Apparatus for measuring the rate of heat dissipation

Claim 1

Apparatus for measuring a rate of heat dissipation from a load immersed in a flowing fluid, comprising: an upstream and downstream transducer located upstream and downstream, respectively, of said load for providing an upstream and downstream signal, respectively, signifying a temperature of said fluid upstream and downstream, respectively, of said load; a flow transducer located in said fluid for providing a flow signal signifying a flow rate of said fluid; processing means coupled to said flow transducer and said upstream and downstream transducer for providing a power signal proportional to a product of said flow signal and to a difference between said downstream and upstream signal; source means having an adjust terminal and being coupled to said load for applying to it power regulated by a signal on said adjust terminal, said processing means being coupled to said adjust terminal to provide to it an adjust signal that is a function of said power signal; and interlock means coupled to said source means and said flow transducer for stopping application of power to said load in response to said flow signal reaching a predetermined magnitude signifying insufficient fluid flow, said interlock means operating independently of said processing means so that power is removed notwithstanding any failure of said processing means.