Gas heater / cooler apparatuses and methods

Abstract

Gas heater/cooler apparatuses and methods of manufacturing thereof are provided. A gas heater/cooler apparatus has a gas pipe configured to transport a fluid inside a heat transfer block. A fluid flow through a cooling pipe in the proximity of the gas pipe or pushed towards the gas pipe by a fan cools the fluid. An electric heater disposed inside the heat transfer block close to the gas pipe may heat the fluid flowing therein via radiated heat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas heater/cooler apparatus, comprising:
 a heat transfer block;   a gas pipe configured to transport a fluid inside of the heat transfer block;   a coolant pipe configured to transport a coolant agent inside of the heat transfer block, the coolant pipe being located in a proximity of the gas pipe to cool the fluid flowing therein via heat exchange with the cooling agent flowing through the coolant pipe; and   an electric heater located inside the heat transfer block close to the gas pipe to heat the fluid flowing therein via radiated heat.   
     
     
         2 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid, and   a temperature sensor located close to where the coolant pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the coolant agent.   
     
     
         3 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more temperature sensors configured to measure temperatures at different locations along the gas pipe and/or the coolant pipe; and   a temperature information acquisition and transmission module configured to gather temperature information from the temperature sensors and transmit the gathered information.   
     
     
         4 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the coolant pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the coolant agent; and   at least one of:
 a cooling agent temperature alarm connected to the temperature sensor and configured to output an alarm signal when the output temperature has a value outside a predetermined temperature range, and 
 a coolant flow regulator connected to the temperature sensor and configured to adjust an amount of coolant agent transported in time through the coolant pipe based on a current value of the output temperature. 
   
     
     
         5 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid; and   a gas temperature alarm connected to the temperature sensor and configured to output an alarm signal when the output temperature of the fluid has a value outside a predetermined temperature range.   
     
     
         6 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid or close to where the coolant pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the coolant agent;   a power supply configured to provide power to the electric heater; and   a switch connected to the temperature sensor and interposed between the power supply and the electric heater, the switch being configured to cut off the power to the electric heater when the output temperature exceeds a predetermined value.   
     
     
         7 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more temperature sensors configured to measure temperatures at different locations along the gas pipe and/or the coolant pipe;   a coolant flow regulator configured to adjust an amount of coolant agent transported in time through the coolant pipe;   a power supply configured to provide power to the electric heater; and   a controller connected to temperature sensors, the coolant flow regulator and the power supply, the controller being configured to control the coolant flow regulator and the power supply based on temperature information received from the temperature sensors.   
     
     
         8 . The gas heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas pipe and the coolant pipe have co-axial helix shapes inside the heat transfer block. 
     
     
         9 . A gas heater/cooler apparatus, comprising:
 a heat transfer block;   a gas pipe configured to transport a fluid through an inside of the heat transfer block;   a fan configured to push a flow of air towards the gas pipe; and   an electric heater disposed inside the heat transfer block close to the gas pipe to heat the-a fluid flowing therein via radiated heat.   
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a gas heater/cooler apparatus, the method comprising:
 mounting a gas pipe inside a heat transfer block configured to allow a coolant flow to pass there-through cooling a fluid flowing inside the gas pipe; and   mounting an electric heater inside the heat transfer block and in a proximity of the gas pipe.   
     
     
         11 . The heater/cooler apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more temperature sensors configured to measure temperatures at different locations along the gas pipe; and   a temperature information acquisition and transmission module configured to gather temperature information from the temperature sensors and transmit the gathered information.   
     
     
         13 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one of:
 a cooling agent temperature alarm connected to the temperature sensor and configured to output an alarm signal when the output temperature has a value outside a predetermined temperature range, and   a coolant flow regulator connected to the temperature sensor and configured to adjust an amount of coolant agent transported based on a current value of the output temperature.   
     
     
         14 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid; and   a gas temperature alarm connected to the temperature sensor and configured to output an alarm signal when the output temperature of the fluid has a value outside a predetermined temperature range.   
     
     
         15 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor located close to where the gas pipe exits the heat transfer block and configured to measure an output temperature of the fluid;   a power supply configured to provide power to the electric heater; and   a switch connected to the temperature sensor and interposed between the power supply and the electric heater, the switch being configured to cut off the power to the electric heater when the output temperature exceeds a predetermined value.   
     
     
         16 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 one or more temperature sensors configured to measure temperatures at different locations;   a coolant flow regulator configured to adjust an amount of coolant agent transported in time;   a power supply configured to provide power to the electric heater; and   a controller connected to temperature sensors, the coolant flow regulator and the power supply, the controller being configured to control the coolant flow regulator and the power supply based on temperature information received from the temperature sensors.   
     
     
         17 . The gas heater/cooler of  claim 9 , wherein the gas pipe has co-axial helix shapes inside the heat transfer block. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 mounting temperature sensors at different locations along the gas pipe or along the past of the coolant flow.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 mounting a fluid regulator on the path of the coolant flow, the fluid regulator being configured to modify the amount of coolant flow entering the heat transfer block.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 mounting a power supply configured to provide power to the electric heater and a switch configured to cut off the power supply based on temperature information received from one or more temperature sensors.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 mounting the flow regulator, the power supply, the switch, and the one or more temperature sensors, and connecting these components to a controller.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising:
 mounting alarms in the gas heater/cooler apparatus.