Multi-Orientation Cryostat Quench Duct Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Superconducting magnets in cryostats are prone to quenching due to heat leakage through the quench duct when the orientation changes, leading to excessive boil-off of cryogenic liquids and increased refrigeration costs in multi-orientation applications.
Innovation Solution
A multi-orientation cryostat design with a quench duct featuring multiple anti-convection portions that maintain temperature inversion across various orientations, including a 360-degree loop or spiral configuration, ensuring effective heat management and minimizing heat leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the quench duct is made with a large bore to allow rapid escape of expanding cryogenic gas during quenching, then the safety and quench management capability is improved, but heat leakage into the cryostat increases causing undesirable warming of the cryogenic liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The quench duct is segmented into multiple portions with different orientations. The duct includes a first portion extending upwardly from the vessel, a second portion extending horizontally, and a third portion extending downwardly. This segmentation allows each portion to serve specific functions: the upwardly extending portion creates temperature inversion to suppress convection and reduce heat leakage, while the horizontally and downwardly extending portions provide adequate bore area for quench gas escape.
Solution Approach 2:
The quench duct transitions from a simple vertical configuration to a multi-dimensional configuration with upward, horizontal, and downward portions. This dimensional change allows the duct to simultaneously achieve vertical orientation for convection suppression and sufficient cross-sectional area for quench safety, resolving the contradiction between heat leakage reduction and quench management capability.
2Loss of energy
If the quench duct extends vertically to create temperature inversion and suppress convection, then heat leakage is reduced, but the cryostat cannot be used in different orientations such as horizontal positions
Solution Approach 1:
The quench duct is divided into multiple oriented portions (upwardly extending, horizontally extending, downwardly extending) that work together to maintain convection suppression functionality across different cryostat orientations. When the cryostat is in vertical position, the upwardly extending portion provides temperature inversion. When the cryostat is rotated to horizontal or other positions, other portions of the duct assume the vertical orientation relative to gravity, maintaining the anti-convection effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-portion quench duct structure serves multiple functions: it provides temperature inversion for convection suppression in various orientations, maintains adequate bore area for quench gas escape, and enables the cryostat to operate safely in multiple orientations (vertical, horizontal, and intermediate positions). This universal design resolves the contradiction between heat leakage reduction and multi-orientation adaptability.
3Reliability
If a separate quench duct is provided distinct from fill and vent tubes, then quench safety is improved with adequate gas escape path, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The quench duct is integrated with the vessel structure, with the upwardly extending portion directly connected to the vessel and forming part of the overall cryostat assembly. This merging approach allows the quench duct to function as a distinct safety component while being structurally integrated, reducing overall system complexity compared to completely separate components.
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 effectively minimizes heat leakage and maintains cryogenic liquid stability across different orientations, reducing the risk of quenching and the need for higher-rated refrigeration systems.
Implementation Method 1
This creates a temperature inversion in the quench duct which suppresses convection
Implementation Method 2
Otherwise convection currents will tend to transfer heat into the cryostat
Implementation Method 3
A cryostat comprises a vessel for holding a cryogenic liquid to act as a coolant
Implementation Method 4
Refrigeration systems will be provided to cool the carried cryogenic liquid and/or cool replacement liquid for feeding to the cryostat
Implementation Method 5
The heat leads to rapid boil off of the cryogenic liquid, which is converted to gas, and expands significantly as it warms
Implementation Method 6
rapid boil off of the cryogenic liquid
Implementation Method 7
Superconducting magnets are generally required to be maintained at a 'low temperature' in order to maintain their superconducting properties
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A multi-orientation cryostat 5 for a superconducting magnet 4 for use in a plurality of orientations. The cryostat 5 comprises a vessel 6 for holding cryogenic liquid and, leading away from the vessel, a quench duct 7 for allowing escape from the vessel of gas generated by boiling of the cryogenic liquid due to quenching of the magnet. The quench duct 7 is sinuous so as to provide at least to differently orientated anti-convection portions 71, each portion for functioning as an anti-convection portion with the cryostat in a respective corresponding orientation.