied to the DUT for a sufficient time for the DUT to reach thermal equilibrium, or alternatively for the internal elements to reach the respective temperature operating points. Subsequently critical parameter vectors are applied to enable measurement of one or more of the critical parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining thermal effusivity and/or thermal conductivity of a sheet material or of coated substrate having a thickness of less than about 100 ?m. The method contains providing a sample by layering more than 2 sheet materials or coated substrates and measuring thermal effusivity and/or thermal conductivity of the sample by a thermal effusivity probe and/or thermal conductivity probe.

Abstract: To detect a defect without being limited to the current path of a sample. The presence or absence of a defect in a sample is detected by allowing said sample to stand for a predetermined period of time after heating said sample with a heat source and by observing the temperature distribution formed on said sample by an observation unit.

Abstract: A method of thermal inspection of a part having at least one internal cavity is provided. The method includes flowing a fluid through the at least one internal cavity. The method also includes measuring a temperature at one or more locations on the part over time. The method further includes calculating at least one of a first and a second derivative of the temperature with respect to time. The method also includes comparing at least one of the first or the second derivative to one or more baseline values to determine if the part meets a desired specification.

Abstract: Substance analysis based upon observed reponse to excitation described herein. When a substance is subjected to an excitation and a response is observed, a relational evaluation is made based on the concept that the parameters of a mathematical model may be determined, which emulate the relationship between the excitation and the response, and that characteristic substance properties are subsequently determined/calculated from the time series of estimated values of the mathematical model.

Abstract: A method and system for determining thermal diffusivity and porosity of an article are provided. The method comprises heating a surface of the article, capturing image data corresponding to an evolution of lateral heat flow from the surface of the article, applying a thermal time of flight analysis on the image data and determining thermal diffusivity and porosity values of the article using the thermal time of flight analysis for the lateral heat flow.

Abstract: A method of determining the degree of calibration of an RTP chamber (1) includes providing a test wafer having a deposited sichrome layer (22) of sheet resistance Rsi on an oxide layer (21) formed on a silicon substrate (20). The test wafer is annealed in the RTP chamber for a selected duration at a selected anneal temperature which is measured by the a permanent thermocouple or pyrometer (8). The sheet resistance of the annealed sichrome is measured, and a sheet resistance change ?Rs=Rsi?Rsf is computed. The “actual” value of the anneal temperature is determined from predetermined characterizing information relating ?Rs to a range of values of anneal temperature. The RTP chamber is re-calibrated if in accordance with the value of ?Rs if the difference between the “actual” value of the anneal temperature and the value measured by the permanent thermocouple or pyrometer exceeds an acceptable error.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of measuring a parameter associated with a sample is provided. The method includes providing a probe adapted to heat the sample and applying a measuring current having a frequency ?1 to the probe. In operation, the method measures the amplitude of the voltage across the probe at a frequency ?1. This amplitude is indicative of a temperature of the probe. The preferred embodiment also provides a method of separating contamination of the thermal data caused by the probe from thermal data associated with the sample under test.

Abstract: A device includes a measuring assembly, a fluid pressure assembly, and a manometer. The measuring assembly includes a heating member defining a first contact surface, a cooling member defining a second contact surface facing the first contact surface, a platform, and a sleeve. The sleeve is configured far hermetically adjoining the heating and cooling members and allowing movement of the heating and cooling members relative to each other. The sleeve and the first and second contact surfaces form a cavity for receiving fluid material to be measured. The platform is configured for controlling the relative movement of the heating and cooling members to adjust the length of the cavity. The fluid pressure assembly is configured for compressing the fluid material into the cavity. The manometer is disposed on the sleeve or the fluid pressure assembly and is configured for detecting a fluid pressure of the fluid material in the cavity.

Abstract: A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe includes an immovable portion having a cooling structure defined therein for cooling a heat pipe requiring test. A movable portion is capable of moving relative to the immovable portion. A receiving structure is defined between the immovable portion and the movable portion for receiving the heat pipe therein. A positioning structure extends from at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion and avoids the movable portion from deviating from the immovable portion to ensure that the receiving structure is capable of precisely receiving the heat pipe therein. At least a temperature sensor is attached to at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion for thermally contacting the heat pipe in the receiving structure to detect a temperature of the heat pipe.

Abstract: An analytical closed form solution to mean and variance in heat flow is obtained by solving the stochastic heat conduction equation incorporating randomness in the thermal conductivity. The method has a wide range of applications in quantifying the thermal state of the crust and in obtaining closed form expressions for subsurface heat flow structure along with its error bounds. The exact formulae employed can be used to better evaluate the thermal state for related oil and natural gas applications and also in tectonic studies and in studies related to the crystallization of minerals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring thermophysical properties that includes: rapid resistive self-heating of a specimen by using a heating current; emitting a light to the specimen heated by the rapid resistive self-heating of the specimen; measuring a temperature change of the specimen induced by emitting the light to the specimen; and deriving a thermal diffusivity of the specimen from the temperature change induced by emitting the light to the specimen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for measuring a gas consumption by means of a gas meter. A gas meter with thermal mass flow sensor for determining mass flow signals (SM) and with a calibration as energy meter for outputting energy value signals (SE) is known. According to the invention, a gas type is determined by the gas meter insofar as combustible and non-combustible gas mixtures are differentiated. The gas meter is operated, in the case of a non-combustible gas mixture, with calibration in mass or standard volume units (I/min) and, in the case of a combustible gas mixture, with calibration in energy units (kWh). Embodiments concern inter alia: measurement of a gas parameter (?, ?, c, ?) of the gas or determining the gas type; gas quality sensor with an identical construction to thermal flow sensor; measuring intervals lengthened in the case of non-combustible gas and shortened in the case of combustible gas.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for measuring the thermal resistance of a heat dissipating device, the heat dissipating device includes a fan and a heat sink. The measuring apparatus includes a base, and a fixing member. The base receives a heat element and the heat sink therein. The base includes a bottom wall, and two opposite sidewalls perpendicular to the bottom wall. The fixing member is placed on the heat sink, and two ends of the fixing member are slidably connected to the sidewalls of the base. A plurality of groups of fixing holes is defined in the fixing member for fixing different size fans.

Abstract: A thermal resistance measuring apparatus for a heat sink includes a heat source, a temperature sensor, a micro control unit (MCU), a display, and a power apparatus. The heat source heats the heat sink. The temperature sensor senses temperature signals of the heat source. The MCU receives the temperature signals from the temperature sensor and processes them to calculate thermal resistance of the heat sink. The display is electrically connected to the MCU for showing the thermal resistance of the heat sink. The power apparatus supplies power to the heat source, the temperature sensor, and the MCU.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and methods for characterizating flowing substances, liquid or gas. The device includes: a transport duct with a heating or a cooling element; a temperature difference sensor having a temperature measurement cell downstream of the heating or cooling element and means to determine a temperature difference in the flowing substance upstream and downstream of the heating or cooling element; a flow control means having flow measurement means for measuring a mass flow characteristic and a flow correction means for correcting for measured mass flow variations; and an evaluation means for evaluating a characterizing feature of the flowing substance comprising a function relating temperature differences measured on one or more calibration substances to one or more characterizing features of the flowing substance. Various embodiments relate to the related use and methods of the device for identification and control of the flowing substance.

Abstract: A method comprises determining a poly-gate temperature for a given device and determining channel temperatures of monitor devices. The method further includes extrapolating channel temperatures of the monitor devices to obtain a channel temperature for the given device. The difference in temperature (?T value) is determined for the given device based on the poly-gate temperature and the channel temperature.

Abstract: A power meter that uses a thermal mount whose response to changes in applied power is exponential, is equipped to digitally sample the conditions within the mount at a rate of many times per time thermal constant. Samples are monitored for an indication that a significant change in power level is occurring. When that condition is detected a forward extrapolation computational algorithm is performed upon several consecutive samples that may be taken over approximately the duration of one time constant. The extrapolation is a prediction the final value that would be obtained for the power sensor's indication of that same applied power after five time constants. The first of the several samples may occur immediately upon or shortly after the discovery that a significant change in power has occurred. An actual step in applied power need not last longer than the time during which the several samples for extrapolation are taken in order to be measured.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a system for measuring the thermal diffusivity. Said method comprises the steps of: subjecting a surface region of an object to a modulated heating beam (3) while providing a signal (MLS) thereof, the heated spot or area (4) of the surface of the sample (2) having a definitive diameter and a fixed intensity distribution profile; providing a signal (MTS) proportional to the temperature of the heated spot area (4); determining the phase difference between the modulated beam signal (MLS) and the resulting modulated temperature signal (MTS); and using said determined phase difference and the associated frequency to work out the thermal diffusivity value of said object (2).

Abstract: An apparatus for testing properties of a product comprising a thermal barrier layer comprises an ignition source, a test stand that extends a sample of the product over the ignition source, and a means for measuring thermal transfer across the sample. The apparatus may further comprise a means for measuring thermal transfer across each layer of the sample. A method for testing properties of a product comprising a thermal barrier layer comprises supporting a sample of the product over an ignition source, heating the sample via the ignition source, and determining a thermal differential across the sample. The method may further comprise determining a thermal differential across each layer of the sample.

Abstract: A method of defining the emission coefficient of a surface to be heated by measuring the temperature of a heating surface and the flow of heat from the heating surface to a surface to be heated to derive a pair of values representative thereof and of selecting a previously stored reference emission coefficient from a plurality thereof as a function of the pair of values.

Abstract: A method for thermogravimetrically testing the behavior of a solid material in the presence of a controlled gaseous atmosphere, characterized in that a plurality of samples (10) are placed in the presence of the gaseous atmosphere inside the same controlled atmosphere furnace (4); each sample is associated with a scale (38) proper thereto; the samples (10) undergo predetermined successive thermal cycles each including a heating step during which the samples are directly heated (by radiation or induction) and a cooling step during which the weight of each sample is independently measured and recorded in a continuous manner during at least one predetermined period such as a high temperature level during the heating step of each thermal cycle. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: There is described a method and sub-circuit to measure temperature coefficients (coefficient of variation of a measurable parameter of the component), by using a thermally-isolated silicon micro-platform with a mass of mono-crystalline silicon suspended from it. The particular effectiveness of the measurement of temperature coefficient(s) stems from the influence of the mono-crystalline silicon mass in maintaining a substantially uniform temperature throughout the micro-platform. The measurement of temperature coefficient can be an absolute temperature coefficient of one or more components, or can be a relative temperature coefficient of two components, or can be relative temperature coefficients between more than two components.

Abstract: A performance testing apparatus for a heat pipe includes an immovable portion having a first heating member located therein for heating an evaporating section of a heat pipe requiring testing. A movable portion is capable of moving relative to the immovable portion and has a second heating member located therein for heating the evaporating section of the heat pipe. A receiving structure is defined between the immovable portion and the movable portion for receiving the evaporating section of the heat pipe therein. Temperature sensors are attached to the immovable portion and the movable portion for detecting temperature of the heat pipe. An enclosure encloses the immovable portion and the movable portion therein and has sidewalls thereof slidably contacting at least one of the immovable portion and the movable portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing characterization of devices is presented. The characteristic of the device are determined by obtaining a first temperature measurement in a first location of a device, obtaining a second temperature measurement, computing the difference between the temperature measurements and, using the temperatures and/or the temperature difference, a characteristic of the device is determined.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for determining the heat flow rate between a first and a second medium, the system including at least two sensor units having signal outputs disposed in a spaced-apart relationship, each of the units including a transducer having apertures allowing fluid to pass therethrough; the transducer of a first sensor unit is affixable to a first surface on the first medium, the heat flow of which is to be determined and a second surface of the first transducer is exposed to the second medium; a first surface of the transducer of a second sensor unit is affixable to a calibration plate, the calibration plate is affixable to the first medium, the heat flow of which is to be determined and the second surface of the transducer is exposed to the second medium; the signal outputs of the transducers are connectable to a processing unit for determining changes in the heat flow between the first and the second sensor units.

Abstract: The method uses heat flux sensors to determine the exchange area A between a reagent and housing containing the reagent, with the aim of determining the characteristics of the housing and the thermal reaction studied. The flux sensors are arranged at the housing in contact and non-contact zones of the housing with the reagent, such as to continuously determine in real time the precise exchange surface between the housing and the reagent as a proportion of the measurements taken by each flux sensor and in such a manner as to determine the heat exchange coefficient U between the housing and the reagent from the exchange area A and a measurement of the temperature Tr of the reagent and the wall of the housing respectively, particularly when thermostatted, as in the case of the application to a calorimeter.

Abstract: An optical element holder for holding an optical element includes a holding element to hold the optical element or a holding part provided to the optical element unitedly, wherein there is substantially no heat exchange between the optical element and the holding element or the holding part and the holding element.

Abstract: A measurement cell for an injection machine has a cavity formed between two removable and exchangeable internal metallic blocks equipped with a cooling and heating system. The internal metallic blocks are laterally isolated from bodies that hold the blocks by a space of air that restricts transversal heat transfer in the cavity due to the presence of two polymeric bars installed on its lateral edges edges to generate a one-dimensional heat transfer regime on the central zone of a plate of material to be analyzed. The measurement cell also has a set of fixed pressure and temperature sensors on the bodies connected to a data acquisition system to store signals therefrom and a removable and reusable unit of temperature sensors that possesses ceramic or metallic tubes assembled in a block carrier to guide and fix a group of at least three temperature sensors on the cavity also connected to the same data acquisition system.

Abstract: A method for determining temperature of a material (32) comprising: measuring at least one of the real and imaginary part of the permittivity of the material (32) at each of at least one frequency (36) for which substantially only a single component of the material contributes to the dielectric permittivity of the material (32), for which known component the permittivity as a function of temperature is known; and using at least one of the determined real and imaginary part of the permittivity at each of the at least one frequency and the dependence of the permittivity of the known component on temperature to determine temperature of the known component and thereby of the material (32).

Abstract: The methodology disclosed permits the testing of fluids, solids, powders and pastes through the measurements of effusivity. Effusivity is a measurement that combines thermal conductivity, density, and heat capacity. Blend uniformity, homogeneity, miscibility, concentration, voiding\delamination, and moisture content are exemplary of the applications to which the present methodology is applicable. The method of monitoring homogeneity, miscibility, concentration, voiding\delamination, and moisture content in a material comprises the steps of measuring effusivity of a first portion of the material, measuring effusivity of a second portion of the_material, comparing each measurement. The caparison may be between the measurements themselves or to a predetermined range of values and indicating which portion has an out of range measurement.

Abstract: Thermally analysis of layers and multiple layer structures used in the semiconductor processing arts is disclosed. A modulated calorimetric analysis may be used to determine a thermal signature that characterizes the chemical properties of a sample of material. The signature may include one or more thermal properties such as heat capacities. The signature may be used to compare and infer the suitability of a material for use in an integrated circuit manufacturing process. A thermal signature for a material that is not known to be suitable for manufacturing integrated circuits may be compared with a thermal signature for a standard material that is known to be suitable in order to determine whether the aforementioned material is suitable. Multiple layer structures may also be analyzed, compared, and inferred, and approaches for determining thermal signatures for any individual layer of the multiple layer structure are disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature correction method for a thermal analysis apparatus which measures electric current, voltage, and electric resistance of a measurement sample while changing the temperature of the measurement sample set between a pair of electrodes. The paired electrodes are connected by a reference substance, and a weight is set on the reference substance. The temperature at the time when the reference substance is fused and the weight falls cutting the reference substance is measured actually as melting point by a temperature sensor. Based on a difference between the actually measured value and a literature value of the melting point of the reference substance, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is corrected.

Abstract: Two conductive solid materials with their respective different compositions are joined in parallel with a gravity direction thereof, and then, heated and melted under static magnetic field orthogonal to the gravity direction to form two conductive melts with their respective different compositions. Then, the conductive melts are maintained for a predetermined period of time under the static magnetic field, and cooled and solidified.

Abstract: A method of infrared thermography is described. The invention utilizes a high resolution infrared thermography system and associated computer in conjunction with a test chamber to determine heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single test.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for detecting the thermal conductivity by application of optical pulse techniques. A sample preheated in a furnace is exposed to energy by means of an optical pulse. The temperature profile in the sample is recorded by means of an infrared sensor. The thermal conductivity of the sample can then be detected by mathematical derivation. To reduce tho influence of the time history of the optical pulse on measurement, a measuring means is provided for determining this history, An analyzer unit then derives therefrom the corrected temperature profile.

Abstract: A new adiabatic scanning calorimeter allows the thermal mass of a high-pressure reaction vessel to be dynamically compensated during a test. This allows the effective ? factor for the experiment to be reduced to 1.0 without the use of complex pressure balancing equipment. Endothermic events can be quantified and sample specific heats can be measured. The time required for test completion is much shorter than for conventional adiabatic calorimeters, thus considerably improving apparatus productivity. The sensitivity to exotherm detection is at least as good as existing adiabatic calorimeters employing the Heat-Wait-Search strategy, but does depend on the temperature-scanning rate. In addition, the heat of reaction is obtained without reference to the heat capacity of the sample, pressure is measured continuously, reactants may be injected into the test vessel and the sample can be mixed during the test.

Abstract: A method and system of evaluating a turbine component comprises obtaining data relating to respective surface conditions at a plurality of different surface locations of the turbine component and calculating the total profile efficiency loss for the turbine component based on the data. Calculating the total profile efficiency of the turbine component may include calculating the local profile efficiency loss percentage for each of the surface conditions at the different surface locations (and/or sub-areas of the different surface locations) and calculating an average of the local profile efficiency loss percentages, each of the local efficiency loss percentages being weighted by respective predetermined weight factors. The turbine component may be a nozzle or a bucket and each of the turbine component's surface locations may be an admission suction surface, an admission pressure surface, a discharge suction surface or a discharge pressure surface.

Abstract: A system and method may be utilized to thermally characterize a live integrated circuit device. The system and method can determine the thermal transfer function of the device by analyzing environment temperature, and the temperature of the integrated circuit die over a time period. The time period can be between the removal of power to the device and a time when a thermal equilibrium is reached or between other changes in power parameters provided to the device. The thermal characteristics can be utilized in a feed forward algorithm for controlling temperature of the integrated circuit device and to determine interface integrity.

Abstract: A method for determining an “effective” thermal coefficient of a machine comprises the steps of installing one or more temperature sensors (110) at various locations on the machine, positioning a first machine member (60) at a “known” reference location, relative to a second machine member (42), installing a linear position measuring device (120) to detect changes in position of the first machine member (60) relative to the second machine member (42) along a first axis of movement, periodically acquiring readings from each of the temperature sensors (110) and from the linear position measuring device (120) during a test cycle and compiling the temperature and linear position data into a table.

Abstract: An automated test method characterizes the performance of commercially available thermal interface materials (TIM) for electronic cooling. Such automated internal test vehicle provides an independent study of various TIM's. A spectrum of materials are preferably tested using automated methods so the results are reported in a consistent way. Such reports simplify the comparison and selection of appropriate TIM material for various end-user applications. Such automated test method is observed to be faster and easier to use. It requires minimal operator intervention during the test.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing characterization of devices is presented. The characteristic of the device are determined by obtaining a first temperature measurement in a first location of a device, obtaining a second temperature measurement, computing the difference between the temperature measurements and, using the temperatures and/or the temperature difference, a characteristic of the device is determined.

Abstract: A method and device for measuring thermoelectric characteristics of a combinatorial sample. The method and device are useful for rapid sample evaluation, the investigation of thermoelectric materials, and the carrier control of semiconductors. The device includes combinatorial samples patterned with a metal mask, a pair of sample holders for applying a small temperature gradient to the sample, a thermocouple for measuring the temperature gradient, and a probe pin array in contact with the sample.

Abstract: Body function measuring apparatus which provides: (1) an indication of the body function being measured, and (2) a loose probe condition by determining that the difference between the rate of change of a first body function signal, developed by a first sensor in the probe, and the rate of change of a second body function signal, developed by a second sensor in the probe, exceeds a predetermined threshold.