THERMAL PREFERENCE TEST

Thermal Preference Test:

thermal preference

Pain Research

Using TECA’s Dual Cold/Hot Plate, a health psychology lab in a large university is conducting a study on the relationship between pain sensitivity and inflammation in human subjects.

The human subject places his or her hand on the surface of TECA’s AHP-1200DCP Dual Cold/Hot Plate for a period of time. Researchers are using set points between 52 °C and -4 °C and can utilize the included communications software to program ramp and soak profiles.

TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE TEST

Temperature Preference Test:

temperature preference

TECA’s model AHP-1200DCP consists of two adjacent thermoelectric heat/cool plates (dual zone cold plate).

In this example, the customer has added an optional Plexiglas barrier that allows the rat to easily move between the two surfaces. One plate was set at 30 ºC and the other plate was alternately set also to 30 ºC or to a different temperature. Animals spent time on each plate.

The customer studies whether rats/mice exhibit a significant, temperature-dependent avoidance of plates after injection of analgesic drugs.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR RESEARCH

Animal Behavior Research:

animal behavior research

 

Investigating the changes in behavioral responses due to changes in experimental floor temperature and dermal application of heating/cooling compounds in an animal model requires precise temperature control system.

The TECA AHP-1200DCP dual zone cold/hot thermoelectric plate with two independently controllable temperature zones provides precise regulation of the floor temperature and change of settings as deemed. experimentally necessary. The Plexiglass arena allows careful monitoring of animal activity while allowing the animal to roam free across the experimental surface.

TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE TESTING

Temperature Preference Testing:

temperature preference temperature preference temperature preference

 

Creating Microclimates for Insect Subjects

Using TECA’s Gradient Bar System, a biology department at a U.S. university created a temperature preference device for small insects.

The insects were infected with various pathogens. The researchers wanted to create an environment where the insects chose a temperature benefiting pathogen replication/transmission and not host survival, thus determining whether pathogens alter their hosts’ temperature preferences.

Insulating their petri dishes and setting the entire gradient machine inside a larger incubator, the researchers created a microclimate and had excellent control over temperature fluctuations.

TEMPERATURE GRADIENT

Agricultural Research Using Temperature Gradient:

temperature gradient temperature gradient

 

A department of the Canadian government uses two TECA Thermal Gradient Bar (TGB-5030) systems to conduct thermal behavior research on insects.

In the photographs shown here, the customer used two AHP-1200CPV Cold/Hot plates plus one Large Gradient Plate (p/n TGB-5030) and created a gradient area spanning from 4 °C to 33 °C. Two groups of insects were placed side-by-side on the gradient bar, in separate cages. This allowed the researchers to test two groups at the same time.

THERMAL GRADIENT BAR

Thermal Gradient Bar:

thermal gradient bar

The gradient plate shown is not TECA’s. It’s from a University. They had been running a hot plate on one end and a liquid cooled LHP-300CP with the plate in the evaluation of temperature preference in insects.

They needed better control and a wider temperature range and they wanted it on their existing plate. Many tests were run with the AHP-301CPV (shown) and the AHP-1200CPV to evaluate temperature uniformity and differential.

More and more researchers are looking into the versatile CPV line of cold plates to improve their tests with the CPV line of products and accessories. Call us. Maybe we can help you too.

BATTERY COOLING

R & D Battery Cooling:

battery cooling

In this example, the customer is using TECA’s AHP-1800CPV to keep a 60 pound lithium ion battery cool during R&D testing. This saves the customer the trouble of using a plate with pumped coolant to cool the battery, which was the original method.

The customer reports that upgrading to the TECA AHP-1800CPV “makes testing much easier”.

The AHP-1800CPV is the largest thermoelectric cold plate on the market with a plate surface area of 12.80 x 13.30 inches.  The large surface area and robust cooling power were ideal for this application.

FIBER OPTICS

Fiber Optics:

optics optics

 

A research and development team in Europe uses the TECA Model AHP-1200CPV Cold Plate with a TECA Model TC-1 Tube Chiller attached.

Their process is proprietary but involves optical material and measurements. The TC-1 Tube Chiller is designed to heat or cool fluid without introducing contaminants to the fluid.

The fluid flows through the flexible tubing (various tubing diameters are possible) within the plate surface.

FIBER OPTICS

Fiber Optics:

fiber optics

The customer makes fiber optics and related components and subsystems, they use an AHP-1200CPV cold plate for testing components.

They are using it to run temperature test on them, they set the temperature, and it goes to temperature and sits there, heating or cooling.

“It works well”.  Before they were cobbling together home brew solutions with a heater here, a circuit and a fan there but it’s nice to have a system that does it all.

COOLING ASPHALT SAMPLES

Cooling Asphalt Samples:

cooling asphalt samples

An oil refinery runs tests on asphalt samples at different temperatures.

TECA Model AHP-301CPV Cold Plate is currently being used during the course of the customer’s testing.

The customer says, “We have used this unit at different temperatures, and it has performed well. Thank you for your follow-up on the performance of this device.”

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