Environmental control solution for clinical analyzer module
An environmental control system for use in a clinical analyzer module includes an upper deck environmental subsystem comprising a far field sensor, one or more heaters, one or more spine cooling fans, and one or more in-line fluid heat exchangers. The far field sensor is configured to acquire measurements of ambient temperature in the upper deck environmental subsystem. The heaters are configured to generate hot airflow based on the measurements of ambient temperature from the far field sensor. The spine cooling fans are configured to operate in a manner that mixes the hot airflow from the heaters with cool airflow based on the measurements of ambient temperature from the far field sensor. The in-line fluid heat exchangers are configured to heat fluids used in reactions performed on the clinical analyzer module to a constant temperature.
1. An environmental control system for use in clinical analyzer module, the system comprising:
an upper deck environmental subsystem comprising:
a far field sensor configured to acquire measurements of ambient temperature in the upper deck environmental subsystem,
one or more heaters configured to generate hot airflow based on the measurements of ambient temperature from the far field sensor, and
one or more spine cooling fans configured to operate in a manner that mixes the hot airflow from the heaters with cool airflow based on the measurements of ambient temperature from the far field sensor, and
one or more in-line fluid heat exchangers configured to heat fluids used in reactions performed on the clinical analyzer module to a constant temperature;
a lower deck environmental subsystem housing utilities, which is located in a lower environmental subsystem of the clinical analyzer module, comprising:
one or more inlet fans configured to draw air from an operating environment of the clinical analyzer module,
one or more exhaust fans configured to remove hot airflow from the lower deck environmental subsystem, and
one or more lower deck sensors configured to acquire measurements of ambient temperature in the lower deck environmental subsystem.
2. The environmental control system of claim 1 , wherein the clinical analyzer module performs testing of samples using reagents and the one or more heaters comprise a wash air heater configured to heat wash fluids used to separate analyte molecules in a sample from unbound reagents.
3. The environmental control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more heaters comprise a probe air heater configured to heat one or more probes used to aspirate and dispense fluids.
4. The environmental control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more exhaust fans comprise (a) a first exhaust fan located on a first of the one or more inlet fans and (b) a second exhaust fan located on a second of the one or more inlet fans.
5. The environmental control system of claim 4 , wherein speed of at least one of the (a) the one or more inlet fans and (b) the one or more exhaust fans is controlled based on the measurements of ambient temperature in the lower deck environmental subsystem.
6. The environmental control system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more lower deck sensors comprise a thermistor coupled to the first exhaust fan.
7. An environmental control system for use in clinical analyzer module, the system comprising:
a lower deck environmental subsystem located in a lower environmental subsystem of the clinical analyzer module, wherein the lower deck environmental subsystem comprises:
one or more inlet fans configured to draw air from an operating environment of the clinical analyzer module, and
one or more exhaust fans configured to remove hot airflow from the lower deck environmental subsystem.
8. The environmental control system of claim 7 , further comprising one or more lower deck sensors configured to acquire a temperature measurement of ambient temperature in the lower deck environmental subsystem.
9. The environmental control system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more exhaust fans are configured to operate at a plurality of speed settings and the environmental control system further comprises one or more controllers configured to:
set the one or more exhaust fans to a predetermined high fan speed if the measurement of ambient temperature in the lower deck environmental subsystem is above a first temperature threshold value; and
set the one or more exhaust fans to a predetermined low fan speed if the measurement of ambient temperature in the lower deck environmental subsystem is below a second temperature threshold value.
10. The environmental control system of claim 9 , wherein the first temperature threshold value is 35 degrees Celsius and the second temperature threshold value is 34 degrees Celsius.