Cryopump Gas Volume Control for Pressure and Power Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cryopump systems face challenges in maintaining optimal working gas pressure to reduce electric power consumption while ensuring continuous operation and preventing excessive pressure increases during temperature changes, which affects refrigeration performance.

Innovation Solution

A cryopump system with a gas volume adjuster and control device that adjusts the quantity of working gas in the gas line between the cryopump and compressor, allowing for pressure control by increasing or decreasing the gas volume based on operational states, such as cooldown, vacuum pumping, and regeneration, to maintain appropriate operating pressures and reduce electric power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the quantity of working gas is reduced during preparatory operation to lower compressor pressure, then electric power consumption is reduced, but refrigeration performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectric power consumptionVSAvoidrefrigeration performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the quantity of working gas based on operational phase. During preparatory operation (cooldown), the gas volume is reduced to lower compressor pressure and power consumption. During vacuum pumping operation, the gas volume is increased to restore pressure and maintain refrigeration performance. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting gas quantity to operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of working gas quantity between different operational phases. A gas volume adjuster modifies the amount of working gas in the circuit during preparatory operation versus vacuum pumping operation, enabling pressure and power consumption optimization without permanently sacrificing refrigeration capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the quantity of working gas is increased during vacuum pumping operation to restore static charge pressure, then refrigeration performance is improved, but electric power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefrigeration performanceVSAvoidelectric power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts working gas quantity based on operational phase. During vacuum pumping operation, gas volume is increased to restore static charge pressure and maintain refrigeration performance. During preparatory operation, gas volume is reduced to lower power consumption. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by optimizing gas quantity for each operational stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic adjustment of working gas quantity corresponding to the cyclic nature of cryopump operation (cooldown phases followed by vacuum pumping phases). The gas volume adjuster periodically increases gas quantity during vacuum pumping and reduces it during preparatory operations, achieving both performance and energy efficiency at different cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the compressor operates at constant speed to maintain refrigeration power, then refrigeration performance is stable, but electric power consumption cannot be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefrigeration performance stabilityVSAvoidelectric power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the variable element (working gas quantity) from the system to enable compressor power reduction. By removing or reducing working gas during preparatory operation, the compressor can operate at lower power consumption while maintaining constant speed, as there is less gas to compress. This resolves the contradiction by decoupling power consumption from refrigeration performance through gas quantity adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 solution effectively manages working gas pressure to minimize electric power consumption, maintain refrigeration power, and prevent excessive pressure increases, ensuring continuous operation and energy efficiency across varying temperature conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a preparatory operation including a cooldown from a room temperature to a cryogenic temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 2

a compressor of a working gas for the cryopump... controlling the compressor for a pressure control of the working gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS9480934B2Cryopump system, and method of operating the same, and compressor unit

Publication Date: 2016.11.01 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD

AI summary

A cryopump system includes a cryopump configured to perform a preparatory operation including a cooldown from a room temperature to a cryogenic temperature and to perform a vacuum pumping operation at the cryogenic temperature, a compressor unit of a working gas for the cryopump, a gas line connecting the cryopump and the compressor unit, a gas volume adjuster configured to increase a quantity of the working gas in the gas line during the vacuum pumping operation in comparison with that during the preparatory operation, and a control device configured to control the compressor unit so as to provide a pressure control for the gas line.