Cryocooler with heat transfer blocks having fins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cryocoolers face challenges in achieving efficient cooling performance due to thermal resistance issues between the refrigerant pipe and the cooling stage, often resulting from bonding failures, which hinder effective refrigerant cooling.
Innovation Solution
The cryocooler design incorporates a refrigerant path with a meandering flow formed by first and second heat transfer blocks, featuring fins and transverse paths that guide the refrigerant stream to enhance heat exchange efficiency, thereby improving thermal contact and reducing thermal resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a refrigerant pipe is bonded to the cooling stage, then refrigerant cooling is achieved, but thermal resistance increases due to bonding failures and poor thermal contact
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerant path is integrated directly into the cooling stage structure, merging the refrigerant channel with the heat transfer block. This eliminates the need for separate bonding of refrigerant pipes to the cooling stage, thereby removing the thermal resistance introduced by bonding failures and ensuring reliable thermal contact throughout the refrigerant flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer block with fins acts as an intermediary structure that provides both the refrigerant flow path and the heat exchange surface. The fins extend into the refrigerant path, creating multiple contact points for efficient heat transfer without requiring external pipe bonding, thus resolving the thermal contact reliability issue.
2Productivity
If fins are added to heat transfer blocks, then heat exchange efficiency increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer block with fins serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the structural framework for the cooling stage, creates the refrigerant flow path through its internal geometry, and provides extended heat exchange surfaces through the fins. This multi-functionality increases heat exchange efficiency without proportionally increasing device complexity, as one component performs multiple roles.
Solution Approach 2:
The fins extend in a direction perpendicular to the main heat transfer surface, adding a dimensional element that significantly increases the heat exchange area without substantially increasing the overall volume or complexity of the heat transfer block. This dimensional extension provides efficient heat transfer while maintaining a compact structure.
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 increases the contact area between the refrigerant and heat exchange surfaces, leading to improved heat exchange efficiency and reliable thermal contact, enhancing the overall cooling performance of the cryocooler.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant flows from the refrigerant supply port to the refrigerant discharge port along the first heat exchange surface and the second heat exchange surface
Implementation Method 2
The first heat exchange surface is provided with a first base surface and at least one first fin extending from the first base surface, the first fin being provided with a first fin tip end
Data Source
AI summary
A cryocooler includes an expansion chamber, a cooling stage thermally coupled to the expansion chamber, the cooling stage including a first heat transfer block provided with a surface exposed to the expansion chamber and a first heat exchange surface disposed outside the expansion chamber and a second heat transfer block provided with a second heat exchange surface facing the first heat exchange surface, a refrigerant supply port installed in the cooling stage outside the expansion chamber, a refrigerant discharge port installed in the cooling stage outside the expansion chamber, and a refrigerant path fluidically separated from the expansion chamber, the refrigerant path being formed between the first heat transfer block and the second heat transfer block such that a refrigerant flows from the refrigerant supply port to the refrigerant discharge port along the first heat exchange surface and the second heat exchange surface.