Cryogenic Cooling Blanket With Nozzles for Large Workpieces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cryogenically cooling workpieces, such as submersion in cryogenic liquid baths or use of spray guns, require significant space, complex handling, and prolonged cooling times, especially for large or heavy workpieces, due to their large footprint and the need for continuous movement of equipment.
Innovation Solution
A portable blanket system with nozzles for spraying liquid cryogen directly onto the workpiece, which can be made of pliable or rigid materials to conform to the workpiece's shape, reducing the need for large cryogenic liquid baths and enabling efficient cooling of irregularly shaped items without the need for extensive equipment or space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a bath of cryogenic liquid is used to submerge the workpiece, then the workpiece can be fully cooled, but the footprint and space consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cryogenic liquid from the large bath environment and delivers it directly to the workpiece through a portable blanket system with nozzles. This eliminates the need for a large submersion bath while maintaining cooling effectiveness, directly resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses hydraulic principles to pump and deliver cryogenic liquid through tubes and nozzles embedded in the blanket. This allows precise delivery of cooling liquid directly to the workpiece surface without requiring a large bath, reducing footprint while maintaining cooling effectiveness.
2Area of stationary object
If a spray gun is used to spray liquid cryogen, then the equipment weight increases due to the canister, but the footprint is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the cryogenic delivery function into a separate portable blanket unit with integrated nozzles, distinct from the cryogenic liquid storage. This allows the blanket to be lightweight and portable while the heavy canister remains stationary, resolving the contradiction between footprint reduction and equipment weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket acts as an intermediary between the stationary canister and the workpiece. It receives cryogenic liquid through flexible tubes and delivers it via nozzles, allowing the heavy canister to remain stationary while the lightweight blanket moves to different workpieces, reducing both footprint and moving equipment weight.
3Area of stationary object
If a spray gun is used to cool a larger portion of the workpiece, then the coverage area increases, but the cooling time increases due to continuous movement requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple nozzles into a single blanket unit that can cover large areas. By combining the cooling function across multiple nozzle locations in one stationary or semi-stationary blanket, the system achieves wide coverage without requiring continuous movement, reducing cooling time while maintaining large coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The blanket is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing it to conform to different workpiece shapes and sizes. This dynamic adaptability enables the blanket to maintain optimal positioning and coverage for various workpieces without requiring continuous movement, reducing cooling time while achieving comprehensive coverage.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the blanket is made to conform to irregular workpiece contours, then the adaptability increases, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blanket is constructed from flexible materials that can be molded into various shapes and contours. This flexibility allows the blanket to adapt to irregular workpiece geometries without requiring complex rigid structures, maintaining ease of manufacture while achieving high adaptability to different workpiece contours.
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 blanket system allows for efficient, space-saving cryogenic cooling of workpieces by delivering liquid cryogen directly to the surface via nozzles, reducing cooling time and eliminating the need for large cryogenic liquid baths, thus minimizing space requirements and facilitating the cooling of variously shaped workpieces.
Implementation Method 1
one or more sources of a liquid cryogen positioned relative to the blanket such that the liquid cryogen is gravity fed to the nozzles
Implementation Method 2
one or more sources of a liquid cryogen positioned relative to the blanket such that the liquid cryogen is gravity fed to the nozzles
Data Source
AI summary
A blanket for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece is provided. The blanket includes a body having an interior surface configured to face the workpiece. The blanket also includes a plurality of nozzles located on the interior surface of the body. The blanket further includes one or more tubes configured to deliver cryogenic liquid to the plurality of nozzles for spraying upon at least a portion of the workpiece. A method and system for cryogenically cooling at least a portion of a workpiece utilizing a blanket are also provided.