Cryo-cooled Electrical Conduction Network with Isolated Enclosures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for superconducting electrical equipment networks are large, heavy, and inefficient due to the need for individual cooling systems and numerous temperature transitions, which can lead to reliability issues and increased resistive heating, especially when faults occur or maintenance is required.
Innovation Solution
A cooled electrical conduction network with integrated electrical and coolant networks, where each section is housed in a sealed enclosure with a thermal interface and intermediate enclosures that can be isolated, using a coolant network to maintain low temperatures and minimize thermal transitions, and incorporating pressure regulation and redundancy to ensure robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual cooling systems are integrated with each piece of superconducting electrical equipment, then thermal isolation of individual systems is achieved, but the network becomes large and heavy due to numerous thermal transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual cooling systems into a single shared cooling system that serves multiple superconducting electrical equipment pieces. The cooling system includes a common coolant circulation loop with coolant distributors that branch to multiple equipment pieces, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems at each location and reducing the number of thermal transitions required.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared cooling system is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously - it cools multiple different pieces of superconducting electrical equipment through a single integrated coolant circulation system. The coolant distributors can selectively direct coolant to different equipment pieces, providing universal cooling capability across the network.
2Reliability
If uncooled intermediate electrical connectors are used between superconducting systems, then thermal isolation is achieved, but resistive heating increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cooled intermediate electrical connectors as mediators between superconducting systems. These connectors are equipped with coolant distribution mechanisms that maintain them at cryogenic temperatures, allowing electrical connection while preventing excessive resistive heating. The intermediaries act as thermal bridges that enable electrical connectivity without compromising thermal isolation of the superconducting components.
3Ease of repair
If each superconducting system has its own cooling system, then individual maintenance is possible, but the network complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shared cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling zones, each served by separate coolant distributors and control mechanisms. This segmentation allows individual maintenance of specific equipment pieces by isolating and servicing only the relevant coolant distributor branch, while other branches continue operating. The modular segment structure reduces overall network complexity compared to fully independent systems.
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
The solution reduces the network's size and weight, enhances reliability by minimizing thermal transitions and resistive heating, and allows for efficient isolation and maintenance of individual sections without affecting the rest of the network, thereby improving the overall robustness and efficiency of the electrical network.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling network for reducing the temperature of each section below ambient
Implementation Method 2
the electrical equipment and a corresponding portion of the cooling network of each section is housed in a section enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
This invention concerns a cryo-cooled electrical conduction network. The conduction network has an electrical network divided into two or more conductive sections, each section comprising electrical equipment (24, 28). The conductive network also has a coolant network for maintaining the temperature of a coolant in each section. The electrical equipment (24, 28) and a corresponding portion of the coolant network of each section is housed in a section enclosure (10, 12, 14). The coolant network includes a coolant interface (40) located between each section, wherein the coolant interface (40) is housed in an intermediate enclosure (16, 18, 20, 22) that is isolatable from the section enclosures (10, 12, 14) in the electrical conduction network.