Cryogenic Line Connection Assembly With Thermal Expansion Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connection assemblies for cryogenic fluid lines, such as those used in aircraft systems, are bulky and require significant space for assembly and disassembly, making them impractical for installation in restricted spaces, and they necessitate a long insertion length of male nozzles into female nozzles, which complicates disassembly operations.
Innovation Solution
A connection assembly with a male nozzle made of a low-expansion material (invar) and a female nozzle made of a higher expansion material (stainless steel), featuring a reduced maximum insertion distance, additional thermal insulation chambers, and an expansion chamber linked to a housing for a presence sensor, allowing for flexible and compact connections between line portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional connection assembly with long insertion length is used, then a tight seal is achieved, but the assembly requires significant space and becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using invar (low thermal expansion coefficient) for the male connector and stainless steel (higher thermal expansion coefficient) for the female connector. This parameter change allows the female connector to contract onto the male connector when cryogenic fluid flows through, achieving a tight seal with significantly reduced insertion length
Solution Approach 2:
The patent directly applies thermal expansion principles by selecting materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion. The male connector uses invar with very low expansion, while the female connector uses stainless steel with higher expansion. When cold cryogenic fluid passes through, the differential contraction creates the sealing force, eliminating the need for long insertion lengths required by conventional rigid connectors
2Strength
If a long insertion length is used for the male nozzle, then a tight mechanical link is formed, but disassembly operations become complicated and require more space
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal expansion principle enables the male and female connectors to form a tight mechanical link through differential contraction in the cryogenic environment. The invar male connector contracts minimally while the stainless steel female connector contracts more, creating a tight fit without requiring long insertion. This same mechanism allows for easier disassembly by reversing the thermal contraction process or applying controlled thermal expansion to separate the connectors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material strategy by combining two different materials (invar and stainless steel) with complementary properties in the same connection assembly. The invar provides dimensional stability and low contraction, while the stainless steel provides higher contraction for sealing. This material combination achieves both tight mechanical linkage and operational ease
3Temperature
If conventional thermal insulation chambers are used, then thermal insulation is provided, but additional insulation at the connection point is needed to prevent ice formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the thermal insulation system into three distinct chambers: a first thermal insulation chamber for the male connector, a second thermal insulation chamber for the female connector, and an additional thermal insulation chamber specifically for the connection point between them. This segmentation allows targeted insulation where needed (at the connection point) without unnecessarily complicating the entire insulation structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing additional thermal insulation specifically at the connection point between male and female connectors, where ice formation is most likely to occur. The additional insulation chamber is positioned precisely where the thermal bridge between connectors creates the highest risk of ice accumulation, rather than uniformly insulating the entire assembly
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 provides a more flexible and compact connection assembly that can be easily assembled and disassembled without requiring extensive space, while ensuring a tight seal and enabling immediate detection of leaks through integrated sensors, enhancing the practicality of cryogenic fluid distribution systems, especially in aircraft applications.
Implementation Method 1
at least one additional thermal insulation chamber that is separate from each of the first and second thermal insulation chambers and that extends between the first and second thermal insulation chambers
Implementation Method 2
The seal is achieved simply by using a very-low-expansion material (coefficient of expansion) for the male connector and a material with significantly greater expansion for the female connector so that, when a cryogenic fluid flows through the line, the female connector contracts onto the male connector
Data Source
AI summary
A connection assembly between two portions of a supply line for a cryogenic fluid, the assembly including a male nozzle arranged to be at least partially inserted into a female nozzle together forming a tight mechanical link, over a distance of a few centimeters, a thermal insulation chamber for each of the two line portions and an additional thermal insulation chamber to thermally insulate the connection zone of the two line portions, and an expansion chamber for the cryogenic fluid that is configured to be linked to a cryogenic fluid sensor, arranged about the connection zone of the two line portions. This enables two cryogenic fluid line portions to be connected without requiring one portion to be inserted into the other portion over a significant length, thereby enhancing mechanical flexibility and obviating the need for significant free space about the connection assembly to assemble and disassemble the assembly.