Process fluid circulation and temperature control system

Claim 2

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system comprising: a main heat exchange means, electrically actuatable between an active heat-exchange condition and an inactive condition, for effecting a heat exchange with a process fluid; a pump for circulating a process fluid through the heat exchange means and through an external process apparatus that utilizes the process fluid to effect a second heat exchange; a thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the process fluid at a given point on its circulation path; temperature control circuit means, coupled to the thermal sensor and to the heat exchange means, for actuating the heat exchange means between its active and inactive operating conditions in response to changes in the temperature of the process fluid; a delivery pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid delivered to the process apparatus to develop a delivery pressure signal; a return pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid returned to the pump to develop a return pressure signal; and pressure differential control circuit means, coupled to both pressure sensors and to the temperature control circuit means, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition except in the presence of a differential of predetermined sign and amplitude between the delivery pressure signal and the return pressure signal.

Claim 3

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, and further comprising pressure auto-zero circuit means, coupled to a first one of the pressure sensors and interposed in circuit between the second pressure sensor and the pressure differential control circuit, for calibrating the output of the second pressure sensor in accordance with the output of the first pressure sensor.

Claim 4

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 2, in which the first pressure sensor is the return pressure sensor, and the second, calibrated pressure sensor is the delivery pressure sensor.

Claim 5

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system, according to claim 2, including cycle sequence control means for actuating the pressure auto-zero circuit means for a new calibration each time the system is placed in operation, prior to start-up of the pump or the heat exchange means.

Claim 6

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, and further comprising a minimum pressure control circuit means, coupled to one of the pressure sensors and to the temperature control circuit, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition except in the presence of a pressure signal of predetermined amplitude from the one pressure sensor.

Claim 7

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 5, in which the minimum pressure control circuit means is coupled to the return pressure sensor and inhibits actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition except in the presence of a return pressure signal of predetermined amplitude and direction.

Claim 8

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 5, and further comprising pressure auto-zero circuit means, coupled to the one pressure sensor and interposed in circuit between the second pressure sensor and the pressure differential control circuit, for calibrating the output of the second pressure sensor in accordance with the output of the one pressure sensor.

Claim 9

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system, according to claim 7, including cycle sequence control means for actuating the pressure auto-zero circuit means for a new calibration each time the system is placed in operation, prior to start-up of the pump or the heat exchange means.

Claim 10

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, comprising two thermal sensors, one being a return thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the fluid returned to the pump, and the other being a delivery thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the fluid delivered to the process apparatus; temperature indicator means, coupled to the return and delivery thermal sensors, for displaying the return and delivery temperatures; and thermal auto-zero circuit means, coupled to one thermal sensor and interposed in circuit between the second thermal sensor and the temperature indicator means, for calibrating the output of the second thermal sensor in accordance with the output of the one thermal sensor.

Claim 11

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system, according to claim 9, including cycle sequence control means for actuating the thermal auto-zero circuit means for a new calibration, each time the system is placed in operation, after start-up of the pump but prior to initial actuation of the heat exchange means to active condition.

Claim 12

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 9, and further comprising pressure auto-zero circuit means, coupled to one pressure sensor and interposed in circuit between the second pressure sensor and the pressure differential control circuit, for calibrating the output of the second pressure sensor in accordance with the output of the one pressure sensor.

Claim 13

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 11, and further comprising cycle sequence means for actuating both auto-zero circuit means for a new calibration each time the system is placed in operation, applying a pressure calibration command signal to the pressure auto-zero circuit means prior to startup of the pump or the heat exchange means, and thereafter applying a thermal calibration command signal to the thermal auto-zero circuit means, after startup of the pump but prior to startup of the heat-exchange means.

Claim 14

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, and further comprising a pressure/temperature ratio control circuit means, coupled to the thermal sensor and to one of the pressure sensors, and connected to the temperature control circuit, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition in the presence of a pressure/temperature ratio indicative of approach to a boiling condition for the process fluid.

Claim 15

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 13, in which the pressure/temperature ratio control means is coupled to the return pressure sensor and to a temperature sensor that is connected to the return from the process apparatus to the pump.

Claim 16

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, in which the temperature control circuit means includes an oscillator for actuating the heat exchange means between its active and inactive operating conditions in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle whenever the temperature of the process fluid is below a predetermined value.

Claim 17

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 1, in which the main heat exchange means comprises a heater for heating the process fluid, the system further comprising an auxiliary heat exchange means for cooling the process fluid, the temperature control circuit means being coupled to both heat exchange means to actuate each between active and inactive operating conditions in response to variations in the process fluid temperature relative to a preset temperature level, and the pressure differential control circuit means inhibiting actuation of both heat exchange means to active condition except in the presence of a differential of predetermined sign and amplitude between the delivery pressure signal and the return pressure signal.

Claim 18

A temperature and pressure control for a process fluid circulation control system of the kind including a heat exchanger electrically actuatable between an active heat-exchange condition and an inactive condition, for effecting a heat exchange with a process fluid, and a pump for circulating a process fluid through the heat exchange means and through an external process apparatus that utilizes the process fluid to effect a second heat exchange, the control comprising: a thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the process fluid at a given point on its circulation path; a delivery pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid delivered to the process apparatus to develop a delivery pressure signal; a return pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid returned to the pump to develop a return pressure signal; temperature control means, coupled to the thermal sensor and to the heat exchange means, for actuating the heat exchange means between its active and inactive operating conditions in response to changes in the temperature of the process fluid relative to a preset temperature; and pressure differential control means, coupled to both pressure sensors and to the temperature control means, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition except in the presence of a differential of predetermined sign and amplitude between the delivery pressure signal and the return pressure signal.

Claim 19

A temperature and pressure control for a process fluid circulation control system of the kind including a heat exchanger electrically actuatable between an active heat-exchange condition and an inactive condition, for effecting a heat exchange with a process fluid, and a pump for circulating a process fluid through the heat exchange means and through an external process apparatus that utilizes the process fluid to effect a second heat exchange, the control comprising: a thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the process fluid at a given point on its circulation path; a delivery pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid delivered to the process apparatus to develop a delivery pressure signal; a return pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of the fluid returned to the pump to develop a return pressure signal; temperature control means, coupled to the thermal sensor and to the heat exchange means, for actuating the heat exchange means between its active and inactive operating conditions in response to changes in the temperature of the process fluid relative to a preset temperature; and pressure differential control means, coupled to both pressure sensors and to the temperature control means, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchange means to its active condition except in the presence of a differential of predetermined sign and amplitude between the delivery pressure signal and the return pressure signal.

Claim 20

A process fluid temperature and pressure control system according to claim 17, and further comprising: minimum pressure control means, coupled to the return pressure sensor and to the temperature control means, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchanger to its active condition except in the presence of a return pressure signal of predetermined sign and amplitude.

Claim 21

A process fluid temperature and pressure control system according to claim 18, and further comprising a pressure/temperature ratio control means, coupled to the thermal sensor and to return pressure sensor, and connected to the temperature control means, for inhibiting actuation of the heat exchanger to its active condition in the presence of a pressure/temperature ratio indicative of approach to a boiling condition for the process fluid.

Claim 22

A process fluid temperature and pressure control system according to claim 19, in which the temperature control means includes an oscillator for actuating the heat exchanger between its active and inactive operating conditions in accordance with a predetermined duty cycle whenever the temperature of the process fluid is below a predetermined value.

Claim 23

A process fluid circulation and temperature control system according to claim 20, and further comprising pressure auto-zero circuit means, coupled to the return pressure sensor and interposed in circuit between the delivery pressure sensor and the pressure differential control means, for calibrating the output of the delivery pressure sensor in accordance with the output of the return pressure sensor.