Method for setting a temperature, and tempering container

Abstract

A method for setting a temperature in a tempering container with a Peltier element in heat transfer contact to the container, a storage block of metallic material in heat transfer contact with an opposite side of the Peltier element, and a further Peltier element or Peltier element cascade in heat transfer contact with a rear surface of the storage block. A temperature level of the container is changed towards a desired target temperature by heating or cooling the storage block with the further Peltier element or cascade towards the target temperature or beyond the target temperature. A rapid temperature change is caused in the container by switching a current flow direction of the Peltier element to heat or cool the container and at the same time releasing a transfer of a heat quantity or cooling quantity contained in the storage block to the container.

1 . A method for setting a temperature in a tempering container configured for receiving a sample, the method comprising:
 providing the tempering container with
 a first Peltier element in heat transfer contact to an outer wall surface of the container; 
 a storage block of metallic material in heat transfer contact with a surface of the Peltier element averted from the container; 
 a further Peltier element or a Peltier element cascade in heat transfer contact with a rear surface of the storage block averted away from the first Peltier element; 
   changing a temperature level of the container towards a desired target temperature, heating or cooling the storage block with the further Peltier element or Peltier element cascade towards the target temperature or beyond the target temperature; and   causing a rapid temperature change in the container by switching a current flow direction of the first Peltier element to heat or cool the container with the first Peltier element in the direction towards the desired target temperature and at the same time releasing a transfer of a heat quantity or cooling quantity contained in the storage block to the container in order to amplify a heating or cooling resulting from the first Peltier element.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, while heating or cooling the storage block, adjusting the temperature in the container with the first Peltier element and thereby keeping the temperature constant or continuously changing the temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises heating or cooling the storage block to above or below the desired target temperature, respectively, so that a heat quantity or cooling quantity contained in the storage block and available for discharge to the container via the first Peltier element is sufficient to attain the desired target temperature of the container. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , which comprises setting the temperature in the storage block to attain the desired target temperature of the container within a predefined time span. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises setting a storage capacity of the storage block for storing heat quantities and cooling quantities to be greater than the heat quantity or cooling quantity required for a desired temperature change of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, during cooling of the container to or towards the desired target temperature, lowering the temperature of the storage block to a lower value than the target temperature and for the cooling the container, traversing the first Peltier element with current such that the first Peltier element cools the container and permits a throughflow of the cooling quantities contained in the storage block. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, upon attaining a desired first target temperature in the container, keeping the first target temperature constant or changing same continuously with the first Peltier element for a predefined time span, and subsequently effecting a temperature change to a further target temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , which comprises effecting the temperature change to the further target temperature by a substantially abrupt or linear heating or cooling. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises placing a measuring unit into the tempering container, the measuring unit being for a determination of temperature-dependent material parameters and tempering the measuring unit or keeping the measuring unit at a desired target temperature for the measurements. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises heating or cooling the further Peltier element or the Peltier element cascade on the rear surface averted from the container. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises heating or cooling the further Peltier element or the Peltier element cascade on the rear surface averted from the container in dependence on a desired temperature setting in the storage block. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, when the container is cooled, switching the first Peltier element to full power and shortly before or upon attaining the target temperature, switching the first Peltier element to a closed-loop control mode for keeping the temperature of the container constant. 
     
     
         13 . A tempering container formed with a sample receiving space, the tempering container comprising:
 at least one first Peltier element fixed in heat transfer contact to an outer wall surface of the container;   a storage block of a metallic material fixed in heat transfer contact to surface of said first Peltier element averted from the container;   a further Peltier element or a Peltier element cascade fixed in heat transfer contact to a rear surface of the storage block averted from the said Peltier element;   a control unit connected to said first Peltier element and to said further Peltier element and configured to selectively change a temperature level of the container towards a desired target temperature by setting an electrical current flow through said first Peltier element and said further Peltier element or Peltier element cascade, said control unit being configured to heat or cool the storage block with the additional Peltier element or the Peltier element cascade towards the target temperature or beyond the target temperature; and   said control unit, for realizing a rapid temperature change in the container or the sample receiving space, switching a current flow direction of the first Peltier element to thereby heat or cool the container towards the desired target temperature and at the same time release a transfer of a heat quantity or a cooling quantity contained in the storage block to the container in order to amplify the heating or cooling resulting from the first Peltier element.   
     
     
         14 . The tempering container according to  claim 13  configured for implementing the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The tempering container according to  claim 13 , wherein said control unit is configured, during the heating or the cooling of the storage block, to adjust the temperature level in the container with the first Peltier element and to selectively keep the temperature constant or continuously changing. 
     
     
         16 . The tempering container according to  claim 13 , wherein a capacity of said storage block for storing heat quantities or cooling quantities is greater than a heat quantity or cooling quantity required for a desired temperature change of the container. 
     
     
         17 . The tempering container according to  claim 13 , which further comprises a heat exchanger disposed on a container-distal side of said further Peltier element or Peltier element cascade, for selectively heating or cooling the further Peltier element or Peltier element cascade. 
     
     
         18 . The tempering container according to  claim 13 , which comprises a temperature measuring unit disposed inside the container or the sample receiving space and connected to said control unit. 
     
     
         19 . The tempering container according to  claim 18 , wherein said measuring unit is configured for determining temperature-dependent material parameters. 
     
     
         20 . A method of determining a temperature-dependent material parameter of a sample, the method comprising:
 providing a tempering container according to  claim 13 ;   placing the sample into the tempering container; and   measuring the temperature-dependent material parameter while setting a controlled temperature in the tempering container.