Compressor system for cryocooler and auxiliary cooling device
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing compressor systems for cryocoolers face reliability issues due to the risk of fan sticking in low-frequency operation, which affects the redundancy of cooling systems and increases manufacturing costs due to the larger size and complexity introduced by air-cooled aftercoolers.
Innovation Solution
A compressor system incorporating a liquid-cooled heat exchanger and a backup chiller outside the compressor unit, which circulates cooling liquid through the heat exchanger, providing redundancy and reducing the need for an air-cooled aftercooler, thus minimizing the risk of fan sticking and simplifying the compressor design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an air-cooled aftercooler is built in to provide redundancy, then cooling backup is improved, but the compressor size becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-cooled aftercooler heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it cools the compressed gas during normal operation and can be integrated with the backup chiller system to provide redundancy. By making the cooling system multi-functional, the invention eliminates the need for separate air-cooled aftercooler units, thereby reducing overall compressor size while maintaining backup capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the aftercooler function with the backup chiller system by using the same liquid-cooled heat exchanger infrastructure. The cooling water circulation system serves both the primary cooling function and the backup function, consolidating what would otherwise require separate physical units into a single integrated system.
2Reliability
If an air-cooled aftercooler is built in to provide redundancy, then cooling backup is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the air-cooled aftercooler with a liquid-cooled system, the invention eliminates complex mechanical components such as cooling fans, motors, and associated mounting structures. This simplification reduces manufacturing complexity and material costs while maintaining the essential cooling backup function through the liquid circulation system integrated with the backup chiller.
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 enhances the reliability and reduces manufacturing costs by providing effective redundancy in cooling systems, stabilizing the operation of the compressor unit and cryocooler, while avoiding the issues associated with air-cooled aftercoolers.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid-cooled heat exchanger cooling, through heat exchange with a cooling liquid, at least one of the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor main body and an oil lubricating the compressor main body
Implementation Method 2
a cooler cooling the cooling liquid on an inlet side or an outlet side of the circulation pump
Data Source
AI summary
A compressor system for a cryocooler includes a compressor unit that includes a compressor main body compressing a refrigerant gas of the cryocooler and a liquid-cooled heat exchanger cooling, through heat exchange with a cooling liquid, at least one of the refrigerant gas compressed by the compressor main body and an oil lubricating the compressor main body, a supply line through which the cooling liquid is supplied from a main chiller to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger, a collecting line through which the cooling liquid is collected from the liquid-cooled heat exchanger to the main chiller, and a backup chiller that is provided outside the compressor unit, circulates the cooling liquid to the liquid-cooled heat exchanger in place of or together with the main chiller, and includes a circulation pump and a cooler cooling the cooling liquid on an inlet side or outlet side of the pump.