Cryogenic Emergency Coupler Structure for Heat Leak Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency detachment mechanisms for fluid handling devices, particularly those handling liquid hydrogen, suffer from poor heat insulation, leading to evaporation of liquid hydrogen and liquefaction of oxygen, which poses safety risks due to the accumulation of flammable liquid oxygen.
Innovation Solution
The emergency detachment mechanism features a pair of couplers with a vacuum double-wall structure and emergency shutoff valves, where the connecting flange part has a reduced wall thickness to minimize heat conduction between internal and external tube parts, and the valve body distal end parts are made of low-heat-conductive materials to reduce temperature increases and decreases, thereby minimizing evaporation and liquefaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a vacuum double-wall structure is used in couplers, then heat insulation performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a vacuum double-wall structure where an internal tube is nested within an external tube, creating a vacuum insulation layer between them. This nesting arrangement provides excellent heat insulation while maintaining a compact coupler design, resolving the contradiction between improved temperature performance and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin-walled tube structures for both internal and external tubes, optimized for minimal heat conduction. The thin-film approach provides effective thermal insulation while avoiding excessive structural complexity, allowing the coupler to maintain temperature stability without becoming overly complex.
2Reliability
If emergency shutoff valves are exposed during detachment, then emergency response capability is improved, but oxygen liquefaction risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces low-heat-conductive materials as intermediary substances between the valve body and the external environment. These materials act as thermal barriers that protect the valve body from rapid heat transfer during detachment, preventing oxygen liquefaction while allowing the valve to remain exposed for emergency operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a thermally isolated environment around exposed valve components by using low-heat-conductive materials. This thermal isolation effectively creates an 'inert thermal environment' that prevents harmful heat transfer to surrounding oxygen, eliminating the liquefaction risk while maintaining emergency response capability.
3Temperature
If wall thickness of connecting flange is reduced, then heat conduction is minimized, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material structures in the connecting flange, combining materials with different thermal and mechanical properties. This allows the flange to have reduced wall thickness for minimal heat conduction while compensating for strength loss through composite construction, resolving the contradiction between heat insulation and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different wall thicknesses and material properties to different regions of the connecting flange. Critical areas for strength receive enhanced structural support, while other areas maintain thin walls for heat insulation, optimizing both strength and thermal performance locally throughout the flange 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 achieves exceptional heat insulation performance, reducing fluid evaporation and oxygen liquefaction, enhancing safety by minimizing heat transfer and preventing the accumulation of flammable liquid oxygen.
Implementation Method 1
an internal tube part 2 in which a fluid passes through an interior and which opens at a distal end side, an external tube part 3 which forms a vacuum layer 9 with the internal tube part 2
Implementation Method 2
a connecting flange part 4 that closes off a space between the internal tube part 2 and the external tube part 3, a wall thickness of the connecting flange part 4 being less than a wall thickness of the external tube part 3
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
To provide an emergency detachment mechanism for a fluid handling device that has exceptional heat insulation performance and enables liquid hydrogen or another very-low-temperature fluid to be handled. An emergency detachment mechanism for a fluid handling device provided with a pair of couplers 1, wherein each of the pair of couplers 1 has a coupler body part 5 including an internal tube part 2 in which a fluid passes through an interior and which opens at a distal end side, an external tube part 3 which forms a vacuum layer 9 with the internal tube part 2 and which opens at a distal end side, and a connecting flange part 4 that closes off a space between the internal tube part 2 and the external tube part 3, a wall thickness of the connecting flange part 4 being less than a wall thickness of the external tube part 3.