Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company

Jeremy Ohse

Mark Denis Everly

David P Culbertson

Richard T Williams

Sanhong Zhang

George F Jambor

Jacob Wilson

Eric Ellis

James N Pradun

Jeremy J Quandt

Patrick Margavio

Mark L G Hoven

Louis P Steinhauser

Cal Thomas Swanson

Jake Spooler

Douglas Schaefer

Brittany Phillips

Roger Brummell

Paul Valachovic

Ryan Affara

Brett Bradshaw

Philip Steven Schmidt

Scott H Boehmer

Mark Hoven

Melissa Lanham

Graham Fischer

Robert K Frake

Mike Bange

Austin Johannes

Bret Wadewitz

John Rohde

Richard T Williams, Jr

Phillip S Schmidt

Pete Koss

Steven T Jystad

Terry Colhour

Christopher Meyers

Gerald S Jackson

Jacob Burnia

Mitchell T Diaco

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

An exhaust gas heater system for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a housing and a heating element. The housing includes an outer peripheral wall disposed about a central axis and defining an interior hollow space configured to receive exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of the exhaust system such that the exhaust gas flows through the interior hollow space. The heating element is positioned within the hollow space and including a first end and a second end. The heating element includes a first section proceeding in a first direction and a second section proceeding in a second direction. The support structure is configured to extend along a path conforming to a path of the first and second sections.

High power density insulated exhaust heating system

A heater system is provided, which includes a plurality of heaters, a controller for supplying power to the plurality of heaters, a plurality sets of auxiliary wires extending from the plurality of heaters, and a wire harness for connecting the plurality sets of auxiliary wires to the controller. Each set of auxiliary wires includes three wires, two of the three wires being made of different materials and being joined to form a thermocouple junction, such that each of the plurality of heaters is operable to function as both a heater and a temperature sensor.

Modular heater assembly with interchangeable auxiliary sensing junctions

A heater system includes an integrated heater device and a control system. The integrated heater device includes a thermocouple for measuring temperature and one or more multiportion resistive elements that are operable as heaters to create a temperature differential between the fluid and air to detect the fluid, and as sensors to measure a fluid level. The control device operates the integrated heater device as a sensor or heater based on one or more performance characteristics of the heater system and self-calibrates the heater device.

Sensor system and integrated heater-sensor for measuring and controlling performance of a heater system

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 calibrating temperature of a resistive element having a material with a Curie temperature includes generating a standard resistance-temperature (R-T) curve for the resistive element in isothermal conditions to identify values of the R-T curve and an inflection point at the Curie temperature, generating operational R-T curves for the resistive element over an operational time period, comparing the standard R-T curve to the operational R-T curves, and adjusting the operational curves to the standard R-T curve at the Curie temperature to calibrate temperature of the resistive element.

Resistance calibration and monitoring of thermal systems

A modular heater assembly includes resistive heaters disposed along sections of a fluid conduit system, insulation members around the resistive heaters, and at least one insulation block around a fitting. The fitting is configured to join at least two adjacent sections of the fluid conduit system and defines an exterior geometric profile. The insulation block includes a central recess extending axially in a direction of one of the at least two adjacent sections and defining an internal geometric profile substantially matching the external geometric profile of the fitting, and a peripheral aperture. The peripheral aperture is open to the central recess, defines an internal geometric profile substantially matching an external geometric profile of another of the at least two adjacent sections, extends through a sidewall of the insulation block, and is axially aligned with the another of the at least two adjacent sections.

Modular heater assemblies for use in fluid conduits

An exhaust gas heater system for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine includes a housing and a heating element. The housing includes an outer peripheral wall disposed about a central axis and defining an interior hollow space configured to receive exhaust gas from an exhaust pipe of the exhaust system such that the exhaust gas flows through the interior hollow space. The heating element is positioned within the hollow space and including a first end and a second end. The heating element forms a zig-zag shape extending in a radial direction relative to the central axis.

An exhaust gas heating unit for an engine includes a housing and a heating element. The housing includes a tubular peripheral wall and has an interior hollow space. The heating element has first and second ends and extends longitudinally therebetween to form a spiral shape within the interior hollow space. The heating element includes a thermally conductive sheath, an electrically conductive resistance element that extends longitudinally within the external sheath, and an electrically insulating material disposed about the resistance element between the resistance element and the sheath. A heat transfer member is positioned within the interior hollow space and is formed from one or more strips of thermally conductive material. The strips contact the external sheath at a plurality of locations between the first end and the second end. The heat transfer member has a corrugated shape that follows the spiral shape of the heating element.

A heater system is provided. The system includes a resistive element with a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of at least about 1,000 ppm such that the resistive element functions as a heater and as a temperature sensor and the resistive element is a material having greater than about 95% nickel. The system also includes a heater control module including a two-wire controller with a power control module that is configured to periodically compare a measured resistance value of the resistive element against a reference temperature to adjust for resistance drift over time during operation such that a temperature drift of the resistive element is less than about 1% over a temperature range of about 500&#xb0; C.-1,000&#xb0; C.

Electric heaters with low drift resistance feedback

A heating apparatus for a fluid flow system having a container body includes a heater element and a strip. The heater element is within the container body and includes an electrical resistance element, a sheath, and an insulating material. The sheath extends along a predefined path through the container body and surrounds the electrical resistance element along the predefined path. The insulating material is disposed about the electrical resistance element between the electrical resistance element and the sheath. The insulating material electrically insulates the electrical resistance element from the sheath. The strip is disposed inside the container body and defines a tortuous geometry that follows the predefined path. The strip defines a plurality of openings at discrete locations along the strip. The heater element extends through the plurality of openings and is configured to contact the strip at the discrete locations.

Insulation block

A fluid sensor system detects one or more performance characteristics of a heating system that heats a fluid. The sensor system includes a probe having a finite length a portion of which is to be immersed in the fluid. The probe includes a resistive heating element and a fluid temperature sensor for measuring one or more performance characteristics, wherein the fluid temperature sensor is configured to measure a fluid temperature, and the resistive heating element is operable as a heater to create a temperature differential between the fluid and air to detect the fluid, and as a sensor to measure a fluid level.

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St. Louis, MO, United States of America

Jeremy Ohse