Cooling apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for semi-cryogenic or cryogenic temperatures require large vacuum chambers, which are impractical for many applications, especially at higher cooling capacities, due to increased heat exchanger size and heat losses during coolant transport.
Innovation Solution
The cooling head is placed in a vacuum chamber connected by flexible lines to a counterflow heat exchanger located outside the vacuum chamber, with thermal insulation to minimize losses, allowing for a compact design and increased cooling capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the counterflow heat exchanger and cooling head are combined into a structural unit and arranged in a vacuum chamber, then the coolant transport losses are minimized, but the device requires a large vacuum chamber which increases the overall volume and reduces adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cooling system into two separate functional units: a counterflow heat exchanger unit and a cooling head unit. The heat exchanger is placed outside the vacuum chamber while the cooling head is inside, connected by insulated flexible lines. This segmentation allows the vacuum chamber to be small (only containing the cooling head) while still minimizing coolant transport losses through proper insulation of the connecting lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterflow heat exchanger is extracted from the vacuum chamber and placed outside. This extraction eliminates the need for a large vacuum chamber while maintaining efficient coolant transport through insulated flexible connecting lines between the external heat exchanger and the internal cooling head.
2Productivity
If the cooling capacity is increased, then the cooling performance is improved, but the heat exchanger size increases significantly making the device less economically viable
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into an external heat exchanger and an internal cooling head, the invention allows the heat exchanger to be optimized for high capacity outside the vacuum chamber, while only the compact cooling head needs to fit inside the vacuum chamber. This enables high cooling capacities (e.g., 200W at 140K) without requiring a proportionally large vacuum chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters by using flexible insulated connecting lines that allow the heat exchanger to operate at optimal conditions outside the vacuum chamber while delivering cooled coolant to the compact cooling head inside. This enables high cooling capacities without the heat exchanger volume directly translating to vacuum chamber volume.
3Device complexity
If flexible gas feed lines are used to transport coolant from room temperature to semi-cryogenic temperatures in the vacuum chamber, then insulation requirements are eliminated for the lines, but heat losses occur during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into an external heat exchanger where coolant is cooled, and an internal cooling head where the cooled coolant is utilized. The connecting lines between these segments are equipped with insulation to minimize heat losses during transport, while the vacuum chamber itself provides additional thermal isolation for the cooling head.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables a tenfold increase in cooling capacity with a thirtyfold reduction in volume, minimizing heat losses and maintaining operational efficiency, making it suitable for applications like heavy-duty laser amplifiers and scientific research.
Implementation Method 1
the compressed coolant can be liquefied in the feed line as the relieved coolant flowing through the return line is being heated
Implementation Method 2
a cooling head that is connected with the feed line and return line and has coolant flowing through it, in which the coolant evaporates
Implementation Method 3
the heat exchanger and connecting lines have been thermally insulated in a suitable manner
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling apparatus having a closed cooling circuit for cooling objects to semi-cryogenic or cryogenic temperatures includes a compressor to compress a gaseous coolant, and from which the coolant exits in a compressed gaseous state, an after-cooler connected downstream from the compressor, whereby the coolant exits largely in gaseous form, a counterflow heat exchanger having a feed line and return line arranged in such a way that the compressed coolant is liquefied in the feed line as the relieved coolant flowing through the return line is being heated. A cooling head that is connected with the feed line and return line. A coolant can flow through the cooling head whereby the coolant evaporates. The cooling head is arranged in a vacuum chamber, which can be joined with a low-pressure source, and is joined by flexible connecting lines with the feed line and return line of the counterflow heat exchanger.