Patent ID: 7552642
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: F28D,F28F,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of determining the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of a microchannel device, the microchannel device comprising a plurality of shims, the shims comprising a base material and the shims joined with at least one microchannel fabrication technique, the method comprising: (a) determining whether a condition of a device operating temperature is greater than or equal to a base material threshold temperature is true or false; (b) determining whether a condition of an at least first material property at a low temperature for a specimen of joined material is superior or equal to the at least first material property at the low temperature for a specimen of base material is true or false when the condition of step (a) is true; (c) conducting at least one burst test of at least one representative burst test device when the condition of step (b) is false, the burst test comprising independently increasing temperature and pressure of the at least one representative burst test device from a first state to a second state, the second state comprising a temperature greater than or equal to the base material threshold temperature; (d) determining whether a condition of an at least first material property at a design temperature for a specimen of joined material is superior or equal to the at least first material property at the design temperature for a specimen of base material is true or false when the condition of step (b) is true; (e) conducting at least one burst test of at least one representative burst test device when the condition of step (d) is false, the burst test comprising independently increasing temperature and pressure of the at least one burst test device from a first state to a second state, the second state comprising a temperature greater than or equal to the base material threshold temperature; (f) determining whether a condition of the presence of at least one spurious artifact is true or false when the condition of step (d) is true; (g) determining whether a condition of at least one effect of at least one spurious artifact on MAWP at the design temperature is calculable is true or false when the condition of step (f) is true; and (h) conducting at least one burst test of at least one representative burst test device when the condition of step (g) is false, the burst test comprising independently increasing temperature and pressure of the at least one burst test device from a first state to a second state, the second state comprising a temperature greater than or equal to the base material threshold temperature.