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A non-contact thermometer which can determine a temperature profile over a depth beneath the sample's surface
About
STFC have developed an optical measurement technique for determining the sub-surface temperature of a sample. The thermometer can determine a temperature profile over depth beneath the sample surface. The temperature may be derived from a variety of depths within a sample using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy. This can be achieved without contact with the sample. This is not achievable with infrared thermometers which use surface radiation from the skin and unlike microwave radiometry does not rely on the low powered, natural thermal black-body radiation. The invention directs light into an entry region and collects the light, after scattering within the sample, from one or more collection points. The collection light contains spectral features arising from Raman scattering within the sample. These can be analysed to determine one or more temperatures at one or more depths or ranges of depth within the sample. The temperature can be determined by noting that corresponding Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman band intensities can vary differently with temperature. Such differences can therefore be used to measure temperature.
Key Benefits
• Sub-surface temperature detection • Non-contact method • Works over a range of depths • Can give temperature readings for different depths
Applications
Although originally designed for clinical use, this technology can be used in a variety of situations. Some particular uses are listed below, but there are various modifications and alterations which can be made to make this technology suitable to many more application areas. With regards to health care, areas of use could involve body core temperature monitoring, thermal stress in neonatal care, joint inflammation, diabetic limb screening, and Reynaud’s syndrome screening. It can also be used to monitor the temperature of organs during transport and modulating freezing rates during cryopreservation. Within medical technology, it can measure fluids being transported through a transparent or translucent conduit, which could form part of various systems, e.g. a transfusion system, an IV warming system, a dialysis system, a cardio-pulmonary bypass system, and ECMO system, or a blood analyser. Outside of medical applications, it can provide non-invasive temperature measurement of reagent fluids contained within bioreactor including: a stirred tank reactor, airlift reactor, packed bed reactor, fluidised bed reactor, photo-bioreactor, membrane bioreactor, rotary, and drum reactors. Other industrial processes where it may be used are found in the Oil & Gas, Chemicals, and Power & Energy fields, for temperature control of sintering of materials. It would also be suitable for use in low-temperature vacuum systems, like those used in the semiconductor manufacture processes. Within the food industry, areas of use can include dough mixing, microwave heating, frozen food products, baking and so forth, to remotely detect sub surface temperature of a food product or food component without risk of contamination.