Patent ID: 9593988
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: G01K

Claim:
1. A thermal energy measuring system comprising: a sample container configured to retain a sample; the sample container having a sample container temperature; the sample container generally contained within an outer container; a heat flow sensor configured to measure a heat flow value of a heat flow between the sample container and the outer container; a temperature sensor configured to measure a sample container temperature value; a temperature control device configured to control a temperature of the outer container to an outer container temperature value whereby the temperature control device is capable of influencing the heat flow between the sample container and the outer container to a predetermined heat flow value; the temperature control device configured to control a temperature of the outer container to an outer container temperature value whereby the temperature control device is capable of influencing the sample container temperature to a predetermined temperature value; the sample container and the outer container each form generally open ended coaxial cylinders each having open ends, sidewalls, a common longitudinal axis and a radius; the sample container sidewalls and the outer container sidewalls comprise a highly thermally conductive material; the thermal energy measuring system further comprises a semi-insulating layer between the sample container sidewalls and the outer container sidewalls; the semi-insulating layer comprises a material having a thermal conductivity less than the highly thermally conductive material of the sample container sidewalls and the outer container sidewalls; and the open ends of the sample container sidewalls and the outer container sidewalls are covered with a thermally insulating bottom and a thermally insulating lid whereby the heat flow along the common longitudinal axis each of the containers is reduced, a sidewall temperature is constant along each of the container sidewalls coaxial with each of the containers and that the heat flow occurs primarily in a radial direction perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis.