Cryogenic Housing Inert Gas Isolation Without Vacuum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cryogenic systems for aircraft components face challenges with condensation and ice formation, requiring expensive vacuum systems and additional safety measures, which are heavy, sensitive to leakage, and necessitate component testing for vacuum compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic system using an inert gas to create a chemically inert and thermally isolated environment within a housing, eliminating the need for vacuum by injecting and regulating inert fluids, such as noble gases or nitrogen, to prevent condensation and ice formation, while maintaining efficient cooling of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum is used in the cryostat housing to prevent condensation and ice formation, then condensation and ice formation are avoided, but the system becomes heavy, expensive, and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by filling the cryostat housing with inert gas (nitrogen or noble gases) instead of using vacuum. This prevents condensation and ice formation on the housing exterior while avoiding the weight and complexity of vacuum systems. The inert gas creates a protective environment that eliminates harmful condensation effects without requiring heavy vacuum equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful element (water vapor that causes condensation) by replacing air with inert gas in the cryostat housing. By removing the reactive components of air and substituting them with inert gas, the system eliminates condensation formation while maintaining atmospheric pressure, thereby avoiding vacuum system requirements and associated weight.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum is used in the cryostat housing, then condensation and ice formation are prevented, but additional safety devices and leakage detection systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
By using inert gas at atmospheric pressure instead of vacuum, the patent eliminates the need for complex safety devices and leakage detection systems. The inert atmosphere inherently prevents condensation without creating the safety risks associated with vacuum systems, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining protection against harmful effects.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum is used in the cryostat housing, then condensation and ice formation are prevented, but component testing for vacuum compatibility is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies manufacturing by using inert gas atmosphere instead of vacuum, which eliminates the need for vacuum compatibility testing of components. Components can be directly installed in the cryostat housing without specialized vacuum sealing tests, thereby improving ease of manufacture while still preventing condensation and ice formation.
4Weight of stationary object
If inert gas is used instead of vacuum, then vacuum equipment is eliminated and weight is reduced, but pressure control mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using the natural properties of inert gas to maintain atmospheric pressure within the cryostat housing. The system leverages the inherent stability of inert gas at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for active pressure control mechanisms while still achieving the goal of preventing condensation. This reduces both weight and complexity compared to vacuum systems.
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 system effectively reduces condensation and ice formation, eliminates the need for vacuum equipment, and provides a lightweight, cost-effective solution for cooling aircraft components by maintaining an inert gas environment, ensuring efficient thermal isolation and component protection.
Implementation Method 1
Vacuum is usually used in the cryostat housing to avoid such phenomena. The use of vacuum provides a chemically inert environment in the cryostat housing and a thermal insulation between the components to be cooled and the environment outside the cryostat housing.
Implementation Method 2
a second opening connected to a relief valve configured to release gas from the housing only when the pressure inside the housing exceeds a second predefined pressure value
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4B
Figure 5~6B
AI summary
A cryogenic system (2) intended to cool down components and comprising a housing (210) and a thermal coupling system able to thermally connect a cryogenic fluid tank and the housing (210), the housing (210) being airtight and being arranged to contain at least one component (C), the cryogenic system (2) comprises: an inert fluid tank (20), the inert fluid consisting of at least one of the inert gas or nitrogen; a first opening (21) connected to the inert fluid tank (20); a second opening (22) connected to a relief valve (25) configured to release gas from the housing (210) when the pressure inside the housing exceeds a predefined pressure value; a third opening (23) connected to an exhaust line (203), and a shut-off valve (24) disposed on the exhaust line (203). The component is thus thermally and chemically isolated from the outside of the housing without using vacuum.