Fluid circulation device, installation and method using such a device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for cooling electrical junction boxes in refrigerators or cryogenic liquefiers are inefficient, leading to increased size, weight, production costs, and risks of leakage, while natural convection and conduction methods are limited by the thickness of the junction box walls.
Innovation Solution
A fluid circulation device that uses a cycle gas circuit to convey pressurized cycle gas from a high-pressure portion of the circuit into an electrical junction box, where it cools the box before returning to the circuit, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency without increasing the size or weight of the junction box.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If natural convection and conduction methods are used to cool the junction box, then the cooling system is simple in structure, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient and the junction box size must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic cooling by introducing cycle gas through a dedicated duct into the junction box. The pressurized gas flow directly contacts the electrical connectors and cables, providing efficient convective cooling without requiring increased junction box volume. This resolves the contradiction by replacing insufficient conduction/co convection with forced gas flow cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented by dedicating a specific duct and gas flow path solely for junction box cooling, separate from the main cycle gas circulation. This allows independent optimization of cooling efficiency without affecting the overall system volume, enabling effective cooling while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Stress or pressure
If the junction box wall thickness is increased to retain pressure, then the pressure retention capability is improved, but the cooling by conduction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent bypasses the limitation of conductive cooling through thick walls by introducing pneumatic cooling via a dedicated duct. The cycle gas flows directly into the junction box interior, providing convective cooling that is independent of wall thickness. This allows the walls to be optimized for pressure retention without compromising cooling efficiency.
3Temperature
If the junction box surface area and cable diameter are increased to improve cooling, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the weight and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves enhanced cooling capacity without increasing weight by implementing forced convection through a dedicated gas duct. The pressurized cycle gas flow provides efficient heat removal, eliminating the need to increase junction box surface area or cable diameters, thereby avoiding additional weight and production costs.
4Device complexity
If natural convection is used to cool the junction box, then the system complexity is reduced, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a simple yet effective cooling enhancement by adding a dedicated gas duct to the existing cycle gas system. This minimal structural addition enables forced convection cooling, significantly improving cooling efficiency while maintaining low system complexity. The solution leverages the existing pressurized gas circulation without requiring complex cooling mechanisms.
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 proposed solution effectively cools electrical junction boxes by circulating pressurized cycle gas, reducing the need for larger, heavier junction boxes and minimizing production costs while maintaining efficient thermal performance.
Implementation Method 1
a duct for conveying cycle gas under pressure... configured to collect a fraction of the cycle gas which flows in the circuit, in order to make it circulate in the junction box so as to cool the box
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a fluid circulation device comprising a casing containing an electric machine, a cycle-gas circuit subjecting the cycle gas to a change between a minimum pressure and a maximum pressure, a cycle-gas drive member rotationally coupled to the electric machine, an electrical junction box through which there passes electric circuitry having one end connected to the electric machine and one end connected to an electrical coupling open to the outside, the device comprising a cycle-gas conveying pipe connected to a portion of the circuit in which the cycle gas is at a pressure higher than the minimum pressure and to the inside of the junction box, the junction box comprising a passage for communicating with the inside of the casing, the conveying pipe, the passage and the return pipe being configured to bleed a fraction of the cycle gas from the circuit and pass it through the junction box with a view to cooling same before returning to the circuit.