Abstract:
An article includes walls defining an insulating space therebetween and a vent forming an exit for gas molecules during evacuation of the space. A distance separating the walls is variable in a portion adjacent the vent such that gas molecules are directed towards the vent imparting a greater probability of molecule egress than ingress such that deeper vacuum is developed without requiring getter material. The variable-distance portion may be formed by converging walls. Alternatively, a portion of one of the walls may be formed such that a normal line at any location within that portion is directed substantially towards a vent opening in the other wall.
Abstract:
An article includes walls defining an insulating space therebetween and a vent forming an exit for gas molecules during evacuation of the space. A distance separating the walls is variable in a portion adjacent the vent such that gas molecules are directed towards the vent imparting a greater probability of molecule egress than ingress such that deeper vacuum is developed without requiring getter material. The variable-distance portion may be formed by converging walls. Alternatively, a portion of one of the walls may be formed such that a normal line at any location within that portion is directed substantially towards a vent opening in the other wall.
Abstract:
Methods and systems are provided for cooling an object with a cryogen having a critical point defined by a critical-point pressure and a critical-point temperature. A pressure of the cryogen is raised above a pressure value determined to provide the cryogen at a reduced molar volume that prevents vapor lock. Thereafter, the cryogen is placed in thermal communication with the object to increase a temperature of the cryogen along a thermodynamic path that maintains the pressure greater than the critical-point pressure for a duration that the cryogen and object are in thermal communication.
Abstract:
A cooling apparatus comprises a pulse tube refrigerator (A) having a pressure source (1), a cold reservoir (6), a condenser (7), a pulse tube (9), a radiator (10), and a phase adjuster (12); and a low-temperature container having a liquid reservoir (21) fixed to a vacuum tank (31) through heat-insulating support members (36) and (37). The condenser (7) is fixed to a cold end (6b) of the cold reservoir (6), and is disposed in a gas phase portion (21a) of the liquid reservoir (21). A hot end of the pulse tube (9) is fixed to the vacuum tank (31) and is disposed in such a manner that a cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) is located lower than the hot end and is located in a liquid phase portion (21b) of the liquid reservoir (21). The cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) is disposed outside the liquid reservoir (21) but within the vacuum tank (31), and the cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) and the condenser (7) communicate with each other through piping (8).
Abstract:
The present invention discloses multi-component gas mixtures adapted to provide condensed phase cryogenic refrigerants with normal boiling points below about 80° K. for cooling sensor device components. Exemplary gas mixtures generally include 19-40% Ar and 20.1-80.5% Ne. Open-loop Joule-Thomson systems in accordance with the present invention may be suitably adapted (with varying relative mass ratios of cryogenic gas mixtures) for cooling sensor devices to temperatures between 27° K. (100% Neon) and about 80° K. (0% Neon).
Abstract:
A cryosurgical probe system includes a fluid supply line connectable at an inlet section to a source of cryogenic fluid; a fluid connector assembly securely connected to an outlet section of the fluid supply line for receiving fluid from the outlet section of the fluid supply line; and, a detachable cryosurgical probe detachably connectable to the fluid connector assembly. The cryosurgical probe system includes the capability of providing return fluid flow.
Abstract:
A cooling apparatus comprises a pulse tube refrigerator (A) having a pressure source (1), a cold reservoir (6), a condenser (7), a pulse tube (9), a radiator (1), and a phase adjuster (12); and a low-temperature container having a liquid reservoir (21) fixed to a vacuum tank (31) through heat-insulating support members (36) and (37). The condenser (7) is fixed to a cold end (6b) of the cold reservoir (6), and is disposed in a gas phase portion (21a) of the liquid reservoir (21). A hot end of the pulse tube (9) is fixed to the vacuum tank (31) and is disposed in such a manner that a cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) is located lower than the hot end and is located in a liquid phase portion (21b) of the liquid reservoir (21). The cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) is disposed outside the liquid reservoir (21) but within the vacuum tank (31), and the cold end (9b) of the pulse tube (9) and the condenser (7) communicate with each other through piping (8).
Abstract:
A gas-expansion cooler assembly has an expansion structure with an expansion orifice and an expansion reservoir in fluid-flow communication with an expansion-orifice outlet. A heat exchanger has a heat-exchanger inlet, and a heat-exchanger outlet in fluid-flow communication with the expansion-orifice inlet. The heat exchanger includes at least two heat-exchanger plates stacked in a facing relationship along an assembly axis. Each heat-exchanger plate includes an in-plane channel lying substantially in a plane perpendicular to the assembly axis. The in-plane channels of the adjacent heat-exchanger plates are in fluid-flow communication with each other and with the expansion-orifice inlet to form a continuous high-pressure fluid-flow path from the heat-exchanger inlet to the expansion-orifice inlet. The heat exchanger further includes an axial channel extending parallel to the assembly axis. The axial channels in the adjacent heat-exchanger plates are in fluid-flow communication with each other and with the expansion reservoir to form a continuous exhaust fluid-flow path from the expansion reservoir to an exhaust port.
Abstract:
A cryogenic refrigeration system includes an expansion nozzle having a high-pressure nozzle inlet and a low-pressure nozzle outlet, and a compressor having a compression device, such as a pair of opposing pistons, operable to compress gas within a compression volume. The compression volume has an inlet port and an outlet port. A flapper inlet valve has an inlet valve inlet, and an inlet valve outlet in gaseous communication with the inlet port of the compression volume. The inlet valve opens when a gaseous pressure at the inlet valve inlet is sufficiently greater than a gaseous pressure in the compression volume to overcome a spring force of the flapper inlet valve. A flapper outlet valve has an outlet valve inlet in gaseous communication with the outlet port of the compression volume, and an outlet valve outlet in gaseous communication with the nozzle inlet. The outlet valve opens when a gaseous pressure in the compression volume is greater than a gaseous pressure at the outlet valve outlet to overcome a spring force of the flapper outlet valve. A drive motor system is in driving mechanical communication with the compression pistons. The compression volume is hermetically isolated from the drive motor system.
Abstract:
An NMR spectrometer comprising a magnet coil system disposed in the helium tank (8) of a cryostat and an NMR probe head (4) which is disposed in a room temperature bore of the cryostat and contains a cooled RF resonator (13) for receiving NMR signals from a sample to be examined, wherein the helium tank (8) and the NMR probe head (4) are cooled by a common, multi-stage, compressor-operated refrigerator, is characterized in that the common refrigerator comprises a cold head (6) and several heat exchangers (21, 24, 25, 28, 31, 33, 34) at different temperature levels, wherein the refrigerator is disposed at a spatial separation from the cryostat in a separate, evacuated and thermally insulated housing (5), and several cooling circuits (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) having thermally insulated transfer lines (14a, 14b, 15) are provided between the housing (5) containing the heat exchangers (21, 24, 25, 28, 31, 33, 34) and the cryostat, and also between the housing (5) and the NMR probe head (4). The probe head and magnet cryostat of the inventive NMR spectrometer can thereby be cooled by a common refrigerator, wherein the cooling resources of the used refrigerator are optimally utilized.