NONINVASIVE THERMOMETER

Abstract

The present invention includes an apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a process variable, especially the temperature, or the flow, of a medium in a containment, including a temperature sensor for registering temperature and a flexible, a heat insulating support element, which is arrangeable on an outer surface of a wall of the containment, wherein the temperature sensor is secured to the support element.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a temperature or flow of a medium in a containment, the apparatus comprising: a temperature sensor adapted to register the temperature; and a flexible, heat-insulating support element, which is configured to be disposed on an outer surface of a wall of the containment, wherein the temperature sensor is secured to the support element.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the temperature sensor is a resistance element or a thermocouple.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one reference element configured for in situ calibrating and/or validation of at least the temperature sensor, wherein the at least one reference element is secured to the support element and is comprised of at least one material, which at least one material has at least one phase change at at least one predetermined phase change temperature in a temperature range suitable for calibrating the temperature sensor, wherein the at least one material remains in a solid state in the at least one phase change.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a heating element, which is secured to the support element.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a temperature sensitive sensor element electrically connected via at least a first connection line and a second connection line, wherein the first connection line includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section, which is proximal to the sensor element, is comprised of a first material, and wherein the second section, which is distal to the sensor element, is comprised of a second material differing from the first material, wherein the second connection line is comprised of the second material, and wherein the first section of the first connection line and at least one portion of the second connection line define a first difference temperature sensor in the form of a thermocouple.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a unit disposed at least partially on the support element, the unit comprised of a material with anisotropic thermal conductivity.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least the temperature sensor is disposed between the support element and the unit.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the support element is comprised of a plastic or a ceramic.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising at least one guide configured to lead at least one of the first and/or second connection lines of at least the temperature sensor into the support element.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising at least one flexible circuit board configured at least partially as one or more of the first and second connection lines for the temperature sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the support element includes at least one recess configured to introduce at least the temperature sensor into the support element.

27. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a securement means configured to releasably secure the apparatus to the containment.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the securement means comprise at least one magnet arranged on the support element, or at least one bolt having a screw thread.

29. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an envelope element that surrounds the support element at least partially on a side opposite the containment.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the securement means includes an envelope element, which surrounds the support element at least partially on a side opposite the containment and is configured to secure the apparatus to the containment.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the envelope element includes at least one groove or at least one hole.

Description

[0039] The invention will now be explained in greater detail based on the appended drawing. The figures of the drawing show as follows:

[0040] FIG. 1 a thermometer for noninvasive temperature measurement according to the state of the art;

[0041] FIG. 2 a first embodiment for a thermometer of the invention having a temperature sensor;

[0042] FIG. 3 a second embodiment for a thermometer of the invention with two temperature sensors, a heating element and a reference element;

[0043] FIG. 4 a third embodiment for a thermometer of the invention with a unit comprising a material with anisotropic thermal conductivity and a support element provided with recesses;

[0044] FIG. 5 a fourth embodiment for a thermometer of the invention with guides for connection lines and securing means; and

[0045] FIG. 6 a fifth embodiment of a thermometer of the invention with an envelope element.

[0046] In the figures, equal elements are provided with equal reference characters. The embodiments of the different figures are, furthermore, combinable with one another to the extent desired.

[0047] Shown in FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a thermometer 1 according to the state of the art having a measuring insert 3 and an electronics 4. The thermometer 1 serves for registering the temperature T of a medium M, which is located in a containment 2, in such case, in the form of a pipeline. For such purpose, the thermometer 1 does not protrude into the pipeline 2, but, instead, is superimposed externally on a wall W of the pipeline 2 for a noninvasive temperature determination.

[0048] The measuring insert 3 includes a temperature sensor 5, which in the present case comprises a temperature sensitive element in the form of a resistance element. Temperature sensor 5 is electrically contacted via the connection lines 6a, 6b and connected with the electronics 4. While the shown thermometer 1 is embodied in compact construction with integrated electronics 4, in the case of other thermometers 1 the electronics 4 can also be arranged separately from the measuring insert 3. Also, the temperature sensor 5 does not necessarily have to be a resistance element and the number of connection lines 6 does not necessarily have to amount to two. Rather, the number of connection lines 6 can be suitably selected, depending on applied measuring principle and applied temperature sensor 5.

[0049] As already shown, the accuracy of measurement of such a thermometer 1 depends highly on the materials utilized for the thermometer and on the, especially thermal, contacts, especially in the region of the temperature sensor 5. Temperature sensor 5 is indirectly in thermal contact with the medium M, e.g., via the measuring insert 3 and via the wall W of the containment 2. A large role is played in this connection also by a draining of heat of the medium M to the environment, which can lead to an undesired temperature gradient in the region of the temperature sensor 5.

[0050] In order suitably to resolve these problems, according to the invention an alternative embodiment for a noninvasive thermometer 1 is provided, such as shown in the following figures by way of example based on some preferred embodiments.

[0051] A first embodiment of a thermometer 1 of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. The thermometer 1 includes a flexible heat insulating support element 7, which is arranged on an outer surface of the wall W of the containment 2. For the example shown in such case, with a containment 2 in the form of a pipeline, the support element 7 is arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline 2 around the outer surface of the wall W of the pipeline 2. The support element 7 is, thus, fitted to the contours of the pipeline 2. It is to be noted here that an apparatus 1 of the invention can also be applied in connection with containers or other types of containments. Support element 7 is, in such case, placeable on the outer surface of the wall W of the utilized containment 2 and correspondingly fitted to its contour in a predeterminable region.

[0052] The temperature sensor 5 is secured to the support element 7. Temperature sensor 5 is secured to the support element 7 in a region of the support element 7 facing the process, and, therewith, the outer surface of the wall W of the containment 2. In ongoing operation, support element 7 serves to lessen, or to prevent, an undesired draining of heat from the process, thus, from the medium M, to the environment. Because the surface of the support element 7 is arranged on, or secured to, the wall W of the containment 7, a good heat insulation can be achieved over the total surface region of the support element facing the containment. In this way, the temperature sensor 5 is essentially in thermal equilibrium with the medium M, this resulting in a high accuracy of measurement of an apparatus 1.

[0053] Besides the temperature sensor 5, the apparatus 1 can use other components, such as shown, by way of example, in FIG. 3. In comparison with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 includes, supplementally, a heating element 8, a reference element 9 and an additional temperature sensor 10.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the thermometer 1 includes, furthermore, a unit 11, which at least partially comprises a material with anisotropic thermal conductivity. Such is arranged on the support element 7 on a side of the support element 7 facing the medium M, and the containment 2. This serves for uniform heat distribution along the surface O of the support element 7 facing the containment. For the example shown here, it is assumed that the unit 11 is a thin graphite foil, which is secured to the support element 7.

[0055] Temperature sensor 5, heating element 8 and reference element 9 are arranged between the unit 11 and the support element 7. As shown in FIG. 4b, the support element 7 has three recesses 12a-12c for receiving the temperature sensor 5, the heating element 8 and the reference element 9, respectively, in such a manner that such terminate essentially flush with the surface O.

[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the apparatus 1 has four adjoining reference elements 9a-9d, which have different phase change temperatures, and which are electrically contacted via the flexible circuit board 14 with, in each case, two connection lines 6. A flexible circuit board 14 can, however, also be used for contacting the temperature sensor 5 and/or the heating element 8. For electrical contact of the temperature sensor 5 and the heating element 8, likewise, in each case, two connection lines 6 are provided, which are led through the guides 13a, 13b. In such case, the guides 13a, 13b can be, for example, grooves, recesses or passageways

[0057] For securing the apparatus 1 on the containment 2, furthermore, four magnets 16a-16d are arranged on the support element 7. However, also other securement means can be applied and fall likewise within the scope of the invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the apparatus 1 includes, for example, furthermore, an envelope element 17, which surrounds the support element 7 and serves for securing the support element 7 to the containment. For this purpose, the envelope element includes for the shown embodiment two grooves 18, in which, for example, clamps can be arranged for securing to the containment 2.

[0058] Alternatively, securement can also occur by means of bolts with screw threads. For such case, likewise an envelope element is used, which can, for example, be provided with at least one hole.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0059] 1 apparatus [0060] 2 containment [0061] 3 measuring insert [0062] 4 electronics [0063] 5 temperature sensor [0064] 6 connection wires [0065] 7 support element [0066] 8 heating element [0067] 9 reference element [0068] 10 another temperature sensor [0069] 11 unit [0070] 12 recesses [0071] 13 guides [0072] 14 flexible circuit board [0073] 15 securement means [0074] 16 magnets [0075] 17 envelope element [0076] 18 grooves [0077] M medium [0078] T temperature [0079] W wall of the containment [0080] O surface of the support element facing the containment