Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company

Jeremy J Quandt

Sanhong Zhang

David P Culbertson

James N Pradun

Magdi K Khair

Bret Wadewitz

Mark Denis Everly

Theodore Thomas Von Arx

Robert A Pape

Jeremy Ohse

Mark Hoven

Mark L G Hoven

Austin Johannes

Andrew Borkowski

Cal Thomas Swanson

Jacob Robert Lindley

Stephen White

Aiden Hunter

Philip Steven Schmidt

John Bergen

Miranda Pizzella

John Rohde

Daniel Gander

Keith Ness

Hanwen Yuan

Andrew Oplawski

Cal Swanson

Mark D Everly

Mark Lg Hoven

John P Rohde

A control system for use in a fluid flow application includes a heater and a control device. The heater includes at least one resistive heating element having a relationship between resistance and temperature defining a non-monotonic curve. The heater is to heat fluid flow. The control device is to determine a flow characteristic of the fluid flow and a temperature of the at least one resistive heating element along the non-monotonic curve between resistance and temperature based on a change in resistance of the at least one resistive heating element.

Dual-purpose heater and fluid flow measurement system

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.

Virtual sensing system

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.

Systems and methods for using intermediate data to improve system control and diagnostics

A control system for use in a fluid flow application includes a heater and a control device. The heater has at least one resistive heating element and the heater is operable to heat fluid. The control device determines at least one flow characteristic of a fluid flow based on a heat loss of the at least one resistive heating element and determines a mass flow rate of the fluid based on the at least one flow characteristic and a property of the at least one resistive heating element. And the property of the at least one resistive heating element includes a change in resistance of the at least one resistive heating element under a given heat flux density.

A method of predicting temperature of at least one location in a fluid flow system that has a heating system for heating fluid. The method includes obtaining a mass flow rate of fluid flow of the fluid flow system, obtaining at least one of a fluid outlet temperature and a fluid inlet temperature of a heater of the heating system, obtaining power provided to the heater, and calculating temperature at the at least one location based on a model of the fluid flow system and the obtained mass flow rate, fluid outlet temperature, and fluid inlet temperature.

A method for controlling a heated process of an electric heater includes obtaining a setpoint variable indicating a target temperature of the heater. The method includes identifying an energy profile for the heater based on the setpoint variable. The energy profile provides a defined magnitude of initial electrical energy to be applied to the heater to have a temperature of the heated process reach the target temperature. The method includes obtaining a process variable indicating a performance characteristic of the heated process. The method includes providing electrical energy to the heater based on at least one of the energy profile and the process variable.

Method and system for controlling an electric heater using control on energy

A heating system includes at least one electric heater disposed within a fluid flow system and a control device that is configured to determine a temperature of the at least one electric heater based on a model, at least one fluid flow system input, and at least one heater input. The at least one heater input includes at least one physical characteristic of the heating system, the at least one physical characteristic includes at least one of a resistance wire diameter, a heater insulation thickness, a heater sheath thickness, a conductivity, a specific heat and density of the material of the heater, an emissivity of the heater and the fluid flow pathway, and combinations thereof. The control device is configured to provide power to the at least one electric heater based on the temperature of the at least one electric heater.

An industrial control device includes a display, a body, a first sensor, and a controller. The body includes a facia wall, an inner shroud, and an outer shroud. The facia wall includes a window that is a transparent material aligned to permit the display to be viewed through the window. The inner shroud extends rearward from a rear side of the facia wall. The outer shroud is disposed about the inner shroud and extends rearward from the rear side of the facia wall and is spaced apart from the inner shroud to define a cavity. A seal member is within the cavity forms a seal with a facia plate disposed about the inner shroud. The first sensor detects contact with a front surface of the facia wall. The controller is coupled to an output of the first sensor. The controller is coupled to the display and controls the display.

Industrial control projective capacitive touch interface

A heating system includes at least one electric heater disposed within the fluid flow system. A control device includes a microprocessor and is configured to determine a temperature of the at least one electric heater based on a model and at least one input from the fluid flow system. The control device is configured to provide power to the at least one electric heater based on the temperature of the at least one electric heater.

An industrial control device includes a display, a body, and a controller. The body includes a capacitive slider sensor, a graphic, and a window. The graphic overlaps the capacitive slider sensor. The window is transparent and aligned with the display to permit the display to be viewed through the window. The controller is coupled to an output of the capacitive slider sensor to receive signals from the capacitive slider sensor. The controller is coupled to the display and configured to control the display.

A method of predicting the temperature of a resistive heating element in a heating system is provided. The method includes obtaining resistance characteristics of resistive heating elements and compensating for variations in the resistance characteristics over a temperature regime. The resistance characteristics of the resistive heating element include, but are not limited to, inaccuracies in resistance measurements due to strain-induced resistance variations, variations in resistance due to the rate of cooling, shifts in power output due to exposure to temperature, resistance to temperature relationships, non-monotonic resistance to temperature relationships, system measurement errors, and combinations of resistance characteristics. The method includes interpreting and calibrating resistance characteristics based on a priori measurements and in situ measurements.

Heater element as sensor for temperature control in transient systems

Process controller interface

A control system for use in a fluid flow application is provided. The control system includes a heater having at least one resistive heating element. The heater is adapted to heat the fluid flow. The control system further includes a control device that uses heat loss from at least one resistive heating element to determine flow characteristics of the fluid flow.

A control system for a heating system of an exhaust system is provided. The control system includes at least one electric heater disposed within an exhaust fluid flow pathway, and a control device adapted to receive at least one input selected from the group consisting of mass flow rate of an exhaust fluid flow, mass velocity of an exhaust fluid flow, flow temperature upstream of the at least one electric heater, flow temperature downstream of the at least one electric heater, power input to the at least one electric heater, parameters derived from physical characteristics of the heating system, and combinations thereof. The control device is operable to modulate power to the at least one electric heater based on at least one input.

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Winona, MN, United States of America

Jeremy J Quandt