Cryogenic refrigeration device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cryogenic refrigeration devices are complex and expensive to manufacture, requiring adjustments in size and geometry based on cooling specifications, and their fluidic and mechanical connections complicate manufacturing and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic refrigeration device with a modular design featuring a flange-supported cryogenic refrigerator that can be removably sealed within an enclosure, allowing for independent mounting, testing, and easy maintenance, along with thermally conductive plates forming temperature stages and passages for cable and equipment access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional dilution refrigerators are designed with custom geometry and size to meet cooling specifications, then cooling performance is optimized, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular components: a standardized cryogenic refrigerator unit that can be removed and replaced, and a custom enclosure that houses it. This segmentation allows the cooling unit to be manufactured using standard designs while the enclosure can be customized for specific applications, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining cooling performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized cryogenic refrigerator unit is designed to be universally applicable across different enclosure types and configurations. By creating a universal cooling module that can be adapted to various geometries and sizes, the system maintains optimized cooling performance without requiring custom manufacturing for each application.
2Reliability
If conventional dilution refrigerators include multiple fluidic and mechanical connections, then cooling functionality is achieved, but manufacturing and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerator unit is segmented as a self-contained module with pre-assembled fluidic and mechanical connections. This modular approach allows the complex connection system to be manufactured and tested independently as a standardized unit, simplifying both manufacturing and maintenance compared to custom-integrated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex fluidic and mechanical connection system is extracted and integrated into a standardized refrigerator module that can be removed as a single unit. This extraction allows the connection complexity to be managed within a standardized design rather than being distributed across custom-manufactured components.
3Temperature
If conventional cryogenic refrigerators are custom-designed for specific geometries, then cooling requirements are met, but adjustment and improvement flexibility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the standardized refrigerator module from the custom enclosure, the system allows independent modification of the enclosure geometry without affecting the cooling unit. This segmentation provides flexibility to adapt the device to different geometries and cooling requirements while maintaining the proven performance of the standardized module.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable and replaceable nature of the standardized refrigerator module creates a dynamic system where the cooling unit can be adjusted, upgraded, or replaced based on evolving requirements. This dynamic design enables flexibility in adapting to different geometries and improving performance over time without redesigning the entire system.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional dilution refrigerators have fixed geometry, then manufacturing is simplified, but maintenance accessibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The refrigerator unit is segmented as a removable module with standardized interfaces that simplify manufacturing. The removable design also provides easy access to the module for maintenance and repair operations, as the entire unit can be extracted from the enclosure without disassembling custom-fitted components.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerator module is extracted as a standalone unit that can be easily removed from the enclosure for maintenance. This extraction design maintains manufacturing simplicity through standardized components while dramatically improving maintenance accessibility compared to fixed, integrated designs.
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 design simplifies manufacturing and maintenance by enabling standardization of cryogenic refrigerators, facilitating adjustments and improvements in device geometry, and reducing complexity through modular components and improved access for cooling and thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
a set of thermally conductive plates arranged in the enclosure to form thermal stages cooled by the cryogenic refrigerator
Implementation Method 2
said flange bearing the cryogenic refrigerator being fastened sealingly and removably in relation to the rest of the cover
Implementation Method 3
a set of passages formed through the cover and plates enabling the sealed passage of cables and/or equipment into the enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
Cryogenic refrigeration device comprising an enclosure delimiting a sealed space closed by a cover, the device comprising at least one cryogenic cooler mounted through the cover and having a first end located outside of the enclosure and a second end located inside the enclosure, the cryogenic cooler being configured to produce cold at the second end thereof, the device comprising a set of heat-conducting plates which are arranged inside the enclosure and form thermal stages cooled by the cryogenic cooler, the device comprising a set of passages formed through the cover and plates for the sealed passage of one or more cables and/or equipment into the enclosure, characterised in that at least one part of the cover comprises a flange forming a support for the cryogenic cooler, wherein said flange bearing the cryogenic cooler is attached in a sealed manner and is removable from the remainder of the cover.