Cryogenic Conduit Connector With Bellows for Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cryogenic lines and connecting pieces for vehicles must withstand extreme temperatures and mechanical vibrations, which existing vacuum-insulated designs struggle to accommodate effectively, leading to insulation breaches and mechanical stress.
Innovation Solution
A connecting piece for cryogenic lines featuring an inner and outer coaxial structure with a ring connection and a bellows section, allowing for relative movement and load distribution, creating a vacuum-insulated double-wall structure that compensates for vibrations and twists, while maintaining thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a vacuum-insulated double-walled construction is used for cryogenic lines, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but the ability to withstand vibrations and torsions of the vehicle chassis deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection piece is divided into an inner piece and an outer piece, with the inner piece connected to the cryogenic line and the outer piece connected to the pipe. This segmentation allows the inner and outer pieces to move independently, accommodating vibrations and torsions while maintaining vacuum insulation between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring structure is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically adjust to relative movements between the inner and outer pieces caused by vehicle vibrations and chassis torsions, thereby maintaining both insulation and mechanical reliability.
2Strength
If the inner and outer pieces are rigidly connected, then structural strength is improved, but the ability to compensate for movements and misalignments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ring structure incorporates flexibility to allow relative movement between the inner and outer pieces while maintaining their structural integrity. This dynamic design enables the connection to withstand vibrations without compromising strength or alignment compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring structure acts as a flexible element that can deform to accommodate misalignments and movements between the inner and outer pieces, providing both mechanical strength and adaptability to position changes.
3Loss of energy
If the annular space between inner and outer nozzles is sealed separately, then insulation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it connects the inner and outer pieces, provides flexibility for movement compensation, and seals the annular space to maintain vacuum insulation. This merging of functions improves insulation efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ring structure is designed as a multi-functional component that performs mechanical connection, movement compensation, and thermal insulation sealing, thereby achieving high insulation efficiency while minimizing the increase in device complexity through functional integration.
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
Ensures continuous vacuum thermal insulation and mechanical integrity by allowing the connecting piece to follow vehicle movements, reducing mechanical stress on the inner connector and maintaining insulation efficiency across varying conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The bellows section compensates for any movements or misalignments between the inner and outer nozzles that can occur when connecting the respective connection nozzle to the respective component.
Implementation Method 2
a cryogenic line which is guided through an evacuable pipe with circumferential clearance for the purpose of vacuum insulation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A connection fitting (2, 3) for a cryogenic conduit (5), which is guided through an evacuable tube (6) with circumferential clearance for vacuum insulation, is characterized in that the connection fitting (2, 3) has an inner fitting (19) and an outer fitting (20) surrounding it at a distance approximately coaxially, wherein the inner fitting (19) can be connected to the cryogenic conduit end (7, 8) and the outer fitting (20) to the tube end (9, 10), wherein the inner and outer fittings (19, 20) are connected to each other via a ring structure (21), and wherein the ring structure (21) contains a bellows section (35).