What Is Temperature Control?
Temperature control is the manipulation of the temperature of an object to achieve a desired temperature.
How Temperature Control Works
A temperature control device consists of an actuator that heats/cools, and a temperature controller that sends an operating signal to the actuator to control the heating/cooling. The temperature controller, which is the key component of control, is called a thermostat, and is available in mechanical thermostats (bimetal thermostats) and electronic thermostats (digital thermostats).
Heaters and coolers are used in the heating and cooling actuators. Heaters with heating functions include tape heaters, space heaters, and control panel heaters. Control panel coolers, Peltier coolers, heat sinks, and board heat sinks are used for cooling. In addition, AC axial fans, DC axial fans, CPU fans, etc., use fans to exhaust heat generated in the equipment to the outside, creating a cooling effect.
Many heaters and coolers incorporate a heat exchange mechanism that transfers heat between fluids such as air and water, and heat pumps are one example. Widely used heat exchanger types include multi-tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, and spiral heat exchangers. In addition, thermo-modules (Peltier modules) operate as heat pumps by applying DC current and can heat/cool and control temperature with high precision.
Types of Temperature Control Devices and Materials
Examples of equipment using the above temperature control mechanisms include incubators, thermostatic chambers, hot water circulators, and cooling water circulators that maintain the temperature of gases or liquids in a chamber or tank at a constant level.
Materials that contribute to temperature control by dissipating or shielding heat are also used in various fields. Examples include heat-dissipating rubber, heat-dissipating grease, heat-conductive sheets, graphite sheets, heat-exchange paints with heat-blocking functions, and heat-insulating plates that dissipate heat from contact areas to the outside.