ES2565560B2 - Adaptive Thermocycler - Google Patents

Abstract

Adaptive thermocycler. # Consisting of a programmable system that allows changing the temperature of the content of a variable volume a number of times between preset temperatures with no power limit, and with a sensor that allows to know the temperature in that volume.

Description

ADAPTABLE THERMOCICLATOR

5 Adaptive thermal cycler.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adaptable thermal cycler system of quality control, resistance of materials and cyclic processes. The thermocycler has been conceived and realized to obtain numerous and notable advantages over other existing means of analogous purposes.

15 The thermal cycler is designed to produce heat and trio cycles in a simple way. For this, the thermal cycler has 12 very different parts that fit together forming a single object that is capable of alternating the phases of heat and cold by electric energy.

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STATE OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE

Several systems and devices are known capable of subjecting various materials to alternating cycles of cold and heat.

In this sense, systems consisting of a freezer can be mentioned in which the materials are introduced and the thermostat is programmed at the desired temperature, once subjected to this temperature it is turned off allowing the temperature to rise again, if a higher temperature is required than the temperature ambient, once the room temperature has been reached, they will be introduced in a muffle to the desired temperature, after which 30 the muffle separates until it reaches room temperature, at which time the entire process will be repeated the desired number of times.

This system has several drawbacks, such as the need

of a flask and a freezer as large as the materials to be introduced, the need for an operator dedicated to this function that being not very time intensive tends not to be profitable due to the number of hours and shifts of the employees, or the extension in the process time to 5 leave the material stably out of working hours. In addition, the process is not modular, so it does not adapt to different market needs according to demand. It should also be borne in mind that with the exception of the pieces of a minimum size, the volumes, and weights of these systems, prevent their displacement outside the laboratory of materials tests.

Likewise, other systems based on programmable microcontrollers are known whose outputs are linked to Peltier modules, inputs to temperature sensors, light, and also have an interface that allows the user to program it in number of cycles and their conditions. However, the limitation in the power that these controllers can dissipate limits their amperage, and with it the power of the thermal changes and of the materials to be thermocycled.

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EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The adaptable thermocycler of the invention presents a new strategy when generating thermal cycles: taking advantage of Peltier technology allows to reverse thermal fluxes with an inversion of voltage 25 creating programmed cycles in a microcontroller but without passing the Peltier current through the microcontroller, but the microcontroller will control the polarity changes of the current from an external source to the microcontroller and that feeds the peltier, all with an adaptive insulating layer that allows different shapes and 30 volumes, in addition to a thermal sensor that determines the point of the cycle in which it is located.

In addition, the Peltier is expected to have an energy distribution system, by means of a fan heatsink that favors thermal fluxes between the test material and the exterior of the room created by the insulating layer.

Also, it is envisioned that the insulating layer has a rough surface on its inner face to favor thermal fluxes, as well as a sealing perimeter.

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There is also the possibility of including several peltier, either to increase the power of the cycles to which a sample is subjected, as to subject several samples to the same cycles.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To complete the description that will be carried out below, and in order to help a better understanding of the features of the invention, the present specification of a set of 20 pianos is attached, based on whose figures will be more easily understood the innovations and advantages of the device object of the invention.

In said drawings, figure 1 represents the complete diagram of the adaptable thermocycler, where we can distinguish the Microcontroller (1) 25 which through the cycle exchanger (3) alters the polarity of the electricity received by the peltier of the insulating layers (2) , from the external source (4); Figure 2 represents the basic diagram of the adaptable thermocycler where we can see the Microcontroller (1), the cycle exchanger (3), the insulating layer (2), the external source (4), the deformable insulator (6), the power distribution system (7), and the sensor (5); Figure 3 represents the schematic diagram of the

adaptable thermal cycler where we can observe the peltier (8), the Microcontroller (1), the cycle exchanger (3), the external source (4) and the sensor (5); Figure 4 represents in detail, the cycle exchanger, of the schematic diagram of the adaptable thermal cycler where we can observe the fixed part (9), the mobile part (11), the servo (10) and the Microcontroller (1); Figure 5 represents in detail the insulating layer of the schematic diagram of the adaptable thermocycler, where we can observe the deformable insulator (6) and the energy distribution system (7); Figure 6 represents in detail the energy distribution system 10 of the insulating layer, of the schematic diagram of the adaptable thermal cycler where we can observe the Peltier (8), the heatsink (12) and the fan (13); Figure 7 represents in detail the deformable insulator of the insulating layer, of the schematic diagram of the adaptable thermocycler where we can observe the vacuum insulator (14), the refractory sheets 15 (15), the rough surface (16) and the sealing perimeter (17).

DETAILED EXHIBITION OF MODES OF EMBODIMENT

At present there are very different materials with which to make the 20 different parts of thermocycler, and multiple techniques that we could use in the preparation of the cycle exchanger and the insulating layer. However, for simple economy we will choose generalized materials and techniques that resist thermal changes. Thus, for the heat sink we will choose machined aluminum as well as the fixed part and the mobile part of the cycle exchanger. The vacuum insulation of the insulating layer will be made of cardboard reinforced with EVA rubber, the rough surface and the sealing perimeter will be made of EVA rubber with Nd2Fe14B powder suspended in its matrix. The refractory sheets will be stainless steel with a thickness of 0.050mm, the external source, the sensor, the 30 peltier, the servo and the fan will be commercially available from the

Like the Microcontroller, only this will be the most popular in a way that facilitates its programming.

Consequently, to test the response to changes in temperature of a new type of concrete paver, we wrap the paver together with the sensor in the insulating layer by sealing it by the sealing perimeter, leaving the energy distribution system clear and connecting this to the external source through the cycle exchanger. We will repeat this process without sensor up to the number of cobblestones 10 desired in the test, then we will introduce in the

microcontroller the maximum and minimum temperature and the number of cycles, which will be achieved by turning the mobile part of the

Cycle exchanger by means of the servo rotating with respect to the fixed part. The speed of the change will be defined in the external source by means of the intensity and output voltage, which will regulate the amount of

electricity that will pass through the Peltier and the fan speed that

will allow to pump energy, in one way or another, through the

heatsinks and distributing it, thanks to the flow of air that will be created through the rough surface of the deformable insulators.

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The materials used in the manufacture of the adaptable thermocycler components, shapes and dimensions thereof, and all the accessory details that may arise, will be independent of the object of the invention, provided they do not affect their essentiality.

Claims (1)

1. Adaptable thermocycler in quality systems, resistance of materials and cyclic processes, characterized by comprising twelve 5 pieces; the microcontroller; the insulating layers (the insulator of vacuum, refractory sheets and rough surface); the cycle exchanger (the fixed part and the mobile part); the external source; the sensor; the deformable insulator (the insulating layers and the sealing perimeter); the energy distribution system (the 10 Peltier, the heatsink; and the fan); and the servo; attachable with each other creating the adaptable thermocycler, which by means of the information provided by the sensor to the Microcontroller that controls the servo of the cycle exchanger, rotates the mobile part of the cycle exchanger over the fixed part of the 15-cycle exchanger, altering the polarity of the source external electricity that feeds the Peltier that pumps the energy heat through the heatsink thanks to the air flow provided by the fan, and that will change the temperature of the content of the insulating layers thanks to the rough surface of the deformable insulator that 20 also insulates by means of the insulator of empty of losses energy by convection, the refractory sheets by radiation and the perimeter of sealing of the exchange of air at different temperatures. The Microcontroller is attached to the sensor and the servo, the servo is also attached to the fixed part of the cycle exchanger 25, the fixed part of the cycle exchanger is connected in addition to the mobile part of the cycle exchanger, the mobile part of the cycle exchanger is also connected to the external source and the Peltier, the Peltier is part of the energy distribution system having on each side a heatsink, and the heatsink also 30 has a fan attached, the fan being the last piece of the energy distribution system, together with the Peltier profile, is they find the insulating layers (the vacuum insulator, the refractory sheets and the rough surface); the vacuum insulator is inside all layers, and is surrounded by refractory sheets, one of the refractory sheets is also attached to the rough surface and perimeter of sealing, the sealing perimeter surrounds the rough surface, the sealing perimeter plus the insulating layers form the deformable insulator.