Hybrid refrigeration system and method for space cryogenic optical assemblies

Abstract

The application relates to the field of space cryogenic refrigeration technology, and provides a hybrid refrigeration system and method for a space cryogenic optical assembly. The system and method provided by the application have strong rapid cooling capacity. In the initial stage, the system uses a high-pressure gas source and an adjustable flow nozzle of a ground module for throttling refrigeration, can instantaneously provide refrigerating capacity much higher than that of a traditional single refrigeration machine, and enables the optical assembly to be rapidly cooled from normal temperature to working temperature, shortens the cooling time from several hours or even more than ten hours to within several tens of minutes, and greatly improves the ground emergency response speed before uplink emission. In the stable stage, the system is automatically switched to a Stirling or pulse tube refrigeration machine module integrated in a payload cabin for temperature maintenance, and can provide a stable thermal environment for an infrared detector and a cryogenic optical assembly. The system and method provided by the application have high performance, high reliability and high practicability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of space cryogenic refrigeration technology, and in particular to a hybrid refrigeration system and method for a space cryogenic optical assembly. BACKGROUND

[0002] An infrared detection system generally comprises an infrared optical system composed of a front light path and a rear light path, an infrared detector, a signal amplification and processing system, a display recording system, and the like. The infrared optical system concentrates the infrared radiation of a target on the infrared detector, and suppresses the background interference in a spectral and spatial filtering manner. The infrared detector converts the concentrated radiation energy into an electrical signal. After amplification and processing, the weak electrical signal is transmitted to a control and tracking execution mechanism or sent to a display recording device.

[0003] All objects above absolute zero will radiate infrared, and the higher the temperature, the stronger the thermal radiation. Deep space exploration targets are weak, low in temperature, and far away, and the energy reaching the infrared detector is small. The infrared load instrument has a high temperature, and the instrument background radiation is large. The optical and mechanical instrument background will be several orders of magnitude stronger than the weak target signal, and the target signal will be overwhelmed by the instrument background. Moreover, the instrument background will occupy a large part of the full-well charge of the detector, affecting the dynamic range of the detector. Therefore, low-temperature optical technology is needed to reduce the instrument background of the camera itself and control it within a certain range to meet the detection scene requirements. Low temperature can also significantly reduce dark current noise, improve dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio, which is crucial for precise measurements such as spectral analysis.

[0004] At present, most of the infrared cryogenic optical systems use a cryocooler combined with a heat pipe to complete the cooling of the cold chain transmission (usually several hours), which has already failed to meet the needs of rapid standby observation. The use of a rapid cooling system can significantly shorten the start-up time for infrared detection, thereby improving the response speed of the instrument. If the cooling time is reduced by increasing the refrigeration capacity of the cryocooler or increasing the number of cryocoolers, the load weight and on-orbit power consumption will be greatly increased. The long cooling time of the infrared detection system has become a bottleneck restricting the overall index improvement of the instrument system, severely limiting the rapid reaction and execution capability.

[0005] In the face of many difficulties in the prior art, there is an urgent need for a solution that can break through the current technical limitations, produce a large amount of cold in a short time, and effectively cool the low-temperature optical assembly. SUMMARY

[0006] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application provide a hybrid refrigeration system and method for a space cryogenic optical assembly to solve the problem of long cooling time for infrared detection instruments and other equipment in the prior art.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a hybrid refrigeration system for a space cryogenic optical assembly, comprising:

[0008] a throttling refrigeration module 1 for providing fast refrigeration of large cooling capacity in an initial stage; an on-board refrigerator module 2 integrated on a spacecraft payload cabin for providing precise temperature maintenance in a continuous stage; a quick connection device 102 for establishing or cutting off fluid connection between a ground throttling refrigeration module 101 and a refrigeration circuit located in the spacecraft payload cabin 6 before the spacecraft is launched;

[0009] wherein the system is configured to work in a fast cooling stage, a stable temperature control stage and a launch uplink stage in sequence.

[0010] In the fast cooling stage, the system is configured to connect the circuit through the quick connection device 102, and the throttling refrigeration module 1 is used as the main cold source to cool the optical assembly.

[0011] In the stable temperature control stage, the system is configured to disconnect the quick connection device 102, and the on-board refrigerator module 2 is used as the only cold source to maintain the temperature of the optical assembly.

[0012] In the launch uplink stage, the system is configured to continue to maintain the low temperature state of the optical assembly by the on-board refrigerator module 2 during the launch of the spacecraft and in-orbit operation.

[0013] In some embodiments, the throttling refrigeration module 1 includes a ground throttling refrigeration module 101, a reverse flow regenerative heat exchanger 103, an adjustable throttling nozzle 104 and a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105.

[0014] In some embodiments, the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is a movable module for providing throttling working medium that meets preset conditions for the throttling refrigerator within a preset time, and recovering and discharging the throttling working medium to a safe location; wherein the preset conditions include meeting a preset pressure condition, meeting a preset flow condition and meeting a preset cleanliness condition.

[0015] In some embodiments, the adjustable throttling nozzle 104 is configured to dynamically adjust the mass flow rate of the throttling working medium according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly.

[0016] In some embodiments, the on-board refrigerator module 2 includes a refrigerator 201, a cold head 202, a cold chain 203 and a control box 205, and the control box 205 is configured to dynamically adjust the refrigeration power of the refrigerator 201 according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly or the cold head 202.

[0017] In some embodiments, the system is further configured to start the on-board refrigerator module 2 and provide auxiliary refrigeration in the fast cooling stage.

[0018] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a cryogenic vacuum dewar module 3 for accommodating the optical assembly and providing an insulated environment.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cryogenic vacuum dewar module 3 comprises a throttling inlet-outlet pipe seal 301 and a cryocooler cold head seal 302; the throttling inlet-outlet pipe seal 301 is used to seal the throttling working medium and maintain the high vacuum degree of the vacuum dewar when the throttling working medium is input or output from the cryogenic vacuum dewar; the cryocooler cold head seal 302 is used to extend the cold head 202 into the vacuum dewar to ensure the sealing.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cryogenic vacuum dewar module 3 further integrates a cryogenic vacuum dewar internal heat exchanger 105, and the cold energy released by the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is transmitted to the optical assembly through the cryogenic vacuum dewar internal heat exchanger 105.

[0021] The second aspect of the embodiments of the present application provides a hybrid refrigeration method for a space cryogenic optical assembly, which is executed by the system in the first aspect, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0022] In response to receiving the rapid refrigeration instruction, the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is connected with the refrigeration fluid circuit in the spacecraft payload cabin 6 through the quick connection device 102;

[0023] The ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is started to rapidly cool the optical assembly at a first refrigeration power;

[0024] In response to determining that the difference between the feedback temperature of the optical assembly and the target temperature is less than a preset temperature threshold, the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is stopped, and the refrigeration fluid circuit is disconnected through the quick connection device 102;

[0025] The on-board cryocooler module 2 is controlled to accurately maintain the temperature of the optical assembly at a second refrigeration power; the second refrigeration power is less than the first refrigeration power;

[0026] In response to determining that the system is working in the launch uplink phase, the on-board cryocooler module 2 is controlled to continuously perform the temperature maintenance task.

[0027] In some embodiments, the step of rapidly cooling the optical assembly comprises dynamically adjusting the mass flow rate of the throttling working medium according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly, so that the temperature of the optical assembly is reduced from the ambient temperature to the target temperature within a preset time; wherein the target temperature is lower than the ambient temperature.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present application have the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The system provided by the embodiment of the present application provides a high-precision and high-stability temperature control solution for a space low-temperature optical load through a "ground rapid throttling cooling + full-cycle stable Stirling / pulse tube refrigeration" cooperative working mode.

[0030] The system and method provided by the embodiment of the present application have strong rapid cooling capacity. In the initial stage, the system uses the high-pressure gas source and adjustable flow nozzle of the ground module for throttling refrigeration, which can instantaneously provide much higher cooling capacity than the traditional single refrigeration machine, so that the optical assembly can be rapidly cooled from room temperature to the working temperature (such as 80 K-150 K), and the cooling time is shortened from several hours or even more than ten hours to within several tens of minutes, greatly improving the ground emergency response speed before launch.

[0031] The embodiment of the present application solves the contradiction between "rapid cooling" and "precise temperature stabilization" in the field of space low-temperature optics, has both the explosive power of throttling refrigeration "powerful and fast cooling" and the endurance of space refrigeration machine "high precision and good stability", and can well adapt to the harsh environment of space launch and on-orbit work, and has high performance, high reliability and high practicability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0033] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a hybrid refrigeration system for a space low-temperature optical assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 2 is a flow schematic diagram of a hybrid refrigeration method for a space low-temperature optical assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 3 is a principle schematic diagram of a bottled open J-T refrigerator used by the embodiment of the present application.

[0036] In the figure: throttling refrigeration module 1, on-board refrigeration machine module 2, low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3, front optical path 4, detector 5, spacecraft load cabin 6;

[0037] High-pressure gas source 11, pressure regulating valve 12, exhaust port 17;

[0038] Ground throttle refrigeration module 101, quick connection device 102, transverse counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103, adjustable throttle nozzle 104, low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105;

[0039] First connecting pipeline 111, second connecting pipeline 112, third connecting pipeline 113, fourth connecting pipeline 114, fifth connecting pipeline 115, sixth connecting pipeline 116, and seventh connecting pipeline 117.

[0040] Refrigerator 201, cold head 202, cold chain 203, measurement data transmission line 204, control box 205, and refrigerator control line 206.

[0041] Throttle inlet and outlet pipe seal 301, refrigerator cold head seal 302, heat insulation support 303, optical lens barrel 304, keel frame reflection screen support frame 305, and vacuum Dewar wall 306.

[0042] First gas conveying pipe 601, second gas conveying pipe 602, third gas conveying pipe 603, fourth gas conveying pipe 604, fifth gas conveying pipe 605, and sixth gas conveying pipe 606. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In the following description, for the purpose of explanation and not limitation, specific details are set forth, such as particular system configurations, techniques, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present application can be practiced in other embodiments that depart from these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted so as not to obscure the description of the present application with unnecessary detail.

[0044] A mixed refrigeration system and method for a space cryogenic optical assembly according to embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] As mentioned above, in the face of many difficulties in the prior art, there is an urgent need for a solution that can break through the current technical limitations, produce a large amount of cold in a short time, and effectively cool the cryogenic optical assembly.

[0046] In view of this, this application provides a hybrid cooling system for cryogenic optical components in space. This system possesses strong rapid cooling capabilities. In the initial stage, the system utilizes a high-pressure gas source from the ground module and adjustable-flow nozzles for throttling cooling, instantly providing a cooling capacity far exceeding that of traditional single-unit refrigerators. This allows the optical components to rapidly cool from room temperature to operating temperature, reducing the cooling time from several hours or even tens of hours to within tens of minutes, significantly improving the ground emergency response speed before launch. After entering the stable phase, the system automatically switches to a Stirling or pulse tube refrigerator module integrated in the payload bay for temperature maintenance, providing a stable thermal environment for the infrared detector and cryogenic optical components. This system features high performance, high reliability, and high practicality.

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the hybrid cooling system for space cryogenic optical components provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a throttling cooling module 1 for providing rapid cooling with a large cooling capacity in the initial stage; an onboard cooling module 2, integrated on the spacecraft payload bay, for providing precise temperature maintenance in the continuous stage; and a quick-connect device 102 for establishing or disconnecting the fluid connection between the ground-based throttling cooling module 101 and the cooling circuit located in the spacecraft payload bay 6 before spacecraft launch.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the system can be configured to operate sequentially in a rapid cooling phase, a stable temperature control phase, and a transmission uplink phase.

[0049] During the rapid cooling phase, the system is configured to connect the circuit via the quick-connect device 102, with the throttling cooling module 1 serving as the main cold source to cool the optical components.

[0050] During the stable temperature control phase, the system is configured to disconnect the quick-connect device 102, and the onboard refrigeration module 2 serves as the sole cold source to maintain the temperature of the optical components.

[0051] During the launch uplink phase, the system is configured to continue maintaining the cryogenic state of the optical components by the onboard cooling module 2 during spacecraft launch and on-orbit operation.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, the quick-connect device 102 may be a quick-connect connector.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, the throttling cooling module 1 may include a ground throttling cooling module 101, a wall-mounted counter-current regenerative heat exchanger 103, an adjustable throttling nozzle 104, and a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105.

[0054] The ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is a movable module, which is used to provide the throttling working medium satisfying the preset condition for the throttling refrigerator within a preset time, and recycle the throttling working medium and discharge it to a safe position. The preset condition can be a preset pressure condition, a preset flow condition and a preset purity condition, that is, when the throttling working medium reaches the target pressure, the target flow and the target purity, it can be determined that the throttling working medium satisfies the preset condition.

[0055] Meanwhile, the adjustable throttling nozzle 104 can be configured to dynamically adjust the mass flow rate of the throttling working medium according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present application, the on-board refrigerator module 2 includes a refrigerator 201, a cold head 202, a cold chain 203 and a control box 205, and the control box 205 is configured to dynamically adjust the refrigeration power of the refrigerator 201 according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly or the cold head 202. In the rapid cooling stage, the on-board refrigerator module 2 can be started and auxiliary refrigeration can be provided for the system.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, the system can further include a low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 for accommodating the optical assembly and providing a heat-insulated environment.

[0058] The low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 can include a throttling inlet and outlet pipeline seal 301 and a refrigerator cold head seal 302. The throttling inlet and outlet pipeline seal 301 is used to seal the throttling working medium and maintain the high vacuum degree of the vacuum Dewar when the throttling working medium is input or output to the low-temperature vacuum Dewar. The refrigerator cold head seal 302 is used to extend the cold head 202 into the vacuum Dewar to ensure the sealing of the vacuum Dewar.

[0059] Meanwhile, the low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 is also integrated with a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105, and the cold energy released by the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is transmitted to the optical assembly through the low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105.

[0060] The hybrid refrigeration system for space low-temperature optical assembly provided by the embodiments of the present application can use the high-pressure gas source of the ground module and the adjustable throttling nozzle for throttling refrigeration in the initial stage, which can instantly provide much higher cold energy than the traditional single refrigeration machine, so that the optical assembly can be rapidly cooled from room temperature to the working temperature, and the cooling time can be shortened from several hours or even dozens of hours to within a few tens of minutes, which greatly improves the ground emergency response speed before the uplink emission. After entering the stable stage, the system is automatically switched to the Stirling or pulse tube refrigerator module integrated in the payload cabin for temperature maintenance, which can provide a stable thermal environment for the infrared detector and the low-temperature optical assembly.

[0061] That is, the hybrid refrigeration system for the space cryogenic optical assembly includes three core modules: a throttling refrigeration module 1, an on-board refrigerator module 2, and a low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3.

[0062] The throttling refrigeration module 1 is a core functional unit for achieving rapid cooling, and mainly includes a movable ground throttling refrigeration module 101, a quick connection device 102, a partitioned counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103, an adjustable throttling nozzle 104, a low-temperature vacuum Dewar inner heat exchanger 105, and matching connecting pipelines and valves. The matching connecting pipelines can include a first connecting pipeline 111 and a second connecting pipeline 112 for the back-and-forth gas of the throttling working medium between the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 and the quick connection device 102, a third connecting pipeline 113 and a fourth connecting pipeline 114 for the back-and-forth gas of the throttling working medium between the quick connection device 102 and the partitioned counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103, a fifth connecting pipeline 115 for the high-pressure throttling working medium cooled in the partitioned counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103 to the adjustable throttling nozzle 104, a sixth connecting pipeline 116 for the low-pressure and low-temperature throttling working medium after throttling to the low-temperature vacuum Dewar inner heat exchanger 105, a seventh connecting pipeline 117 for the throttling working medium that has absorbed the heat of the target device through the low-temperature vacuum Dewar inner heat exchanger 105 to the partitioned counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103, and the like.

[0063] The ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is used for storing high-pressure throttling working medium and can achieve working medium supply meeting the target pressure, purity, and flow rate. After the throttling refrigeration cycle of the working medium is completed, the module can also recycle and safely discharge the working medium after throttling.

[0064] The throttling refrigeration module 1 utilizes the characteristics of rapid start and large cooling capacity of the throttling refrigeration, and can implement efficient cooling of the optical assembly in the initial stage. The adjustable throttling nozzle 104 can dynamically adjust the mass flow rate of the working medium according to the real-time temperature feedback of the optical assembly, and is a key component for realizing intelligent temperature control.

[0065] The on-board refrigerator module 2 is integrated on the spacecraft payload cabin, and includes a refrigerator 201, a cold head 202, a cold chain 203, a measurement data transmission line 204, a control box 205, and a refrigerator control line 206.

[0066] The on-board refrigerator module 2 has a dual role: in the rapid cooling stage, it can assist in providing refrigeration capacity; and in the stable temperature control stage, it serves as the main cold source, accurately adjusts the refrigeration power through the control box 205 according to the temperature feedback, and realizes long-term stable maintenance of the temperature of the optical assembly.

[0067] The low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 is used to contain and protect the low-temperature optical assembly, and provides a high-vacuum heat-insulating environment for the low-temperature optical assembly. The low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 mainly comprises a throttling inlet and outlet pipeline seal 301, a refrigerator cold head seal 302, heat-insulating supports 303, optical lens barrels 304, keel frame reflection screen support frames 305, and a vacuum Dewar wall 306.

[0068] The throttling inlet and outlet pipeline seal 301 and the refrigerator cold head seal 302 are key structures for achieving “double sealing”, which ensure the flow of the working medium and the air tightness while maintaining the high-vacuum state of the vacuum Dewar. The module also receives the cold energy from the throttling refrigeration module and the refrigerator module through the low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105 and the cold chain 203, respectively, and efficiently transfers the cold energy to the optical assembly.

[0069] Part of the components of the throttling refrigeration module 1 (including the partition type counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103, the adjustable throttling nozzle 104, the low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105, and the first to seventh connecting pipelines), the on-board refrigerator module 2, and the low-temperature vacuum Dewar module 3 are installed on the spacecraft payload cabin 6. In addition, the spacecraft payload cabin 6 also integrates the front light path 4, the detector 5, and other observation equipment, which together with the optical assembly in the low-temperature environment realize the infrared observation function.

[0070] The working process of the mixed refrigeration system for the space low-temperature optical assembly provided in the embodiments of the present application in three stages is as follows:

[0071] In the rapid cooling stage, the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 can be transported to the side of the spacecraft payload cabin 6, and a throttling refrigeration circuit is quickly established through the quick connection device 102. After confirming that the connection is correct, the throttling refrigeration is started, the high-pressure working medium flows out from the ground module, is pre-cooled by the partition type counterflow regenerative heat exchanger 103 and throttled by the adjustable throttling nozzle 104, forms a low-temperature and low-pressure fluid, enters the low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger 105, absorbs the heat of the optical assembly, and realizes rapid cooling. In this process, the adjustable throttling nozzle 104 adjusts the working medium flow in real time according to the temperature feedback of the optical assembly or the throttling system, and ensures that the temperature is reduced to the target value within the specified time.

[0072] In some embodiments, the refrigerator 201 can be started at the same time in the rapid cooling stage, and the on-board refrigerator module 2 is started to provide auxiliary refrigeration.

[0073] When the optical assembly reaches the target temperature and reaches the stable temperature control stage, the control valve of the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 can be closed to stop the gas supply, and the quick connection device 102 is pulled out after confirming that the refrigeration is stopped, and the ground circuit is disconnected. Thereafter, the temperature maintenance task is completely borne by the on-board refrigerator module 2, and the control box 205 adjusts the refrigeration power according to the temperature of the optical assembly or the cold head, so that the temperature is stably maintained at the target value.

[0074] During the launch-up phase, the on-board refrigerator module 2 can continue to work independently to maintain the low temperature state of the optical assembly.

[0075] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a hybrid refrigeration method for a space cryogenic optical assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in the figure, the method comprises the following steps: Figure 2

[0076] In step S201, in response to receiving a rapid refrigeration instruction, the ground throttling refrigeration module is connected to the refrigeration fluid circuit in the spacecraft payload cabin through the quick connection device.

[0077] In step S202, the ground throttling refrigeration module is started to rapidly cool the optical assembly at a first refrigeration power.

[0078] In step S203, in response to determining that the difference between the feedback temperature of the optical assembly and the target temperature is less than a preset temperature threshold, the ground throttling refrigeration module is shut down, and the refrigeration fluid circuit is disconnected through the quick connection device.

[0079] In step S204, the on-board refrigerator module is controlled to maintain the temperature of the optical assembly at a second refrigeration power.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present application, the method can be executed by the hybrid refrigeration system for a space cryogenic optical assembly in the embodiment shown in the figure.

[0081] In step S205, in response to determining that the system is working in the launch-up phase, the on-board refrigerator module is controlled to continue to perform the temperature maintenance task.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present application, the method can be executed by the hybrid refrigeration system for a space cryogenic optical assembly in the embodiment shown in the figure. Figure 1 In some embodiments, after receiving a rapid refrigeration instruction, the system can connect the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 to the refrigeration fluid circuit in the spacecraft payload cabin 6 through the quick connection device 102, and start the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 to rapidly cool the optical assembly at a first refrigeration power.

[0083] If it is determined that the difference between the feedback temperature of the optical assembly and the target temperature is less than a preset temperature threshold, the ground throttling refrigeration module 101 is shut down, and the refrigeration fluid circuit is disconnected through the quick connection device 102.

[0084]

[0085] ​​Then, the on-board refrigerator module 2 can be controlled to perform accurate temperature maintenance on the optical assembly at a second refrigeration power; the second refrigeration power is less than the first refrigeration power. The on-board refrigerator module can be started after receiving the rapid refrigeration instruction, for example, simultaneously with the ground throttle refrigerator module 101, or later than the ground throttle refrigerator module 101, or after the ground throttle refrigerator module 101 is stopped.

[0086] When the system works in the uplink transmission phase, the on-board refrigerator module 2 can be controlled to continuously perform the temperature maintenance task.

[0087] In some embodiments, the rapid cooling of the optical assembly can be that the mass flow rate of the throttling working medium is dynamically adjusted according to the feedback temperature of the optical assembly, so that the temperature of the optical assembly is reduced from the ambient temperature to the target temperature within a preset time. The target temperature is lower than the ambient temperature.

[0088] In the application scenario of the embodiments of the present application, the throttle refrigerator is configured to have an unlimited storage life without maintenance and is instantly available without preparation in all cases. In an example, a bottled J-T (Throttle refrigerator, Joule-Thomson) refrigerator that meets the above requirements can be selected as the throttle refrigerator in the embodiments of the present application.

[0089] The refrigeration principle of the bottled J-T refrigerator is that high-pressure gas is expanded to low pressure through a throttle valve or the like, so that the temperature of the fluid is reduced, and a refrigeration effect is generated. The temperature change generated by throttling within a certain pressure drop range is called differential throttling effect. The absolute value of the integral throttling effect will gradually increase with the decrease of the initial temperature of the throttling when the temperature of the working medium before throttling is reduced at the same pressure drop. Therefore, using the low-pressure cold gas after throttling to cool the high-pressure gas before throttling through a heat exchanger will cause the increase of the throttling effect, thereby generating more refrigeration capacity.

[0090] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the principle of the bottled open J-T refrigerator used in the embodiments of the present application. As shown in Figure 3 , wherein 11 is a high-pressure gas source; 12 is a pressure regulating valve; 103 is a partition type counterflow regenerative heat exchanger; 104 is an adjustable throttle nozzle; 105 is a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger; 601 is a first gas conveying pipe, 602 is a second gas conveying pipe, 603 is a third gas conveying pipe, 604 is a fourth gas conveying pipe, 605 is a fifth gas conveying pipe, and 606 is a sixth gas conveying pipe; 17 is an exhaust port.

[0091] The open-bottle J-T refrigerator can use high-pressure nitrogen or argon as the refrigerant. After the high-pressure refrigerant gas passes through the counter-flow heat regenerator 103, it is throttled and expanded through the adjustable throttle nozzle 104 to produce cooling. The throttled and cooled refrigerant gas is then absorbed by the low-temperature vacuum Dewar heat exchanger 105, and then enters the outer wall space of the counter-flow heat regenerator 103 through the fifth gas pipe 605, exchanges heat with the high-temperature high-pressure gas in the heat exchange tube, and is then discharged from the exhaust port 17.

[0092] In some embodiments, in order to quickly establish the throttling refrigeration module 1 when rapid throttling refrigeration is needed, and to quickly stop the throttling refrigeration module 1 after the cooling is completed, a quick connector is used as the quick connection device 102 to quickly connect and disconnect the high-pressure gas cylinder and the throttling device on the launch cabin.

[0093] The quick connector is a connector that can quickly connect or disconnect pipelines without tools, and is widely used in the fields of pneumatics, hydraulics, water heating, gas transportation, etc. Its core advantages are to simplify the operation process, improve the connection efficiency, and ensure good sealing. The structure of the quick connector usually includes a plug (male head) and a socket (female head), and the core components include a sleeve (locking sleeve), a jaw (or steel ball), a sealing ring (O-ring, lip ring, etc.), and a guide sleeve. In the application scenario of the present application, a gas quick connector is used, the connection mode is straight-through, and the connector must be able to withstand ultra-high pressure, be able to operate quickly, have good sealing, have a standardized connector, have high reliability for repeated operation, and have high safety, etc.

[0094] In some embodiments of the present application, the refrigerator 201 can include one or more small-sized low-temperature refrigerators. The low-temperature refrigerator can be a Stirling refrigerator, a pulse tube refrigerator, or a Stirling and pulse tube coupled refrigerator.

[0095] In some embodiments of the present application, the low-temperature vacuum Dewar measurement data transmission line 204, the control box 205 and the refrigerator control line 206 are used to adjust the refrigerator power, so as to realize different refrigeration outputs of the refrigerator at different stages. According to the "different stages" (such as the start-up stage, the stable cooling stage, the constant temperature maintenance stage, etc.) of the system operation, the target refrigeration amount (or target temperature) of each stage is preset, and by monitoring the cold head temperature and other parameters in real time, the input power (such as voltage, current or frequency) of the refrigerator is dynamically adjusted to ensure that the refrigeration amount is output as needed. A phased target setting + PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) closed-loop regulation scheme can be used, the target temperature of each stage is preset by the control box 205, the power is adjusted by the refrigerator control line 206, and the real-time temperature feedback by the measurement data transmission line 204 is combined to dynamically correct the output, so as to realize accurate switching of the refrigeration amount.

[0096] In some real-time modes of the present application, the core target of the cold chain 203 from the cold head to the cooled object is to efficiently transfer cold energy, while considering the requirements of the vacuum environment of the system, space limitation, vibration isolation (in some scenarios) and low-temperature compatibility. Common cold chain types include rigid solid heat transfer (such as red copper, oxygen-free copper strip, etc.), flexible heat transfer (such as flexible copper strip, graphene strip, etc.) and the like. The thermal resistance needs to be calculated in combination with the cold energy demand (such as the heat capacity of the cooled object), distance, vibration sensitivity and other parameters to realize efficient and stable cold energy transfer.

[0097] All the optional technical solutions described above can be combined to form optional embodiments of the present application, which will not be described one by one here.

[0098] It should be understood that the size of the serial number of each step in the above embodiments does not mean the order of execution, and the execution order of each process should be determined according to its function and inherent logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0099] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the convenience and brevity of description, only the division of the above functional units and modules is exemplified, and in actual application, the above functions can be completed by different functional units and modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device is divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. Each functional unit and module in the embodiments can be integrated in one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically, or two or more units can be integrated in one unit. The above integrated unit can be realized in the form of hardware or software functional unit.

[0100] The integrated modules / units, if implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, all or part of the processes in the above-mentioned embodiment methods can also be completed by a computer program instructing related hardware, and the computer program can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The computer program can be executed by a processor to implement the steps of the above-mentioned various method embodiments. The computer program can include computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or some intermediate forms. The computer readable medium can include any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code, recording medium, U disk, mobile hard disk, magnetic disk, optical disk, computer memory, read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), electric carrier wave signal, telecommunication signal, and software distribution medium, etc.

[0101] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, but not limit them; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for part of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A hybrid cooling system for space cryogenic optical components, characterized in that, include: Throttling refrigeration module (1) is used to provide a large amount of cooling capacity for rapid cooling in the initial stage; The onboard refrigeration module (2), integrated on the spacecraft payload bay, is used to provide precise temperature maintenance during the continuous phase; the quick-connect device (102) is used to establish or disconnect the fluid connection between the ground throttling refrigeration module (101) and the refrigeration circuit located in the spacecraft payload bay (6) before the spacecraft launch. The throttling refrigeration module (1) includes a ground throttling refrigeration module (101), a quick connection device (102), a wall-mounted counter-current heat exchanger (103), an adjustable throttling nozzle (104), and a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger (105). The system is configured to operate sequentially in a rapid cooling phase, a stable temperature control phase, and a transmission uplink phase. During the rapid cooling phase, the system is configured to connect the circuit via the quick-connect device (102), and the throttling cooling module (1) serves as the main cold source to cool the optical components. During the stable temperature control phase, the system is configured to disconnect the quick-connect device (102) and use the onboard refrigeration module (2) as the sole cold source to maintain the temperature of the optical components; During the launch uplink phase, the system is configured to continue to maintain the cryogenic state of the optical components by the onboard refrigeration module (2) during spacecraft launch and on-orbit operation.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ground-based throttling cooling module (101) is a movable module used to provide the throttling cooler with a throttling working fluid that meets the preset conditions within a preset time, and to recover the throttled working fluid and discharge it to a safe location. The preset conditions include satisfying preset pressure conditions, satisfying preset flow conditions, and satisfying preset cleanliness conditions.

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustable throttling nozzle (104) is configured to dynamically adjust the mass flow rate of the throttling working fluid based on the feedback temperature of the optical component.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The onboard refrigeration module (2) includes a refrigeration unit (201), a cold head (202), a cold chain (203), and a control box (205), wherein the control box (205) is configured to dynamically adjust the refrigeration power of the refrigeration unit (201) based on the feedback temperature of the optical components or the cold head (202).

5. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system is also configured to: During the rapid cooling phase, the onboard refrigeration module (2) is activated and provides auxiliary cooling.

6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a cryogenic vacuum Dewar module (3) for housing the optical components and providing a thermally insulated environment.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The low-temperature vacuum Dewar module (3) includes a throttling inlet and outlet pipe seal (301) and a refrigerator cold head seal (302). The throttling inlet / outlet pipe seal (301) is used to seal the throttling working medium and maintain the high vacuum level of the vacuum dewar when the throttling working medium is input or output to the cryogenic vacuum dewar. The refrigeration unit cold head seal (302) is used to allow the cold head (202) to extend into the vacuum Dewar to ensure the sealing of the vacuum Dewar.

8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The low-temperature vacuum Dewar module (3) also integrates a low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger (105), and the cold energy released by the ground throttling cooling module (101) is transferred to the optical component through the low-temperature vacuum Dewar internal heat exchanger (105).

9. A hybrid cooling method for space cryogenic optical components, said method being performed by the system according to any one of claims 1 to 8; characterized in that, The method includes: In response to receiving a rapid cooling command, the ground throttling cooling module (101) is connected to the cooling fluid circuit inside the spacecraft payload compartment (6) via the rapid connection device (102); The ground-based throttling cooling module (101) is activated to rapidly cool the optical components with a first cooling power; In response to determining that the difference between the feedback temperature of the optical component and the target temperature is less than a preset temperature threshold, the ground throttling cooling module (101) is shut down, and the cooling fluid circuit is disconnected through the quick connection device (102); The onboard refrigeration module (2) is controlled to maintain the precise temperature of the optical components with a second refrigeration power; the second refrigeration power is less than the first refrigeration power. In response to determining that the system is operating in the uplink phase of the launch, the onboard refrigeration module (2) is controlled to continuously perform the temperature maintenance task.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of rapidly cooling the optical component involves dynamically adjusting the mass flow rate of the throttling working fluid based on the feedback temperature of the optical component, so that the temperature of the optical component drops from the ambient temperature to the target temperature within a preset time. The target temperature is lower than the ambient temperature.

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