thermal_material.py

import time
import threading

class ThermalMaterial:
    """
    A material that you can heat and cool.

    Parameters
    ----------
    thermal_mass: float, optional
        How the material's energy relates to its temperature.
    start_temp: float, optional
        Starting temperature of the material.
    ambient_temp: float, optional
        The temperature of the environment.
    heater_power: float, optional
        The rate at which the heater is adding energy to the sample.
    cooling_constant: float, optional
        How readily the sample releases energy to the environment.
    """
    def __init__(
        self,
        thermal_mass=100,
        start_temp=100,
        ambient_temp=0,
        heater_power=0,
        cooling_constant=1,
    ):
        self.energy = start_temp * thermal_mass
        self.thermal_mass = thermal_mass
        self.ambient_temp = ambient_temp
        self._heater_power = heater_power
        self.cooling_constant = cooling_constant
        self.time = time.time()
        self.run = True
        threading.Thread(target=self._simulate).start()

    @property
    def temperature(self):
        return self.energy / self.thermal_mass

    @property
    def heater_power(self):
        return self._heater_power

    @heater_power.setter
    def heater_power(self, value):
        self._heater_power = value

    def stop(self):
        self.run = False

    def _cooling(self):
        return -1 * self.cooling_constant * (self.temperature - self.ambient_temp)

    def _heating(self):
        return self.heater_power

    def _simulate(self):
        while self.run:
            now = time.time()
            time_delta = now - self.time
            self.time = now
            self.energy += self._cooling() * time_delta
            self.energy += self._heating() * time_delta
            time.sleep(0.1)