A method to monitor and control the temperature of a sample holder of a laboratory instrument during execution of a temperature profile on the sample holder is presented. The laboratory instrument comprises a sample holder with high temperature uniformity and at least three identical temperature sensors. The measured actual temperatures of the sample holder are processed in order to determine if the execution of the temperature profile should be continued or aborted. Furthermore, temperature sensors which measure actual temperatures that do not fulfil certain requirements are excluded from further monitoring and controlling the temperature of a sample holder.

A crucible for a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system can include a side wall defining a crucible opening, and a base enclosed by side wall and opposite the crucible opening. The base and side wall form an interior volume configured to hold a material for thermogravimetric analysis. The base can include a base shape configured to prevent a center of mass of the material within the crucible from shifting during thermogravimetric analysis.

A hot water supplier includes a combustion unit including multiple combustion stages; a combustion fan supplying combustion air; a fuel supply unit supplying fuel; a heat exchange unit; a water supply unit supplying hot water to heat exchange unit; a hot water tapping unit discharging hot water heated in heat exchange unit by using combustion heat obtained by burning fuel in combustion unit; and a control unit controlling heating operation. When reheating operation is allowed in which hot water from hot water tapping unit is returned to water supply unit and reheated by heat exchange unit, control unit stores heating time using only a combustion stage having minimum combustion capacity during reheating operation as time data. If this time data tends to increase over time, deterioration progress of a heat retaining material covering a hot water pipe to which hot water is supplied from hot water tapping unit is determined.

A hot water supplier includes a combustion unit including multiple combustion stages; a combustion fan supplying combustion air; a fuel supply unit supplying fuel; a heat exchange unit; a water supply unit supplying hot water to heat exchange unit; a hot water tapping unit discharging hot water heated in heat exchange unit by using combustion heat obtained by burning fuel in combustion unit; and a control unit controlling heating operation. When reheating operation is allowed in which hot water from hot water tapping unit is returned to water supply unit and reheated by heat exchange unit, control unit stores heating time using only a combustion stage having minimum combustion capacity during reheating operation as time data. If this time data tends to increase over time, deterioration progress of a heat retaining material covering a hot water pipe to which hot water is supplied from hot water tapping unit is determined.

A subsurface monitoring system and method is provided for measuring a rate of change in an amount of a reactive material within a subsurface formation using measurements of thermal parameters at one or more positions within the subsurface without the need for background correction which may lead erroneous calculations and require additional monitoring equipment. The measured thermal parameters may be used to determine the heat generated by the degradation of the reactive material. The method may include measuring a first temperature near the surface of a subsurface region and a second temperature further from the surface. In some instances, an estimated location of a planar subsurface heat source/sink due to exothermic degradation reactions within the subsurface may be selected. With the derived thermal parameters and the estimated location of the subsurface heat source/sink, change rates for the reactive materials in the subsurface region may be determined or estimated.

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) gas sensor operating based on Knudsen thermal force is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate, at least one stationary assembly that is fixedly coupled to the substrate, and at least one moveable assembly that is positioned above the substrate which is biased to move substantially according to a main axis and juxtaposed with the at least one stationary assembly.

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) gas sensor operating based on Knudsen thermal force is disclosed. The sensor includes a substrate, at least one stationary assembly that is fixedly coupled to the substrate, and at least one moveable assembly that is positioned above the substrate which is biased to move substantially according to a main axis and juxtaposed with the at least one stationary assembly.

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.

The disclosure concerns a sensor device for determining the thermal capacity of a natural gas. The sensor device comprises a substrate, a recess or opening arranged in the substrate, a first heating component and a first sensing component. The first heating component comprises a first heating structure and a temperature sensor and the first sensing component comprises a temperature sensor. The sensor device is configured to measure the thermal conductivity of the natural gas at a first measuring temperature and at a second measuring temperature. The sensor device is configured to determine a first, in particular a constant, and a second, in particular a linear temperature coefficient of a temperature dependency function of the thermal conductivity and to determine the thermal capacity of the natural gas based on a fitting function. The fitting function is dependent on the first and the second temperature coefficient.

Provided herein are apparatuses that include a testing device and a controller. The testing device may include a chamber, a sample holder, a temperature sensor, and a heater band or a heater. The controller may be in communication with at least one of the temperature sensor and the heater band or the heater. The apparatuses may include one or more testing devices, and the testing devices may be arranged in a bin. Methods of performing a test with the apparatuses are also provided.