Cryogenic Link Sleeve Structure for Thermal Expansion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cryogenic links experience significant expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, which can lead to wear and potential failure, particularly when using superconducting materials, necessitating innovative design solutions to maintain structural integrity and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic link design incorporating a flexible sleeve and spacing means to maintain separation between the core and sleeve, allowing for expansion and contraction while being fixed at multiple points, with a length exceeding the distance between those points, and arranged in bends to accommodate thermal changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the cryogenic link is fixed rigidly at multiple points, then structural stability is improved, but wear and potential failure occur due to expansion and contraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sleeve surrounding the core that can accommodate thermal expansion and contraction. The sleeve is fixed at multiple points to provide structural stability while its flexible nature allows it to expand and contract with the core, preventing wear and failure that would occur with rigid fixation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the length of the cryogenic link between fixed points is greater than the distance between those points, then flexibility to accommodate thermal changes is improved, but the risk of buckling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates bends in the cryogenic link between fixed points, creating a curved rather than straight configuration. This curvature allows the link to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction more effectively while distributing mechanical stresses, thereby reducing the risk of buckling compared to a straight configuration with the same length-to-distance ratio.
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 design reduces wear and maintains operational integrity by allowing the cryogenic link to expand and contract without buckling, ensuring efficient current transfer and flexibility across varying temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a cryostat configured to maintain a temperature of the core at a cryogenic temperature
Implementation Method 2
Cryogenic links may contract when their temperature is reduced to cryogenic temperature and may expand when their temperature is increased above the cryogenic temperature
Implementation Method 3
Cryogenic links may contract when their temperature is reduced to cryogenic temperature and may expand when their temperature is increased above the cryogenic temperature
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a cryogenic link and a method of installing a cryogenic link. The cryogenic link comprises: a core and a cryostat. The cryostat comprises a flexible sleeve around the core and is configured to maintain a temperature of the core at a cryogenic temperature. The cryostat further comprises spacing means configured to maintain a spacing between the core and the flexible sleeve during expansion and contraction of the core. The flexible sleeve is suitable for fixing to an external structure at a plurality of fixed points, where each of the plurality of fixed points is separated by a distance, and a length of the cryogenic link between at least one pair of fixed points is greater than the distance between that pair of fixed points.