Patent ID: 7870757

Claim:
A liquid discharge method in a temperature controller having a refrigerant circulation line circulating a refrigerant to a target of temperature control and a heater heating the target, wherein the refrigerant is circulated so as to control a temperature of the target with the refrigerant and the heater in a case where the temperature of the target is controlled to be a first temperature lower than or equal to a room temperature, wherein the circulation of the refrigerant is stopped so as to control the temperature of the target with the heater in a case where the temperature of the target is controlled to be a second temperature higher than the room temperature, wherein: in a case of changing a setpoint of the target from the first temperature to the second temperature, when a temperature of the refrigerant rises to reach a first predetermined temperature lower than or equal to a boiling point of the refrigerant, the circulation of the refrigerant is stopped, one of air and an inert gas is fed to the refrigerant circulation line so as to discharge the refrigerant in the target, and simultaneously, the temperature of the target continues to be raised with the heater; and when the temperature of the target rises to reach a second predetermined temperature higher than the boiling point of the refrigerant, the one of the air and the inert gas is again fed to the refrigerant circulation line so as to discharge the refrigerant remaining in the target.