Temperature control device

Abstract

The temperature control device comprises a heating pathway that heats and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit, a cooling pathway that cools and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit, a bypass pathway that circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit without passing the fluid through the heating pathway and the cooling pathway, an adjustment means that adjusts a flow ratio of the fluid that is supplied from the heating pathway, cooling pathway, and bypass pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, and a flow means that flows the fluid in order to circulate the fluid, and wherein a heating unit for heating the fluid is arranged in the heating pathway, and the flow means is disposed downstream from the heating unit along at least one of the pathways for circulating the fluid.

1 . A temperature control device that controls the temperature of a controlled object at a desired level by circulating a fluid in a temperature adjustment unit arranged in the vicinity of the controlled object, comprising:
 a heating pathway that heats and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit,   a cooling pathway that cools and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit,   a bypass pathway that circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit without passing the fluid through the heating pathway and the cooling pathway,   an adjustment means that adjusts a flow ratio of the fluid that is supplied from the heating pathway, cooling pathway, and bypass pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, and   a flow means that flows the fluid in order to circulate the fluid,   wherein a heating unit for heating the fluid is arranged in the heating pathway, and   the flow means is disposed downstream from the heating unit along at least one of the pathways for circulating the fluid.   
   
   
       2 . The temperature control device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment means comprises a flow adjustment means to adjust the flow of the fluid supplied from the heating pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, wherein the flow adjustment means is arranged upstream from the heating unit. 
   
   
       3 . The temperature control device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pathways for circulating the fluid comprises a volume change absorption means which functions to absorb a change in the volume of the fluid due to temperature. 
   
   
       4 . The temperature control device according to  claim 1 , wherein a discharge pathway that diverts the fluid from the adjustment means and discharges the fluid from the upstream side to the downstream side thereof is arranged in the heating pathway and the cooling pathway. 
   
   
       5 . The temperature control device according to  claim 1 , wherein a bypass pathway employed when fluid is supplied from both the heating pathway and the bypass pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, and a bypass pathway employed when fluid is supplied from both the cooling pathway and the bypass pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, include a shared pathway. 
   
   
       6 . The temperature control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising manipulating means that manipulates the adjustment means so as to control the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit to a target level. 
   
   
       7 . The temperature control device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a supply temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit,
 and wherein the manipulating means feedback controls the value detected by the supply temperature detection means to a target value.   
   
   
       8 . The temperature control device according to  claim 7 , wherein the adjustment means adjusts the flow dimensions of each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway, and
 the manipulating means comprises a conversion means that converts an amount based upon a degree of deviation from the target value of the detected value to a manipulating variable of a path dimension for each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway.   
   
   
       9 . The temperature control device according to  claim 7 , further comprising a bypass temperature detecting means that detects the temperature of the bypass pathway,
 wherein instead of feedback control, the manipulating means, for a predetermined period of time after a change in the target value, manipulates the adjustment means so as to open loop control the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit based upon the detected value of the bypass temperature detecting means.   
   
   
       10 . The temperature control device according to  claim 9 , wherein when the temperature of the fluid inside the bypass pathway is higher than the target value, the open loop control is performed by manipulating the flow ratio of fluid supplied from the bypass pathway and the cooling pathway to the temperature adjustment unit for the predetermined period of time, and when the temperature of the fluid inside the bypass pathway is lower than the target value, the open loop control is performed by manipulating the flow ratio of fluid supplied from the bypass pathway and the heating pathway to the temperature adjustment unit for the predetermined period of time. 
   
   
       11 . The temperature control device according to  claim 9 , further comprising an open loop control adjustment support means that outputs a prompt signal to select any one of a plurality of selections relating to at least one of open loop control gain, the period of time that open loop control is to continue, and the setting of the target value during open loop control, and performs temperature control in accordance with the selected value. 
   
   
       12 . The temperature control device according to  claim 6 , further comprising a transient target value setting means that changes the target value, when changing a requested temperature of the temperature adjustment unit, so as to be larger than the change of the requested value. 
   
   
       13 . The temperature control device according to  claim 6 , wherein the manipulating means prevents the flow of the fluid adjusted by the adjustment means from reaching zero in the heating pathway and the cooling pathway when the temperature of the temperature adjustment unit is in a steady state. 
   
   
       14 . The temperature control device according to  claim 2 , further comprising manipulating means that manipulates the adjustment means so as to control the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit to a target level,
 a supply temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit,   and wherein the manipulating means feedback controls the value detected by the supply temperature detection means to a target value.   
   
   
       15 . The temperature control device according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjustment means adjusts the flow dimensions of each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway, and
 the manipulating means comprises a conversion means that converts an amount based upon a degree of deviation from the target value of the detected value to a manipulating variable of a path dimension for each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway.   
   
   
       16 . The temperature control device according to  claim 14 , further comprising a bypass temperature detecting means that detects the temperature of the bypass pathway,
 wherein instead of feedback control, the manipulating means, for a predetermined period of time after a change in the target value, manipulates the adjustment means so as to open loop control the temperature of the fluid intake and/or near the temperature adjustment unit based upon the detected value of the bypass temperature detecting means.   
   
   
       17 . The temperature control device according to  claim 3 , further comprising manipulating means that manipulates the adjustment means so as to control the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit to a target level,
 a supply temperature detection means that detects the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit,   and wherein the manipulation means feedback controls the value detected by the supply temperature detection means to a target value.   
   
   
       18 . The temperature control device according to  claim 17 , wherein the adjustment means adjusts the flow dimensions of each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway, and
 the manipulating means comprises a conversion means that converts an amount based upon a degree of deviation from the target value of the detected value to a manipulating variable of a path dimension for each of the heating pathway, the cooling pathway, and the bypass pathway.   
   
   
       19 . The temperature control device according to  claim 17 , further comprising a bypass temperature detecting means that detects the temperature of the bypass pathway,
 wherein instead of feedback control, the manipulating means, for a predetermined period of time after a change in the target value, manipulates the adjustment means so as to open loop control the temperature of the fluid inside and/or near the temperature adjustment unit based upon the detected value of the bypass temperature detecting means.